Who wants to take the civil service exam after being reborn?

Chapter 609 Rebirth of Nature or Restoration of Civilization?
Chang Ruomin is the vice dean, and she is in charge of a lot of administrative affairs. How could she be so lacking in emotional intelligence as to make such a casual evaluation?

Of course, Professor Ji Xiaoyue's words make sense. These highly respected senior figures would not show favoritism towards any one person in public, even if that person is their own student.

So Chang Ruomin thought for a moment, then simply took out her phone and said, "Um... I took pictures of the works that I thought were good, leaders, can you take a look?"

After speaking, Chang Ruomin opened her phone's photo album and handed it to Professor Yang Yongshan of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, who was serving as the chairman of the judging panel.

Chang Ruomin, being relatively inexperienced, dared not take responsibility, while Professor Yang was frank and fearless.

He took the phone without hesitation and said, "It's been more than three hours. Most of the children's works are basically finalized. We can do a preliminary review first. If there are any differences of opinion, we can discuss them in detail later."

Inside the private room, the group of elderly people all thought this method was good, even fairer than in previous years.

If a teacher of a student who won third prize is willing to acknowledge the brilliance of the second and first prizes, it can only mean that the teacher's level is indeed high.

"This exchange competition is already very prestigious."

Professor Sang Ye from Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts said with a smile, "Now that it's been done this way, it has become the fairest and most convincing class in recent years."

Like Hubei Fine Arts Institute and Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Lu Mei was brought here this year purely to broaden their horizons.

The only ones truly capable of challenging the status of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and the China Academy of Art are probably the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, and the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts.

……

Next, they all put on their reading glasses and carefully examined the selected works.

Chang Ruomin took ten photos; in her opinion, the others probably didn't qualify for an award.

The very first piece features a golden phoenix rising proudly from the scorched earth and ashes in the center of the painting.

The candidate demonstrated a remarkable skill in using color. The phoenix's form struggled amidst molten gold flames, its beak open as if emitting a silent cry, its long, orange-red wings outstretched, with burning fragments still clinging to the edges.

It gives people a sense of a magnificent and dazzling moment after a phoenix-like rebirth.

When Chang Ruomin took the photos, she deliberately avoided showing the candidates' backs. However, just like an article, the teachers who had been with the candidates day and night could still see the clues from the slightest hints.

Just like Professor Guan, she could tell at a glance that this wasn't Xianmei's style.

Fan Di, the president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, recognized it as a work by Ji Yunan from his own school.

"Although I just said that painting large birds is a cliché."

Professor Li Heyi of Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts examined it for a moment, then clicked his tongue and said, "But if you can use color so delicately, you can turn the mundane into the magical. The composition and color are already close to the level of a professional painter."

The elderly people all agreed wholeheartedly.

Professor Xia Peiyao of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute said with regret, "If this had been drawn by one of our students from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, I would have clapped my hands until they were red with joy!"

However, no awards were given out; this was the work of Yang Shanchang from the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University.

Old Yang smiled slightly. He also thought the level was good, but he believed it was not at the level of a first-prize winner.

For second and third prizes, there's no rush to sort them.

The second artwork depicts a firefighter covered in dust kneeling on the ground, with collapsed houses and lingering smoke in the background.

A child stood beside a firefighter, his clothes torn and his face dirty, but he clutched a wrinkled but bright red flag tightly in his hand.

Amidst the ruins, the flag still flies, and the children are the future of the nation—this is a rebirth in another sense.

Professor Ji Xiaoyue of Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts recognized the painting as her student's work, and noted that it was clearly better than the previous painting, "Phoenix," in terms of both concept and spirit.

However, Professor Ji sighed again.

Compared to "Phoenix", my students' works seem to be a little lacking in basic skills, from lines to colors.

"I don't know if we can secure third place, aim for second, or even fight for first."

Ji Xiaoyue thought to herself silently.

The third work has a similar theme to "Fire Rescue," but the basic skills are even better.

Xu Pingjiang, the dean of the China Academy of Art, recognized the work as the work of his student, Gao Qingxuan.

Although seeing collapsed houses, rescue scenes, and smiling faces after rebirth can feel superficial and lacks the power to truly touch people's hearts.

However, of the three works so far, Qingxuan is undoubtedly ranked first!

Dean Xu showed a hint of relief. In fact, according to the standards of previous years, Qingxuan was almost guaranteed to win the first prize.

It's really hard to say this year.

The fourth work is about the restoration of a national ceramic treasure, which symbolizes that "life always rises and blossoms from its wounds".

However, compared to the previous three paintings, it is clearly inferior in both depth and basic skills.

Old Xia from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute suddenly muttered, "This kid needs a good beating when we get back!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh; this must be some unlucky student from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute.

Actually, the level is not bad, but there are too many excellent works ahead of it.

However, when the fifth artwork was displayed, all the smiles in the private room suddenly vanished.

Between the broken concrete and steel bars, the rubble had not yet settled, and a sense of sorrow permeated the air.

A sliver of sunlight quietly pierced through the broken gaps, precisely where a tiny, delicate green sprout stubbornly peeked out.

Without a phoenix, without flames, this verdant sprout grows amidst the ruins, seemingly embodying the magnificent rebirth of nature's life:

Life will find its own way, and hope will speak out even in the most desolate places.

This is clearly a step above all the previous works in terms of conception. What's most remarkable is the candidate's exceptionally strong basic skills.

First, use meticulous brushwork to outline every texture of the tender buds, then use light ink to render the transparency of light passing through the tender leaves.

"It looks like it could be exhibited or sold for money." I don't know who made this comment, but no one disagreed.

Xu Pingjiang, the dean of Gome, looked a little gloomy. Qingxuan was not as good as others, and there was no chance of winning the first prize.

Xia, an old man from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, kept glancing at Kwan Wing-yee and Fan Di.

As far as he knows, only two students were able to create this kind of artwork this year.

Professor Guan remained calm.

Dean Fan Di of the Central Academy of Fine Arts remained calm. He recognized that it was Lin Jinglin's work, and this girl certainly hadn't disappointed him.

"Whoo~"

Dean Fan breathed a sigh of relief; the first prize should be a sure thing now.

There are still variables...

Dean Fan naturally knew Yu Xian, but he felt that there was no way she could be better than Lin Jinglin.

Perhaps because this painting, "Tender Sprouts," was so stunning, the four subsequent works paled in comparison.

Dean Fan Di didn't know which one was Yu Xuan's either; it was possible that it had already been rejected.

When it was Professor Yang Shanchang's turn, he smiled and said to everyone, "This is the last one. If there are no surprises, the first prize should already be decided."

Dean Fan's smile widened, and he even started to imagine what polite things he should say later.

However, Vice Dean Chang Ruomin, who had just come from the examination room, still looked solemn.

Professor Yang slowly flipped to the last photo, and he suddenly paused for a moment.

On the same devastated ruins, tilted concrete slabs, exposed steel bars, and scattered bricks and stones create a lifeless gray world.

However, unlike all the previous works, in the center of the picture there is only a newly straightened utility pole, and the wires that were messy and disordered due to the disaster have also been re-erected.

There is no human being in the entire painting, only the edge of a yellow construction vehicle with the word "Rescue" blurred on its body.

It's also an excellent fundamental technique: using gray-blue tones for reflected light, reducing detail saturation, and creating a somber atmosphere.

The tilted composition allows the ruins to occupy most of the picture, but the focus is on the uprighted utility pole. The bumper and tires of the rescue vehicle are exposed with dents and bumps, which are eye-catching but not overly ostentatious.

As for the theme...

Professor Yang Shanchang of the Academy of Arts & Design at Tsinghua University looked at it for a full minute before asking in a gentle voice, "What do you all think?"

Surprisingly, no one answered.

Professor Yang seemed to understand what everyone was thinking, and he took the initiative to say, "When I first saw this artwork, I was wondering, where are the rescue workers on the vehicle? Did they prop up the utility pole? Where are they now? Did they rush to other places for rescues?"

"It took me a while to realize it."

Professor Yang said softly, "This is the painting's intention, deliberately leaving us room for thought. Electricity is an indispensable part of our lives. The utility poles have been straightened and the power lines have been installed, which represents the reconstruction of social order."

"Compared to the rebirth of natural life, I think the restoration of civilization symbolizes hope even more."

Or perhaps the gap truly exists; Professor Yang didn't delay at all, and clearly stated his position:

"This work does not show hope itself, but rather the process by which hope is left behind."

"We do not sing praises to miracles of life, but rather to the ordinary efforts that bring life back to normal."

"I believe this de-romanticized, realistic expression is closer to the essence of Nirvana. What do you all think?"

After another moment of silence, Xia Peiyao suddenly asked, "Whose student is this?"

"how?"

Dean Xu Pingjiang of the China Academy of Art put away his amazed admiration and said with a smile, "Professor Xia, when you're judging an award, do you need to know which student it is?"

"Of course I need to know!"

Old Xia said with dissatisfaction, "I think someone with this level of skill shouldn't be participating in university competitions. They should just compete in the professional painters' circle!"

"Not from our school."

Dean Fan Di said with a smile, "That painting 'Tender Sprouts' is by Jing Lin, but this work is indeed more profound than Jing Lin's."

Seeing that Dean Fan had already admitted it, the rest of the answer was almost obvious.

Is it yours?

Xia Peiyao immediately turned to Guan Yongyi.

"The younger generation still has a lot to improve on."

Professor Guan spoke with self-restraint and pride, but this "critical" attitude precisely acknowledged that the painting "Light of Order" was created by Yu Xian of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts!
"If these candidates don't redraw, there are no other better works."

Professor Yang Shanchang looked left and right and said, "I am pretty sure that Yu Xuan from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts has won first prize in this inter-college exchange competition."

"Congratulations, Professor Guan! You truly deserve it!"

"The students' victory is also a success of your teaching philosophy."

"We'll have Yu Xuan give a proper presentation later. This painting could easily rank among the top five of all his works over the years."

"I also want to congratulate Lao Guan on finding a treasure. But then again, that child is a gem nurtured by the mountains and rivers of Sichuan and Chongqing, so please don't force him to stay in Guangzhou. I have a great idea..."

"dream!"

Professor Guan's merciless remark shattered all of Old Xia's beautiful dreams.

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(End of this chapter)