Living through the Cultural Revolution: Chinese artist Teng Wenjin recalls sculpting in secret
As the 40th anniversary of ‘reform & opening-up’ looms, octogenarian artist who created Shenzhen’s iconic Deng Xiaoping statue, reflects on a long journey from hard toil to artistic triumph
Learning to paint I was born in Longquan village, near Yantai, in Shandong province. It was 1937 and the Japanese had already occupied the peninsula. I didn’t get much of an education and, at the age of 15, I went to Beijing and found employment at the Capital Steel Plant. I apprenticed in casting metal but did all kinds of things, labouring as a carpenter, electrician and stonemason.
By the age of 18, I’d learned how to read and write. During this period I met an artist surnamed Wang. He really impressed me; he had business cards from the USSR and his own studio. He taught me how to paint and encouraged me a lot. I spent every spare moment painting. While my colleagues slept, I painted. I didn’t feel tired – when you are young you have boundless energy. Sometimes I skipped meals altogether and sustained myself on steamed buns.
In 1956, I saw Deng Xiaoping for the first time. He came to inspect our facility with (revolutionary, politician) Liu Shaoqi. I recall my salary went up to six yuan around that time, too, so I was able to go to Wangfujing (a shopping street in Beijing) and buy some good-quality art supplies.
Propaganda pieces In 1957, the anti-rightist campaigns began, aimed at purging certain capitalist-minded Party members. I didn’t really understand the movement; I was just a worker after all. But my unit leader knew I liked to draw and asked me to paint some propaganda pieces criticising certain factions. He was my superior so I obliged.
In 1958, Teacher Hou, of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (in Beijing), got wind of me through my artwork. Chairman Mao wanted more peasants to get educated at university level so I was able to sit the entrance exam, which involved painting. I just painted how I felt, and didn’t think about style or technique. I followed my spirit and that was enough, I was accepted.
Making Mao I decided to major in sculpture as I heard no peasant-worker had ever taken that class before. It was a great time. Qiao Hong, who came from Shanxi, was my classmate and, eventually, my girlfriend, too. We married in 1961. She is a descendant of the Qiao clan, one of China’s earliest banking families.
