Singer on the Clouds: A Story of an Artist

"Distance is an infinitely wide and free world, a pure and flawless land." - Cen Long

The power of art is immense, influencing not only the audience but also the artist themselves. Over a decade ago, I had the privilege of meeting an artist living in China, a reserved and unassuming individual. Initially, he never mentioned his background or past. I only knew him as a professor in the Fine Arts Department, and a foreign publisher wanted to publish a picture book featuring his art. I was sent as a translator for the visit. Over the years, our interaction and understanding grew due to business connections.

On one occasion, he showed me several of his oil paintings through phone images, and one painting, "Distant Horizon," particularly struck me. I was deeply captivated by the vast expanse of the open sky extending from the silhouette of the central figure. While my eyes were fixed on the painting, my thoughts extended beyond the canvas, pondering, "Is that heaven?" The purity and flawlessness of the artwork profoundly moved my soul.

Later, I learned that he had received numerous awards for his paintings in his early years, and many of those who studied painting under him had become scholars, professors, or market favorites. However, he had become the "dead tiger" in the local art community. When I met him, he was already in his forties. He told me, "The world of illustration is much simpler than the world of painting. I find it meaningful to create picture books for children to enjoy." He had seen many excellent illustrations and picture books in his childhood, so he always enjoyed drawing illustrations. However, when I was touched by his oil paintings and his character, I knew he had to continue with the pure art of painting rather than focusing on illustration and publishing. His talent not being recognized was too regrettable. I always felt, "A dead tiger can come back to life." Perhaps it was an unrealistic thought, but I was never afraid.

He is a painter who does not want to sell his paintings. Although there were times in his early years, during life changes and when he was at the bottom of poverty, that he sold a few small pieces through friends, he used to paint solely to participate in national art exhibitions. He worked hard to create one or two masterpieces for exhibition each year, considering all other works as practice.

He said, "My paintings are my children. How can I sell my children?" I felt that for his art to be seen, it had to enter the market, and selling paintings was a necessary means. After communication, we embarked on a partnership where he focused on creating, and I dedicated myself to promoting. Time flew, and more than a decade has passed. He still does not paint for commercial purposes. In fact, over these ten years, he secluded himself like a hermit, rarely interacting with others. He hopes to create more lasting masterpieces in his limited life. In the past two years, he has often told me, "If I could just keep painting and then die in front of the canvas, how happy would that be!"

In my eyes, he is an unequivocal philosopher and a talented artist. Despite a life persistently marked by hardship and instability, he resembles the sailor facing the headwind in his 2017 creation, "Windy Days." Although slender, he stands resilient, confronting the storm with determination, embracing the challenges thrown by nature. For him, life is a journey of spiritual refinement, akin to the continuous purification described in Dante's "Purgatorio," with the ultimate goal of entering paradise.

He aspires only to give his all in the life journey he can control. To him, the process of life is a form of training, with the purpose of achieving spiritual transcendence. Learning to accept suffering, endure torment, coexist with challenges, and maintain hope and optimism in life—this, to him, is paradise, a terrestrial paradise. "Because we cannot know what comes after death, we can only explore throughout our lives and then leave our fate to the vast universe," he told me.

In 2012, I wrote a book titled "Singer on the Clouds." Over the years, his painting style and artistic realm have continued to evolve. In last year's "Brilliant Starlight Tonight" (2020), a straightforward and inexperienced youth on the left, holding a staff, stands beneath the night sky—a somewhat foolish yet courageous boy, perhaps reflecting on his youth. During the Cultural Revolution, after his father's suicide, he knew that, despite his youth, he had to support his mother and younger brother. A sense of responsibility compelled him to face challenges fearlessly.

Looking up at the stars, he knew the Creator would protect him as long as he moved forward with courage. After decades of temporal and spatial journey, experiencing highs and lows, falling from peaks, enduring a nearly 30-year low, he comprehended the true essence of life. He learned not to bow to fate or complain about its arrangements. He chose to blend harmoniously, allowing diffusion, and aspired for his paintings to provide strength and courage to others, bringing love and hope.

He feels fortunate during these more than ten years of seclusion and creation because, in his world, there is only music, books, and painting. The seeds of truth, goodness, and beauty planted in his heart since childhood, along with the true meaning of art, have helped him throughout his life. He transforms his understanding of life into one masterpiece after another, and in the process of creation, his soul undergoes sublimation.

This is the power of art. As an audience, I continuously experience this power through his works. The most profound realization came from "When Flowers Fall, Flowers Will Bloom" (2018). In the dark night sky, a newly wounded shepherdess tightly holds a bouquet of flowers, accompanied by a lamb. Her mother has passed away, but there is no need to fear. Her mother has transformed into the spirit behind the plum tree, accompanying her forever, no matter where her future leads. Death is not true separation but another form of continuity.

He is Cen Long, the most precious "Singer on the Clouds" in my eyes, a recluse in the mainland whose art moves many people around the world.

Source｜Artouch / Author｜Metra Lin