Bo Zhang with a mark Suxin and an alias Kantu, was born in 1967. He graduated from physics department of Beijing Normal University. In 1998, he graduated from upholster specialty of Chian Central Craftwork Art Academy. In 2000, he worked in a design company and wanted to do himself. In one year, he knew the market and found out that his interest is painting.
I started to practice calligraphy in 1997 at which time he foreboded that he would work in painting. Jumping-off point of my calligraphy is not from the shape which from one kind and then others, I started from method. It took me about half year to appreciate predecessors’ calligraphy. I thought too much about myself and always told others that half more year I will know all. This sentence I repeat for three years and others laugh at me, “You have said for hundreds of times.” What embarrassed me is that it is very good to copy ancients’ words, but mine are hard to see. This status lasted for 5 years. The reason is that there are ancients leading me to copy, but myself have no skills; ancients use a complete set of system. If someone describes you that elephant has huge body, four strong legs, long nose……According to this description, people who never see animals cannot paint a complete elephant. In five years, I just paint a pig. So I realize why there is only one King of Calligraphy since the ancient time.
Recalling I was in school, I did not study hard, not care about my grades. But in my head, there always is art and the things after what teachers taught. During study in Craftwork Art Academy, I learnt a lot.
In 2001, first I painted flower-birds, then landscape, and characters. My concept is construction instead of pure painting. I am fond of large splash-ink. Flower-birds, landscape and character is developed from the splash-ink. Luckily, the teacher of traditional Chinese painting is doing splash-ink. The line in traditional Chinese painting is very important, but most lines are hidden in the picture which needs calligraphy.
Enjoyable splash-ink peony is most difficult point in enjoyable paintings. Because of my successful idea and love to splash-ink, I was indulged in it at the beginning. After eight-month failure, I painted a picture. At this time, people around me lost faith to me, so I painted several pieces of flower-birds. Then much difficulty comes……I like painting plums but painting plum is another condition. I don’t want to follow others’ ways, but I cannot think out mine ways because this needs more ambits not skills. I painted several pieces of plum after a circle of flower-birds, landscape and character.
Recent years, I am not good in painting. Sometime I halted for 2 months and sometimes for 1 year. I don’t like to halt for too much time when painting traditional Chinese paintings which is not like the beginning 3 years. But I will try my best.