水彩畫是起源於歐洲的一門古老畫種，在十九世紀末由西方傳入中國。中國水彩畫發展至今，已經與中國的傳統文化、美學精神、甚至藝術材料相融合，形成了具有中國特色的水彩藝術。水彩畫與中國傳統水墨畫有著諸多相似之處，色彩的表現形式豐富多彩，水與色的交織能夠渲染出朦朧的詩情畫意，因此在當代藝術的舞臺上，中國水彩畫作為東西方文化的結合點，融入了中國人的情感與生活，賦予了中國水彩與西方不同的創造力與生命力，擁有其獨特的藝術魅力。本次第27屆廣州國際藝術博覽會隆重推出國際新銳女水彩畫家蕭芬琪博士，她帶來的荷塘系列水彩畫作品將中國詩詞中的魅力帶上國際藝術舞臺，為海內外觀眾展現中國水彩的獨特風采。
蕭芬琪博士畢業於香港大學文學院藝術學系，對美術史的研究深入且嚴謹，她的繪畫創作基於扎實的理論基礎，對挖掘水彩畫的文化內涵、表現中國傳統精神充滿探索熱情。從油畫作品集《逸象心荷》到水彩作品集《荷足為奇》與《荷是我聞》，蕭芬琪筆下的荷塘呈現出強烈的東方詩詞美學與中國傳統寫意精神。她以細膩的情感描繪荷塘的美景，四時之景、天光雲影，荷塘的水色蓮香在她的筆下流淌，展現出動人的姿態與高雅的意趣。蕭芬琪的水彩畫不拘泥於造型與材料，水與色的衝撞和自然交融形成了難以名狀、亦真亦幻的奇妙意境。中國畫講求“六法”，其中“氣韻生動”最為核心，基於這個理論，她拋開現實的束縛，將中國畫中的詩意表達融入水彩的淋漓水色中，營造出了“妙在似與不似之間”的意境，是將傳統文化與美學精神融入水彩畫中的成功實踐。
蕭芬琪出生於潮汕藝術家庭，上世紀八十年代移居香港，但家鄉的荷塘始終是她的精神家園，也是她創作靈感的源泉。她的荷塘系列作品，承載著濃濃的鄉情，也是潮汕文化在海內外一脈相承的紅線。多年來她持續不斷地創作，多次在汕頭與香港等多地舉辦個人作品展覽，並遠赴海外，於美國三藩市與阿爾巴尼亞等地參加藝術展覽，在國際上獲得了高度讚賞。她為家鄉的水彩藝術注入新鮮的血液，也為汕港兩地的文化交流架起了藝術的橋樑，並帶領中國文化走出家鄉，登上國際的廣闊舞臺，不斷鼓勵年輕的藝術家們加入水彩藝術的創作與研究中來，共同拓寬水彩畫的語言邊界。
潮汕水彩畫院自創辦以來，旨在為水彩畫家搭建創作展示、溝通交流的平臺，以擴寬藝術研究視野，培養高層次的水彩畫人才，更好地推動本土水彩畫事業的發展。蕭芬琪作為一位優秀的新時代水彩畫家，為潮汕的水彩藝術做出了傑出的貢獻，也是潮汕人民的驕傲。蕭芬琪堅持在文化中尋找藝術創作的養分，中國傳統詩詞文化源遠流長，《楚辭》作為中國文學史上第一部浪漫主義詩歌總集，對後世的文學作品產生了深遠的影響。本次展覽中，蕭芬琪將《楚辭》中的古韻融入荷塘系列作品中，帶我們領略荷池華彩與傳統詩詞的魅力，展現獨特的藝術風貌和生機勃勃的時代氣息，在國際藝術展覽的舞臺上大放異彩。
（本文作者為原廣東省美術家協會水彩畫藝術委員會副主任、潮汕水彩畫院院長）
Poetic Charm of Splendid Lotus Pond
By Li Xiaocheng
Watercolor painting is an ancient type of painting that originated in Europe and was introduced to China from the West at the end of the 19th century. The development of Chinese watercolor painting has been integrated with Chinese traditional culture, aesthetic spirit, and even art materials, forming a watercolor art with Chinese characteristics. Watercolor painting has many similarities with traditional Chinese ink painting. The expressions of color are rich and colorful, while the interweaving of water and color can render a hazy poetic feeling. Therefore, on the stage of contemporary art, Chinese watercolor painting, as a combination of Eastern and Western cultures, integrates Chinese people's emotions and life. It endows Chinese watercolor with different creativity and vitality from the West, and has its unique artistic charm. At this 27th Guangzhou International Art Fair (Autumn), Dr. Siu Fun Kee, a new international female watercolor artist, will be grandly introduced. The lotus pond series of the watercolor paintings she brought bring the charm of Chinese poetry to the international art stage and show the unique style of Chinese watercolor to audiences at home and abroad.
Dr. Siu Fun Kee graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Faculty of Arts, the University of Hong Kong, with in-depth and rigorous research on art history. Her painting creation is based on a solid theoretical foundation. She is full of enthusiasm for exploring the cultural connotation of watercolor painting and expressing the traditional Chinese spirit. From the oil painting collection "The Lotus Pond in the Heart" to the watercolor collections "Amazing Lotus" and "Meditation on Lotus", Siu Fun Kee's lotus ponds present a strong oriental poetry aesthetics and traditional Chinese freehand spirit. She depicts the beautiful scenery of the lotus pond, the four seasons, as well as the sky and clouds with delicate emotion. The water-colored lotus fragrance of the lotus pond flows under her brush, showing a moving gesture and elegant interest. Siu Fun Kee's watercolor paintings are not limited to shapes and materials. The collision of water and color as well as the natural blending form a wonderful artistic conception that is indescribable, both real and illusory. Chinese painting emphasizes "six methods", of which "vivid charm" is the core. Based on this theory, she puts aside the shackles of reality, integrates the poetic expression in Chinese painting into the most incisive water and color of watercolor, and creates the artistic conception of "wonderful between the alike and unlike", which is a successful practice of integrating traditional culture and aesthetic spirit into watercolor painting.
Siu Fun Kee was born in a Chaoshan art family and moved to Hong Kong in the 1980s. But the lotus pond in her hometown has always been her spiritual home and the source of her creative inspiration. Her lotus pond series, carrying a strong sense of hometown, is also the link of Chaoshan culture passing down from generation to generation at home and abroad. Over the years, she has continued to create, and has held solo exhibitions in Shantou and Hong Kong for many times. She has also traveled overseas to participate in art exhibitions in San Francisco, Albania and others, and has been highly appreciated internationally. She has injected fresh blood into the watercolor art of her hometown, has built an artistic bridge for the cultural exchange between Shantou and Hong Kong, and has led Chinese culture out of her hometown and onto the broad international stage. She has constantly encouraged young artists to join in the creation and research of watercolor art, and jointly broaden the language boundary of watercolor painting.
Since its establishment, the Chaoshan Watercolor Academy has aimed to build a platform for watercolor painters to display and communicate, so as to broaden the horizons of art research, cultivate high-level watercolor talents, and better promote the development of the local watercolor painting. As an excellent new era watercolor painter, Siu Fun Kee has made outstanding contributions to Chaoshan watercolor art, and is also the pride of Chaoshan people. Siu Fun Kee insists on seeking the nutrients for artistic creation in culture. The traditional Chinese poetry culture has a long history. As the first collection of romantic poetry in the history of Chinese literature, "The Songs of Chu" has had a profound impact on the literary works of later generations. In this exhibition, Siu Fun Kee has integrated the ancient rhyme of "The Songs of Chu" into her lotus pond series of works, taking us to appreciate the charm of the lotus pond and traditional poetry, showing a unique artistic style and a vibrant atmosphere of the times, as well as shining brightly on the stage of international art exhibitions.
(The author is former Deputy Director of Watercolor Art Committee of Guangdong Artists Association, President of Chaoshan Watercolor Painting Academy)