Chen Xing looked at the yacht opposite and had wild thoughts.
Until a voice called Chen Xing's name, the feeling of being seen by someone he knew made him wake up instantly. He coughed twice to relieve the embarrassment, then smiled and shouted: "Mr. Knausgaard."
"Just call me Carl." He also said with a smile.
Today, Kalknausgaard still has the handsome look of a middle-aged man. He wears a black and gray coat and a thick scarf, giving him the feeling of a poet.
Standing here with Chen Xing, he basically attracted the attention of 90% of the women on the street.
Carl looked at the place where Chen Xing was in a daze just now, showed an ambiguous smile, and led him towards the Munch Museum.
"Are you looking at the girls?"
"It can be said that the feeling of youth is really wonderful."
"Ha ha."
Karl laughed, but the smile was not mocking, but felt that Chen Xing's answer was honest.
"You are indeed different from the Chinese people I know."
Chen Xing shrugged his shoulders.
People often say this about him in Paris. Maybe it's because he is systematic and overconfident. Chen Xing is still very candid and feels there is no need to say those hypocritical words.
However, if others praise him too much, he will still be a little more modest.
Anyway, after Super Zero Zero, if you don’t accept it, you will do it.
Based on Karl's age, he probably knows people in China who are around fifty years old. Whether they are in the cultural circle or not, the generation gap between them and Chen Xing's generation will be deeper than the Mariana Trench, and their concepts are completely different.
Mr. Knausgaard's full name is Karl Ove Knausgaard.
Anyone who reads a lot may have seen his name. He is an indispensable cultural symbol in the modern Norwegian cultural circle, and his published works have won a large number of cultural awards.
His masterpiece is "Mein Kampf"
Yes, it has the same name as the autobiography published by German Mustache. Coincidentally, he also wrote an autobiography.
So when you find this book in the library with admiration, hold it with trembling hands, and have a tune that you can whistle in your mind, please don't get excited, please take a look at the author's name .
It's possible that what you're reading is the book written by Knausgaard.
Of course Chen Xing has not read it. His reading volume has gradually increased, but he only reads Chinese literature and French literature. He occasionally reads the English version, and that's it... After all, he can't speak. In Norwegian, what do you do to pay attention to other people’s literary works?
It wasn't until he received the call yesterday that Chen Xing urgently filled in his information.
"Xing, can I call you that?"
"Of course, it's my pleasure."
"You must be wondering why I'm looking for you, but we don't have to worry about this problem now. There are many works of art in the Munch Museum. I haven't been here for a long time, so we can take a look together."
"Have you never considered that I have been here these past few days?"
"Oh, that doesn't matter. Yesterday afternoon, nearly half of the works in the Munch Museum were sent to Italy for exchange. Today, a special exhibition was opened, featuring a large number of Munch's photography works."
"Oh? He's also a photographer?"
"He has always considered himself an amateur photographer, so the photos he took are rarely displayed in museums. However, I think they are better than Screaming anyway."
As a Norwegian, Carl actually found Munch’s shouting boring?
But Chen Xing agreed.
He had seen it on the Internet and didn't like the style of shouting.
It's not a question of whether the painting is good or not. As a person who only watches comedies when watching movies, Chen Xing hates receiving negative emotions from others from various angles. The depression, confusion and confusion in the shouting were the negative emotions he didn't like.
Whether it's good or not is another matter. Whether you like it or not is a personal matter.
"I just want to talk to my acquaintances," Karl said.
There's nothing you can do about it, as if you're a Norwegian and you should like this painting.
Without the Scream, there were far fewer people in the Munch Museum.
In the bright exhibition hall, tourists stopped together in twos and threes to admire the paintings. Everyone whispered and the low-pitched communication would not affect the interest of other tourists, but instead enhanced the tranquility in the museum.
The corridor is neat and clean, and the only sound of footsteps can be heard when walking in it.
All the paintings in the Munch Museum, even if the artist is not Munch, have a strong sense of blur. This style makes people who see these paintings like it very much, and those who don't like it completely ignore it. don't know.
Chen Xing pays attention to the colors and can experience the emotions in the paintings even without looking at the brushstrokes.
Walking to an area, the works on the wall suddenly changed from paintings to black and white photography.
The photos are scattered in subject matter.
There are a lot of selfies taken at home, on the grass, on the beach, and then there are also photos of scenery and people.
These photos are technically…
How should I put it? It's just so-so, it can't even be called a technology.
However, from this large number of photos, Chen Xing's mind magically emerged with the environment in which Munch lived at that time. When he recalled the previous paintings, he suddenly seemed to be able to understand what those vague things were.
Is this still a mosaic cracker?
Chen Xing saw in the introduction of one of the photos:
'Munch's photographs are technically very imperfect, but as photographs they are rebellious and significant, and they enable the viewer to view them psychologically. To date, no other photo has had this effect. '
Maybe that's right.
Chen Xing straightened up and looked into the distance. There was nothing there anymore. People were blocked by a movable pole, indicating that the lower half of the area was temporarily unavailable.
"Nice work." Chen Xing said to Karl.
"As long as you like it." Karl said with a smile. He put his hands in the pockets of his coat and looked at the photos. "Actually, I also like photography, but I'm not proficient in it. I think it's because of those of us who can't draw. A way for people to save time.”
After hearing this, Chen Xing shook his head and said: "Photography is not a substitute for painting. If we only talk about retaining time, then the effect of photography is much better than painting."
He also learned painting so that he could paint scenery that was different from reality.
Let’s talk about the ancient country of Loulan. In reality, people can only see a lot of ruins. These things show that this place was a prosperous city many years ago. No matter how beautiful it was, it is now reproduced in the camera. It's all just yellow sand covering the walls.
But in the eyes of some people, Loulan is alive.
It is new, colorful, busy with traffic, and full of people coming and going.
How does this picture appear?
Then I can only rely on painting.
Don't talk about online drawing or AI drawing. Those things can only be used as illustrations or covers in books. They cannot be put on the altar of art with high prices because they lack a soul.
His thoughts were a little far away. When Chen Xing came back to his senses, he heard Karl say.
"Maybe I'm too greedy. I want to record the present while also restoring the past."
His tone was a bit sad, and Chen Xing instinctively felt that something was on his mind.
So when he asked me out this time, it was definitely not because he was an acquaintance, but because he wanted his help with something. But if a well-known writer needs his help, it wouldn't be for taking pictures, right?
It's possible, but this is the only skill he has shown to others that he is outstanding at.
The visit to the Munch Museum, which was missing many works, took about half an hour. The two went out and walked along the seaside. Karl said: "I remember Munch also said something about photography. He said that photography is ultimately inferior to painting because it cannot describe. Heaven or hell.”
Chen Xing smiled and said: "As a photographer, I absolutely disagree with this sentence."
Can’t take pictures of paradise?
Isn’t the Loulan series he shot some time ago a paradise?
If the painters don't agree, then Chen Xing will have to see if they can go to their god's territory and paint a picture.
hell……
This can also be photographed, but Chen Xing is unwilling to do it.
Hell is everywhere in real life, especially in fast-paced cities. The job of photographers is to find the little bit of beauty in hell.
When Karl mentioned it, Chen Xing suddenly wanted to shoot something realistic.
This great writer asked Chen Xing for a lot of knowledge about photography, and he listened very carefully and sometimes asked questions. Chen Xing suddenly felt like he was teaching students, so he joked:
"Mr. Knausgaard, are you going to change your career and compete with me for a job?"
"Maybe."
He stopped to look at the sea, wiped his hair in a pretentious manner, and said: "The last book of my life will be published soon. This is my last book. In other words, my career as a writer has spanned three years. It officially ended months ago.”
"You won't write anymore?"
"I won't write anymore."
Chen Xing really felt strange now.
Let’s take Mein Kampf as an example. It has sold 500,000 copies in Norway alone. You must know that the entire country has only sold more than 5 million copies. This means that one out of ten Norwegians has read it. Book.
He published this book at a rate of one per year and won seven or eight international literary awards.
A writer of this caliber stops writing at the age of 50?
Chen Xing was still surprised, but Karl took out a thick book without a cover from his bag and handed it to Chen Xing, saying, "You probably haven't read my previous books. ? This book will be given to you first, and I will ask someone to deliver a copy to your hotel tomorrow."
Taking this book without a cover, which was very concise and as if printed by himself, Chen Xing might know what Knausgaard had asked him to do.
But he didn't want to ask, and said with a smile: "That would be great. I hope it is a French or Chinese version. You know, I don't have much confidence in my Norwegian reading."
Not only do I have no confidence, I simply don’t know anything.
Opening this book with no cover and no title, the title page inside is not a familiar book title, the publisher or something, there is only one handwritten sentence on it - I am finally not a writer!
Are you so happy not to be a writer?
Chen Xing is very confused. His first work will be released on January 1 next year. After this book is released, Chen Xing can also say that he is a writer.
Photographer, writer, painter.
Or add a travel, travel photographer, travel writer in front... These are definitely the dreams he stood up and told his teacher when he was a child. It's great to be able to realize them one by one now.
I was still yearning for my future life as a writer, and suddenly a great writer came and shouted: "I am finally not a writer anymore!"
This feeling left Chen Xing speechless.
Hearing what Chen Xing said, Karl was suddenly stunned for a moment, and subconsciously reached out to take back the book, but luckily he held it back.
This is a book that was given away, even if it is a souvenir, it cannot be taken back.
At this time, Chen Xing turned to the second page, was stunned for a moment, then turned to the third page, the fourth page...
He knew all of these words, and he might be able to guess the meaning of some of them, but he really couldn't understand them. They were all written in Norwegian.
Closing the book, Chen Xing looked at Karl.
The fifty-year-old uncle suddenly laughed and touched his head. He chose not to look at Chen Xing and turned to look at the ocean.
It's so embarrassing, I forgot that Chen Xing can't understand Norwegian.
After a while, he looked at Chen Xing and said:
"I believe you can see that I want to use my personal photo on the cover of this book. Some of your works have been exhibited in Oslo before, in the Munch Museum. I walked in by chance and thought you The people photographed were very interesting.”
Chen Xing has many titles in France, and the most resounding one is "Portrait Magician" because Chen Xing can always photograph a person with a sense of story.
Ordinary photography can capture an ancient town or an ancient building with a sense of story, but in commercial photography where many modules are fixed, it is still possible to capture a model with a sense of story, which is a great test of the photographer's skill. .
No, she also likes models.
Chen Xing thought for a moment and said a little embarrassedly: "But I haven't done commercial photography for a long time."
"It's not important. What I want to invite you to do is not commercial photography. Xing, this is my last book. I have condensed all my feelings into this work. I don't want this book to be The cover is a bland thing.”
He wanted to have a painting whose contents were his own, just like painters have self-portraits.
But a self-portrait?
What a backward thing that is!
Karl's tone was a little excited, he put his hands on Chen Xing's shoulders, looked at him and said:
"I believe you. You just said that you can use the charm of photography to put the me in the book, the me in hell and the me in heaven into your camera. I believe only you can do it. Really , I beg you."
Wow! This is your request!
Chen Xing lowered his head and looked at the book Karl gave him.
Karl also followed his gaze and looked at the book, and immediately regretted it and wanted to slap himself.
Why did you forget that Chen Xing is a foreigner and doesn’t understand Norwegian writing? It’s all my fault that I stayed in Oslo for too long.
"Don't worry, money is not an issue. I know you don't take portraits for anyone anymore, but I can buy them, or in other words, is customization okay? Can you accept customization?"
Chen Xing frowned.
This request of yours is too difficult to handle. You are in hell or whatever in the book.
"Although it's just the cover of a book, I will definitely keep this work in my home. Please don't think of this as the portrait works you took before, um..." Karl thought for a moment and then said, "Although it's not I know very well the selling price of your current work, but I am willing to use the price of your top-notch work to customize this photo."
"hiss……"
Chen Xing took a breath of cold air.
"I'm not saying I can't accept it, I just find it difficult, eh, but aren't we friends now? Money and everything else are just small things, okay, okay, I'm willing to take this photo for you." Chen Xing sighed and said .
(End of chapter)
