Before visiting Professor Tang Kuo Liang, I prepared three questions. The followings are the questions and their answers:
Q: After you complete a piece of potter, is it always the same as you imagined?
A: Copying is a basic ability for me, so I can make it the same as the draft. In fact, when I was young, I made my potter as accurately and precisely as possible. However, this makes my artwork rational, rigid, serious but lack of humanity, which should be full of tenderness. My present thought is, creating and playing together, because it is not necessary to follow strict rules when making an artwork.
Q: Do you think solitude is necessary for an artist? Why?
A: There are many things that need to be internalized, or they will become rough. As an ceramist, I have to do many repeated works everyday, but when I do such things, I ask myself to keep thinking about the meaning of life. That need much time to be alone and get along with yourselves.
Q: Have you ever felt devoid of inspiration?
A: Never, because I'm professional.
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I like Professor Tang's life style, because it is such a way of balance and happiness. Professor Tang says if you want to accomplish fame and success, you'd better set your goal in Tokyo, Paris or New York; otherwise, you just live your own life well in equilibrium. In my opinion, Professor Tang's life philosophy is full of eastern wisdom, which regards happiness as a part of life rather than a goal to pursue.
On the other hand, I'm inspired by Professor Tang's ideas about arts, which can be explained by a simple instance: if you put a ceramic cup on a table, it is pottery, whereas if you put it up-side down, it is arts. The most important thing is, he elucidates further, whether there are ideas you really want to convey, and the reason making arts priceless is that artists are trying to figure out the real of life and humanity.
Professor Tang also reminds us never fall into the constrains of conventions. He shows to us the ceramic dishes he made, which are not horizontally but vertically put on the table. I'm impressed by many details Professor Tang conveys to us in this visit and understand more about the way in which artist thinks. What an awesome tour!