1、One Day in Gallery ...
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“Hey, Itachi, what do you think about this?” a silver-haired man said with a big, big smile.
“Rubbish,” a younger long-black-haired man beside him said with no emotion.
Hey, Hey, you two, anyhow you are in my gallery, would you please not talk like there is no body here! But of course, I would not say those words out, because they are my customers.
I’m Chidori, a manager of a small art gallery called ‘Eighty-Eight Nights’ in Konoha Town. It’s a fine Sunday morning, no, in fact it’s already afternoon now. Those two men are still loafing in here, they’ve been here more than six hours, but haven’t decided to buy anything yet. Seems like they are having a bit of argument. But why couldn’t you make a decision first and then come here? You know because of that black-haired black-eyed man, nobody else was daring to come into my gallery. The frosty atmosphere around him made this room just like Antarctic. Although I do like to have free air conditioning in summer, but it’s autumn now!
“Come on! Itachi, don’t you think it will be fun to having this in our room?” That silver- haired man is pointing to a picture which is hung at the west side of the room.
It’s a copy of ‘We two Boys Together Clinging’ by the pop artist David Hockney. As the title, it’s a picture of two men hugging together, one figure is daubed in bluish red and another one is in indigo. The words ‘We 2 Boys Together Clinging’ is scrawled around them, actually without the title, people can hardly know the figures are two men. The background is greyish blue, with some random words and a few distorted red hearts jumping on it. Personally I don’t really like this style of painting, I think they are a bit too…casual…and careless.
“Kakashi, you should know, I would never let stuff like this come through the door of my house.” Ha! I knew that black-haired man wouldn’t like it, he looks just like an earnest British blue-blood.
“But Itachi you should know that’s also my house, I have the right to decorate my own house. Look at those colours, don’t you think they are lovely and individual?” The man called Kakashi seems don’t afraid of the Siberian cold air at all. He put his hands into the pockets of his jeans, stood idly.
“No.” Without other words.
“You unfeeling man.”
“Why can’t you choose some pictures which have more taste? Like……” Even didn’t bother to move his hand, Itachi (have I misidentified his name?) nodded towards a picture which is hung at the east side of the room.
That’s a copy of Claude Monet’s ‘Water Lily’, the classic of Impressionism. The misty pond, hazy water lilies, composed a tranquil mood. Though the whole painting is in tones of cold colours like violet, grey, indigo, and dark green, you can still feel the warmth and the tenderness effuse quitely from the picture. This is one of my favourite paintings in this gallery, I don’t even want to sell it. It surprised me that Itachi chose this painting. Shouldn’t he choose something…cooler? Well, maybe just because in my mind the image of the ‘Water Lily’ is far too different ftom that iceberg.
“Er…Itachi, I didn’t know that you are such a sentimental person fancies the picture which only girls and old men would like,” Kakashi said with an innocent smile intentionally, the slyness clearly twinkling in his narrowed eyes. He reminded me of the fox I’ve seen in the Japanese and Chinese pictures.
Before I have time to express my indignation at his rudeness to my favourite painting, Itachi turned his face to Kakashi and open his mouth.
“Better than the meaningless scrible which was chosen by some other cretin.” The foreign voice is echoing around room.
Now they are staring at each other. Itachi brand air conditioning is working in maximum power. Kakashi looks is still in a relax position, but I can fell the strong momentum from his eyes.
DangDangDangDang—Hello ladies and gentleman, this is Chidori Sai, ABC Konoha. The first Eighty-Eight Nights Gallery Contest is starting now. ITACHI vs. KAKASHI, EAST vs. WEST, IMPRESSIONISM vs. POP ART. Ready…Start!
……
10 minutes later, they are staring at each other…
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20 minutes later, they are staring at each other…
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30 minutes later, they are staring at each other…
Would anybody like to tell me what had happen?! In the last half an hour, they haven’t moved at all, just like two statues displayed in my gallery. Hello? Could you two move a little bit please? It’s nearly half past five, the Eighty-Eight Nights Gallery is going to be closed soon.
Maybe they head my heartfelt wish, both of them turn to me suddenly, and ask in unison: “How do you think?”
What? So you guys still haven’t decided. What should I say…Itachi looks a bit scary, but Kakashi seems not a soft person either…I’m very glad there is someone who likes Monet’s work, but I don’t really want sell it…Oh, well, just go ahead and see. I put my biggest business smile on my face.
“The picture chosen by the silver-haired gentleman is a copy of the ‘We two Boys Together Clinging’ by a famous pop artist called David Hockney. The original of this painting was painted about 40 years ago. That’s the time which sexual liberation had just started, so homosexuality became one of the main topics that pop artists used in their work. Lots of Pop Artists themselves are homosexuals. The theme of the picture is homosexual. It shows the pressure from society, but also shows the optimistic hope and adamant love.” I’m trying to remember all the detail I read from the books about these two pictures, “The picture chosen by the black-haired gentleman is a copy of Claude Monet’s ‘Water Lily’. It was painted around 1914-1022, after his wife died. He consigned all his affection to the painting. From this picture, we can feel the artist’s pursuit of tranquility and his love for life. Each has its own merits, I’m can’t really make a decision for you…”
While I was babbling, the gleam of their eyes became clam and soft, also, the frosty atmosphere around the Itachi seem disappeared. What’s wrong with them? Anyway, it’s twenty past five now, so I ask them again, “Have you made your decision yet?”
Now both of them looks a little bit, only a little bit, bashful. I can’t believe an expression like this is on their face. It makes them looks much younger, like teenagers. They look at each other, and then—
“Claude Monet.”
“David Hockney.”
But this time they were spoken from the reverse mouth. A new turn of is contention start again. At last the black-haired man won, and brought the Pop Art style picture. Good! They’ve finished at last!
I’m tidying the whole gallery up. They have paid for the picture and are leaving the gallery. Suddenly, a voice appeared beside my ear.
“Thanks for your excellent speech, lady. See you.” Kakashi gave me a smile, half slyness and half cordiality, “Oh, by the way, would you please save that ‘Water Lily’ for a while?”
“A while? For how long?”
“Hum…maybe until you get the next copy of it?” then he turned around and walking idly after Itachi who is carrying the wrapped picture.
An old fox!
Hello ladies and gentleman, the first Eighty-Eight Nights Gallery Contest has just finished, and the winner is…Chidori Sai! Why? Because she has done her business and saved her favourite picture and found two new customers. Congratulations! Tomorrow will be another good day! This is Chidori Sai, ABC Konoha, over now.
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第1章 One Day in Gallery
