Look at the combination of colors and symbols. It is the painter who got the essence of color and brushwork, skillfully crossed the concrete picture, and directly used the organic combination of symbols to spread his feelings and thoughts that are difficult to express in words and images on the canvas. Therefore, through this pattern depicting the soul, the viewer transcends the clumsy words and reaches the inner world of the painter.

Isn't that what music is all about? Using the order of notes to describe the artistic conception outside the language, even a string in the deepest part of the human soul can resonate with it and arouse artistic emotion. If we want to compare realistic painting with music, the corresponding sound effects should be onomatopoeic words, such as the flowing piano music by Tian Wenguan and the flowing sound effects created by Seventy-two Rolling Pens. So that everyone can hear what is in the song, but the song is straightforward. Music that directly expresses stories or emotions has a deeper meaning. Now ordinary people can appreciate painting more, but it is difficult to understand music. In fact, it is precisely this truth: painting is more realistic and music is more abstract. Only abstract painting can make painting rise to the height of music, which is simply musicalization of painting and visualization of music!

I remember a children's book from my relatives when I was a child. I don't remember what it is. There will be some exercises every few pages in the book, so that children can try to draw something abstract. For example, there will be a topic that says, "Please draw' sweet' under it with a brush." There will also be a bracket saying "Don't just draw something that makes you feel this way". Now that I think about it, it is really guiding children to perceive the essence of abstract painting. Unfortunately, I didn't have such an understanding at that time, and no one really taught me how to express myself in this absurd way, and this inexplicable topic just puzzled me.

But can children really understand the inner feelings and then express them accurately with rich skills? A really good abstract painting is not a feeling, but a skillful expression. Just as sad music can arouse people's deepest sadness and make them cry, drawing sad pictures should also make people with deep appreciation understand sadness, and even "sadness" should not be casually called "sadness". And the feeling of "sweetness" should also make people feel sweet from it. In fact, this is not difficult to understand, just as people will use "sweet honey" to describe lovers, it is likely to be a kind of "synaesthesia."

A good abstract painting should be appreciated like a delicate poem, but it is not a popular art after all. Just like people who don't understand poetry, after reading some poems, especially the analysis of situations and images, they are afraid that those who appreciate them are really talking nonsense. Why do poets write their inner sadness when they hear the cuckoo's cry? Why is the scene described in "West Wind Sunset, Han Tomb" desolate and vast, containing the feelings of the rise and fall of the dynasty? It is difficult for people without certain artistic accomplishment to realize it.

Can't you draw abstractly if you don't understand art? Of course, people who don't know art can enjoy it. Because there is no difference between people in mind, everyone with a sound mind has the same sadness and joy, an intuition of beauty and ugliness, and the ability to judge whether two things are consistent, and the basis of artistic appreciation is nothing more than these. Of course, one must first put away his contempt. Once you see only a few strokes on a blank canvas, or extravagant colors, or confusing things, it always makes people feel that the painter is fooling people, while the admiration of others is unreasonable and blind to fame. You can make such things yourself. However, we should understand that, just as children playing with emotion is essentially different from the music created by musicians with their heart and skills, there is also an essential difference between excellent painting and deceptive smearing. If even this is difficult to distinguish clearly, you should understand it with an open mind. Let's go to the art exhibition and find a painting with feelings. Don't be afraid to stand for a long time, because it really takes time to calm down and feel the things in front of you at a certain distance. You can capture some small things from the painting and then put them together slowly and clearly. Even though you may not know what these things are, the pictures organized by these lines and colors have already played a role in your heart and started to play the role of art, so that over time, the level of appreciation will be gradually established.

Of course, some corresponding theories are still necessary, such as what kind of lines are smart, what kind of lines are calm, what kind of colors are harmonious, and what kind of colors are attractive, just as there is a set of related theories for poetry appreciation and creation. However, the theory is still auxiliary after all. Emotion and art are spiritual activities.

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