Kang Haoxian 康好贤
Artwork’s Title: Friday Night
Materials Used: Acrylic on linen, airbrush
Studio Based: Shunyi, Beijing
Can you tell us about the process of making your work? For example, the airbrush painting technique seems to dominate your artistic approach on canvases.
喷笔的使用当然是重要的一部分，但只是喷笔的话对我来说可能在细节的丰富程度以及画面的表现感来说可能过于简单或单一了。所以你会在作品中看到类似大理石质感的细节，这种质感比较硬的材质，可以与喷笔处比较模糊的质感产生有趣的对比，在使画面变得丰富的同时又产生一种似真非真的虚拟感。
Of course, the use of airbrush is an important part, but it may be too simple or single for me in terms of the richness of details and the sense of expression of the picture. Therefore, you will see details similar to marble texture in your works. This kind of hard texture can produce an interesting contrast with the fuzzy texture at the fountain pen, which not only enriches the picture, but also produces a virtual sense of plausibility and unreal.
How would you define your work in a few words (ideally in 3 words)?
繁杂 投入 深呼吸
Complicated investment deep breathing.
Could you share with us some insights on your ‘With Feelings In Silence’, (2022) painting? Is there any particular story behind this new work?
我在作画过程中，内心是有很强的创作欲望的，是一种很有feelings的状态。但如果从一个旁观者的角度来看，除了有气泵的轰鸣声以外，其实是一种很平静的状态。这就像我们的生活一样，不管多么喧嚣最终都会归于平静。
In the process of painting, I have a strong creative desire in my heart, which is a state of feelings. However, from the perspective of a bystander, in addition to the roar of the air pump, it is actually a very calm state. It’s like our life. No matter how noisy it is, it will eventually return to peace.
You are currently presenting a new show, ‘Ceci n’est pas une foire’, at VETA gallery in Madrid. Could you talk about your new works that you’re showing there?
这些作品都是2021年的新作，甚至有一幅是22年的。此次作品都是围绕我们当下的生活展开创作，在现实的描绘之上，加了一层我对于这种画面中现象的自我审视与思考。作为一个现代人，我们会被生活环境无声息的干扰者，所以通过我的作品可能表现出很多社会问题诸如男女平权、贫富差距、种族问题、时尚、科技进步及生活方式等。我希望做一个记录时代的参与者，就如同过去的每一位艺术家都是对于他们所处时代的最好的佐证。
These works are new works in 2021, and even one is 22 years old. This work focuses on our current life. On top of the description of reality, I add a layer of self-examination and Reflection on the phenomenon in this picture. As a modern person, we will be disturbed by the silent living environment, so my works may show many social problems, such as equal rights between men and women, the gap between the rich and the poor, racial problems, fashion, scientific and technological progress and lifestyle. I hope to be a participant in recording the times, just as every artist in the past is the best evidence of their times.
From recent paintings of yours such as the ‘Bubbles’, ‘Suspense Story’ or ‘Nocturnal Animal’, it seems that high-end fashion, glamorous parties and drinks characterise your visual arrangements; do these sorts of motifs have a more meaning symbolism or interest to you as a painter?
我更多的是从平衡画面的角度以及符合画面内容逻辑的角度去安排这些画中的道具的。
I mostly arrange the props in these paintings from the perspective of balancing the picture and conforming to the logic of the picture content
In a recent statement you pointed out that you ‘hope everyone who stops by and reviews the works will be inspired to think the influence of globalization and cultural/context cross over’; how do you cope with the impact of globalization in your artistry, could you elaborate more on this perspective?
生活其实是艺术创作的最好给养，当如果当我们单纯的去看一个广告或者看一本时尚杂志时，我们注意的可能只是这些东西本身所要传达于我们的信息。但作为一个艺术家，我觉得有必要从这些生活中随时随处可见的物料中，提炼出我所要传达的艺术家视角，这种视角中所包含的思考可能就是为什么我们会被这些东西吸引，而这些东西又有什么“魔力”在吸引我们呢？
Life is actually the best provision for artistic creation. When we simply read an advertisement or a fashion magazine, we may only pay attention to the information that these things themselves want to convey to us. But as an artist, I think it is necessary to extract the artist’s perspective I want to convey from these materials that can be seen everywhere in life. The thinking contained in this perspective may be why we are attracted by these things, and what “magic” does these things have to attract us?
Do specific artworks have been created by random experiments in your studio or do you usually come up with a particular concept or narrative in the very beginning of your artistic process?
以前可能我会画草稿，很明确的告诉自己这幅作品要创作成什么样子。现在反而放弃了草稿的部分，我觉得草稿只能作为练习所用。现在画一幅新的作品，我就直接在画布上起稿，然后在创作过程中根据表达需要，去协调整幅作品的各个部分。
In the past, I might draw a draft and clearly tell myself what this work is going to look like. Now I have abandoned the part of the draft. I think the draft can only be used as an exercise. Now to draw a new work, I will directly draft on the canvas, and then coordinate all parts of the whole work according to the needs of expression in the process of creation.
Can you mention any artists you, lately or generally, take inspiration from?
Sandro Botticelli ，他的作品优雅华丽，我画中有向他致敬的部分。
我也喜欢Rene Magritte，Neo Rauch的作品。
Sandro Botticelli, his works are elegant and gorgeous, and there is a part in my painting that pays tribute to him.
I also like the works of Rene Magritte and Neo Rauch.
What about the place where you work? What’s your studio space look like?
我的工作室在北京顺义区的一座写字楼里，为了避免厂房式工作室的拆迁所以租了这个写字楼空间作为工作室。
My studio is in an office building in Shunyi District of Beijing. In order to avoid the demolition of factory style studio, I rented this office space as a studio.
Which are your plans for the near future?
创作，画新的作品，除了这个我想不出别的。
Create and draw new works. I can’t think of anything else except this.
Additional Paintings
All images courtesy of the artist