Have you ever been to the Yellow River, my friends? 朋友，你们到过黄河嘛？
▲《黄河》长卷之 乾坤湾 In June 2016, oil painter Wang Keju embarked upon a long journey to the Yellow River with the hope of realizing a dream he had dreamed for years. 2016年6月，油画家王克举踏上了漫长的旅途，目的地黄河。这段旅程的开启是为了圆他长久以来一个关于黄河的梦。
▲《黄河》长卷之 黄河源，星宿海
▲《黄河》长卷之 果洛草原 In the next four years, Wang carried out extensive trips along the 'Mother River'. He covered over 30 scenic sites in eight provinces and autonomous regions where he painted on large-size canvases. 在那之后的四年间，王克举的足迹遍布黄河流经的八个省份和自治区、30多个观景点；一路行走，一路在巨大的画板上描绘母亲河的亘古奔流。
▲《黄河》长卷之 贵德丹霞
▲《黄河》长卷之 丹霞地质公园
▲《黄河》长卷之 炳灵寺 Wang says painting brushes were his tools to measure the scope and extent of the Yellow River; it was like Tibetans prostrating themselves onto the ground, pace by pace, on a pilgrimage. 王克举用画笔一点一点丈量着黄河的宽广深邃，如同匍匐朝圣中的藏民一般虔诚。
▲《黄河》长卷之 石嘴山 All together, Wang produced 101 oil paintings, each standing 2 meters, to complete a panoramic scroll of the river. He donated the enormous body of works, totaling nearly 162 meters in length, to the National Art Museum of China this month. 最终完成的这幅油画长卷《黄河》将近162米长、2米高，由101幅作品构成。就在这个月，王克举将《黄河》捐赠给中国美术馆。
▲《黄河》长卷之 河套 The idea to create an epic work hailing the Yellow River emerged in Wang’s head in 2009. He was then traveling and sketching in Qikou, a historic town in Shanxi province which the river passes through. 2009年，王克举来到山西碛口，这是黄河边的一座古镇。在那儿写生的时候，他萌生了要用大尺幅作品向黄河致敬的想法。
▲《黄河》长卷之 恩格贝 This ambitious project took Wang to Yellow River's origin in Qinghai province, to the breathtaking Xingxiuhai Lake, Golok Grassland and snow-capped Mount Anyemaqen. 为了完成这一壮举，王老师远赴青海黄河源头，记录下星宿海、果洛草原和阿尼玛卿雪山的光彩夺目。
▲《黄河》长卷之 库布齐 He says a stay overnight at Xingxiuhai was most unforgettable. The place is remote and difficult to pinpoint on a map. The roads were uneven. Wang and his teammates slept in cars. The memories of such a dangerous journey still haunt him. 他说最难忘的经历是在星宿海过夜。星宿海位置偏远，不好找；道路坑坑洼洼，他们一行都睡在车里，如此危险的旅程现在想起来都心有余悸。
▲《黄河》长卷之 壶口 But there, he was captivated by the serene beauty of the Yellow River. 但也是在那湖水、草原和雪山之间，他为黄河宁静祥和的美而着迷。
▲《黄河》长卷之 豫鲁大地 As he drove along the river's middle and lower reaches, he documented a variety of distinctive geographic features in his paintings. 沿河而下，他在画中呈现沿岸或磅礴或旖旎的地理风貌。
▲《黄河》长卷之 泰山黄河玉带 Sometimes, the river roars like a galloping dragon, ready to defeat anyone dare to confront it. Other times, it rests peacefully like an aged wise man who has experienced vicissitudes of history. Or, it jumps vigorously like a girl, as it empties into the sea. 有时，黄河犹如翻腾的巨龙，随时准备扫除一切阻挠；有时，它又像一位饱经沧桑的智者，泰然处之；又或，它化身为靓丽的小姐姐，奔放着，投身大海的怀抱。
▲《黄河》长卷之 东营湿地红地毯
▲《黄河》长卷之 黄河入海口
▲《黄河》长卷之 黄河入海口 Wang's work presents the true nature of a grand river. He salutes to the past glories and pains of the mother river. Also he renders to her a spirit of hard work and devotion. 在王克举的画中，我们感受着黄河的真性情。这是一条曾历经辉煌也饱受苦难的伟大河流，同时，它也洋溢着拼搏奉献的现代精神气概。
▲ 王克举在青海写生 Photos courtesy of the artist and National Art Museum of China图片致谢艺术家和中国美术馆 Have a nice weekend!
