“强匠荟”紫砂制壶名家 范伟群
范伟群,1970年出生于陶艺世家,省级大师家正高级工艺美术师、当代知名陶艺名家、江苏省陶瓷艺术大师、中国工艺美术学会会员。
师承一代艺术大家 继承传统开拓创新
1984年,范伟群进入紫砂二厂随老师吴同芬学艺,自幼受陶艺世家氛围的熏陶,和老师的严格教导以及自己刻苦学习,范伟群很快全面掌握了紫砂工艺的各种制作技能,其所制”夹砂扁富壶”获得了全厂技术质量无记名评选一等奖,而后被中国工艺美术大师徐汉棠收为己徒,如遇甘露。在徐大师的悉心教导下,范伟群在紫砂工艺的制作技法和创作手法上有了更大提高,做到光素器、花塑器、筋纹器样样精通。
“强匠荟”紫砂制壶名家 范伟群作品《六方》
1992年后,范伟群先后受聘于紫砂五厂、蜀古紫砂厂任技术辅导,为紫砂业培养了百余名紫砂工艺新人。其先后创作的多个新品相继入选参加港澳台地区展览,获得一致好评,深得海内外紫砂爱好者的喜爱,成为当时紫砂界最具潜力的青年陶艺家。
在艺术创作上范伟群继承传统、开拓创新,铸成了他的作品讲思想、讲精神、讲工艺、讲文心。无论是效法自然的仿真花货,线条流畅的筋纹茶具,还是书卷气郁郁芊芊的光器,都展现出他的紫砂艺术中饱含的时代精神、审美追求与文化品格。
“大生壶”享誉海内外 第四代传人延续辉煌
范伟群是清末民初制壶大家范钦仁(字承甫,1875-1942)嫡孙,1875年,范钦仁出生于太湖之畔宜兴丁蜀西望圩村,为“大生壶”缔造者范广善长子,《范氏家谱》载:为范仲淹第二十九世孙。
据悉,“范大生”是社会上对制壶大家范广善、范钦仁父子的别称。因范广善、范钦仁父子所制茗壶均用“大生”作为壶上铭记,“大生”是他们父子公用的艺名。“大生壶”因作品制作精美,造型丰富而名声大噪,民国时期就享有“千金难求大生壶”之美誉;他们所创作品连续六次获得国际金奖,是宜兴紫砂第一个国际金奖获得者,“大生壶”享誉海内外。
作为“大生壶”的第四代传人,范伟群展现了紫砂崭新的面貌与思想的维度,为陷入传统范式的紫砂壶艺增添新的生机。因为博览多学、涉猎丰足,从业三十年的范伟群在写实与写意之间过渡,由紫砂世家的传承者变成一位学养与思考并重的人,掌握着紫砂壶艺传承中非常重要的一脉。
范伟群为了将“大生壶”继续发扬光大创办了范家壶庄,带领着范家壶庄的紫砂匠人,全心投入紫砂艺术的创作研究,并潜心研究历代先辈的紫砂珍品,深切感悟其艺术气息,积极汲取传统艺术的精髓。根据大生传世的几款精品,经过仔细研究学习和反复推敲,创作出“传承篇--大生传世精品系列”,其作品工艺精湛、质朴大气、形神皆备,一举获得第五届中国工艺美术大师精品博览会金奖。
范氏家族几代人与壶为伴,也因壶而与“世博”结缘。1909年,“大柿子壶”诞生于范大生之手。1910年,此壶参加了中国以官方名义举办的第一个国际性博览会——南洋劝业会,并获得了最高奖。百年之后,第41届世界博览会在上海举办,范伟群创作的“平安和谐壶”在世博会上成为世人关注的焦点。2010年上海世博会上,著名文化人王守明向“中非15国文化艺术交流”的非洲艺术家们鼎立推荐的就是两把由范伟群制作的紫砂壶。
坚守“工匠精神”积极推广紫砂文化
范伟群从事紫砂艺术创作以来,认真研究和努力创作,并积极推广和弘扬紫砂文化。范伟群认为“工匠精神”的基本内涵包括敬业、精益、专注、创新等方面的内容,敬业是从业者基于对职业的敬畏和热爱而产生的一种全身心投入的认认真真、尽职尽责的职业精神状态。精益是精益求精,是从业者对每件产品、每道工序都凝神聚力、精益求精、追求极致的职业品质。紫砂行业的发展离不开紫砂匠人对“工匠精神”的坚守,范伟群也以此来严格要求自己,多年来精心制作的多件紫砂作品,造型别致、个性鲜明,被中央领导人选为国家级礼品。
“强匠荟”紫砂制壶名家 范伟群作品《竹节》
此外,范伟群先后多次赴港澳地区和国内各大城市,进行紫砂壶艺的展示与紫砂文化的推广。2004年、2005年,范伟群两次赴韩举办紫砂壶艺展、紫砂壶艺演示会及紫砂壶艺爱好交流推广会,得到了韩国壶友热烈的欢迎和喜爱。两次韩国行,使韩国大众更深更广的了解和认识了紫砂,为弘扬紫砂作出了积极的贡献。
Dasheng Teapot’s heir inherits the tradition, exploring and innovating
Fan Weiqun ----- Qiang Jiang Hui’s famous artist of YiXing Purple Clay Teapot
Qiang Jiang Hui’s famous artist of YiXing Purple Clay Teapot
Fan Weiqun, born in a ceramic family in 1970, is a provincial master, a national senior arts and crafts artist, a famous contemporary ceramic artist, a ceramic art master in Jiangsu Province, and a member of the Chinese Arts and Crafts Society.
Learning from the grand art masters
Inheriting the tradition, developing and innovating
In 1984, Fan Weiqun entered the second purple clay factory,learning artistic skill from Wu Tongfen. Because edified by ceramic family atmosphere since childhood,Fan Weiqun soon fully mastered all kinds of production skills of the purple clay craft under the teacher's strict teaching and his hard study.
The Jiasha Flat Bellied Teapot made by Fan Weiqun won the first prize of the whole factory technology quality anonymous selection, and then Fan Weiqun was accepted as a disciple by the Chinese arts and crafts master Xu Hantangsuch, and that likes meeting a refreshing rain after a long drought.
Under master Xu's careful guidance, Fan Weiqun has improved his production and creation techniques in YiXing Purple Clay technology, and is proficient in all aspects of light plain ware, flower model ware and rib model ware.
“Hexagon”made by Fan Weiqun,Qiang Jiang Hui’s famous artist of YiXing Purple Clay teapot
After 1992, Fan Weiqun has been employed in the Fifth PurpleClayFactory, Shugu Purple Clay factory as technical guidance, having cultivated more than 100 new purple clay technicists for the purple clay industry. A number of new products created by Mr Fan have been selected to participate exhibitions in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, having won consistent praise and the love of purple clay enthusiasts at home and abroad and become the most potential young ceramist in Yixing purple clay industry at that time.
In artistic creation, Fan Weiqun inherits the tradition, pioneering and innovative, casting his works about thoughts, spirit, craft and literary mind.Whether it is the colored goods imitating from the natural flower ,the vein tea set with smooth lines, or the light ware with flourishing scholar's style, all show Mr Fan’s spirit of the time,aesthetic pursuit and cultural character fully contained in his purple clay art.
“Dasheng Teapot” renowned at home and abroad
The fourth generation continues to flourish
Fan Weiqun was the direct grandson of Fan Qinren (styled Cheng Fu, 1875-1942), a teapot great maker in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. In 1875,Fan Qinrenwas born in Wangxu Village, Dingshu West, Yixing, by the bank of Taihu Lake. He was the eldest son of Fan Guangshan, the founder of "Dasheng Teapot". Fan's Family Tree contains: Fan Qinren is the 29th grandson of Fan Zhongyan.
It is reported that “Fan Dasheng” is a social nickname for teapot great makers:Fan Guangshan and his son Fan Qinren.Because Fan Guangshan and his son Fan Qinren made the teapot with "Dasheng" as an inscription, "Dasheng" becomes the father and his son’s common stage name.
"Dasheng Teapot" is famous for its exquisite production and rich modeling. In the period of the Republic of China, it was reputed as "A precious Dasheng Teapot deserves more than a thousand pieces of gold". Their works have won the international gold award for six consecutive times, and they are the first international gold award winner of Yixing Purple clay. "Dasheng Teapot" enjoys a good reputation both at home and abroad.
As the fourth generation successor of "Dasheng Teapot", Fan Weiqun shows the new aspect and dimension of thinking of YiXing purple clay art, adding new vitality to the art of YiXing purple clay teapot which is immersed in the traditional paradigm. Because of extensive knowledge and reading, Fan Weiqun, who has been working with YiXing purple clay art for 30 years, transitions between reality and imagination. As an inheritor of purple clay art family,He has become a person who pays equal attention to learning and thinking, and holds a very important vein in the inheritance of Yinxing purple clay teapot art.
In order to continue to carry forward the "Dasheng Teapot",Fan Weiqun foundedFanjia Teapotfactory and led purple clay craftsmen wholeheartedly researching the creation of purple clay art,and they devoted to the study of purple clay treasures of elder generation, deeply aware of its artistic atmosphere and actively absorbing the essence of traditional art. According to several fine works handed down by the Dasheng, after careful study and repeated deliberation, Mr Fan creates"inheritance - the series of fine works handed down by Dasheng",which with exquisite workmanship, plain atmosphere and united by shape and spirit, and the works won gold medal of the Fifth China Arts and Crafts Master Fine works Expo..
The Fan family has been with POTS for several generations, and they are also connected with The Expo because of POTS. In 1909, "Big Persimmon Teapot" was born by Fan Dasheng. In 1910, this teapot participated in the first international fair officially held by China, the Nanyang Persuasion Fair,and won the highest prize. One hundred years later, the 41st World Expo was held in Shanghai, and the "Peace and Harmony Pot" created by Fan Weiqun attracted the attention of the world at the Expo. At the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, two purple clay teapots made by Fan Weiqun were recommended by wang Shouming, a famous cultural expert, to African artists participating in the "Cultural and Art Exchanges Between China and 15 African Countries".
Adhere to the "craftsman spirit"
Actively promote purple clay culture
Fan Weiqun has studied and created purple clay art carefully since he was engaged in it, and has actively promoted and carried forward purple clay culture. Fan Weiqun believes that the basic connotation of "craftsman spirit" includes professional dedication, lean, concentration, innovation and other aspects. Professional dedication is a conscientious professional mental state generated by practitioners based on their reverence and love for their profession.Lean is the pursuit of excellence, which means that practitioners concentrate on every product and every process,and strive for perfection and pursue the ultimate professional quality. The development of purple clay industry is inseparable from the purple clay craftsman's adherence to the "craftsman spirit", Fan Weiqun is also strict with himself, and over the years his elaborate purple clay works with unique shape and distinct personality were selected by the central leadership as a national gift.
“Bamboo”made by Fan Weiqun,Qiang Jiang Hui’s famous artist of YiXing Purple Clay Teapot
In addition, Fan Weiqun has been to Hong Kong, Macao and domestic cities for many times, displaying the purple clay teapot art and promoting of purple clay culture. In 2004 and 2005, Fan Weiqun went to South Korea twice to hold the art exhibition, the art demonstration and the art hobby exchange promotion meeting for the purple clay teapot art, and got the warm welcome and love of Korean teapot friends.
During Mr Fan’s two trips to South Korea, the South Korean public got a deeper and wider understanding of purple clay, and Fan Weiqun made a positive contribution to the promotion of purple clay art.
