Author
Interview Q. Wang
Spirit: The Paintings of Q. Wang
Interview by: Gary Sorkin, Pacific Book Review
June 2011
Today we are talking
with artist Qiang Wang who just published a collection of his paintings from
2006 through 2010. Thank you, Mr. Wang,
for taking some time to talk with us.
QW: My pleasure.
PBR: You mentioned briefly as to experiencing Maurice Utrillo’s work as being
inspirational. Who are some of the other
artists do you enjoy the most?
QW: Van Gogh.
PBR: I was very impressed with your art, especially the choice of color and
geometric shapes. What are some of
your thoughts freedom and Nature, which you claim are rooted in your work?
QW: I mean to express the real freedom, the
freedom from heart. America is one of
the freest countries in the world. But
not long after I came into America, I found that Americans are not really
free. It seems everybody was controlled
by an unseen hand —money. Most of the
people live in a pattern that others give them; a lot of people have to do
something they don’t like to do, say something (or most of the time, they say
nothing) they don’t like, because they need to keep their job to pay the mortgage. They don’t have real thought, they even
have no time for thought, they’re just working. They laugh, just to relax, but they do not have
the real freedom.
PBR: Having immigrated to the United States, and not having English as your
native language, your art seems to overcome the obstacle of cultural differences. How do you see your culture represented in
your paintings?
QW: I didn’t try to represent the Asian cultural,
but it is in my blood. My ceramic
teacher, Kent used to say this. My
culture just flows out. You can see some
influence of Daoism in my paintings.
PBR: If you were commissioned to do a large outdoor
billboard along the freeway in Los Angeles, which painting would you display or
would you make a new one, and if so, how would you do it?
QW: I may make a new one. I don’t know how it will be yet. I need a long
time to think about how to do it, before I paint something.
PBR: Aside from paintings, do you work in any
other medium?
QW: I did some ceramics when I went to West Los
Angeles College.
PBR: It is truly a privilege and honor to have this chance to talk with you
about your work. Thank you so much for
taking your time to share with us your thoughts.
QW: Thank you, Gary.
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