(Chinese Fine Artists Association)

          High mountains, giant rivers…… ,the giving by nature is the

                 eternal   subjects of arts.

          Scientific thinking, high technology……, while its push

                the society forward, its also widen and deepen the subjects of arts.

          The metallic sound jumping out of my heart has given me

                   the inspiration of wisdom⁽¹⁾.

          I love sciences and future, also I wish life even more beautiful.

There was a planet in the vast universe, the Earth, and the one had originally been deathly, but in the far-reaching processes of its rotation and revolution, living beings were emerged. They were struggling for existence, and only the adapted were survived. That is the law of life, which was brought to light by Charles Robert Darwin.   Human, the supper primate is the only one able to make tools and remake nature, and since its appearance, the Earth had opened a new page in its history. Labor not only creates the world, but also the civilization of the human race, which includes culture and arts, sciences and technology. I have been interested in both field of sciences and arts, and also have particularly explored the issue of arts creation using scientific subjects⁽²⁾, that may only serve as a modest spur to induce more people to come forward with better idea. I would like to make further inquire into with anyone together.

The origin of fine arts

Fine arts, which also mean plastic arts, are a kind of vision arts that occupy certain space and express certain feeling and sense using a specific image. Fine arts include painting, sculpture, architecture etc. Fine arts belong to ideology. Existence determines consciousness, and fine arts are the outcome of existence. The origin of fine arts should be earlier than sciences.

In the remote antiquity, while human were gathering kindling, picking fruits, fishing, hunting, and propagating their progeny, they were also struggling with harsh climate, poison insects, beast of prey, diseases, natural and artificial disaster, and etc. This is not only a pastoral and madrigal song, but also a destiny symphony. Human beings hang up a string of animal teeth on their neck. For those huge teeth or horns which are not eatable, they would keep them in the residential caves as a kind of life records, or a kind of message of seeking partners, or a kind of glory of wealth, or a kind of idea or thought. Those are the fine arts in the early stage, which can also be called as ornament arts, or industrial arts. Its were born of life. However, those arts firstly have to fit human body’s structure. The engineering of human body was quite simple in its early stage. It seems that it is naturally convenient to hang up those little animal teeth on neck with fine string. That would not bother them doing any labor work, also it is easy to show off to someone else. Thus, even after great time has brought great change to the world, the honest and simple village people are now still hanging some auspicious symbols on their necks, and the ordinary mortal people are still hanging gold, silver, or diamonds on their necks, and the religious people are still hanging crosses or a string of  beads on their necks. This is almost unbelievable why present human beings still keep such similar sense as their ancestors had. Nevertheless, this just is what existence determines consciousness, as long as we are living on the same Earth as our ancestors lived, and propagating our progeny in the same way as our ancestors did.  In the endless stream of the universe, even the great time that seas become mulberry fields, is still just passes as quickly as a white pony flashing past a chink. This is just what the Chinese great poet Li Bei said that Haven and earth are the temporary abode of all living things, and time is just like a passing traveler in the very long time of hundreds generations. Not only Pablo Picasso was such enlightened from the ancient African wood sculptures, that he had broken a path for present-day studies of cubism, but also many other artists have often been seeking creation inspiration from the paintings, frescoes, ceramics and sculptures in the ancient times. This has exactly explained what even though time passed by, and any forms have been renovated one by one, but the sense is retaining as same as before. Here, the sense means the basic ideology determined by objective reality. However, even from today’s point of view, the fine arts of human beings in the early stage are still brilliant, such as the painting “the injured wild ox” in the Artaminia cave in northern Spain (picture 1), although it only had simple colors of red, yellow and black, but the

prefer what the great Lu Xen said about it that that was just done for the purpose to record some events or express certain sense, but that was not the results of the aesthetic perspective. Nevertheless, this would not harm them to be an excellent artistic works. 

The Origin and Development of Sciences and Technology

Technology was an experiences and methods which were accumulated in the processes of utilizing nature by the human beings, and were shown up in the processes of labor and production. 

The emerging of technique in domesticating and cultivating of human beings in the early stage marked the first agricultural revolution. Since then, the settlement life of our ancestors was commenced, and the human history has been opened a new page. The technology in pottery-making, smelting, constructing, spinning and weaving, printing, mining, shipbuilding, space-flight and computing etc., has considerably impacted the production and life of human beings.

Sciences are the knowledge system  which are an expression of the objective laws of nature, society and thinking.

Since Christopher Columbus had discovered the new continent, the exchange of species and culture in different regions were opened, and the development of economy was stimulated. Nicolaus Copernicus originated the heliocentric theory, which marked the beginning of natural sciences. Since 17 century sciences and technology were developing even rapidly. Sir Issac Newton, the founder of modern physics originated the law of universal gravitation, and etc., and he also originated calculus in mathematics⁽³⁾. Thus, in the wide range of chemistry, optics, electronics, genetics, genetic engineering,…… from the era of stream engine and  the era of electrical power, up to nowadays the era of information, we just cannot catch up the pace of sciences and technology.

Sciences, Technology and Fine Arts

The emerging and developing of sciences and technology have provided a new technique for the development of fine arts, and also ushered in a new era for fine arts. In the remote antiquity only stone chisel and red-mud were available, so that the rock paintings and frescoes in that time were such bold and unrestrained; only due to emerging of the technique of pottery-making in the Neolithic Age, it was able to left us such beautiful geometric and animal-like patterns on the ancient painted pottery; writing brush, ink-stick, paper and ink-stone have brought up such great master as Gu Kaizhi, Ba Da and Qi Baishi; due to  inventing of smelting, mankind was not only able to make the giant Si Mu Wu ding and the discus thrower, but also the splendid sculpture “Davis” with metal chisel; due to the emerge of  technique of extract oil, Fan Ark brother invented pigment for oil painting, and thus Leonardo da Vinci left us the Mona Lisa’s eternal smiling; only due to application of computer, the “lion king” was able to win the Oscar award. Nor is this all, da Vinci himself was constantly studying the pigment of the bright gay colors, and the high serviceable painting brushs, but his “the last dinner” was unfortunately damaged soon afterwards as just finished because of his new pigment formula which was just being tested. Newton was the first one to discover that the triangular prism can discompose a white light beam into seven different color beams, furthermore, who cannot say that the impressionistic colors have no Newton’s contribution.

Developing of sciences and technology has brought about a great advance in fine arts, for example, application of varies medium has arisen different technique of painting, such as Chinese painting, oil painting, engraving, sculpture, watercolor painting, gouache, and other drawing by propylene, composite medium and particularly by computer. Furthermore, varies schools of drawing were arisen even they had similar drawing technique, for example, in oil painting, they can be classical school, or impressionistic school, or beast school, or cubism school. In the Chinese  painting, it can be the traditional drawing characterized by fine brushwork and close attention to detail, or in contrast, it can be the painting with freehand brushwork aimed at catching the spirit of the object and expressing the author’s mood, or it can be the drawing with lines with the aid of a ruler in painting palatial buildings. Along with the ripe of the drawing technique and the needs of research study fine arts have then gradually developed a specific theoretical system.

Usually fine arts were defined as image thinking, and sciences as logical thinking. However, for both it is embodied each other in fact. For example, in mathematics, plane geometry and stereo geometry both are the perfect integration of image and thinking. The changes of something’s outward appearance are such visible in the composite and decomposite reactions in chemistry. Wagner was inspired from the pattern of both sides of Pacific Ocean and then he initiated the theory of continental drift. The Sun is a dot plane in geometry, a mass and atomic reactor in physics and chemistry, a light source utilized by green plants to carry out photosynthesis in botany, a lump of colors in fine arts, and a symbol of a bright future and life in literature. All those above are used for describe the specific character of the Sun from different point of view or different purpose. Nonetheless, the Sun can only be understood objectively and completely when all above different definitions are put together.

Developing of sciences and technology have provided even much broad arena for the development of fine arts in a range of aspects such as  the pigment from the primitive red-mud to modern tube-packed colors, the materials for drawing from rocks to timber, cloth and paper, the way of drawing from life painting and copy a model of painting to the computer drawing, the multi-dimension variation of cubism, the vivacious and lifelike holograph, the magnificent simultaneously application of sound, light and electricity, and the Oscar winner of three dimension animated cartoon.

Since photography was born in 18 century, it has impacted significantly to production, life and scientific research. The inventor of practical photography, Lewis Decker was a artist when he was young. With the aim at reducing the cost of oil portrait painting in terms of mechanics he eventually invented the silver plate photography after 20 years efforts⁽⁴⁾. Although the innovation of practical photography were coming out fast one after another, such as color photography, infrared photography, high speed photography, holography, and digital photography etc. This has greatly widened everyone’s field of vision, and Decker’s name has never been forgotten.

It is possible that fine arts can be arisen without sciences and technology, but fine arts cannot be developing if it cut himself off from the development of sciences and technology. There is no chasm between sciences, technology and arts. And they are complemented each other. However, it can not rule out that it is possible that the  development  could be effected by religions, politics, economy and other factors.

The Traditional Subjects of Fine Arts

As the vision arts, fine arts are a form to express author’s thinking and their emotion in terms of images. Nothing cannot be drawn as long as vision can be reached as much as it can, That was just what the great poet Su Dongpo said that what have been seen by eyes become colors, which are inexhaustible and unlimited. This is an infinite depository bestowed by the Creator.

For a long time, there have been different forms, styles and aesthetic conceptions in the field of fine arts in western and eastern countries, because of the different cultural background developed by the different region conditions. In eastern countries the Chinese painting has paid much attention to spirit, formula, flavor and tone. But in western countries the oil painting has paid high attention to structure, colors and perspective. This is just like that we cannot judge and say which painting of “the last dinner”(picture 2 )and “kalinca” (picture 3) has higher lever than the other, thus we cannot make any comparison and evaluation between Wollston’s “the portrait of Pope Evans Tenth” (picture 4) and Yan Liben’s “the emperors’ portraits of the successive dynasty” (picture 5), between the de Vinci’s “the last dinner”(picture 6) and Gu Hongzhong’s “Han Xi Zai dinner party”(picture 7), between  Fan Kuan’s “Xi San Journey”(picture 8) and Du Bois’s “ Oldcastle dam”(picture 9), between Qi Bai-Shi’s  “Peony”(picture 8) and Fangou’s “Sunflowers” . We can only say that their arts all have reached the limit in their field at their very times, and they all have left a brilliant page to the history of the humanity civilization. Up to now, what could outshine such wonderful arts? When we appreciate those treasures of arts it is not difficult to fine out that even though the types of arts are different, times are different, and regions are different, but the subjects are all the same. They are all the figures, flowers and birds, and scenery. That are the painting of figures, painting of flowers-birds, and painting of mountain-water in eastern countries, correspondingly the painting of portraits, painting of still life and painting of landscape in western countries. Under the same blue sky, what we are drawing is what we are seeing. No wonder, all what have been draw should be similar. Those are the traditional subjects of fine arts, and its will go on like that in terms of its objective existence.

The Status Quo of Sciences and Arts in China

A series of scientific seminars were organized several years ago under the sponsorship of two famous physicians of  professor Li Zhendou and professor Young Zhenglin and the others in terms of sciences and arts⁽⁵⁾. Many arts giants of our times have participated and also made some creation works. We may say that sciences and arts are just like the two hillsides of a mountain, and they are eventually joined at the top of the mountain. This figure of speech is so interested that has attracted medium to fall over each other to cover its activities, and it has achieved good response from the society. It is regret that this kind of link of sciences with fine arts is just like the combination of hydrogen and oxygen, which is liable to be vaporized and also liable to return to liquid state under normal temperature conditions. This is just what the well-known fine arts critic Shao Dazhen said that scientists are generally satisfied to appreciate fine arts, but fine artists are generally poor in understanding sciences, and what they are deficient are the arts enthusiasm, and the scientific thinking and methods.

In the field of sciences and fine arts, not only many accomplished masters have a hand in the matter, but also some fine artists have put it into practice. For example, the female fine artist Chen Yadan have followed the Antarctic study group and created some works there about the Antarctic landscape and the group’s life, which were exhibited in the Chinese Fine Arts Gallery in Beijing, and were well responded too. Furthermore, some works about sciences and arts have also won good grace of the insightful people⁽⁶⁾, and many books about the arts theory of sciences and fine arts were also come off the press⁽⁷⁾. However, compared to the times’ expectations, the rapid developing of sciences and technology, and its popularization, what we have done is far too little.

Sciences Should be One of the Major Subjects of Fine Arts

Here, subjects of sciences and technology mean both of macroscopic and microscopic(picture 10), direct and indirect vision. The subjects of direct vision are basically similar to the traditional subjects, but the indirect vision is different, which is visible only via varies scientific techniques. Developing of sciences and technology has not only provided new tools and materials to fine arts, but also revealed the veils of nature for fine arts. Now we are not only able to see many things which our ancestors wanted to see but they were not able to see, but also we are now able to see some things which would have never been thought to be seen by our ancestors; now we are not only able to find out there only have lunar craters on the Moon, but no Goddess, but also we are able to look the composition of inside the rocks on the Moon, which is surprisingly almost same as the one on our Earth(picture 11); now we are able to look the distant satellite of the Jupiter, the Saturn’s ring and the collision of the comet of Jupiter via the Harper telescope; we are now able to look how the space station is working, how is landing the Moon, and how is landing the Mars via the advanced techniques of sciences and technology;……we are now not only able to see how a white light beam is decomposed into seven color light via a triangular prism, but also how a white light beam is being resolved into a combination  even much mysterious than the kaleidoscope in terms of all kind of diffraction plate produced by computer; not only we are able to see the circular myriad of ripples left by a dropping milk(picture 12), but also we are able to see every moment during the dropping process that there had been  a magnificent crown-like shape……; we are now able to see  a flash moment after a collision of high energy  that the plexiglass finer than hairs can produce such crackle patterns, that are just like twisted roots and gnarled branches of a thousands  years old tree; we are able to see the melting crystal balls of plastics, which are just like the bright glitter of the shells in the sea; we are able to see how information of human cerebrum is transmitting, which are just like the simultaneously opened thousands highways; we are also able to see the oxygen flames under two atmospheres, which are just like the tortuous crescent moon…… It is true that you never know if you did not see it. Sciences and technology are so wonderful.

Francis Bacon has said that when sciences are applied to the field of technology human lifestyle will have a revolution. Any movements of religions or politics are beyond compare with sciences. The modern sciences and technology have opened a new mysterious and majestic world for artists’ eyes. Originally this also was a  infinite depository bestowed  by the Creator, which is inexhaustible and unlimited. To the development of sciences, scientists of generation by generation have been struggling with extremely hardship, and even dedicated their life. Let us give a salute to those scientists, and let us hail their great success. Let fine arts absorb sciences and technology, the subjects of the times, in their eternal major subjects. Let the hundreds flowers garden of fine arts also break out into the exotic blossom of sciences and technology. Let the western painting put in the scientific painting, apart from their portrait painting, still life painting and landscape painting. Let the Chinese painting also put in the scientific painting, apart from their figure painting, flower-bird painting and mountain-water painting.

Life is the source of arts. Pen and ink should also follow the times. Newton has said that if I can see far more than anyone else, this is because I am standing on the shoulder of a giant. There are so many scientific leading scholars and arts masters who are working before us, and there are such luxuriant and colorful life aside us, therefore, we have reasons to believe:

Arts should be brilliant as following the times.

Sciences will make arts even more magnificent.

Notes:

(1)              The author had a heart operation to replace two artificial metal valves.

(2)               http://www.salonart.net

(3)              Newton initiated infinite theory that is used to describe local characters; Leibnits initiated the integral theory that is used to describe the overall characters; Combining both infinity and integral is called calculus, which has been widely applied to natural sciences and engineering.

(4)               In 1814, French Niapus was the first one who had taken a permanent photo. Based on Niapus’s work, his colleague Dageirer continued the experiments, and finally he invented the silver plate photography in 1839 and became the first one to put photography into reality.

(5)              The seminar has mainly introduced that the Nobel Prize winners of Li Zhendao and Young Zhenglin advanced a new theory of the parity non-conservation rule which is directed against the parity conservation rule. Refer to “Encyclopaedia of sciences and technology”  Vol. 3, pp. 573, Sciences Press.

(7)              “Arts and Sciences” Culture and Arts Press, 1987.