劉晨茵 沈愛群
不久前報刊上登出了三方印章:“以牛為師”“計黑為白”“老頑童”,落款署名“魯光”,風格稚拙靈妙,令人回味無窮。
有人好奇:
是那個寫報告文學《中國姑娘》的魯光?是那個善于畫牛的畫家李苦禪先生的弟子魯光?是畫出被譽為“創(chuàng)新的中國畫”《生命》的魯光?
2020年夏天,接受筆者專訪的魯光哈哈大笑,揭開了這個謎底:“正是在下‘老頑童。”
有人嫉妒:上天太偏愛魯光了,記者夢、作家夢、畫家夢,都讓他圓了,現在又要圓篆刻夢。
擁有多重職業(yè)、身份,過著多元生活的人,如今常被冠以“斜杠”的稱謂,魯光無疑是其中的佼佼者。
“我認為生命應有多種維度,而不只是單一的色彩——太單調,好像白白來人世間走一遭。”魯光說。
“本人雖八十有三,但仍有嘗新的勇氣?!?/p>
實現“斜杠”人生
2020年初,宅家抗疫三月有余,魯光發(fā)現自己成了“時間的富人”。
他每天早、中、晚在屋里走路半個小時。腳在走,腦子也不安靜,突然冒出一個想法:自己從文從藝一生,詩書畫都有涉及,唯獨對印望而生畏。擁有的印章不下百方,但沒有一方是自己刻制的。
想著想著,魯光萌生了刻印的沖動?!坝浀米x村校二年級時,在蘿卜和泥巴上刻過字。很怪的,這個刻字的記憶,就使我與篆刻結了緣。我也曾為自己設計過一方牛形閑章,請一位篆刻行家操刀成印,不知有多少人贊美這方閑印。一位行家說,‘我們這些專業(yè)篆刻手是搞不出這種設計的?!濒敼飧嬖V筆者。
記不清何年何月,魯光也曾置辦過刻字的刀具,大小印章石也裝滿了一大包。一有了治印的沖動,他馬上把這些備而未用的東西給找了出來。
“也不知哪兒來的膽量,說干就干。操刀動石,沒日沒夜地刻制,疫情期間,我一口氣治印十來方?!?/p>
先刻了兩方小的,魯光發(fā)到朋友圈,有人點贊?!捌鋵嶞c贊不等于贊賞,也可能見我這個八十多歲的老頑童居然玩刀弄石,覺得新鮮,順手點個贊給個鼓勵??扇死狭?,就愛聽好話,有人點贊,就來勁?!?/p>
魯光又接連刻了幾方大章——“以牛為師”“計黑為白”“老頑童”和兩方牛形大印。
刻印,魯光的手勁是有的。他從小跟父親做木桿秤,刨木桿,鉆秤花,磨秤桿。用刀刻石,難不住他,而且能把握住力。
“不過,也出過好幾回錯,刻好印,發(fā)現字刻反了。有一方小印,刻了磨、磨了刻,刻了八回才完工?!碑斔麑⑦@方“童畫”小章送給女兒時,不禁感嘆了一句:“一分天資,九分勞累?!?/p>
魯光說自己的心態(tài)好,刻壞了,有遺憾,但絕不沮喪?!懊恳换厥《际蔷毜?。熟能生巧,用刀的輕重緩急,我慢慢掌握了。應該說,刻到后來,刀已聽我使喚。我得坦然承認,對篆刻,我已上癮了。”
自刻自樂,還可自用,魯光太知足了。有行家在微信里對他說:你的印,最配你的畫。魯光認為這是對他初入印壇的最高評價?!暗疑钪?,印途漫漫,探索求美是須終生努力的?!?/p>
詩書畫印,終于,魯光全沾了,深刻印證了他的“斜杠”人生。
“到了晚年,我的畫上總算有了自己刻制的印章,能表述創(chuàng)作理念的印章。宅家抗疫,居然圓了一個篆刻夢,真是一份意外的收獲?!?/p>
魯光遠在澳大利亞抗疫讀書的小外孫,得知情況后,在視頻里對他說:“爺爺,你又在愛好中開辟了新領域?!?/p>
人生不愿走重復路
20世紀60年代,魯光從華東師范大學中文系畢業(yè),從事新聞媒體工作近40年。他寫中國女排的長篇報告文學《中國姑娘》轟動了文壇。
20世紀80年代初,魯光采訪老畫家李苦禪先生時,李苦禪對成文很滿意,說:“你很有才華,寫得具體生動,如水銀瀉地,無孔不入。”末了,李苦老對他說:作畫與作文是相通的,你可以畫畫!
其后,齊白石的弟子崔子范請他寫傳記,魯光提出拜崔先生為師,崔子范欣然收下了這個已過天命之年的老弟子。崔子范頗為幽默地說:“傳記寫成了,說不準一個畫家也出山了。”這話對魯光是一個激勵。
“人生遇到一位大師已是幸運,我卻遇見兩位大師,實乃大幸。遇到他們,改變了我的人生命運。兩位恩師的人品和畫品,對我的影響是終生的?!濒敼飧嬖V記者。
李苦禪和崔子范都是齊白石的入室弟子,畫風厚實、拙樸、大氣。20年來,魯光以師為師,以友為師,朝朝暮暮,涂抹不止,在美術之路上苦苦探索。
“學我者生,似我者死,不圖變是沒有出息的?!贝拮臃对鴮λf:“你喜歡我的畫,但在藝術上要背叛我,離我愈遠愈好。走到一起是雙輸,各奔前程會雙贏?!?/p>
齊白石先生專門為李苦禪治過一方“死不休”印,即“畫不驚人死不休”。苦禪師曾經特意找出那方印,蓋在送給魯光的畫上?!八f,這是信!這是苦禪大師對我的終身教誨,也是我的奮斗目標?!濒敼庹f。
1993年,魯光和朋友到杭州靈隱寺觀光。他在給朋友拍照時,從鏡頭里透視那一排排參差的紅燭,火光焰焰,輝煌無比?!盎氐奖本?,那熊熊燃燒的紅燭一直在我眼前晃動,揮之不去,創(chuàng)作沖動無法抑制?!?/p>
可是,采用傳統(tǒng)的畫面構成、色彩搭配、表現技法,已經無法表達魯光心中的渴望。于是,他就“無法無天了一回”,進行了顛覆性的創(chuàng)作。當丈二幅的《生命》在中國畫研究院被打開時,不止是在場的人,連他自己都激動起來了!
《生命》這幅畫采用平面構成法,以祭祖慶誕的紅蠟燭為題材,采用飽和的大紅色、有力的直筆,畫出無數紅燭;在紅燭間留出的空白處,斜勢添上金黃色的燭苗。寥寥數筆,紅黃黑三色燭光已躍然紙面,火苗在風中躥動,逼人眼簾。
1994年歲末,《生命》在中國畫研究院展出,引來美術界的好評。吳冠中、劉勃舒等名家都認為此畫很現代,范曾也連聲稱贊此畫具有強烈沖擊力?!渡芬殉闪唆敼獾摹皩@碑a品。
這些年,求此畫者頗多,魯光一概婉言謝絕。有些好友很不理解。魯光坦言:“不是我舍不得送畫,不畫的原因是不愿重復自己。”
不愿重復,不僅是魯光在繪畫藝術上的追求,也是魯光在人生道路上的追求。
“我用右手寫了幾百萬字的文學作品,但是開始畫畫后發(fā)現自己的字與畫面并不協(xié)調,于是開始嘗試正手練字、左手書寫,鍛煉一種生疏感。”
魯光總結自己一生有三個“超過”:左手超過右手,指的是我的書法創(chuàng)作;繪畫超過文學,因為我對于繪畫的熱愛要大于文學;后半生超過前半生,退休前我勤勤懇懇像老黃牛一樣工作,退休后開始自己“心”的生活。
也正如他60歲時在中國國家畫院舉辦的畫展“從零開始”一樣,這是他新生活的開始。
不愿重復還體現在更多方面:
魯光曾應邀為人民大會堂畫過一幅丈二匹《五牛圖》,也為中國現代文學館和駐外使館、大型畫展畫過大畫。大構圖、大筆頭,揮灑盡興。
2018年開始,魯光熱衷于畫小品,2019年起,又鐘情于小小品。他為此起了個名字叫袖珍大寫意,一平方尺、半平方尺,甚至三分之一平方尺。
“我以文學入畫,無論畫什么,都是畫人,畫人生,畫我的理想和追求。一言以蔽之:畫自己?!?/p>
雖然已是“80后”,但魯光創(chuàng)新的腳步一直沒有停歇。
“筆墨由我用。做筆墨的主人,不當筆墨的奴隸,藝術貴創(chuàng)新!”魯光這樣說。
最難忘的是家鄉(xiāng)永康
魯光的老家在浙江永康公婆巖山下的兩頭門村。他在這里度過了貧窮而又快樂的童年。雖然后來求學于上海,工作在北京,當記者,寫文章,畫畫,滿中國奔跑,滿世界行走,但魯光說,人生最難忘的還是童年,無論是苦難還是歡樂。
退休之后,魯光回到遠在千里之外的永康老家,與兒時玩伴相聚,結交年輕一代的文人墨客。
“回歸故里,落葉歸根,使我晚年生活和繪畫藝術接通了地氣?!濒敼庹f。
在公婆巖下,魯光建造了一所魯光藝苑,命名為“五峰山居”,為南北文化藝術交流提供了一個清幽的場所。山居建筑精巧、園林別致、文化小品眾多,留下了很多名人大家的足跡,他的新作也源源不斷地在這里問世。
30多年來,魯光幾乎每年都要回到五峰山居住上一段時間,短則數月,長則半年?!叭绻f,家鄉(xiāng)留住了我的心,那么五峰山居則是留住了我的身?!濒敼庹f,他和他的五峰山居變成了一座文化橋梁,一座聯結浙江永康與全國各地文化體育界人士的橋梁。
“前些年,我說起自己已成為‘80后,回鄉(xiāng)的次數會愈來愈少,想將自己的畫作和圖書捐贈給家鄉(xiāng)。永康市有關部門的同志聽了之后,表示家鄉(xiāng)政府將為我建個藝術館,珍藏陳列我的贈品?!濒敼鉃榧亦l(xiāng)對文化藝術的重視而深深感動,也感覺“誠惶誠恐”——無以回報家鄉(xiāng)的養(yǎng)育之恩和對他晚年生活的關愛,唯有繼續(xù)捐贈。
魯光決定大舍。
“對捐贈一事,這些年我一直在考慮。我一生愛書如命,藏書至少一萬幾千冊。前些年,我已將自己的數千冊藏書送給家鄉(xiāng)的圖書館。我畫畫30多年來,展覽多次,自己滿意的作品大多留了下來,心里一直有個念頭,將來要送給家鄉(xiāng)?!?/p>
魯光告訴筆者,近些年來,一些名家過世,其子女常有為爭搶遺產而鬧得不可開交的,親情被葬送殆盡?!昂迷谖覀兗易优_通,對我的打算鼎力支持?!?/p>
2019年,魯光將承載了他20載創(chuàng)作生涯的魯光藝苑捐贈給市政府。捐贈儀式上,他打了個比喻,“姑娘20歲就可以嫁人了,魯光藝苑造好也有20年,可以‘嫁人了,我給她找了個好婆家——永康市人民政府。”
魯光說,他一生在外闖蕩,為家鄉(xiāng)做的事太少,寫了那么多書、畫了那么多畫,但寫故鄉(xiāng)的文字、畫故鄉(xiāng)的畫卻極少。
如果將一生所作所畫留給家鄉(xiāng),算作一種對故鄉(xiāng)的回報的話,他打心眼里愿意?!拔业淖髌酚袀€地方存放,使我的文學和繪畫作品,能在促進故里文化發(fā)展中起到一點點作用,是我之大幸?!?/p>
Lu Guang: Multi-dimensional Life
By Liu Chenyin, Shen Aiqun
Lu Guang is the author of , a reportage published in 1981 on the Chinese womens volleyball team which caused a sensation in the nation. He is an outstanding student of painting master Li Kuchan (1899-1983). He is also the man behind , a heavyweight entry in the hall of fame of modern Chinese painting.
Lu Guang surely has a life full of color and success. “Life should be multi-dimensional, or I would feel it is wasted. I am 83, but the desire for trying new things still surges in me,” declares proudly the octogenarian.
The first three months of the pandemic-plagued 2020 turned Lu Guang into a seal-engraver. “Ive done many things in the world of art, but I never had the confidence to try seal-cutting. Practice makes perfect. I feel I have become addicted. Now I can make seals by myself and put my marks into my paintings, which feels exciting.”
“Now you have something new to play, grandpa!” Lu Guangs grandson sent his congratulations from Australia.
Lu Guang graduated from the Chinese Department of East China Normal University in the 1960s, and had a career as a journalist for four decades. The release of his reportage, , created quite a stir. When working on an article about Li Kuchan in the 1980s, Lu Guang was encouraged by the painting artist to try painting. “A man who knows how to write knows how to paint. You have the gift. I can tell,” Li told Lu Guang.
Lu Guang started learning how to paint in his 50s. He took lessons systematically from Cui Zifan (1915-2011), a disciple of Qi Baishi and prominent artist. Cui took him under his wing essentially because he was impressed by Lus extraordinary writing talents.
Two decades of student-and-teacher bond and friendship changed the life of Lu Guang. “It is lucky to meet one great mind in ones life. It is the ultimate blessing to have met two,” remarks Lu Guang.
“It is one thing to admire my paintings and learn from me; it is equally important to ‘betray – to drift away as much as you can until you build your own quality,” declared Cui. Cuis warning is burned into the art and life of Lu Guang.
Lu Guang visited Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou in 1993. The flickering candlelight he saw when taking a picture of his friend inspired him to create a huge painting. The display of this powerful masterpiece, titled , with a style that defies definition, at the National Art Museum at the year-end of 1994, won overwhelming acclaim.
Over the years, Lu Guang said “no” to many people offering a high price to get an artwork from him. “I dont want to repeat myself,” he explained. “As I get more and more immersed in the world of painting, I became uneasy about the way I use my right hand to write. So I started to go left-handed in my calligraphic practice.”
Lu held a solo art exhibition held at China National Academy of Painting, at the age of 60. The exhibition was named “From Zero”. Indeed, he is always ready to restart in whatever he chose to specialize in.
Lu Guang is always on the look for breakthroughs in his pursuits, as reflected in his changing artistic style. Starting 2019, his freehand creation showed a preference to petite sizes.
“Whatever I paint, I put my life and myself into the art. I am not a slave of art. I love changes,” declares the octogenarian.
Lu Guang was born in a village in Yongkang in central Zhejiang, where he spent his bittersweet childhood years at the foot of Wufeng Peak. “Being back in my roots brought a lot of life into my retired years and my art,” says the journalist-turned artist. Lu Guang built an art house near his birthplace and spends a lot of time there every year. Many works have been created there.
“I am already in my 80s, and cannot expect many revisits to my hometown. So I have been thinking a lot about donating my art works and my book collection to Yongkang. The local government has taken my thoughts seriously and is working on the possibility of an art gallery. I want to say thank you, also to my supportive children.”“Ive written many books, and painted for decades, but I have done little for my hometown. I feel happy and relieved to see there is a place in my birthplace where all my art works can be displayed and shared,” says the Yongkang native in his 80s.