王牧羽的变化是从去北京首师大刘进安先生工作室的高研班深造开始的，直到最近在绘通当代画廊看到他的个展近作，我惊讶于王强艺术上的蜕变升华，他以旷野云霞为主题的新水墨作品，征服了我的眼睛，震撼了我的心灵，不由得要赞上一个“好”！

　　我与牧羽是熟知的老友，他在山艺读研之前曾经在淄博的高中指教，或多或少是因为教美术考生的原因，他的素描、色彩基础是非常扎实的。但从骨子里，牧羽从来不是一个安于现状的平凡者，他对艺术创作的渴望与心灵艺术的追求，使他毅然放弃了安稳踏实的教书匠生活，义无反顾地奔向内心的绘画之国。在山艺读研时的王牧羽已然暴露出不拘成法、有意“改造中国画”的念头。那是对于抽象构成、笔墨肌理与色彩的微妙关系，他都通过一系列作品做了有益的实验。应该说，早期作品中他一直在追求某种空灵简约的笔墨结构与意境，画面的理性成分偏多，淡墨用的很耐看。但似乎王牧羽并没有在此之中找到自己，隐约，愿我能感受到他憋着一股劲没有释放的着力点。

　　刘进安先生开创了当代水墨沉稳雄强的一路，“首师水墨”显然更对王牧羽的口味。从去刘进安老师高研班学习开始，他放开了一切束缚，笔墨开始自由随性，题材也更加开阔，人物、静物、风景。王牧羽“不忌口”的方式拓展了水墨实验的疆域，两年多的时间里，我们多有交流，几乎每一批新作都会让我看到一些突兀的变化。一度，我曾怀疑这种硬拼直闯的方式是否过于莽撞，那个清雅睿智的“王强”（牧羽曾用名王强）不见了，依旧有着书生文气的王牧羽却在画面上一次次凶狠的脱胎换骨，成了刘进安老师旗下一员“悍将”。用“君子豹变”形容王牧羽一点也不为过。观其新作，那些笔力雄强纵肆、笔意落落苍茫的云蓝霞慰、天高地阔的作品真是让人大开眼界。构图方式上显然受摄影作品广角镜头的启发，平远寂寥中释放出一股强大的精神穿透力，草丛的水迹墨痕丰富而细腻，云影霞光的大笔触渲染又不乏微妙层次。实处笔笔入纸，虚处洒脱自然，水墨技法在有法与无法之间游刃。这样放达自如的状态着实令人惊叹，牧羽在天际的云彩中找到了自己！细想，这种好状态的实现或许来自于时间的历练，人生经历会让每个人感受生命的炙热与严寒。与画面的放达相比，牧羽的心境是悲喜交集的，并非每个人都能于这喧嚣浮躁的都市尘埃中洗净心灵，勐养智慧。牧羽喜欢写诗、品茶，当我看见他平静悠然的微笑的时候，我常常会不由自主的浮起这样的念头：王牧羽的下一段作品又会有怎样的变化呢？

　　Transformation of Wang Muyu’s Art

　　Wang Muyu experienced his alteration after he studied in the advanced institute class of Liu Jin’an’s art studio in Beijing Normal University. Until recently, I watched his latest works in his personal exhibition in Huitong Contemporary Gallery, which surprised me that his art had transformed and raised to a higher level. His new works of wilderness and clouds themes attracted my eyes, shocked my soul and I can’t help raising my thumb for him.

　　Muyu is an old friend of mine. He taught fine art theory in a high school of his hometown for several years before he pursued his postgraduate study for which he laid solid foundation in sketch and color utilization. However, deep in his mind, he is not an ordinary person just maintaining status quo. His aspiration in artistic creation and persistent pursuit to soul-shocking art led him abandoned his steady teaching life, and embraced his painting world with no way back. Wang Muyu’s intention to “transform Chinese ink painting with informal methods” started as early as his was in the graduate school. He tried out in his painting works for abstract construction, ink painting texture and their subtle relations with color and it was helpful. It should be mentioned that in his early works, which have more rational components and the light ink utilization stood appreciation, he has been pursuing for some ethereal simplicity of ink structure and artistic conception. However, he seemed still didn’t find himself. I felt vaguely that his potential is constrained and did not find a way to release it.

　　Mr. Lin Jin’an pioneered calm and powerful style in contemporary ink painting, namely “Peking Normal University Ink Painting”. This style caters to Muyu’s taste perfectly. He seemed unbound from all constraints. He was more casual in use of ink brush and the painting themes were broader, included figure, static image and scenery. Wang Muyu’s no-taboos style broadened the domain of ink painting trials. We have been in frequent contact in the past two years, each time I noticed some abrupt changes in his new works, which made me suspicious that whether his bold and direct way was excessively obtrusive. Wang Muyu, changed his name from Wang Qiang, is no more scholarly and elegant. Still intelligently wise, he thoroughly remolded himself in his painting, and became a “valiant solider” among Liu Jin’an’s disciples. It is not exaggerate to describe Wang Muyu’s change as “the transformation from a gentleman to a leopard-like”. His new paintings are really eye-openers—high sky, vast land, rosy clouds were presented with powerful brush stocks. The composition of his paintings was obviously inspired by wide-angle lens in photographic technique, revealing a powerful spiritual penetrating strenth in the wild and broad scenery. The thickets were presented with rich and exquisite ink and water trace, the cloud shadow and twilight were rendered boldly with subtle layers. He applied regular and abnormal ink utilization skills—powerful in real part and natural in virtual part. These unrestrained skills amazed his audiences. Muyu find himself in clouds above horizon. Thinking it over, this kind of good creative state probably comes from time’s trials, because life experience makes everyone sense life’s sorrow and rejoice. Comparing with his unrestrained paintings, Wang Muyu’s heart is mixed with all feelings. Not everyone can keep a pure spirit in the noisy and impetuous city. Muyu likes writing poems and tasting teas, every time I saw his peaceful and leisurely smile, a question appears in my mind unconsciously: what kind of transform he will bring us in his next works?