独家观察 | 左正尧： 艺术的纯粹才是艺术家的希望
Exclusive observation | Zuo Zhengyao: The purity of art is the artist's hope
To this day, we still talk about the "85 Trend of Thought". The free atmosphere and unstoppable attitude of the art world during that period opened up a new situation in Chinese modern and contemporary art with an unstoppable posture. As a witness and witness of "85", Zuo Zhengyao still retains the characteristics of artists of that period: dare to do, free and easy, and full of confidence in the future. To discuss the development of Chinese contemporary ink and wash and contemporary ceramic art, Zuo Zhengyao is undoubtedly a figure that cannot be bypassed. Whether as an artist, or as a curator and curator of an art museum, he has always been on the road of development of contemporary Chinese art, seeking upward and downward. This interview will mainly focus on the contemporaryity of ceramic art, ceramic art industry ecology, ceramic art education in colleges and universities, and explore the development direction of contemporary ceramic art with readers.
直至今日，我们仍对“85思潮”津津乐道，该时期艺术界自由的氛围与掷地有声的态度，以势不可挡之姿打开了中国现当代艺术新局面。左正尧作为“85”的见证者和亲历者，身上依然保留着那一时期艺术家的特质：敢作敢为，自由洒脱，对未来充满信心。若要讨论中国当代水墨与当代陶艺的发展脉络，无疑，左正尧是无法绕开的人物。无论是作为艺术家，还是作为策展人和美术馆馆长，他始终在中国当代艺术发展道路上不断前行，上下求索。本次访谈将主要关注于陶艺的当代性、陶艺产业生态、高校陶艺教育等方面，与读者共同探寻当代陶艺的发展方向。
Gallery: You have experienced the process of Chinese modern and contemporary art from its rise to its evolution. Can you tell us about your ideas and actions at that time?
Zuo Zhengyao: In the 1985 era, China's artistic environment has undergone tremendous changes. Affected by the national conditions in the 1980s, a trend of thought and conceptual change has appeared in the society, and it has entered an early stage of ideological emancipation. At that time, people were full of confidence and hope for things. There were many people who really pursued things, and people generally had the habit of reading and communicating. In such a social atmosphere, artists will incorporate some macroscopic and ideological things into their creations. In 1985, I created "Return", which depicts a man and a woman standing in the middle of the water with a black frame on the outside. The picture composes a Chinese character-"Hui"; the person in the painting walks from the outside of the frame to the inside of the frame, which is also a kind of "Hui". Through this symbol to convey reflections on traditional philosophical concepts: Should we return to the ancient civilization more than 2,000 years ago, continue the ancient ideas and concepts, or continue to look for new routes through the cliff? This is the thinking at the time. It is not difficult to find that many theories today can still be found in the doctrines more than 2000 years ago. Philosophical thoughts such as "Confucius", "Laozi", and "Zhuangzi" are still in use today. It can be seen that the progress of human thought is not completely out of touch with the predecessors, so the traditional The connection between the excellent parts of the context and today's art was the main direction of my thinking and practice at that time. At that time, my creation was based on traditional philosophy and was produced in the form of traditional meticulous paintings, but the images that appeared on the screen were contemporary and conceptual. I used the traditional three-alum and nine-dye production process, and tried to express through traditional means. The recognized artistic concept at the time.
《画廊》：你经历了中国现当代艺术从兴起到流变的过程，能否说一下你当时的观念和作为？
左正尧：85时期，中国的艺术环境发生了巨大的变化。受80年代国情的影响，社会上出现了一种思潮、观念上的转变，进入一个思想解放的预前期。那时，人们充满了信心，对事物满怀希望，当中不乏真正有所追求的人，而且人们普遍有阅读和交流的习惯。在这样的社会氛围下，艺术家会将一些宏观的、思想性的东西融入自己的创作中。1985年，我创作了《回归》，描绘一男一女站在水中央的背影，外围有三分之一的黑色边框。画面组成一个中国汉字——“回”；画中人从边框外面往边框里面走，也是一种“回”。通过这个符号传达对传统哲学观念的反思：我们到底应当回归到2000多年前的远古文明，延续古老的思想观念继续前行，还是断崖式地重新寻找新的线路？这是当时的思考。不难发现，今天很多理论还可以从2000多年前的学说中找到依据，《孔子》《老子》《庄子》等哲学思想依然沿用至今，可见人类的思想进步并非完全与前人脱节，因此将传统文脉中优秀部分与今天的艺术做连接，是我当时思考和实践的主要方向。当时我的创作是以传统哲学为基础，以传统工笔画的形式制作，但画面显现的图式又是当代的、观念性的，我采用传统的三矾九染制作工艺，力图通过传统手段表达当时认可的艺术观念。
Gallery: Later, you also created many works related to women. How do you see the position of women in society today? How are they reflected in your work?
Zuo Zhengyao: Another work "Zhuangzi·Laozi·Wife" from the same period as "Return" shows the image of a female "wife". In the work, Zhuangzi and Laozi are sitting in front of an apple tree, waiting for "the apples will fall by themselves when they are ripe", while the wife said nothing, picking a fruit at will. Her attitude is "I pick the apples, and the apples will be ripe." Up". This work expresses my thinking about "what is maturity" when I was 25 years old. At the same time, I also created "Soul Ling", which depicts a female human body holding a candle walking in the forest, expressing questions about the relationship between man and nature. During the "85" period, I wrote the article "The Elliptical Universe", thinking that all life forms in the universe are elliptical. All the images that represent life, such as seeds, leaves, and eggs, are oval. For example, the most spiritual eyes and lips of a person are oval. This point of view is embodied in countless elliptical arcs in my paintings. In my opinion, women who can best represent an ellipse, women have a clearer and more prominent line than men’s ellipses. So I began to continue to use female symbols in my paintings. On the one hand, the image of women can support my theoretical foundation. On the other hand, the charm of elegance, broadness, and caring that women themselves are unique, as well as the home that women represent in society. The location is worthy of respect and expression.
《画廊》：你后来也创作很多与女性相关的作品，那你是如何看待当下女性在社会的位置的呢？她们如何反映在你的作品中？
左正尧：与《回归》同一时期的另一幅作品《庄子·老子·妻子》表现了女性“妻子”的形象。作品中，庄子和老子坐在苹果树前，在等待“苹果熟了会自己掉下来”，而妻子什么都没说，随手摘下一个果子，她的态度是“我摘下苹果，苹果就熟了”。这件作品表现了25岁时我对“什么是成熟”的思考，同期还创作了《森灵》，描绘女性人体手持蜡烛在森林中行走的场景，表达对人与自然关系的追问。
“85”时期，我写了《椭圆的宇宙》一文，认为宇宙间的一切生命体都是椭圆的。所有代表生命的形象，比如种子、树叶、鸡蛋，都是椭圆的，又比如人身上最灵性的眼睛、嘴唇等都是椭圆的。这一观点在我的画面中体现为无数的椭圆的弧线。在我看来，最能代表椭圆的女性，女性比男性椭圆的线条更明确和突出。于是我开始将女性符号不断运用到画面中，一方面女性的形象能支撑我的理论基础，另一方面，女性本身特有的优雅、博大和关怀等魅力，以及女性在社会中所代表的家的位置，值得去尊重和表达。
Gallery: In 2003, as a curator, you put forward the "paper and ink media theory", can you tell us more about this view?
Zuo Zhengyao: I put forward the "paper and ink media theory" based on people's confusion about the concept of "ink and wash painting" at that time-I talked about ink and wash for a while, Chinese painting for a while, and Chinese painting for a while... In fact, whether Chinese painting or ink painting is in the international scope They are all types of paintings. The classification of painting types is defined by media materials, such as oil on canvas, ink on paper, and ink on silk. The material is used to intervene in ink and the material reflects the spiritual meaning. The context of Chinese painting from ancient times to the present is actually a spiritual inheritance. The picturesque pictures show the farewell river bank, the quiet state of moisturizing things and the humanistic care, which can best represent the essence of Chinese art. Artists can use any kind of material to create, but the spirit must be native speakers. Just like Western contemporary art, it is also the mother tongue culture and worldview of Western humanities. Art and culture have vitality and meaning only if they grow out of the soil of native culture.
《画廊》：2003年，你以策展人的身份提出了“纸墨媒材说”，能再给我们说说这一观点吗？
左正尧：我提出“纸墨媒材说”，是基于当时人们对“水墨画”概念的混淆——一会儿说水墨，一会儿说国画，一会儿又说中国画……其实无论中国画还是水墨画，在国际范围看都是绘画类型，绘画类型的划分是以媒介材料界定，比如布面油彩、纸本水墨、绢本彩墨，以材料介入水墨，透过材料反映出精神所指。中国绘画从古至今的脉络，其实是一种精神层面的传承，画面中透出的江岸送别、润物细无声的境界和人文关怀，才最能代表中国艺术的本质。
艺术家可以用任何一种材料去创作，但精神所指必须是母语的。正如西方当代艺术，也是西方人文的母语文化和世界观。艺术和文化只有是从母语文化的土壤中生长出来，才是有生命力和意义的。
Gallery: What do you think of the ontological issue of ink and wash in today's context?
Zuo Zhengyao: In my opinion, the ink and wash system in the strict sense is far from being formed. The concept of ink and wash has only been put forward for decades. It is in the early stage of growth, and it is too early to talk about the main body. It can only be said that it is indeed necessary for more artists to participate and use ink as a medium to discuss the most essential humanistic care in ink. Ink on paper represents the realm of Chinese mother tongue. Only when it is rooted in its noumenon and unity can duality and pluralism grow.
《画廊》：你怎么看待当今语境下的水墨本体性问题？
左正尧：在我看来，现在还远没形成严格意义上的水墨体系，水墨概念的提出才几十年，处在成长初期，谈本体还为时过早。只能说现在的确需要更多艺术家参与、运用水墨这一媒材，共同探讨水墨中最本质的人文关怀。纸本水墨代表中国母语的境界，只有植根于它的本体和一元所在，二元和多元才能生长。
Gallery: When did you first get in touch with ceramic art creation?
Zuo Zhengyao: Between 1988 and 1989, I started to learn about pottery. At that time, I wanted to do a multi-material installation art exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, including pottery, paper, soft sculpture, metal, video, etc. In June 1989, I went to Qichun, Hubei to burn pottery for a few months and made hundreds of works. Later, I exhibited it at the Guangzhou Sculpture Museum. My pottery creation started from then, to the stage of oval symbol, and then to the stage of multi-creation.
《画廊》：你从什么时候开始接触陶艺创作？
左正尧：大概在1988到1989年间，我开始接触陶艺。当时我想在中国美术馆做一个多种材料的装置艺术展，包含陶艺、纸本、软雕塑、金属、影像等。1989年6月我到湖北蕲春烧了几个月的陶，做了几百件作品，后来展览在广州雕塑馆展出。我的陶艺创作是从那时开始，到椭圆符号阶段，然后到了多元创作阶段。
Gallery: Now you have chosen the combination of ceramic art and ink and wash. What is the difference between creation on paper in terms of creative concept and content?
Zuo Zhengyao: Whether from the perspective of material production or creation, pottery and ink embody the same essence: caring. This is human care for things. Ink and pottery show the same context and feelings in expression, and the two media are also connected in creation. The moist, delicate, and water-based ink and wash can be used in the expression of pottery, and ink and wash can learn from the freedom, humility and tension of clay in the pottery art.
《画廊》：现在你又选择了陶艺与水墨结合的创作方式，那这跟纸上创作在创作观念上和传达内容上有什么区别呢？
左正尧：无论是从材料制作还是创作的角度来看，陶艺和水墨都体现了同一本质：关怀。这是人对物的关怀。水墨与陶艺在表达上会呈现相同的文脉情怀，两种媒材在创作上也是相通的。水墨的润泽、细腻、水性可以运用在陶的表达上，水墨又可以借鉴陶艺中表现泥性的自由、谦让和张力。
Gallery: Many contemporary artists also use pottery as a material in their creations, but they generally do not simply classify it as a kind of pottery work. Do you think it is necessary to rethink the concept of pottery? Said to eliminate it instead of stressing it all the time?
Zuo Zhengyao: This should be viewed from two aspects. On the one hand, to emphasize the production process from the perspective of the traditional context, and to convey how the medium continues to advance, we must respect the characteristics of the medium itself. The firing technology of ceramics has been defined in the past dynasties, what kind of glaze color is good, what kind of utensils are standard, and ceramics as a traditional craft concept has reached a consensus. "Ceramic art" here refers to the inheritance of socially recognized skills and context. However, if contemporary artists only use ceramic media to complete their works, they do not need to be restricted by materials. The concept of modern ceramic art came from a conceptual change initiated by a group of ceramic artists from Otis College in the United States in 1954. They break the integrity of the vessel based on the theory of Japanese Zen. This activity was called the "Otis Revolution" and was represented by Peter Vaux. In the same year, in Japan, potters headed by Yagi Kazuo were also carrying out ceramic art reforms and establishing the "Clay Club". The new concept of modern ceramic art was put forward for the purpose of breaking the original thinking about the integrity of ceramic ware. It first set off an upsurge in the United States and then led to the revolution of modern ceramic art around the world. This is the rise of modern ceramic art. China’s modern ceramic art began in the 1980s. We have been exposed to foreign information. Colleges and universities have begun to invite overseas ceramic artists to give lectures. This coincided with the artistic transformation of the 1985 era, which led to the rise and development of modern ceramic art in China. In this respect, Guangzhou is the earliest development. For example, a series of exhibitions such as "Feeling the Mudness", "Performing Mudness", "Beyond Mudness", and "Simple Space" curated by me at Guangdong Museum of Art have played a certain role in Chinese contemporary ceramic art. The driving effect. There are also exhibitions in Hangzhou and Beijing, together with the establishment of the Ceramic Art Committee of the China Artists Association, and a series of exhibitions from the perspective of the Artists Association, which constitute the overall pattern of the modern development of Chinese ceramic art. In recent years, other cities have also held invitational exhibitions, and Chinese ceramic art is in full contact with the world.
《画廊》：不少当代艺术家在创作的时候也会用到陶这种材料，但他们一般不把它简单地归类为一种陶艺作品，就你觉得是否有必要重提陶艺这个概念，还是说把它消解掉，而不是一直强调它？
左正尧：这要从两个方面看。一方面，从传统脉络角度强调制作工艺，传达这一媒介如何继续往前推进，就一定要尊重媒介本身的特性。历朝历代对于陶瓷的烧制技术已有界定，什么样的釉色是好的，什么样的器型是标准的，陶瓷作为传统工艺概念已经达成共识。“陶艺”在此指社会认同的技艺与脉络的传承。但如果是当代艺术家仅仅运用陶瓷媒介去完成作品，则大可不必受材料限制。现代陶艺的观念提出，来自1954年美国奥蒂斯学院一群陶艺家发起的观念变革。他们以日本禅学的理论为基础，打破器皿的完整性。这项活动被称为“奥蒂斯革命”，以彼得·沃克斯为代表。同年在日本，以八木一夫为首的陶艺家也在进行陶艺变革，成立“走泥社”。现代陶艺新观念的提出，目的都是要打破原有对陶瓷器皿完整性的思维，先是在美国掀起热潮，继而带动了全世界的现代陶艺变革，这就是现代陶艺的兴起。中国的现代陶艺是从上世纪80年代开始，我们接触到国外的资讯，高校开始邀请海外陶艺家举办讲座，恰逢85时期的艺术变革，带动了现代陶艺在中国的兴起和发展。在这方面以广州发展最早，比如我在广东美术馆策划的“感受泥性”、“演绎泥性”、“超越泥性”、“单纯空间”等一系列展览，对中国当代陶艺起到了一定的推动作用。还有杭州和北京的展览，加上中国美协成立陶瓷艺委会，从美协的角度举办了一系列展览，构成了中国陶艺现代发展的整体格局。近年来，其他城市也先后举办了邀请展，中国陶艺正处于与国际全面接触的状态。
Gallery: According to your observation, what is the creative state and living state of domestic ceramic artists?
Zuo Zhengyao: The difference between domestic ceramic artists and foreign ceramic artists is mainly reflected in their creative attitude. Foreign ceramists prefer to seek the so-called truth deep in the spirit. Domestic ceramists often pursue visual pleasure and aesthetics, as well as functional referentiality. There is an essential difference between the two. Foreign ceramists express their attitudes towards life through their works, while domestic ceramists pursue the honor, status and market brought by personal value and value through their works, and pay more attention to the added value brought by their works. Based on this premise, Chinese ceramic artists are composed of two major parts: one is a group of ceramic artists in colleges and universities, who value academic thinking and their works reflect academic attitudes. The other part is the ceramic artist of the production area, and the production area itself pursues market value. Under the call of this market value, numerous selections of masters have appeared, leading to the proliferation of master titles.
《画廊》：据你的观察，国内陶艺家的创作状态跟生存状态是怎样的？
左正尧：国内陶艺家与国外的陶艺家的区别主要体现在创作态度上。国外陶艺家更希望寻求精神深处所谓的真理性，国内陶艺家追求的往往是视觉上的愉悦和唯美以及功能所指性，这两者存在本质上的区别。国外陶艺家通过作品表达他们的人生态度，国内陶艺家通过作品追求个人价值和价值带来的荣誉、地位和市场，更在意作品所带来的附加值。基于这一前提，中国的陶艺家由两大部分组成：一部分是高校陶艺家群，他们重视学术的思考，作品体现学术态度。另一部分是产区陶艺家，产区本身追求的是市场价值。而在这种市场价值的召唤下，出现了名目繁多的大师评选，导致大师头衔泛滥。
Gallery: How do you think contemporary ceramic art should find its foothold in the contemporary art environment?
Zuo Zhengyao: Ceramic art itself has strong vitality and a strong foothold, but it is more promoted and established as arts and crafts rather than mainstream art. As for how to apply this traditional craftsmanship to contemporary art, it is best The way that more first-line artists choose ceramic materials for creation, this can play a strong leading role in the contemporary transformation of ceramic art.
《画廊》：你觉得当代陶艺应该怎么在当代艺术环境里面找到自己的立足点呢？
左正尧：陶艺本身具备强大的生命力，也有强有力的立足点，但更多是作为工艺美术而非主流美术而得以推进和立足，至于如何将这种传统工艺手段运用于当代艺术，最好的方式视有更多一线艺术家选择陶瓷材料进行创作，这能对陶瓷艺术的当代转化起到强有力的引领作用。
Gallery: You have been the curator of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts University Town Art Museum for more than 10 years. At the same time, you have been a teacher of the Academy of Fine Arts. From these two roles, what do you think of the modern ceramic art education in China?
Zuo Zhengyao: China's ceramic art education is jointly led by Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute and the Eight Academy of Fine Arts. Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute originally specialized in ceramics, but the school's mission and philosophy have undergone major changes after the expansion of enrollment. Now many majors that are not directly related to ceramics have been opened, making the school impure. Among the eight major art academies, the Central Academy of Fine Arts does not have a ceramics department. Ceramics are placed in the sculpture major. Sculpture students can use metal, wood, ceramics and other materials to complete their creations. Ceramics are divided as a sculpture medium here; China Academy of Fine Arts Putting ceramics in the Handicraft Academy, looking at ceramics from the perspective of handwork. Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts put ceramics under the product design project. Ceramic materials are only an option in product design.
《画廊》：你担任广州美术学院大学城美术馆的馆长已经10余年了，同时你也一直担任美院的教师，从这两个角色出发，你觉得中国现代陶艺教育做的怎么样？
左正尧：中国陶艺教育由景德镇陶瓷学院和八大美院共同引领。景德镇陶瓷学院原本专攻陶瓷，但是学校的办学宗旨和理念在扩招后发生了较大变化，现在开设了许多与陶瓷没有直接关联的专业，使学校变得不纯粹。 八大美院中，中央美院没有陶瓷系，陶瓷放在雕塑专业内，雕塑系学生可以选用金属、木材、陶瓷等材料完成创作，陶瓷在这里是作为一种雕塑的媒介进行划分；中国美院将陶瓷放在了手工学院，从手工的角度看待陶瓷。广州美术学院，将陶瓷放在了产品设计项目下，陶瓷材料在产品设计中，只是一个选项。
Gallery: What do you think is the biggest difficulty in the development of contemporary ceramic art?
Zuo Zhengyao: The difficulty lies in the academic circle and the national level. It is necessary to reach an international consensus: what kind of ceramics is a work that represents the current state of Chinese art. No matter what material is used, it should reflect the height of the times and humanistic care. With this premise, let's talk about the media. Of course, there must be a high degree of practice and theory. The two are inseparable. This means that we need more influential participants and institutions to lead the development of contemporary ceramic art. The artist himself needs to maintain a pure artistic attitude. The purity of art is the hope of art. When you come to New York of art, there is no real base for avant-garde art at all, because it is everywhere, maybe in the SOHO gallery area, maybe in the MoMA contemporary art museum, maybe in the Guggenheim Museum, or in Metropolitan meseum. But true avant-garde art is a memory of collective wisdom at the spiritual level. Plato said: "When the soul of beauty and the appearance of beauty are harmoniously integrated, people will see that this is the most perfect beauty in the world." How do we find the perfection of the soul and appearance of beauty in art? This is enough to cost the artist. I spent my whole life trying to find the answer. It's a pity that many artists are drifting away from the appearance of beauty without searching for a deep soul; there are some who are pursuing a deep soul while missing the appearance of a bridge of thought. This is the paradox ecology in contemporary art.
《画廊》：你觉得当代陶艺发展最大的难度在哪里？
左正尧：难度在于学术圈和国家层面，需要达成有国际高度的共识：什么样的陶瓷才是代表中国艺术现状的作品。无论用什么材料都应体现时代的高度和人文关怀，有了这个前提，再来谈媒材。当然，也要有实践和理论的高度，这两者是分不开的。这就意味着我们需要更具影响力的参与者和机构去引领当代陶艺的发展。艺术家自身则需要保持纯粹的艺术态度，艺术的纯粹才是艺术的希望。当你来到艺术的纽约，其实根本找不到先锋艺术真正的基地，因为它无处不在，可能在SOHO画廊区，可能在MoMA当代艺术馆，可能在古根海姆美术馆，也可能在大都会博物馆。但真正的先锋艺术，是一种精神层面集体智慧的记忆。柏拉图说：“当美的灵魂与美的外表和谐地融为一体，人们就会看到，这是世上最完善的美。”我们如何在艺术当中寻找美的灵魂和外表统一的完善，这足以让艺术家耗费一辈子心血去寻找答案。可惜，多少艺术家游离在美的外表，而没有追寻到深刻的灵魂；还有一些在追求深刻灵魂同时与承接思想桥梁的表象失之交臂，这就是当代艺术中的悖论生态。
Gallery: You are not only the curator of the museum, but also a curator and artist. Which of these identities do you think is the most important to you, and which one is the most challenging?
Zuo Zhengyao: What I value most is the identity of an artist. Over the years, artistic creation has given me irreplaceable joy and satisfaction. For me, the identity of the curator is staged, but the identity of the artist can last a long time. The most challenging is the curator, because a curator is a work that has reached an international consensus, with a specific scope of work, procedures, organizational structure, and principles of work. Moreover, the work of the curator must be global. For me, the language barrier is a challenge.
《画廊》：你既是美术馆馆长，又是策展人和艺术家，你觉得这几个身份里哪一个是你最看重的，哪一个挑战最大？
左正尧：我最看重的是艺术家身份。多年来，艺术创作给予了我无可替代的喜悦和满足。对我而言，馆长的身份是阶段性的，艺术家的身份却能贯穿久远。最具挑战性的是策展人，因为策展人是一种在国际上已经达成共识的工作，有特定的工作范围、程序、组织架构和做事原则。而且策展人的工作一定是全球化的，对我而言语言障碍就是一种挑战。
Gallery: What do you think your multiple identities have on personal creation?
Zuo Zhengyao: In terms of creation, being a pure artist is happy. Art creation can relax the mind and body, and sometimes reach the state of the soul out of the body. This is a unique experience. The existence of multiple identities consumes a lot of time and energy, but it also increases the possibility of implementation and the richness of life, making creation diverse, diversified and multi-dimensional, and bringing subtlety to the way of thinking and creative style. Change. For example, when creating, I will examine the display effect of the work from the perspective of the curator of the museum. This is the creative change brought about by the work, and the ecology formed by the intersection of the personal working environment track and the creative road.
《画廊》：你觉得你的多重身份对于个人创作来说有什么影响呢？
左正尧：从创作而言，做一个纯粹的艺术家是幸福的。艺术创作能让心灵和身体放松，有时能到达灵魂出窍的境界，这是一种独特的体验。多重身份的生存状态，消耗了不少时间和精力，但也增加了一些实施的可能性和生活的丰富性，让创作变得多样、多元和多维度，给思维方式和创作样式带来潜移默化的改变。比如，创作的时候，我会以美术馆馆长的视角审视作品的展示效果，这是工作带来的创作变化，是个人工作环境轨迹和创作道路交叉形成的生态。
Gallery: You recently created the "Herbal Series". What kind of content do you hope to convey through this series?
Zuo Zhengyao: As early as more than 20 years ago, I began to draw herbal manuscripts. In 2017, I started to paint herbal series. I focused on the differences of herbs. I selected the herbal images recorded in ancient Chinese documents and at the same time incorporated calligraphy into it. , Forming a unique herbal symbol. I try to use herbs to see the big from the small, and the objects I overlooked may be even bigger like air and water. Herbs are the starting point in the life chain. Both humans and animals cannot do without herbs. I hope to use herbs to think about the essence of ecology.
《画廊》：你最近创作了“草本系列”，是希望通过这个系列传达一种什么样的内容？
左正尧：早在20多年前，我就开始画草本手稿，2017年开始画草本系列，关注草本的差异性，将中国古代文献中记录的草本图像经过取舍，与此同时，将书法融入其中，形成独特性的草本符号。我试图通过草本以小见大，忽略的物像也许更博大如空气、水。草本是生命链条中的起点，无论人类还是动物，都离不开草本，我希望借助草本思考生态的本质。
Gallery: It's the annual graduation season again. What do you want to say to the students who are about to enter society?
Zuo Zhengyao: Whenever I graduate, I always think of teaching at Central China Normal University when I first started working and living in a classroom on Guizi Mountain. It coincides with the graduation season and broadcasts "Goodbye, goodbye, and wait until the day we meet." ". Over the years, although I have experienced many job transfers, I still unconsciously think of "Goodbye, Goodbye, and Wait Until the Day When I Meet" whenever the graduation season comes. This is a kind of farewell thoughts, farewell feelings, not only to bid farewell to youth, but also to bid farewell to the years. As each graduate enters the society, the alma mater is older for a year, the teacher is one year older, and life is constantly sending off the old and middle ages. For young people, after constructing their ideals and focusing on their goals, they do not hesitate and do not hesitate. , Don’t move away, hurry up and implement it, big deal, start all over again, this is the right of young people and the capital of youth!
《画廊》：又到了一年一度的毕业季，你有什么话想对即将步入社会的学子说？
左正尧：每到毕业的时候，总会想起刚参加工作时在华中师范大学任教，住在桂子山上的课室里，恰逢毕业季，广播天天播《再见，再见，等到相见的那一天》。多年来，虽然经历了多次工作调动，但每当毕业季来临还是会不自觉地想起《再见，再见，等到相见的那一天》。这是一种送别的思绪，送别的情怀，既是送别青春，也是送别岁月，既是送别同学，也是送别老师，送别自己过往的人生。随着每届毕业生踏入社会，母校老了一年，老师大了一岁，人生在不断地送别中老去，对于年轻人来说，建构理想、看准目标之后，不迟疑，不徘徊，不游离，抓紧实施，大不了，重头再来，这是年轻人的权利，也是青春的本钱！