small island studio by 宣雄
Xiong Xuan Melancholy
陈老师，谢谢你在我最渴望求知的年龄写下了《纽约琐记》，你打开了我的眼界，那个时候我18岁，大二，读到你写的大都会美术馆，就下决心有一天真的要来看一看。今天，我到过了大都会美术馆，看到了那么多那么多的油画，像一个口渴的人咕咚咕咚喝了好多凉水。我有一个心愿：有生之年要在大都会美术馆做一个个展，展出我的一生的素描，配上金色的框子，浓妆艳抹的登场，也好对得住我的心。君子言既出，行必果，我一定会做到的。现在就是要安安静静地工作，把每天过得平静而充实。每天画到一定的量，然后像读小说一样看一个电影，随便什么电影都可以，就是体会故事的情节，人物的表情和情感，以及各种细节之间的联系。现在我重读你的书，我试着把它翻译出来，希望你可以看得到。我的英文比较简单，用简单的词汇，简单的短句，平铺直叙的把意思说出来就好。希望你会喜欢，希望你的书可以在美国发表英文版。我看到自己在书的白边写的字，看到自己年幼时候的无知和真心，很感动。宣雄写于2026年初。
Dear Dan, thank you for writing down <My painting time at New York City> when I was so desire to learn. You opened my window. St that time, i was 18, the second year of University time. I read you writing about the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so I determined to come and look, in real. Today, I have been Metropolitan Museum, I had seen so many paintings. It's like a thirsty person suddenly drinking a ton of cold water. I have a wish: i wish I could make a solo exhibition at Metropolitan Museum of Art, with my living time, with all my drawings my entire life. Put them in golden frames, to show up nicely and decently. So it's my heart. A honest man will do what he say, to keep the promise, I will make it.Right now, just put down all vanity, just keep drawing everyday, calmly and peacefully. Draw till certain amount of time a day, and then, by the end, I will watch a movie. Whatever movie it is, it's ok, i just need to comprehend the story, observe characters' facial expression and their moods, as well as the connections of all tiny details. Right now, I pick up your book again, try to translate it. I hope one day you could see it. My English style is very simple. Just use very simple vocabulary, brief sentences, to tell the basic meaning of the article. i hope you will like it. I hope you could publish your book in English. i saw my own words on the edges, i see a young me looks so ignorant, but so sincere, i am so moved. by Melancholy Xiong Xuan, at the beginning of 2026.
This story is a portrait of a New York artist named Aoer.
My apartment is not far from Aoer's, just s couple of blocks. At the beginning of the summer of the second year i came to New York, one day i saw a tall young man, standing in front of the doorway, standing with a easel, holding a book, he was copying a portrait by Rubens. i walked by, and then i came back. This local apartment buildings are different from Chinese buildings, where you can set up furnitures, and painting there. Secondary, i am very curious, when i saw a western young man copying a historical western master.His pallet is very new, and his facial expression is sacred, and paying attention all the time, if there is someone notice it. Seeing me standing there for a while, he opened the glass-door, let me in, not telling me his name yet, just start introducing to me, this is oil painting, this is Rubens. Rubens is a 17th century artist, i like him, because he show the strength through his figures. i was listening, and watching his muscled body, realized that i would never like him.
Aoer is from Romania, he moved to The States with his parents when he was 5 years old. And then his parents divorced, he grow up with his mother, Aoer is his nickname. As we became familiar, he told me: the day you saw me, it was my first time painting. My mother hated the smell, forced me to do it at the front door. Otherwise we would have missed out each other. Why Creek hero still obey his mother? He was just out of high school, just 18 years old.
Aoer was just 20, when the previous president Reagan win the election and continue to be president again. i remember we sat on the floor, watching the TV showing the looser saying something to Reagan. His room is full of his big paintings: Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt, and Rubens, all copies. "How stupid! I don't understand what these politician are doing!" But I don't understand why this young man love traditional painting, as if the modern art all over the world has nothing to do with him. He wasn't on the right way. But I always get attracted by his copies. I love and trying hard to imitate classical painting, that's my wish when i just came here and saw those original works in museums. i do better than Aoer, but so what?! He just started. I think his copying is more right than me. Look at him, he is so much like from Rubens' painting! Watching him standing together with his works, it's like cheese on bread, or knife in steak.
Romania, means this is the place of Romans. After Rome no longer existed, only some people who lived on Romania still keep the bloodline. Aoer's face looks like ancient Romans in paintings. I asked him this period of history, he shrug, and say: who knows? i will ask mama.
He could figure out why he love classical paintings. It suppose he is the one to ask me: why a Chinese come to America to learn painting? And why choose classical paintings? Actually I don't know, it's like, who knows, why we could meet at New york, be neighbors, and be friends？
Spring of 85, Caravaggio came to New York. I met Aoer at the exhibition. He looks absent-minded that day, and look again with me. After that, I didn't see him for a couple of months. In Autumn, he call me.
He take out a huge painting, it's about 4 or 5 meters. In the picture, he lie in the front, his parents, doctor, girlfriend were around him. Every fave looks sad. it's Caravaggio! Not only the composition is similar, and also the brushstroke turns from Rubens to Caravaggio too. "Tell me what you think?"
I think it's Aoer's best painting too. Although he has some problems inevitably, but I always like to see the passion in the first work, including the passion of imitation. I don't remember what i said exactly, just some advices. He is nervous, explain it's still going on. I phrase him sincerely, told him that i couldn't do the same when I was 20 years old. He laughed immediately.
But I didn't speak what I really think. Look at him: he wants to keep going traditional classical paintings. is he realizing how long this hopeless road? How he make his future? His mother supported him paints and canvas. And his mother rely to the divorce fee and government subsidy. He wouldn't understand, even if Caravaggio live today, he has to change his style, knocking at galleries with resume and works.
Caravaggio's personality is fighting all the time. As long as he fight with someone, he run away. Aoer fight too. When he was 17, he got stabbed when he trying to rescue a girl who got rapped. He lie in hospital for several months, almost died. I thought he imagined the scene. We called the father at that time. I am proud of my son! This is a great painting!
Aoer is a pervious Christian, no smoking, no drinking, live simply, painting is his only thing to do. That's why he could stand the poverty and loneliness in the future. Gradually, Aoer understand the truth of being an artist. There are so many artists in New York City. He indeed followed his dream of classical paintings, no friends, no gallery. I moved several times, and Aoer moved out of his mother's house. After 10 years knowing each other, we shared one studio together. The room is full of Aoer's hundreds of paintings. None of it sold.
But classical paintings refused him also.
Aoer has talent and feeling. His personality is really rough. If he got some early education, he could be a excellent artist. Untill now, his hand is about amateur. He lack of realistic figure training.
For a beginner, there are certain lessons to learn. Young Aoer talk to me like an academy art-teacher. I couldn't convince him work through the end. Young people has nothing to fear, because they are young. I watched him failed so many times, and then stretch another canvas, start again. As if he must win this time, even though he knows it will fail again.
Who didn't go through like this? Aoer spend years struggle with those abandoned works. The Proud gradually disappeared, Aoer considered me as his teacher. It's surprising, he has no art-friend. But how could I teach him painting habits when he is about 30 years old? Yes, not skill, but habit: patience, careful, don't too hurry, work through the end. He didn't go to famous art-school. There is no way to find a strict teacher to teach you classical realistic art. Aoer can go to museums any time, but realistic art only exist within museums. He back to his loved Baroque art, and copy Rubens in museums. Rubens can not save him, but he needs a God.
I recall some early art-friends in Shanghai in the 60s. It's so similar: the ambition, the classical dream, no vanity, no living pressure, so poor but so happy, but that's the most. Aoer lived in the United States, he can't compare to us, or, we could say, we can't compare with him. After "turn out", Aoer became a different kind of artist from us.
我没有翻完。
浩浩和熊熊 Hao and Xiong at 19 years old in Tsinghua University, 2006, Beijing.
This is Melancholy Xiong Xuan's personal website, just about my drawings, essays and some photos during drawing process, this is my everyday drawing life as an artist, I built up this small-island since 2013 at State College, PA. I know how precious to have your support, it is meaningful to drawing everyday, and it is meaningful that you see it on my website, it is like an isolated small island, away from lure from reality world, let me be dreaming, if you like my drawings, I will be so appreciating your support, thank you very much. contact: melancholysmallislandstudio@gmail.com or xiong.xuan@gmail.com if you would like to read more about my story and my art, you can find it in "about" as well as "essay".
Musicians-5 is going on now, at 30% now, 60 by240 inches, pencil on paper, starting September 15th till now.