2001年，一次偶然的机会，遵义纪念馆委托廖凯做《毛泽民和林伯渠》纪念雕塑，他第一次开始涉足“红色题材”。为了做好雕塑，廖凯收集了大量史书了解这段历史，不仅看史书，还专程到到历史事件发生地去实地感受。几个月之后雕塑完成时，他已经成了长征历史通。

　　“长征慢慢征途的后面，是我们这个民族顽强精神的展现，我总认为那些伟大的背影不应该淡出现代人的视野，我选择创作长征作品也是为了让更多的年轻人深刻地了解这段历史。”

　　面对长征这样壮美的史诗，廖凯一直在孜孜不倦地寻求创作手法的突破。他说，做《毛泽民和林伯渠》雕塑时，他的创作还处于摸索阶段，做出来的雕塑比较传统。在为遵义纪念馆创作《历史转折》大型组雕时，廖凯进行了大刀阔斧的突破，创作逐步走向意向，强调神似，强化人物的气势。该组雕塑在国内外雕塑界得到广泛好评。

　　罗丹说过，真正的艺术家总是冒着风险去推行一切既存的偏见，而表现他自己想要的东西。以往的历史题材纪念性雕塑都是带着苏派传统风格影子的作品，廖凯要打破这种局面，他想要做的是经得起历史检验的作品。在当前的《四渡赤水》创作中，廖凯尝试用全新的表现手法来诠释红军在四渡赤水中战役中机动灵活、出奇制胜的风采。他采用圆雕和浮雕相结合的形式。运用象征的手法，采取中国三水画的散点构图方式做浮雕，用大写意、大面块的塑造来刻画人物，以强调气势磅礴的战争瞬间。

　　“只有对创作题材产生极大地激情，才能做出好作品”廖凯这样看待他目前的创作状态“完全是极富魅力的长征故事使我进入忘我的创作境界。”

图/文 记者周涛

Fixed on the Road of the Long March- Sculptor Liao Kai and His "Historical Themes"

　　Mr. Liao Kai started his works on "Red Themes" when, in a pure coincidence, Zunyi Conference Memorial Museum commissioned him to make the commemorative sculpture of "Mao Zemin and Lin Boqu". It was the first time that he had been involved in the "Red Theme. In order to make the sculpture the best, Mr. Liao Kai not only collected a large number of historical books to understand this period of history but also made a special trip to those historical sites. After the sculpture was finished several months later, he has become an expert in the history of the Long March. "

　　Behind the difficult long journey, it is the tenacious spirit of our nation. I always think those great figures should not be faded out of the memory of this generation, therefore I chose the "Long March Theme" works to make more young people understand this period of history. "

　　In the face of such a magnificent and beautiful epic like the Long March, Mr. Liao Kai has been tirelessly seeking technique breakthroughs. He said, when sculpting"Mao Zemin and Lin Boqu", he was still exploring, and the sculpture was comparatively traditional. However, when sculpting the large series of sculptures "the Historical Turning Point" for Zunyi Conference Memorial Museum，he carried out bold breakthroughs with the creation gradually moving  towards intention, and put emphasis on similarity in spirit, strengthened the imposing manner of the characters. This series of sculptures was highly praised inside and outside of China.

　　Rodin once said, a true artist always takes risks to overthrow all existing bias, and tries to show what he really wants." Mr. Liao Kai wants to break the traditional way in historical memorial sculptures, which is characterized with the Su style (the technique of sculpture  used by the sculptors in former Soviet Union ), to make his works stand the test of time. In his current creation, "Four Times Crossing the Chishui River", Mr. Liao Kai tried a new technique to show the Red Army's elegant demeanour of flexibility and defeating enemies by unexpected attacks. He combined circular engravure and relief, used symbolism and made relief by adopting scattered points of Chinese landscape painting, depicted characters by freehand brushwork and shaping in large pieces to emphasis the majestic battle moments.

　　"Only becoming enthusiastic about creative theme, can one make good works." Mr. Liao Kai treats his current state of creation like this, "It is the glamorous stories of the Long March that makes me enter such a great state of creation".

Photo/Script by Zhou Tao