Zhang Yong's name came from a gang of artist friends. They hanged around, and bumped into Zhang Yong's territory. Zhang showed them such incredible things that they would never forget. I had also been longing for a chance. It had been three times before we met. As usual, we invited him to dinner. But he didn't touch alcohol. The banquet turned into noodles and a few dishes. After that we went straight to his studio.
His studio is spacious, divided into twists and turns according to different working directions. There are sketches, tea, small drawing table, calligraphy, porcelain, pottery figurines, ceramic tiles, photography, easels and large painting table in turn. The walls are packed with cabinets, filled with various collections and collected pieces. Paintings, large and small, are patched in the exposed parts of the wall. The collected ceramic pieces found in nearby field are scattered on the ground most of which have not been sorted out, still parked in bags.
I was stunned at the first look of Zhang Yong's paintings. The paper was full of free strokes and wild washes showing the atmosphere of the central Han national style revolved by the northern athnics about a thousand years ago. Some paintings appearedbold and heroic, but they came from moving comic with a soft heart. Some seemed to be full of casual ink and awkward brush strokes, but they were touching the soul. Some of them looked ingenious but suggested the grace of Wei, Jin, Sui and Tang Dynasties. The overall performance seemed to always find the charm of Shangdang local style statues of the ancient statues, potery lines and glaze colors.
For many years, he has been focusing on exploring the remains of Shangdang's ancient cultures. Whenever he goes out, he would point to the roadside of squares or buildings or factories, and describes the textual research he has done on the sites. He is familiar with all the sites of Longshan culture, Majiayao culture and Yangshao culture and saddened by the lack of official research. Walking along the road, he will suddenly point to the tableland and say that there must be a cultural layer. The pursuit of ancient culture has derived his keen vision and sense of smell.
Since 2020, he has collected and recearched on the porcelain pieces in Changzhi kiln sites, and he knows the production technics like the back of his hand. He has also concluded that many northern kilns also produce many utensils that can be fired in the same historical period in southern kilns, and put forward the argument that one kiln does not necessarily produce only one kind of porcelain.
Zhang Yong comes with an efficient face recognition system. Wherever accompanied by him, there is always easy admission, as if the door keeper is constantly waiting there. He has a unique vision. When facing the huge Song Dynasty mural of Kaihua Temple, he discerned the ancient people's artistic mentality from the pattern on a subtle corner. At Tiefo Temple, while we marveled at the splendid sculptures from the Ming Dynasty, he was furious by the peeled off pieces scattered on the ground.
In his space, no matter his vision, mind or studio, there are remnants everywhere. He can not only piece them together in reality, but also turn them into his own way of recreation and rest, even imagine them as a complete existence in his mind, and turn them into a vivid and personal image.
