♦ Would a viewer who can read Chinese and is familiar with traditional ink painting react to the exhibition in the same way as a viewer who cannot read the text on the paintings and knows nothing about the type of materials used?
When looking at Qiu Zhijie’s works, it is really helpful to be able to read the words in the work (in both Chinese and English), as each set of words in the picture is a concept that the artist wants to convey, and these concepts represent both his perception of the world and his view of the world and the universe.
One of the words on one of the paintings is ‘security’, a word written in the centre of a mountainous area, and when you see the words and the image you are reminded of being wrapped up in your surroundings, which is a very strong feeling.
♦ The international careers of Qiu Zhijie, Lara Favaretto and Nina Pereg. If your ambition is to work with galleries in the future, what can you learn from the career progression of the artists on show?
On the one hand, I would like my work to be involved in book publishing, on the other hand, I would like to have some artworks to work with galleries, these are two important directions for the future development of my work. If working with a gallery I think the work needs to add more to the narrative of the picture itself, a series of concepts and studies would be beneficial.
♦ Is Qiu Zhijie’s work illustration or fine art? Or neither?
Depending on the interpretation of the audience, I think his work could be calligraphy, art, illustration work or even something else. Because the work is not monolithic in its conceptual expression of art, it is very rich and readable. I think the artist himself does not want to solidify the work in a single form, which is what makes a mature artist great.
