流放少年
1970年，16岁的陈丹青初中毕业即被“文革”流放。16岁的孩子远离亲人，开始辗转赣南与苏北条件恶劣的农村插队落户，勾销上海户口几乎是晴天霹雳。陈丹青茫然离开曾经打架、画画、斗蟋蟀、爬屋顶的上海石门一路老弄堂。陈丹青说，“那是很绝望的一个记忆，我觉得全部黑下来了。我上海大都市长大的然后就那么一个油灯，我们三个男孩子挤在一张床上，我记得一晚上几乎醒着的。几斤重的老鼠，整夜在我们被子上窜来窜去。第二天早晨下雨，那种雨打在瓦片上的声音，非常茫然。然后出来叼根烟，看着那个秧田，那个四月份下雨的山，就是绝望，脑子里是空的。”
水深火热
“下地插秧，苦透了。一边插，一边手指缝渗血，山里的地，是沙地。伸到水田里晃晃，血迹淡了，继续插
秧。可是插秧回来，蚊帐里举一本“普希金”看看，巨大的快乐。我很会干农活，秧插得齐，会挑担子，我能挑一百斤谷子，一百斤谷子比同样分量的东西更沉。十里山路不换肩。上山的步子怎么走，下山的步子怎么走，水塘里怎么走，石子上怎么走，我都会。挑到粮仓，金黄的粮仓，非常美。粮仓里的谷子那么多，我这一百斤倒进去，就不见了。”
20岁那年，陈丹青辗转又到了苏北的江浦石桥公社的农村插队。在将近一年的时间里，蹲在村办的骨灰盒厂画了近千个骨灰盒。心情极其压抑的他，经常跟老木匠就着咸菜喝闷酒。22岁那年，陈丹青插队已六载，竭尽全力争取南京商业局招收的装卸工名额。表填了，体检通过了，最后一分钟被否决。因为他是上海知青，招了他，就占了南京知青一个名额。他眼看幸运者挤在车上开回城里去了，独自淋着大雨赶路，发高烧大病一场。
渐入佳境
在艺术上，陈丹青出道很早。从1970年到1978年的农村插队落户期间，在极其恶劣的生活、劳动中，他一直
坚持自习绘画。20岁那年，被调到江西出版社参加连环画学习班，天天画连环画，非常开心不用种地了，就想从此做个连环画家。1973年，陈丹青居然出了《边防线上》《飞雪迎春》等三四本连环画；1974年，又被调到省里参加油画创作班，开始画革命油画，他的第一张油画创作是《老将和小将》。1974年，陈丹青向家里要了40块钱，从江西混票到上海，然后换火车到北京看全国美展。第一次上北京就像后来到纽约、到巴黎，走进中国美术馆就像走进卢浮宫，一泡一整天，赖在几幅画前。1975年，陈丹青为小说《青石堡》创作插图。1975年3月，陈丹青又辗转到苏北插队，当时他的油画和素描功底已经相当扎实，其作品在南京艺坛引发了不小的震动。1976年，陈丹青创作了大型油画《给毛主席写信》。
初次进藏
1976年，陈丹青被当做人才借调到西藏搞创作，首次进藏。西藏对陈丹青有着决定性的影响，一是他找到了“文革”当中的一个特殊的题材——少数民族的题材，也为后来的1980年二次进藏创作《西藏组画》奠定了基础；二是毛泽东去世后可以画悲剧，可以画人在哭。因为“文革”时不可以出现悲剧场面，所有工农兵都要笑得红光满面。因此，陈丹青早期的代表作——大型油画《泪水洒满丰收田》以及《进军西藏》诞生，并于1977年分别入选《全国美展》《全军美展》；1977年创作连环画《周恩来年轻时代在天津》；1978年应《连环画报》约稿创作连环画《维佳的操行》。这些作品都在当时产生了很大的影响，陈丹青在全国已是名声叫响的“知青画家”，与北大荒的知青画家群遥相辉映。
 

还原本真
过去看了《西藏组画》觉得有点不可思义，看了他70年代的写生，感到完全是顺理成章，水到渠成的事情——我甚至觉得，他那些写生之作更有感性魅力，更生动耐看。陈丹青在70年代的大部分肖像、构图和创作，虽说出自“文革”或准文革时代，却没有或极少文革美术的”红、光、亮”和一本正经的做姿做态。这使我很惊异，因为这现象在当时是很少见的。他是凭着什么作到这一点的，我尚不清楚。但前面二条即天分和真诚的激情，应该也是原由的一部分。即他当时作画，主要不是产生于迎合领导的指示。而是产生于内在艺术冲动，因此那表现来得自然，而没有掺进更多工具论的、风格化的、概念化的东西。（郎绍君艺术评论家）
陈丹青的画令人爱看，耐人寻味，是用他的高超的写实手法，真实地表现了浓厚的生活气息，达到令人看不厌的境地。（冯法祀画家、教授）
在陈丹青这些真实的艺术形象面前，你不禁会问“他们在想什么？”“他们需要什么？”甚至使你进一步思考一个人和民族的命运。（朱乃正画家、教授）
对于美术界而言，1980年盛夏，是陈丹青的舆论热季，在研究生毕业画展中．他呈示出七件描绘藏族生活的油画，以其令人信服的真实形象，以其平实含蓄的画意，深深引起同行们的“绘画与生活”的反思，画展研讨会上，《西藏组画》被誉为“现实主义”的“还原”，而获得普遍肯定时，他却答道：“我并不愿把这些画抬高到“高于生活”的种种“主义”中去。我画的，只是眼前平凡的生活、原原本本的一些男人和女人们……”。这一席语气谦卑的告白，正是日后国内画坛”生活流”创作最早的宣言。（孙景波画家、教授）
曼舞线条
1978年初夏，中央美术学院研究生考场其中的创作考试，自由命题，限一日内交卷。陈丹青上午画出了四幅素描草图，下午又画了一幅油画，五幅构图中，场面殊异而人物众多，形象情意均极生动具体，浑如汗气未散之际，便活生生地涌进了他的画面。如此敏捷的才思，能如此凭空臆造的形象记忆力，实在令人诚服，丹青一举夺魁，传为考场佳话，当时他仅有24岁，是油画专业中年龄最小的考生。
陈丹青入学前自习绘画，初即以速写开端。但于速写之好，依然如初。陈丹青的资质，在其对“真实”的洞察力；在其对物象形态意味的特殊敏感；在其精确地把握与驾驭技巧的娴熟，可谓慧眼独具。他在纽约的速写，作风更见精当、扼要；手法更为酣畅、洗练。他的动态速写，尤似能捕风捉影，堪称一绝。看似简略粗率，实则精微妙要俱到，形神兼备。就速写的纯粹性而论，具有更为独立的欣赏价值。这便是线条的舞蹈，是线条假手音乐节奏在奏鸣交响，流露着一个东方画家骨子里特有的根性。陈丹青说：“线条之于我，是一种天性，对线条形式品味的敏感是我的本能，我的速写，无疑得之于民族传统的熏陶”，他对自己艺术的特色和渊源的认识，可谓知之甚明。（孙景波画家、教授）

画家的作家
作为作家的陈丹青，出版了一系列文学作品：《纽约琐记》《外国音乐在外国》《多余的素材》《退步集》等十几部书。内容涉猎社会、文化、艺术、教育、文学、人物、历史、音乐、建筑、两性、城市等等方面。其中2005年出版的《退步集》售出10万册，至今已第19次印刷；《多余的素材》在北京三联书店上柜仅一周，便以近千册的销量登上排行榜；陈丹青的书都是畅销书的头几名，香港2008年最受欢迎50本书，第一个就是他的《荒废集》，而且台湾也将出版他的书。写作是他于绘画、演讲之外的又一巨大影响。
陈丹青曾问读者，“为什么喜欢读我的文章呢？”有人答：“大约我们压抑太久了吧。”还有人答：“看你的文字很爽。”陈丹青文字的魅力，部分源自性情、器识；另一部分则和他的画一样，建基于强大的写实功力。他有捕捉并且再现细节的天赋。人性的深浅、文化的歧变，在他眼里不过是有质感的日常细节。
快意的冲突
关于绘画与写作，陈丹青如是说：“很多感受没法放到画里面去，因为绘画就是绘画，它说的是另外一套语 言。但写作可以让我很好地表达：比如纽约我不会去画他，但我可以写它，这是写作过瘾的地方。《纽约琐记》尽可能地描述一个真实的，你可以有呼吸感的空间，我只是以一个纽约居民的身份写这本书的，而不是一个海外艺术家，我不认为有什么动物叫海外艺术家。”
“我得承认，书写、演说，令我获得绘画从未给予的快意，而当闭嘴描画时，我再三庆幸画画比我所能想象的幸福，更幸福。人不免有外向或内敛的天性吧，写写画画，是在均衡这天性，抑或是一种我目前尚未了解的冲突？而绘画与写作的功效，比我想象的更差异。前者是享乐的，自私的，后者似乎迎合公众，并被赋予暧昧的责任。”
“画家的陈丹青”“作家的陈丹青”“演讲家的陈丹青”“评论家的陈丹青”……屡屡而为的跨界，陈丹青锤炼出愈发敏锐多变的眼力和笔力，《退步集》《纽约琐记》《荒废集》表明了陈丹青是个善于思考和善于记录的人，生活的积累在他的身上和文字中酝酿得越发厚重且沉郁。

人道情感和人格力量是陈丹青艺术中主要的艺术底蕴，这是他本人情感品格的自然体现，浸透了他的自身的经历，包含着他对底层人民的深切理解、怜悯和尊重。这种人道情感与人格力量赋予他的作品以辉煌和崇高的意义。（邓平祥画家、《论陈丹青》作者）

与丹青远别久矣，年复一年，依然梦见在一道写生的情景。我自来多病．丹青在侧时，伺护仿佛兄弟，或煨汤药、或做按摩，常等我安睡后，自己方去修憩，同室三年，时时可感觉他待人的情义，一如他观物的体贴，每当我观赏丹青作品时，总不免对往者友谊情不能禁的思念，以画品、人格、两相映照，或许这便是我对丹青有别于一般同业的认识。（孙景波画家、教授）

诗经上有“既见君子”。我有时在想，怎么这么容易就遇见陈丹青老师了。幸运之至，心中感激。虽没有考入陈老师的正式研究生，有幸得其教诲，受益匪浅，余韵终生。陈老师辞职清华，成为质问教育制度的大事件，全国

人民都在关心。陈老师对我当年一分之差之事的不断提及，我除了感激，惟有惭愧，心头哽咽难言。我赴伦敦留学前陈老师与众师兄给我举行告别宴，席间陈老师嘱咐：一是要我多交朋友；二是要我向欧洲人学习穿着打扮，并要我学会克制多愁善感的情绪。陈老师发现学生的一丝优点便不吝夸赞，我自觉惭愧，可是赞美通常又是最高的要求。（吴雯 陈丹青学生）

丹青是一个很正直正派的人，我们全家说话都直。我觉得最重要的是做人。我们从小要求他：做人是安身立命的根本，然后才能搞学问事业。他读书很用功，他的聪明超乎我们的想象。他的很多思想超过他的年龄，很敏锐。他感情丰富，对家长也很孝顺，对朋友很好。他小时就非常自信，送他去学游泳还没下水他就觉得自己一定会游。丹青从小就喜欢游泳、音乐、文学、绘画。（陈兆炽陈丹青父亲）

丹青老师画而优则文，口才也了得，他终洋溢着平易近人、博学幽默的人格魅力，很多年轻人都喜欢听丹青老师讲话。他是当代中国的鲁迅、亚里斯多德、苏格拉底，看了他的书，才发觉思想家、真理离我们这么近。（刘金陈丹青学生）

唯真而为

丹青的《西藏组画》造成了巨大轰动，在中国美术史上是具有开拓性的。那么年轻的人，有这样的追求。我很欣赏他的文笔，字写得也好，文采也好。一看就不是一般的人，是个有文化修养的人，在艺术上有想法有追求的人。在学校投票中，有好几次他都是学生“最喜爱的老师”。包括他的坦诚，学生们都很喜欢他。（袁运甫画家、教授）

舆论总是把丹青放进《西藏组画》的终极成就中予以定论，可是他的才华是活泼的，而且很丰盛。和他接近的好朋友都知道，他有超常的学习能力，实践范围甚广，品性纯真，富有正义感。平心而论，这几十年没有哪个同龄画家能比他更活跃多彩，涉猎通达，对周围有那么持久的影响力。从我识事以来，见过许多有才能、有学问的人，可是丹青却有许多过人之处，在他身上我看到造物主的奇妙。由于他的才大，常常不能自我，因着他的品性端正与良知，有些可以不说的话不干系的事，他又常常去说去做，为此招来不少误解，所谓明哲自保、言多必失的古训为他所不取，这也是人们从心里对他的敬意所在。（杨飞云画家、中国油画院院长）

陈先生是个非常可爱的人，很多见过陈先生的人都说他像30多岁的人。可是我觉得他的心态甚至比20多岁的人还要年轻。他对很多事情抱着像孩子一样的好奇心。性格爽朗，谈话有锋机，嬉笑怒骂，字字珠玑。和他在一起聊天是最大的享受。陈先生是个有大智慧的人，我认为他始终是一个文化追问者。很多我们习以为常的艺术问题，他反而会提出很多的问号，往往在这样的追问中让我们看到一副完全崭新的景象。我的新书《长喉结的美女》请他做序，他把一厚叠书稿带到纽约，大热天认真地看，序言写得很长还不厌其烦地反复修改。他说：“年轻人的第一本书马虎不得。”（尹大为上海电视台编导）

Exile youth
1970, 16 year old Chen Danqing junior high school graduation that was "Cultural Revolution" exile. The 16 year old children away from their loved ones, began to flounder Gannan and Subei conditions of rural chaduiluohu, Shanghai Hukou is almost a bolt from the blue. Chen Danqing was left fighting, painting, cricket, climbing roofs of Shanghai Shimen road old lane. Chen Danqing said, "that is a very desperate memory, I feel all black down. I grew up in a big city in Shanghai and then an oil lamp, the three of us were packed in a bed, and I remember waking up almost every night. A few pounds of mice, the whole night in our quilt to flee. The second day in the morning rain, the kind of rain hit the tile on the sound, very at a loss. And then come out a cigarette, looked at the nursery, the April rainy mountain, is desperate, the mind is empty."
The water is deep and the fire is hot
"Under the planting, bitter. While inserting, one side of the finger seam infiltration of blood, the mountains of the ground, is the sand. Stretched into the paddy field, the blood faded, continue to insert
Seedling. But planting back, mosquito net for the "Pushkin" look, great happiness. I'm working on the farm, the seedling plug Qi, will carry burden, I can pick one hundred pounds of millet, millet one hundred pounds heavier than the same weight things. Ten mountain is not indicated. How to go up the steps of the mountain, how to go down the steps, how to walk in the pond, how to go on the gravel, I will. Pick to the barn, golden barn, very beautiful. There are so many millet in the barn, I fall into the one hundred pounds, it is gone."
At the age of 20, Chen Danqing traveled to North Jiangpu and Shiqiao commune countryside. For nearly a year, squatting in the box of ashes painting village factory nearly 1000 urn. The mood is very depressed him, often with the old carpenter with pickles drink. At the age of 22, Chen Danqing has in six years, make every effort to strive for the stevedores to recruit the Nanjing commercial bureau places. The table was filled, the physical examination was passed, and the last minute was rejected. Because he was educated in Shanghai and recruited him for a number of Nanjing youth. He was lucky to squeeze in the car back to town to go alone, with heavy rain on the fever of a serious illness.
Gradually enter blissful circumstances
In the arts, Chen Danqing debut early. From 1970 to 1978 in the countryside during the life, extremely bad work, he has been
Insist on self-study painting. At the age of 20, was transferred to the Jiangxi press in comic classes, every day is very happy to draw comics, farming, and wanted to do a comic artist. In 1973, Chen Danqing had a "border line" "snow spring" three or four comic book; in 1974, was transferred to the province participated in the creation of oil painting classes, began painting revolution paintings, his first painting is "veteran and young". In 1974, Chen Danqing to 40 pieces of money to the family, from the Jiangxi mixed ticket to Shanghai, and then for the train to Beijing to watch the national art exhibition. The first time on Beijing like later to New York, to Paris, into the Chinese art museum is like walking into the Le Louvre Museum, a bubble all day, Lai in front of a few paintings. In 1975, Chen Danqing for the novel "blue stone" in the creation of illustrations. In March 1975, Chen Danqing went to the north at the time of his queue, painting and drawing skills have been quite solid, the works caused no small vibration in the Nanjing art scene. In 1976, Chen Danqing created a large oil painting, "Chairman Mao wrote to Chairman Mao".
The first time in Tibet
In 1976, Chen Danqing was seconded to Tibet as a talent to create, for the first time in tibet. Tibet has a decisive influence on Chen Danqing, one is that he found "a special theme of Cultural Revolution" -- the theme of ethnic minorities, but also laid the foundation for the later creation of Tibet in 1980 two "Tibet paintings"; the two is after the death of Mao Zedong can draw the tragedy, can draw people crying. Because of the "Cultural Revolution" can not be a tragedy of the scene, all workers and peasants have to laugh all the time. Therefore, large oil painting "harvest" Tian tears on Chen Danqing's early masterpiece "and" born into Tibet, and in 1977 were included in the "National Art Exhibition" Art Exhibition "in 1977 the creation of" army; comic "Zhou Enlai youth" in Tianjin; in 1978 should be "even pictorial" manuscripts "comic creation ring Vega's conduct". These works have a great influence at that time, Chen Danqing's reputation in the country is called "youth painter", and the Great Northern Wilderness youth artist group remoteshine.

Restore the truth
Look at the past "Tibet paintings" feel incredible, look at his 70s painting, feel is completely logical, natural thing, I even feel that he is more rational for painting charm, more vivid and beautiful. Chen Danqing in 70s most of the portrait, composition and creation, even from the "Cultural Revolution" or quasi revolution era, but little or no art during the Cultural Revolution "red, light, bright and poker-faced do do pose state. This makes me amazing, because this phenomenon is very rare at the time. He is relying on what do this, I is not clear. But in front of two that talent and sincere passion, should also be part of the reason. That he was painting, mainly produced in the instructions to meet the leadership. It comes from the inner artistic impulse, so that it is natural, and there is no more tool theory, style and concept. (Lang Shaojun art critic)
Chen Danqing's painting is love, is intriguing, with his superb realism, which reflect the rich flavor of life, never reached a position. (Feng Fasi painter, Professor)
In the face of the real art of Chen Danqing, you can't help but ask, "what are they thinking?"" "What do they need?" Even make you think further about the destiny of a person and nation. (Zhu Naizheng painter, Professor)
In the art circle, the summer of 1980, is a public hot season in Chen Danqing, in the Graduate Exhibition. He showed seven paintings depicting Tibetan life, with its compelling true image, its plain subtle flavor, deep cause of colleagues in the "art and life" reflection, exhibition Seminar on the "Tibet paintings" known as "realism" and "restore", and generally yes, he replied: "I don't want to put these pictures up to" larger than life "all sorts of" doctrine "to. I paint, just some men and women in front of ordinary life, from beginning to end......". This a tone of humility confession, it is after the painting "life stream" the creation of the earliest declaration. (Sun Jingbo painter, Professor)
Man dance line
In the summer of 1978, China Central Academy of Fine Arts graduate exam the creation of exam free proposition, one day in the. Chen Danqing morning drew four sketch sketch, the afternoon drew a painting of a composition in five different scenes, and many characters, the image of affection are very vivid and specific, like sweat not scattered on the occasion, he is living into his picture. So quick wit, such baseless creations image memory, really convincing, Dan won, for the examination of stories, he was only 24 years old, the age is the smallest in the oil painting professional candidates.
Chen Danqing preschool classes in the early beginning of the sketch painting. But in the sketch, is still the same. Chen Danqing's qualifications, in the "real" in the form of an object of insight; means of sensitive; in its accurate grasp and control skills, can be described as discerningly. In New York he sketches, more precise and concise style; style is more succinct, lively. His dynamic sketch, especially can make groundless accusations, is a must. The seemingly simple but rough, fine delicate to gigantic, vivid. On the sketch of the pure theory, with more independent value. This is the dance line, is a line of musical rhythm in hand Sonata symphony, revealing a unique Oriental painter inside root. Chen Danqing said: "the lines for me, is a kind of nature, the line form is sensitive to taste my instinct, I will have to sketch in national tradition", understanding of his artistic characteristics and origin, what is it very clear. (Sun Jingbo painter, Professor)

The painter's writer
As a writer, Chen Danqing, published a series of literary works: "New York day" in the "foreign" foreign music "excess material." the "back" and a dozen books. Content in society, culture, art, education, literature, people, history, music, architecture, gender, urban and so on. The 2005 issue of the "back" sold 100 thousand copies, has been printed nineteenth times; "excess material" in Beijing Sanlian Bookstore listed only a week, with sales of nearly a thousand copies of the charts; Chen Danqing's book was a bestseller in the first few, Hongkong in 2008 the most popular 50 book. The first is the "waste" in his, and Taiwan will also publish his book. Writing is another great influence on his paintings and speeches.
Chen Danqing once asked the reader, "why would you like to read my article?" Someone replied: "we have been depressed for too long." There are people answer: "look at your text is very cool." Chen Danqing, the charm of the text, from the part of nature, nature; the other part and his painting, to build a strong realistic skill based on. He has a talent for capturing and rendering details. The depth of human nature, cultural diversity, in his eyes, but there is a sense of daily details.
The pleasure of conflict
About painting and writing, Chen Danqing said: "a lot of feelings can not be put into the painting, because painting is a painting, it is said that another set of language. But writing can make me very good expression: such as New York and I'm not going to draw him, but I can write it, this is where the fun of writing. "New York day" as much as possible to describe a real, you can have a sense of breathing space, I just write this book by a New York resident, rather than a foreign artist, I don't think what animal called overseas artists."
"I have to admit, writing, speech, so I have never given the pleasure of painting, and when I painted shut up, and that painting than I can imagine happiness, happiness. People can not help but have outgoing or introverted nature, writing and drawing, is in the balance of nature, or is a kind of I do not yet understand the present conflict? And the effect of painting and writing is more different than I thought. The former is a pleasure, selfish, the latter seems to cater to the public, and was given an ambiguous responsibility."
"Painter of Chen Danqing" "writer Chen Danqing" "speaker of the Chen Danqing" Chen Danqing "critic""...... For the cross-border repeatedly, Chen Danqing temper increasingly keen eyesight and changeable strokes, the "back" "New York" "waste" that day Chen Danqing is good at thinking and good records, the accumulation of life in his body and writing more and more heavy and gloomy brewing.