Interview with CHAOFAN ZHENG,mainstream and minority, art
Interview with CHAOFAN ZHENG,mainstream and minority, art
CHAOFAN ZHENG
F is CHATANG FAN, Z is CHAOFAN ZHENG
F: Can you introduce yourself ?
Z : Ha ha, we’ve known each other for so long
F: Let’s make an introduction
Z: My name is Zheng Chaofan. I am now working as a creative planner for an e-commerce company.
F : Good, good. I’m going to interview you as an artist
Z : Do you think I am?
F : of course
F : What do you think is art
Z : For me, most of the time I only see his commercial nature，Maybe I’m a layman
F : nice，I think you know a lot about fashion culture and the combination of art and fashion culture. But the photography you do gives you a sense of peace. Can you elaborate on the relationship?
Z : As I just said, art can be a pursuit, but I pay more attention to the audience. Once everything is relevant to the audience, it is divided into mainstream and niche. All art, fashion and design. All of them are produced by the collision of countless things in the world, so there are countless kinds of artistic thinking in the world, and everyone pays attention to different points. Back to what I just said about mainstream culture, because I was exposed to street culture when I was very young, and my family didn’t understand it. I realized that there was such a problem in the world.
F : So what kind of existence is art in your eyes
Z : I think it’s like a guiding ideology. No matter what I do, I need this kind of thinking mode to guide me.
F : Good. Let’s talk about the mainstream and the minority. Of course, we still have to focus on art.
Z : OK
F : Do you think there is a mainstream and a minority in art? Do you think the difference is important?
Z : Of course, I think everything can be divided into mainstream and minority. What’s more, it’s a hot topic like art.
F : So what does that mean?
Z : The most important issue is the right to speak, which we should all have a deep understanding. Just like when we were in high school, the Internet media was not very developed at that time. We usually learned what was popular through some foreign magazines, and some Chinese fashion magazines also carried foreign information. At that time, I thought everything outside was so cool. But in fact, because they are on the altar, what they say is good-looking is good-looking. The same is true of art, but I don’t think it’s the same with regions. Now it’s more of an art form.
F : Do you mean art media
Z : That’s almost what it means. People who did experimental art were seen as a small group. But now the situation has become interesting. People look down on the feeling of continuing to do painting sculpture. Now everyone is proud of doing conceptual art and experimental art, isn’t it. Of course, this kind of transformation is a kind of progress of art itself. What can not be denied is that the audience now lies in this art form.
F : Is this a success? It is mainstream and has good commercial value.
Z : I can’t make a conclusion, but look at Kaws, Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara. They are very successful.
F : So do you think what you said just now is the audience’s approval?
Z : I think to some extent, it can be understood that what many people like is the mainstream.
F : How can we become the mainstream？
Z : Most of the time, before mainstream things become mainstream, they are minority, or a kind of subculture, derivative. Gradually, more and more people accept and understand it, and it will become a kind of public standard, and people will think that something and so should be like this. Insist on doing a small number of things, maybe one day it will become a hot thing. Of course, first of all, you should love it, just like art. You will want to do well if you have pursuit.
F : What about you? Are you a mainstream person
Z : No, few people will admit that they are a person who pursues the mainstream. Everyone wants to be different from everyone else. But sometimes people want to be recognized to get a sense of security. Yes, people are contradictory.
Photos by Chaofan Zheng