Li Lei doesn't speak much English nor German. Rolf A. Kluenter knows even less Chinese. Yet together, they have conducted a powerful dialogue - on canvas.
The two artists first met three years ago, and despite differences in culture, background, and language, they found common ground this week through their joint show at the city's Xintiandi entertainment complex. Kluenter calls it "sharing an inner world."
"When I first saw Li Lei's paintings, I felt that I was in the presence of a great artist. His paintings touch the heart, conveying a sense of peace. They evoke a feeling that is beyond the capacity of ordinary people to convey," says Kluenter.
And although the 45-year-old German was born in a small city near Cologne, the two artists are also linked by Buddhism. After attending the Dusseldorf State Academy of Fine Arts in west-central Germany on the Rhine River, Kluenter went to Nepal in 1980 to conduct field research. He remained there for nearly 20 years, and the mystical Himalayan kingdom wove its spell.
"In Nepal, I found my heart totally opened," he said. "In this land with culture from India and China, I was inspired - and my longing for the East satisfied." Kluenter became a devout Buddhist, meditating each day. Perhaps it is this in-depth understanding of Buddhism that allows Kluenter to capture, in his art, the feel of Asia that eludes so many Westerners.
The 36-year-old Shanghai artist Li Lei is not untouched by Buddhism, either: "Life is a kind of Zen," Li says with a smile. "It's akin to the inevitable power of the circle, the constant process of gaining and losing. Like a blossoming flower, no matter how beautiful, that is doomed to fade.
"When I first saw Kluenter's paintings, I knew that he was a Buddhist," Li said.
Shanghai-born Li's familiarity with Buddhism came from his time in Qinghai, Gansu Province - a Buddhist area in northwest China - where his parents were sent to work. Li recalls that he felt alienated from Shanghai's bustle, and even as a young boy, lost himself in his paintings. "It was very strange that when I was just a little boy, I was always pondering: where are we from and where are we going?"
Li's abstract work is meant to evoke feelings rather than depict reality. His earlier works, before 1997, were realistic depictions of people and society, but now, Li says his paintings are meant to be viewed - and understood - through the prism of the heart. "I am trying to create something serene, the kind of touch that floats in the air," he said.
The artist adds that the differences between abstract and realist painting are not, as some would suggest, all that great: "From the surface they might appear very unlikely, but they are actually of the same nature, just like man and woman."
Kluenter's dynamic, passionate work is in striking contrast to Li's floating, almost dreamlike pieces. The reason, says Kluenter, is Nepal: "To me, Nepal is a country filled with brilliant colors, which has a strong influence on my work."
Rather than painting on white, Kluenter prefers a black medium. For him, the color black symbolizes the unknown, which is the essence of his interpretation of Buddhism.
Nevertheless, Kluenter focuses on the similarities between the two artists. "One of our distinctive characteristics is that our paintings are not 'dead,"' Kluenter said, "Like a growing tree, they live in the root of our mind."
Although their three-day joint exhibition already ended, the dialogue will continue, say the artists, with an installation piece,but are not fazed that this is ahead of the curve: "It's true that avant-garde work is limited here in Shanghai," Li says. "But culture is like the feelers of an insect. It should always be a step ahead of the trend."
Just like this lively-stepping duo.
(Eastday.com.cn 06/08/2001)
