Zhou chunya: billionaire art pioneer
随着中国当代艺术的崛起，周春芽成为其中的领军人物。如今他的作品价格不仅在市场中屡创新高，即便在私下交易中，也是一画难求。
With the rise of Chinese contemporary art, zhou chunya become one of the leading figures. Now his work not only price in the market reached new highs, even in private transactions, a picture is hard to find.
3月3日，今日美术馆整整3层被周春芽的作品渲染得一派桃红柳绿。画的主人站在大厅中间，微笑着迎来送往。和方力钧合影，与岳敏君拥抱，黄燎原、栗宪庭、乌利·希客……能叫得上的艺术家收藏家悉数到场。而这位现在艺术市场成交量排名第二，身价超过2亿元的艺术家背后的很多故事还不为人知晓。
On March 3, today art museum a full three layer is the works of zhou chunya school TaoGongLiuLu rendering. Painting master standing in the middle of the hall, out with a smile. Hug and fang lijun, yue minjun, huang liaoyuan, LiXianTing, uri, guest... Can call artist collectors to present. And the art market volume ranked second, now worth over $200 million worth of many stories behind the artist is not known.
别人拿我的画挡雨
People take my picture in the rain
或许多孩子一样，周春芽小的时候很喜欢画画，经常在上课的时候用练习本的背面画连环画。而他真正的艺术启蒙却是在一场变故之后。1969年，周春芽的父亲去世，母亲带着他们三个孩子生活得很困难。一位好心的邻居看到这样的情况后，想办法把周春芽介绍到了当地的“五七艺术学校”。
Or many children, zhou chunya liked painting when I was a child, often use exercise books in class on the back of the comic strip. But his real art enlightenment is after a change. In 1969, zhou chunya's father died, the mother with their three children live very difficult. A kind-hearted neighbor after seeing such a situation, to find a way to introduce zhou chunya in the local art school "having".
“在那吃住不要钱，每个月还发给12块钱的生活费。”周春芽对于这些仍然记得很清楚。毕业后，周春芽被分配到当地美术社负责画毛主席像。“每天都做一样的工作，像生产一样。”这样的生活一直持续到恢复高考。
"Don't eat in the live money, each month to the cost of living in the 12 dollars." Zhou chunya for these still remember very clearly. After graduation, zhou chunya is assigned to the local art club chairman MAO as responsible for paintings. "Do the same work every day, like production." Such life continue to restore the university entrance exam.
很多人谈到周春芽的作品时都会提及那极为张扬的色彩，但人们不知道的是，他在高考的时候恰巧是由于“色彩不好”的原因从油画被挤到了版画。“当时考色彩是命题的，要用色彩画一个事物。我一直就认为色彩就是本体，又对命题特不感兴趣，就没发挥好。”周春芽说当时他很郁闷，现在想想也算不错，或许正是因为没学油画所以现在才更能信马由缰。
A lot of people when it comes to the works of zhou chunya mentions that very make public the colour, but people don't know is, he happened to be in the college entrance examination because of bad "color" from the oil painting is squeezed into the prints. "At that time to take an examination of colour is proposition, to color painting a thing. I have been think the color is ontology, and are not interested in proposition, and it didn't play well." Zhou chunya said he was very depressed, now think is fairly good, perhaps because no learn painting so now just to wander.
周春芽早期的作品基本没留下什么，因为当时艺术没有市场，根本没人重视画画。周春芽经常看到一个好的模特就去求人家说“你给我坐半天吧，画完送给你行吗？”别人还斜着眼睛看半天，最后施舍似的给他当个模特。“最惨的是我有一次送给别人的画，人家都不当回事，他那窗户坏了，没钱买玻璃，下雨天把我的画放在窗户上挡雨。现在知道能卖钱了，他也后悔得够戗。”周春芽哈哈大笑。
我是来了解西方文化的
I've come to understand western culture
1986年这一年，被周春芽牢牢地记在了心里。因为在他看来，那是他生命中真正的转折。他的一个朋友认识德国一个学校外事办的人，所以给他弄了一张申请。周春芽就直接去了德国。“我当时的目的就是为了看画册里的原作。”周春芽说他走的时候想：在中国我每个月只需要几十块钱，西方那么富裕，生活肯定就不需要钱了。于是他带了100美元和一箱方便面，买了一张600块钱的火车票，从北京直接坐到了东柏林，路上整整用了10天。
The year 1986, zhou chunya firmly in mind. Because in his view, that is the real turning point in his life. A friend of his who knew a German school foreign affairs office, so I got him a application. Zhou chunya went directly to Germany. "I was the original purpose is to see the picture." Zhou chunya said he go to think that I need only a few dollars each month in China, the west so rich, life certainly don't need the money. So he brought $100 and a box of instant noodles, bought a train ticket for 600 yuan, from Beijing directly to east Berlin, the road used for 10 days.
到了德国，周春芽找到了自己的经济担保人。那人最初以为他是来旅行的，后来周春芽宣誓一样地告诉他“我是来留学了解西方文化的！”当时担保人就愣住了，给周春芽留下点钱，扭头就走了。“我也搞不清楚是多少钱，反正就知道房租、医疗保险、学费、吃饭都是要用钱的。”三个月后，这笔钱花光了。周春芽满怀理想地开始卖画，走遍了当地所有的画廊，只有一家对他说回去等电话吧。“我等到今天也没给我打电话。”周春芽指指桌子上的手机说。
In Germany, zhou chunya found their economic security. Originally thought he was to travel, the man later zhou chunya swore to tell him "I'm here to study abroad to understand western culture! When the guarantor is paused, leave some money on zhou chunya, twist a head and went away. "I don't know is how many money, anyway you know the rent, medical insurance, tuition, meals are to use money." Three months later, the money spent. Zhou chunya started selling paintings in ideal, visited all the local gallery, only one said to him, go back on the phone. "I didn't call me until today." Zhou chunya said pointing at the mobile phone on the desk.
卖画失败，身上的钱也所剩无几，周春芽不得不开始打工。早晨四点半开始从火车上搬邮包，六点半再骑车去学校，当时气温零下30度，半小时要摔十几跤。“全靠的是信念。”周春芽说。
Sell failed, and little money, zhou chunya have to start work. At 4:30 in the morning began to move a parcel from the train, and then ride a bike to school at half past six, then the temperature below 30 degrees, to more than a dozen fall in half an hour. "By faith." Zhou chunya said.
后来周春芽到了世界著名的卡塞尔艺术学院，那里的老师让他从素描学起，他不愿意，就自己从课程表上找喜欢的教授。“当时有一个教授的课叫集体谈话和个别谈话。我觉得很有意思就去听了一次。那个教授知道我是从四川来的，就问我知不知道‘收租院’的雕塑。我说那都是我的老师。他就特高兴，当时给我开了张2000马克的支票，告诉我这叫信息费。后来还让我当他的助手，每个月800马克。”一下子，周春芽的生活有了保障。后来他才知道，那个教授是全欧洲唯一一个研究“收租院”的专家。
Later zhou chunya in world famous kassel school of the arts, the teacher let him there from sketch to learn, he is not willing to, himself from the schedule looking like the professor. "At that time a professor's class, called the collective conversation and individual conversations. I find it interesting to listen to. The professor know I'm from sichuan, ask I know not to know 'rent house sculpture. I said that is my teacher. He is happy, then gave me a check for 2000 mark, tell me this call is charged. Later let me when his assistant, 800 mark each month." All of a sudden, zhou chunya's life have safeguard. Only later did he know that the professor is the only one in Europe is "rent" expert.
石头 绿狗 桃花
Peach blossom stone green dog
在德国的三年，对周春芽的影响相当大，是他艺术生涯转折性的三年。“没有那三年，我很难让自己的艺术走得更远。”然而，偶然的一件事情让他产生了回国的想法。有一次周春芽去参观一个博览会，规模很小，只有一些艺术家自己在那摆摊。当时有一个摊位上挂着一张纸条，上面写着：我的作品是原作，不是中国制造。周春芽就过去问，那人说对中国除了知道有个老子之外一点都不了解。但是去过一次香港，看到那里有很多行画，认为中国就是生产复制品的地方。“当时我就觉得中国艺术家一点面子都没有。”周春芽说，这件事是促使他回国的最主要动力。
In Germany for three years, zhou chunya impact is quite big, head-turning three years is his art career. "Without the three years, I find it hard to make his art go further." By chance, however, one thing to let him. Once to visit a fair, zhou chunya is small, only some of the artists themselves in the stalls. When a stall in hang a piece of paper, it read: my work is the original painting, and is not made in China. Zhou chunya is asked in the past, the man said to China in addition to know a Lao tze didn't know at all. But have been to Hong Kong, see there are a lot of line drawing, think that China is the place where produce copies. "At that time I feel a little bit Chinese artists face all have no." Zhou chunya, says it is the main power led him to return home.
回国之后，周春芽开始把中国传统技法和德国绚丽前卫的色彩融合到一起。开始了自己的创作。
After returning home, zhou chunya started to take Chinese traditional techniques and Germany together the splendid color the avant-garde. Opened his own creation.
按照他自己的总结，石头系列是他第一个阶段，有用现代的技法寻找中国符号的因素在。而第二个阶段就是绿狗系列。绿狗的原型其实就是周春芽自己养的一只狗。“回国以后，朋友送了我一只狼狗叫黑根，从抱来的那天就跟我睡在一块，四年后黑根病死了，就跟我没了一个儿子似的。”再往后，就是现在最引人注意的桃花系列。满纸张扬的桃红。周春芽说，“这个系列已经不再有刻意地追求符号的意味，而是有太多复杂的内容。”
According to his own conclusion, stone series is the first stage, he useful modern techniques to find factors in Chinese symbols. And the second stage is the green dog series. The prototype of the green dog is zhou chunya himself to raise a dog. "After back home, my friend gave me a German shepherd named black root, from holding the day as I slept in a piece, black root of illness after four years, just like I don't have a son." More recently, is the most remarkable series of peach blossom now. Full paper flamboyant peach. Zhou chunya said, "this series is no longer have deliberately pursue symbols mean, but there are too many complicated content."
关心拍卖但决不受影响
Concerned about the auction but will not be affected
对于拍卖这个话题，很多艺术家选择的都是回避。而周春芽给记者的回答却是，“没关系，什么都可以问。”
For the auction this topic, many artists choose to avoid. And zhou chunya responded to reporters, "it doesn't matter, you can ask anything."
他说，拍卖价格和成交量这个事情，他自己肯定会去关心。“因为这可以看出喜欢你艺术的人有多少，有时候确实很有成就感。但是我只是当个新闻看一看，决不会受其左右。”
The auction price and volume, he says, he will go to care about. "Because it can be seen how much like your art, sometimes really feel a sense of accomplishment. But when I'm just a news have a look, it will never be."
在上世纪90年代，艺术市场基本不存在，只有一些台湾人过来买画，在北京的艺术家机会多一些，可以卖到一万元一张，而他的作品就只能卖5000元。“我就多画点，当时就想多画点收入还是一样的。”周春芽笑着说。当年他最困难的时候，一些藏家也帮过他的忙。有一次一个朋友带着从没买过他作品的收藏家到他的工作室，一次买下了20万元的画，这些事周春芽记到现在。他说，“一个真正的好藏家不只是为了今天买画明天卖，那能挣点小钱，但是不会很多。往往真正挣钱的是那些喜欢作品本身的人。在一个艺术家没被承认的时候，有人买画本身也是一种动力。”
In the 1990 s, the art market basic does not exist, only some Taiwanese come and buy paintings, more opportunities for artists, in Beijing can sell for ten thousand yuan a piece, and his works can only sell 5000 yuan. "I'll draw more, at that time wanted to draw more income is still the same." Zhou chunya said with a smile. In those days when he was the most difficult, some collectors also help him. Once a friend collector with never buy his work to his studio, bought a 200000 yuan paintings, zhou chunya to remember these things now. Good, "he said." a real collector not only to buy sell tomorrow, today that can earn some money, but not many. Real money is often those who like the work itself. At the time of an artist is not admit, someone to buy the painting itself is also a kind of power."
周春芽现在隔一两个月就会来一次北京。找艺术家朋友们聊聊。他说，北京的信息是丰富的，但是在一起并不一定要知道这些。而是将对方身上的动力当做是对自己的一种激励。“我看到张晓刚那么勤奋，每天都在画画。我就知道自己也应该再勤奋一点。”他说。
Zhou chunya now every one or two months will come to Beijing at a time. Seek the artist friends chat. Beijing information, he said, is rich, but does not have to know these together. But the power of each other as an incentive for yourself. "I saw zhang xiaogang, so hard, every day in the painting. I knew I should also be again a little bit hard." He said.
他总结过自己的性格，觉得自己是一个表面上看来不自信但内心却绝对坚强的人，所以他想做点画画之外的事情。比如自己出钱做一个美术馆，把现在这些优秀的当代作品保留住，“让以后的人能看见真正的原作。”
He summed up his own character, feel oneself is a seemingly not confident but inwardly we are being absolutely strong person, so he wanted to do something outside of painting. Such as pay for my own an art gallery, to retain these outstanding contemporary works, "let people can see the real original later."
