Old Gods, Rapid-Fire Guns, and Prohibition

Chapter 208 [There are no artists at all]

"I object."

Ethan finally stepped forward.

He also walked to the opposite side of Rubens.

He glanced at Hughes first.

Hughes, who had been frowning, now had a smile on his face.

However, seemingly realizing he couldn't be so friendly to Ethan, he immediately put on a stern face again.

Ethan found it amusing, thinking that the old man was as adorable as ever.

Meanwhile, the people below the stage also saw Ethan. Although Ethan's paintings were famous in the capital, no one had ever seen him in person, so they were not sure who this young man who suddenly walked onto the stage was.

In particular, he dared to openly confront Rubens.

Although it feels great, if they don't respond well afterward, it will be the Wangdu Academy of Fine Arts that will truly lose face.

Clearly, Rubens had also considered this.

He had indeed been caught off guard, but now he raised his face, looked arrogantly at Ethan, and said, "Who are you? Don't you know you can't interrupt your elders when they're speaking?"

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Hughes again, clearly mistaking Ethan for a student.

Of course, Ethan was indeed a student, Hughes's student.

"Who am I? You don't even recognize me?" Ethan retorted to Rubens.

"Should I know who you are?" Rubens frowned; he already found the man in front of him quite rude.

“You just criticized me, Master Rubens. Is your memory that bad?” Ethan said, then looked at the students below the stage and introduced himself.

"Hello everyone, I am Ethan Pauleta, the little painter whom Master Rubens described as someone who doesn't understand art."

His words immediately sparked a considerable uproar from the audience.

The main reason is that Ethan is indeed very famous now.

Especially at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts.

He did graduate from the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, and as Hughes's student, he already had some fame. After he became famous, people talked about him even more.

In recent days, he has become an idol for many students at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts.

After all, achieving fame at a young age and creating such wonderful works is always admirable.

Ethan was in Winston's city center, so he couldn't meet him in person.

Now that he has suddenly appeared, everyone naturally wants to take a good look.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that this idol was not only a talented artist but also extremely handsome.

Many of the female students had already blushed.

I wonder how many people will encounter Ethan in their dreams tonight.

"So you're Ethan. As expected, the students are just like the teachers. My judgment of you was correct."

Rubens sensed that the situation was getting out of control, so he quickly snorted and tried to bring the situation back on track.

“I disagree,” Ethan said again.

"Oh? You disagree? Then tell me, what do you disagree with?" Rubens was secretly delighted, thinking that Ethan had taken the bait. He was determined to defeat Ethan completely on this topic.

How could a greenhorn with no experience possibly overpower him?

I disagree with everything you say.

As it turned out, Ethan's words were exactly what Rubins had expected. "What do you mean by disagreeing with everything I say?"

"You just said that there are different levels of art, which is wrong. That's prejudice. There are no different levels of art. My teacher used to teach me that there are no different levels of art, only artists. People who constantly talk about art and say they are pursuing art are the worst artists."

Ethan glanced at Hughes as he spoke.

Hughes smiled, as if to indicate that this was indeed the case.

Rubens' expression darkened: "What did you say?"

Did I say anything? Or do you know that kind of artist?

This left Rubens speechless.

Ethan immediately added, "Oh, by the way, I've had some new insights lately, and I think there are no artists in the world at all."

If the previous remarks could be considered a war of words, a back-and-forth exchange, then this statement is truly appalling.

After all, those present are either artists or aspiring artists.

Even the students in the audience who were absolutely supportive of Ethan were now looking at each other in bewilderment.

Hughes wanted to interrupt Ethan.

But Rubens wasn't about to let this opportunity slip by: "Oh? There are no artists in the world? You'd better take responsibility for what you're saying."

“Wait, I’m not finished yet.” Ethan smiled and added, “Or perhaps, everyone is an artist.”

"As long as you put your heart into it and you truly have insights, you can create art."

“Absurd!” Rubens immediately retorted. “If art has no boundaries, does that mean a child’s random scribbles can be called art?”

"Why not?"

"Hughes, your student is exactly as I said, a fake artist. It's one thing to paint a few pictures and get people to praise him, but now he's spouting nonsense. It's utterly ridiculous."

Rubens sneered, feeling he had already won, because the other party was simply being unreasonable.

Hughes also felt that Ethan's words lacked consideration, and was about to speak when Ethan spoke first.

“Master Rubens, you don’t agree with my point of view, but what if I could prove what I said?”

"how to prove?"

“In a few days, I will be holding a solo exhibition in the capital. A friend of mine has created a piece called ‘Spring Fairy’, which I think is outstanding. My friend is just a technician. I will put that piece in my exhibition. You can bring people to visit it. Of course, it’s fine to bring more people. Bring all the artists, connoisseurs and collectors you know so that they can also see my friend’s work.”

As Ethan spoke, he looked at the people below the stage.

"Of course, everyone here is welcome to come. I guarantee it will be an absolutely brilliant piece."

"Okay, then I'll really be looking forward to it."

Rubens was initially a little angry because Ethan was clearly trying to put him down, saying that his work was no better than that of a skilled worker.

But the thought of publicly criticizing a work that Ethan approves of, even if he claims it was painted by someone else, would be the end of him.

For other paintings or other themes, Rubens might not have been very confident, but for "The Spring Fairy," he felt that no one could surpass him.

Hughes won't work either.

In addition, there's his network of connections...

At that time, we can also take the opportunity to continue to attack Hughes.

Thinking of the pleasant thought, Rubins couldn't help but laugh. He had achieved his goal for the day, so he simply ended the debate and left.

Hughes, however, shook his head as he looked at Ethan.

(End of this chapter)