In Clouds, these imago and concept were emphasized repeatedly to develop endless possibilities with the association of the object of “cloud” with artistic flavor, which is not limited to “cloud” itself. Meanwhile, the painting name became one important part of painting meaning, enlarged to infinite via imagination.

　　II

　　The artistic conception of traditional Chinese culture is usually under veil of “implication”, even in vivid and lively narratives. It implies but not reveals, like “watch things from the other side of river” or “admire the flowers in the mist”. It is easier to trigger thought and emotion by admiring in a distance, rather than to exactly reproduce the original substance. Based on this idea, Wang Muyu probed further, he was neither satisfied with reproducing specific profiles of items in real world, nor observing them in a distance. Instead, he selected an icon which is most representative to the world. Undoubtedly, “cloud” has become an imago of Wang’s worldview which can be revered, listened, and talked. To him at this point, “cloud” exists everywhere and everytime, carrying the ideology from afar which contains traditional Chinese artistic conception, floats in front of him and the viewers of his works.

　　“Cloud” is unique scenery in Chinese culture which is abundant in classical and romantic flavor with humanistic temperament. It also exists as an aesthetic symbol, a repeatedly used representative of spirit. As we find in daily life, in image domain, the cloud pattern was widely used as decoration in ancient buildings, sculptures, and costumes to symbolize good luck and nobleness; in literature domain, “cloud” was in numerous ancient and modern poems and fictions. Nothing is more unpredictable in shape than “cloud”, nothing can represent “impermanence” better than “cloud”. It has the property of aggregation, separation, and once in life opportunity that interprets illusory life.

　　Often a single theme is most difficult to present, probably as like to find new strangeness in a familiar landscape. During the years in art, Wang Muyu has never been satisfied with smattering knowledge or been opportunistic, nor did he have blunt, willing-it works. This depends on his characters; every painting style he chooses must be the production after his second thought. Wang Muyu’s sensibility is based on his literary perception. Being love literature and writing poems since his earlier life, Wang Muyu was firstly influenced by poems about cloud—“I shall thinking of you—traveling like floating clouds” and “Only white clouds still float in vain from year to year” before he choose “cloud” as his painting theme. However, he is never content with its literary associations, he want to separate it from life, and repay to life a form and a meaning. He stressed the layout of the painting, and exerted “personification” in it, presented us visual images with rich meaning, culture and concordance, making the sensitivity deep in mind be settled down and affiliated. Clouds painting series were his tribute to traditional Chinese culture, also his wholly new probe and attempt in presenting his artistic word with images.

　　Qian Zhongshu once referred to the importance of “mind and hands in one” on literary creation in his book Studies in Old Chinese Poetry: “Art is executed with combined mind and hands. It is the mind to have an imago and inspiration, but it is the hands to carry out those imago and inspiration”. Art is a part of our body, carrying unique genetic properties. Art not only comes from innate talent, but also from acquired learning, thoughts and enlightenment. Unique life experience is the most discerning label imprinted on his works.

　　Written in Wangjing Rongke on April 23, 2014