October 2007 INTERVIEW WITH DU PINGRANG
Lily Pietryka

Du Pingrang is a highly sought-after artist in China. His award winning paintings are critically acclaimed and collected by national museums. Du's work takes us to a world of beauty and peace, with a touch of mystique. I was privileged to know this deeply inspiring artist during my visits to Shanghai. I was fascinated not only by his art, but also his mind and spirit. The following interview was conducted with Du in July 2006. We talked not only about art but also Qigong, spirituality and Tao. It will give you some insights to the inner world of this amazing artist:

"Blue Reminiscence"

Lily: I love the energy in your paintings. It is something I do not often see in traditional Chinese paintings. But on the other hand, even your more contemporary pieces carry a certain mystique. How did you achieve that?

Du: I studied the old masters in Chinese painting but try not to be limited by the techniques. Western and Chinese paintings employ different ways of viewing and interpreting the world. Western paintings are objective, scientific and exact; eastern paintings, subjective, philosophical and introspective. But, however scientific and exact we try to be, we can never capture all that is to reality. We often get lost because we are too fixated on the details. Chinese painting does not strive to be exact, therefore it is liberating. The artists are freer to explore meanings beyond forms. Maybe that is the mystique you saw in my paintings.

Lily: Sounds like Tao in a nutshell. The more we seek out something, the further away we get; the moment we stop seeking and just be, our object appears on its own.

Lily: The plants and flowers seem to come to life in your paintings. How did you turn the most ordinary things into a sight of magnificence and grandeur? Du: I was able to capture life because I felt it. I pay much attention to the postures, state and aura of things. It is like watching the symphony or the ballet. The trees and plants move together and against each other. Nature is the choreographer. But in the meantime, I try not to be confined by forms. I want to capture the essence of life in my paintings, something universal and eternal, that transcends all boundaries of time and space.

"Lanhua"

Lily: You seem to be very in tune with nature and yourself. How did you achieve such a state of awareness?

Du: I practice qigong. Most people practice qigong for health reasons. For me, it was a philosophical quest. I was seeking answers to basic questions like: who am I? What are we here for? What is the latent energy that we possess but do not know how to tap into? Qigong elevated me to a higher point of view - somewhat detached but more objective.

Lily: I can relate from my practice of yoga. Sometimes life seems a constant motion but we are going nowhere. That is when we need a moment of stillness. When I meditate, all the mental clutters fade away. I gain a better and clearer vision, of myself and as a result of it, everything around me.

Du: Before I meditated, my body was a barrelful of swirling muddy water. When I meditate, the muddy water stopped swirling and the mud settles. I then saw everything I need to see. I was in a state of transparency, clarity, peace and acceptance.

Lily: What is the difference between natural mineral paintings and traditional Chinese paintings? Du: A different tool. The natural minerals have vibrant yet subtle colors because they come from nature. They do not have the ostentatious and exaggerated effect of some manmade paint. They never fade. Those qualities dictate the tone and mood of a natural mineral painting. It is easily detected by a savvy eye. It is like the distinction between a real sapphire and lab-created piece.

"Praying"

Lily: What are your aspirations as an artist?

Du: My deepest desire is to translate what I see and feel about nature and life into a painting language. I want to inspire people to see what I see or at least pique their interest to look deeper. I want to use my painting as a stage to show people the beauty of nature, power of life and the grandeur of human mind and spirit.

To see Du Pingrang's paintings, please come to the:

Du Pingrang Exhibition
Mandarin Fine Art Gallery
1294 South Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651
10-20-07 to 11-24-07

Artist reception: 10-20-07 from 6:00-9:00 PM.

Lily Pietryka
Mandarin Fine Art Gallery