Lou Zhenggang, the Chinese calligrapher, painter and also acknowledged child prodigy, is once again attracting attention from the world of art. The exquisite calligrapher's talent has been evident since her childhood, when she was certified as an “exceptionally gifted prodigy” for enrollment in a special program in Beijing. Thirty years ago at the age of 20, she moved to Japan and begun her international journey of calligraphy and painting in Tokyo, New York and Beijing. This coming October, “Ever-Evolving Worldwide Asian Artists Right Now 3!” will take place at the Karuizawa New Art Museum. This exhibition introduces the latest works of Lou Zhenggang and other internationally acclaimed contemporary artists such as Toshimitsu Imai, Yayoi Kusama and Hisao Domoto. Art critic, Nobuyuki Senzoku, sat down with the artist to catch a glimpse of her journey to the present.

The childhood of a “prodigy”

Senzoku

Ms. Lou, you are from Heilongjiang Province in China. When did you come to Japan?

Lou

In 1986, when I was twenty. I’ve been here now for thirty-three years, though I spent a few years living in New York along the way.

Senzoku

I heard many Chinese move abroad. Why did you choose Japan?

Lou

Those children were called “exceptionally gifted prodigies.” Because I was good at calligraphy and had a very good memory, I was granted special permission to enroll in the Central Academy of Fine Arts. It was when the Cultural Revolution was winding down and there weren't many children studying hard. I wouldn't be called a “child prodigy,” though, in the present world where everybody studies hard.

Senzoku

But you were already very famous.

Lou

At that time I practiced by writing on the street with water. No one in the history of Chinese calligraphy history had ever done this before, so lots of media came for interviews. This was even included in textbooks. However, having been involved in politics and power conflicts of the people who were supporting me, my life took a turn for the worse.

Senzoku

You certainly are a survivor having gone through a turbulent time in Chinese history. By the way, when did you start thinking about a career as an artist?

Lou

I can't really say when exactly. I have continued my calligraphy and painting since I was little, and this is just something I will always do throughout my life no matter how others judge my works.

Senzoku

Many artists are influenced by other artist in their youth. What about you?

Lou

My hometown is a very cold mining village of the northernmost area of China. Not even a proper art book existed around that time. I worked in a very small room in a very small house. I looked out the window at a fruit tree, which happens to be my only memory of colors. The rest was just black dirt, coal and snow. So, I suppose that everything I saw became my textbooks as I grew.

Lou visited Japan in 1986 when she was twenty years old, and the following year she held her first solo exhibition in Japan. In 1998, she established the “Lou Zhenggang Art Education Development Fund,” which is devoted to the development of art in China. Once buffeted by the politics that caused trouble between China and Japan, she began to explore her true self as an artist when she embarked on an artistic journey through the worlds of Tokyo, New York and Beijing, vibrant worlds of explosive development and change.

Work at her art studio in Izu

Senzoku

You’re painting in Izu. Your seaside studio must be nice.

Lou

You're right. After all the hard experiences, just watching the vast blue sea encourages me.

Senzoku

Although you don’t draw landscapes specifically, I suppose you are greatly influenced by the rich nature that surrounds you. What is your actual process of creation? For example, some artists seem to work on a schedule to create just like office workers.

Lou

I work in the middle of the night. I used to love watching TV from 9 to 10 in the evening, and then painting until the next morning. Now I don't really have any hobbies or fun, and I'm not much motivated to meet people. I just shut myself in my studio and spend most of the time in front of the canvas except for when I’m sleeping and eating. I haven’t taken a break since last year.

Senzoku

That really is a tremendous effort. Are you working for any specific exhibitions?

Lou

I'm having an exhibition in October at an art museum in Karuizawa, but that isn’t the reason I've been creating. As I’m now over fifty, the way I think has changed. I believe that I should just keep painting. I still have the physical strength to create large pieces, and I no longer have second thoughts about what my art should focus on. My thinking recently is that I simply want to spend the rest of my time for creating.

Senzoku

What made you feel this way?

Lou

Why do I exist in this world? The answer is unknowable, but it might eventually show its shape as I keep painting. That could be the reason for my art.

Senzoku

You don't have any desire for recognition from others, or ambition to be rich?

Lou

No. I already had enough of that when I was young. I've created my own art for fifty years, and finding the reason for my existence in the universe is much more important to me now. Here I am, alive and able to paint. I have nothing else to wish for, and I thank God for this.

The endless quest of the Heart

Senzoku

Ms. Lou, you are a calligrapher and painter. How do you differentiate between painting and calligraphy?

Lou

For me, calligraphy is more challenging. Painting is a way of expressing my feelings at a time while calligraphy requires a devotion of my entire being.

Senzoku

Do you mean such revelations change the way you paint? To put it the other way around, can you recall the feeling you had at the time by looking at your past works?

Lou

Yes, I can. Along with some turning points in my life, I have definitely experienced major shifts in my painting style.

Senzoku

Your recent abstract acrylic paintings remind me of a nebula in the space or the Genesis-like chaotic energy of the universe. I believe creating such powerful work requires both physical and mental strength.

Lou

I appreciate your words. I recognize the painting large pieces is one of my strong points, so I'm very happy to hear such compliment.

Senzoku

In Chinese calligraphy and paintings the words “five colors of ink” * are often used, are you also conscious of colors in your monotone paintings?

Lou

Yes, I am. I’m aware of colors, of course, and I'm also aware of “flying white ” ** which has always been a natural part of me.

Senzoku

When you are creating an abstract painting, do you already have a blueprint in your mind before you begin, or does the piece gradually change during the painting process?

Lou

When I look into a blank piece of paper or canvas, the image what I should paint comes up in my heart. Nevertheless, both elements by necessity and accident act on my works; therefore, I can never paint the exact same thing; but then again, I don't want to paint the same thing twice.

Senzoku

People say things like “the style is the person” or “the writing is the person,” meaning the work reflects the creator's true self. Today I met with you and found that your works show the truth of Lou Zhenggang. This interview tells the story of your childhood as a “prodigy” and follows you to the present, but this doesn’t reveal everything. I'm looking forward to seeing your next project. Thank you very much for spending time with me today.

Lou

Thank you very much. I have kept painting for fifty years, but it's not enough. I'll keep painting even more. I hope you'll see what I do in the future.