OCAA | 安省中國美術會
□荔岐 /《視覺藝術》雜誌專欄作家
畫家、評論家和作家徐傳鑫先生，祖籍天津，1942年生於西安。少年時期先後在徐州、杭州、南京、蕭山、上海短住，後在天津讀書、生活三十年，畢業於天津美術學院彫塑系。祖父徐萬清北洋機器製造局出身，隨詹天佑修建隴海鐡路，出任西安站首任站長。父親徐寳林為鐡路物資局主任職員，天津法漢學校畢業，翻譯法國小說，發表於天津《大公報》、《益世報》。兄長徐培明、徐傳明於國共內戰時期先後移居台灣。
先生自少年仿寫柳帖，塗畫街景，顯露美術天份。小學時期初涉漫畫創作，中學時期專注寫生素描訓練，泛讀中外文學名著。大學時期應《河北畫報》約寫藝術評論，應邀主持暑期少年美術課程，創作獨幕話劇《大師卜勞恩》劇本，并於校園成功演出。「文革」時期，因兄長的「台灣問題」被禁止發表作品，先後從事搬運、送貨、裝訂、修堤、挖河、鉗工等工作。曾受大字報圍攻， 被視為暗藏的「階級敵人」。1968 年被入戶通宵搜查「反動罪証」，作品大部損毀或丟失。但始終不為所屈，反而加倍堅持書畫、文學創作，與畫友結伴寫生，研究西方現代藝術。
1974年，「文革」結束，加入中國美術家協會天津分會和中國作家協會天津分會。參與天津美協版畫創作組活動，黑白木刻《嚴師》於《天津文學》雜誌和《人民日報》發表。繼而黑白木刻《求索》在《天津文學》雜誌發表，並刊於該刊全國徵訂廣告單張，為《人民日報》發現並轉載。同期創作木刻品《出鋼》、《初雪》、《女焊工》、《交班之前》等。創作《智鬥鬼子士兵》、《春來牽牛》、《飛虹》、《小游擊隊員》、《草地門巴》、《意大利姑娘》、《法官和劊子手》等十一部連環畫，由河北、山東、江蘇、吉林諸省市出版社發表出版， 並為各大報刊和出版社創作大量文學插圖。
1982年移居香港，曾任中國廣告公司設計師、香港無線電視公司設計師。致力人物畫創作，為大陸和香港十餘家出版社繪製插圖，兼涉教學和藝術評論撰寫，為香港《大公報》、香港《文滙報》、香港《打開》、台北《大成報》、《中國書畫報》、《美術》、《美術家通訊》等報刊撰寫藝評文章逾二十萬字。1985年在大陸策劃創刊《世界畫報》，1992年應邀在臺灣創辦《中華畫報》，1999年在香港創辦《視覺藝術》雜誌，記錄港臺及海外近現代優秀書畫家與作品，為海內華人藝壇所推重。2009年榮獲香港藝術發展局資助，結集出版《藝海觀瀾》藝術評論集。2012年出版《視覺藝術》雜誌46冊合集，限量一百部世界發行。近年在面書開辟[藝洺論藝]專欄，點評兩岸，兼涉中西，深具影嚮。
人物畫作品《晨操》2008年入選世界華人慶奧運名家書畫大展；2009年人物畫作品《節日》被邀展於澳門回歸十周年–世界名家書畫交流展；2011年人物畫作品《盡除惡腐崩金刄》被邀展於第二屆國際書畫發展論壇臺北(臺北)-世界名家書畫交流展；2012年人物畫作品《分脯圖》被邀展於兩岸四地名家書畫作品展(深圳)。2012年人物畫作品《過份》被邀展於首屆國際書畫名家交流展(天津)；期間先後被授於【國際突出貢獻書畫家】稱號，獲頒【促進中國書畫國際發展傑出貢獻奬】和【優秀藝評家奬】。2014年被專業報刊及記者、編輯遴選評為[中國書畫十大人物] 。
由六十年代套色木刻《鐘聲》反映對時代重大事件的關注，到黑白木刻《求索》、《嚴師》的哲理追尋；再到水墨畫《覓劍圖》、《秋趣》、《過份》的現實批判，筆下的鍾馗、羅漢、樂手、貧民、幼兒、駿馬、肥豬，體現發掘題材新旨趣的努力，承繼了中外優秀現實主義繪畫傳統，令作品取得獨特的面目和品味。他的創作取悅與功能性不斷淡化，不寫媚俗之作，更不刻意迎合市場。這和作者的藝術修為和人生閱歴有著極大的因果關係，尤其在青年時代的三十年間，壓力和反壓力一直在其藝術人生中平行和交叉，鎚鍊出堅毅性格，積澱下豐富生活素材，促使其撰寫《洗腳水》長篇回憶錄，在臉書《藝洺論藝》專欄頻頻點評藝術，反映勇於承担，勇於探索之藝術理念，鑄就讉字精准，言簡意賅的不凡風格，令其文學才能綻放精采篇章。
作為藝術教授和專業美術主編，一貫重視傳授心得，培育新秀：與中國書畫報合作，連續十年在香港舉辦「相約香江–中國書畫交流展」；赴國內美術學院、理工學院美術大學作專題講學；在香港中文大學開設水墨人物畫課程；約晤書畫讀者，討論得失，切磋互動；在《視覺藝術》雜誌上開辟專版，刊登新人新作。一言以蔽之，得力於心中「不忘慈母養育之恩」和胸中「三軍難奪匹夫之志」的浩然之氣。否則就不能解讀他以一己之力發願創辦《視覺藝術》雜誌二十年；也無法理解不懈撰文，作畫數十載的精神力量和高尚抱負。
Art Journey of Mr. Tsui Tsuen Kam (Xú Chuàn Xīn)
Lai Kei / Visual Art, Magazine Columnist
Introduction
Tsui is an extraordinary painter, art critic and writer. He is a native of Tianjin, China.
Tsui was born in Xi’an in 1942. During his childhood, he lived in various places, such as Xuzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Xiaoshan and Shanghai for a short stay. Until he moved to Tianjin, where he studied and lived there for 30 years. Tsui graduated from the Department of Sculpture of Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts.
Family Background
Tsui’s grandfather Xu Wanqing worked in the Bei Yang Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, who assisted Zhan Tianyou in constructing the Lanzhou-Lianyungang Railway, and became the first station manager of Xi’an Station. Tsui’s father Xu Baolin was the director of the Railway Materials Bureau, graduated from Tianjin Fahan School (i.e. School of “Franco-Chinois”)( 天津法漢學校), who translated French novels and were published in Tianjin Ta Kung Pao (大公報) and Yi Shi Bao (益世報). Tsui’s elder brothers Xu Peiming and Xu Chuanming moved to Taiwan during the Civil War.
Early Days in China
Tsui began studying classic Chinese calligraphy at his teenage, mainly imitated the master Liu Gongquan. He also liked to paint the street scenery, in which, his talent for art was revealed. He was interested in comic creation in elementary school. Later, he shifted to focus on sketching, as well as extensive reading of Chinese and foreign literature in secondary school. He was invited to write art commentary in “Hebei Pictorial” (河北畫報) when he was studying at the academy. He was also invited to host the summer art course for youth and to write drama script of the one-act play of “Master E. O. Plauen”, which successfully performed on campus. Unfortunately, he was banned from publishing works due to his elder brothers association with “Threat of Taiwan” during the Cultural Revolution. Since then, he had worked in many fields, including transport, delivery, binding, repairing dyke, digging river, and machine repairment, etc.
Tsui experienced the attack of “Big-Character Posters”, because he was targeted as a covert “Enemy of the People.” In 1968, he was investigated and his home was searched overnight for “reactionary evidence“. Most of his works were damaged or lost in this incident. However, he never yielded to fate. He adhered to practising painting and calligraphy, literary writing, sketching with his friends and studying Western modern art.
Settling Down
In 1974, the Cultural Revolution ended, Tsui joined the Tianjin Branch of the Chinese Artists Association and the Tianjin Branch of the Chinese Writers Association. He actively participated in Tianjin Art Association’s printmaking group. His black and white woodcut artwork “Strict Teacher“, was published in Tianjin Literature magazine and People’s Daily. Another black and white woodcut “Searching” was published and issued as national subscription advertisement in the Tianjin Literature magazine. “Searching” was discovered and reprinted by People’s Daily. In the same period, he created woodcuts such as “Production of Steel”, “First Snow”, “Female Welder”, “Before Handover”, etc. In the peak period of his artistic creation, there are eleven comics published by Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and Jilin presses. These comics include “Wisely Fighting Devils Soldier”, “Leading Cow In Spring”, “Rainbow”, “Little Guerrilla”, ” Gate of Grass “, “Italian Lady”, “Judge and Executioner”, etc. Tsui involved in multiple illustrations for major newspapers, magazines and publishers.
Migrated to Hong Kong
In 1982, Tsui migrated to Hong Kong. He worked as a designer of the China Advertising Company and the Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited Company. Tsui was devoted in figure painting, as well as illustrations for more than ten publishing houses in Mainland China and Hong Kong. At the same time, he engaged in teaching and art critique.
Experiences and works
Tsui’s articles were published in Ta Kung Pao, Hong Wen Wei Po, Xpressions: A Bilingual Cultural Bi-Weekly Magazine in Hong Kong, Taipei Great News, China Shu Hua Bao (Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Newspapers in China), ART, Artists Communication. His published articles in these newspapers and periodicals totaled more than 200,000 words.
In 1985, he planned to publish the magazine “World Pictorial” in Mainland China. In 1992, he was invited to establish “Chunghwa Pictorial Review” in Taiwan. Unfortunately, both projects were end in smoke.
In 1999, he founded Visual Art quarterly magazine in Hong Kong, recording the outstanding contemporary Chinese painters, calligraphers and artworks of Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas. This magazine is praise highly among Chinese artists from local and afar. In 2009, Tsui awarded the funding from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, he published a collection of art critique in a book called “Observation of ArtWaves“.
In 2012, Visual Art magazine collected 46 volumes and published a limited edition of one hundred print set worldwide.
In recent years, Tsui creates a Facebook page: Yee Ming Art Critic. It serves as a discussion forum for art reviews and comments on Cross Strait, East and West, with influential status.
Achievements
In 2008, Tsui’s figure painting “Morning Exercise” was selected into the Worldwide Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Exhibition for Celebrating Olympic. In 2009, the figure painting “Festival” was invited to exhibit in the 10th anniversary of Reunification of Macau: International Painting and Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition.
In 2011, Tsui’s figure painting, “Eliminating Evils till the Sword was Damaged” was invited to participate in the 2nd International Painting and Calligraphy Development Forum (Taipei, Taiwan): Worldwide Famous Painting and Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition.
In 2012, Tsui’s figure painting “Sharing of Meat” was invited to exhibit in the Cross Strait Four Regions Famous Paintings and Calligraphy Exhibitions (Shenzhen, China). Another figure painting “Excessive” was invited to be exhibited at the first International Painting and Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition (Tianjin, China) in the same year. During this period, he was awarded the title of International Outstanding Contributions to Painters and Calligraphers, Outstanding Contribution to the International Development of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy and Excellent Art Critic. He was selected as one of the top ten Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Important Person 2014 by media.
Tsui’s Art Pursuit
In the 1960s, Tsui’s coloured woodcut “The Bells” reflects concerns about major events of the era, while his black and white woodcut “Searching” and “Strict Teacher” echo his philosophical pursuit. Further, his ink painting “Looking For Sword“, “Autumn Essence“, “Excessive” involve critique of reality, his figural painting, such as Zhong Kui, Luohan (Arhat), musician, poor people, young children, horses, fat pigs, embody the new and creative attempt in artistic them. He adopted the Chinese ink painting and Western realism painting tradition and made his works a unique aesthetic expression.
Gradually, his painting becomes less appealing and functional, not pleasing to others, and even not catering to the market. This is the result significantly caused by Tsui’s artistic cultivation and life experience. Especially in his early 30 years, stress and defense has created great dilemmatic forces in his life. This period not only strengths his perseverance and enriches his experiences, but also prompts him to write a memoir of “Washing Foot Water”. On the Facebook page, he frequently makes comments on the art and never hesitates to speak up, as well as explore new artistic ideas. His concise and succinct writings, combined with a strong spirit and positive attitude, bring him to an extraordinary level and turn to a new chapter.
As a visiting professor at Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts and chief editor of Visual Art magazine, Tsui always emphasises teaching knowledge, sharing experience, and fostering new talents. Apart from collaborating with China Shu Hua Bao in holding Hong Kong-Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition in Hong Kong for ten years consecutively, he actively teaches at Academy of Fine Arts, giving lectures to the Polytechnic Institute and College of Art in Mainland, China.
In Hong Kong, Tsui offers ink painting (figure) course at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Sometimes, he meets with readers for discussions and interacting with each other. Specifically, he set up a special column in Visual Art magazine to publish works of new artists.
In a nutshell, Tsui never forgets the mother’s kindness in his upbringing. He always upholds the willpower of men seriously in the heart. This is the reason why he can establish the Visual Art magazine by oneself for 20 years, and not difficult to understand his motives in writing and painting for decades. Tsui’s hard work and great efforts reveal his spiritual strength and noble spirit that light up his path continuously.
Translated by Snowy, Hei LAM
12/8/2019
