本书是我在过去较长一段时间里陆续写出的,其中 几篇的写作时间相对更早一些。这些先后流露在纸面上 的遐想都与自己曾经的艺术教育经历密切相关,所以取 名“遐想”。在教学和创作中想到些事情很重要,想到 以后再写出来就更重要,否则就等于没想。但是此书的 出版还有着另外一个有趣的原因:书稿的译者克莱尔是 我多年的老朋友,长期居住在法国。她热爱艺术,研究 中国文化,比较了解我的创作思路和艺术教学,她仔细 阅读过我写的文字,并且将其中一部分译成英文。为此, 她付出了非常大的努力,她的品格和才能始终令我敬佩。 也正因如此,我萌生了将中英两种文字汇集成册的愿望, 并很快得到了清华大学出版社的认可,且终得以出版。 希望此书能够对国内外读者的相互交流发挥作用,让更 多的人了解我所从事的艺术教育工作是多么有趣。书中 的三十三幅素描作品,都是我在法国和卢森堡驻留期间 创作的,它们反映了我在这个时期的艺术创作状态,将 它们放在本书的文字间,作为表达自己艺术思想的一个 补充吧。 2021年 3月于北京 2 Preface The words in the book were written by me bit by bit over a long period, among which a few sections were written relatively earlier. The reveries subtly revealed on the pages are closely related to my own experiences in art education, therefore the book was named “Reveries”. It is crucial to meditate on teaching and artistic creation, but it is also essential to write it out — meditation without being recorded is meaningless. However, there is another interesting reason for the publication of this book. Claire, the translator of the manuscript, is an old friend of mine who has lived in France for a long time. With a strong passion for art and a profound study of Chinese culture, she has a good understanding of my creative ideas and teaching styles in art. She read the words I wrote very carefully and has made strenuous efforts in translating some of them into English. I have always admired her character and talents, inspiring me to combine the Chinese and English versions into one book. The idea was soon approved by Tsinghua University Press, which made this book’ s publication possible. I hope this book can play a role in the mutual communication between readers at home and abroad, letting more people understand how interesting my education work on art is. The 32 sketches in the book were created during my residency in France and Luxembourg, illustrating my state of artistic creation during that period. They were blended in between the lines of the book, serving as a supplement to my artistic thoughts. March 2021, Beijing 3 Translator’s Words It is an honour to have been asked by Professor Li to translate his book and it is with great pleasure that I accept his request to present the artist and the teacher to his readers worldwide. I met Li Mu on his first sabbatical abroad at the International Arts Centre in Paris in 1996. At that time he was a lecturer at the Central School of Art and Design in Beijing, now amalgamated with Tsinghua University. Since then we have collaborated in promoting Chinese- European understanding via the organisation of exhibitions of his and his colleagues’ work in France and through projects and discussions concerning the arts and beyond—on topics as varied as food traditions and folk art. From the foundations set by his teachers, notably Wu Guanzhong, Li Mu’s work has developed constantly, incorporating elements and influences from his travels in Europe, North Africa and the USA, while his reflexions on art education and the philosophy of creativity have benefitted many generations of students from all over China. Now with this bilingual edition of his writings on art, its pedagogy and its social reach, his ideas will be more readily accessible to an international audience of learners, teachers and amateurs in the field of the creative arts. Clare Perkins Cleret Authon du Perche, France July 2020