《黯》
佟飚个展
开幕：2006.08.26 16:00
时间: 2006.08.26-09.24
电话/传真： +86 10 8459 9257
地址：北京市朝阳区酒仙桥路798工厂2院入口300米 方音空间
邮址：北京市8502信箱 100015
Http://www.funartspace.com
E-Mail:info@funartspace.com
《Sound of Darkness》
Tong Biao Solo Exhibition
Opening:2006.08.26 16:00
Time: 2006.08.26-09.24
Venue：No.2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing Fun Art Space
Mail Box 8503, Beijing , P.R. China 100015
Tel/Fax： +86 10 8459 9257
Http://www.funartspace.com
E-Mail:info@funartspace.com
黑色群山的回声
— 关于佟飚近作
文/高士明
譬如工画师，分布诸彩色。虚妄取异相，大种无差别。大种中无色，色中无大种。
亦不离大种，而有色可得。心中无彩画，彩画中无心。然不离于心，有彩画可得。
彼心恒不住，无量难思议。示现一切色，各各不相知。譬如工画师，不能知自心。
而由心故画，诸法性如是。心如工画师，能画诸世间。五蕴悉从生，无法而不造。
如心佛亦尔，如佛众生然。应知佛与心，体性皆无尽。若人知心行，普造诸世间。
是人则见佛，了佛真实性。心不住于身，身亦不住心。而能做佛事，自在未曾有。
若人欲了知，三世一切佛。应观法界性，一切唯心造。1
——觉林菩萨偈
谈论佟飚的画是困难的。因为这些作品既不属于传统绘画范畴，也不是当代艺术的惯常领域。中国当代艺术在国际上的成功是政治的成功，是图像的成功。在过去的二十多年中，中国艺术家创造出了一系列鲜明而强烈的图像，使“中国当代艺术”成为某种一望可知的事物。而佟飚的画却不在此列。他的作品难以归类，在样式多变逻辑单一的中国当代艺术群落中，这些明显缺乏时尚表情的画面无疑是个异数。惟此，他以他的画作向我们提问：在批量生产的图像化的中国面孔之外，在日益疲惫的政治符号和低俗的现实情景之外，中国绘画还能够为当代艺术带来什么？
那是一些无人的山川，一个无时代性的世界。这黑暗中的群山，并不是浪漫主义者孺慕的家园，用于离去与归来，那是永难进入的陌生之地。
然而，在这些相互连接着的画面中，我们竟察觉到一个漫游者的踪迹。观者之眼随着他漫游在群山之间，然而这漫游却并非山水画家的率性优游，而是更加接近于迷宫中的巡游与迷失。此迷宫带给我们的并不仅仅是迷失的困惑，还有迷悟和因迷悟而生的愉悦。古希腊字“Aporia”充分表达了巡游于迷宫中所产生的愉悦。Aporia是指因注意力缺失和迷失路径所产生的奇诡快意，这一愉悦并不来自解开叙述谜团的欣喜，而是出自游走于迷宫之中乐不思蜀的耽溺。画家将我们一次次带到经验的陌生角落，关于现实的记忆与影像的迷乱如同视觉丛林中繁复交叉的枝蔓。出路近在咫尺，却又无从抵达，由此，迷宫见证了一种本质上的疏远。逝曰远，远曰返，返乡对佟飚来说为时尚早，或者说已不复可能。因为不可企及的“远”是人有所思念的存在之根本，而迷宫与家园本身同样是幻象。对此，没有谁比里尔克说得更好：“山水”不是一种印象的描画，不是一个人对于那些静物的看法；它是完成中的自然，变化中的世界，对于人是这样生疏，有如没有足迹的树林在一座未发现的岛上。把山水看作是一种远方的和生疏的，一种隔离的和无情的，看它完全在自身内演化，这是必要的，……它必须是疏远的，在它崇高的漠然中它必须几乎有敌对的意味，才能用山水中的事物给我们的生存以一种新的解释。2
然而，佟飚的画却不像里尔克所描述的山水，它并不追求澄澈清明。对佟飚来说，山水并不是崇高的神迹，也不是悠然的林泉，而是陌生的神秘世界的幻象。佟飚所描绘的并非古典主义的风景，也不是浪漫主义所赞美的自然。而是某种事件发生着的世界，或者更加准确的说，是作为事件发生着的山水。因此，风景就是风景事件，此事件需要一个目击者,一个辽远的窥视者的目光，揭示并且见证造物的神秘咒符。
这些无名的山体是仪式性的，或者，是某一仪式的残留物。那只是一些迹象。然而，此迹象如此莫测，以至于当我们凝注黑暗的山体，我们被黑暗本身攫住，那山的黑暗如同吞噬一切的深井。在黑暗处，在远方的最遥远处，某物投来幽深的一瞥。
然而我要说，这所有的一切都是幻相，是造物者的一个深沉的谎言。这些隐藏着秘密的山体，只是“目授神与”的片刻恍惚中生成的异相与幻境。这是一种独特的显现，它所显示的是人对世界的占领与抗拒，是世界绽出（Physis）、物象隐显的故事。
这是画作中最黑暗者，佟飚名之曰“黯”3。这黑暗群山中，埋葬着沉默大地遥远的心事。黑暗吞噬着观者的目光，只留下幽暗者的墨迹。而黑暗，作为这一切的主角，悄然登场。
这是寂寞无人的世界之夜，造物的机密若隐若现，未来和过去遥不可及。一切遥不可及。世界之发生是最完美的罪行，除了创世之传说，我们一无所知，然而，上帝这位伟大的肇事者，我们至今无缘相见。
见山是山，见水是水。见山不是山，见水不是水。见山还是山，见水还是水。在佛陀的慧识中，一切诸相，皆是虚妄；虚妄本身，亦是虚妄。画家所要描绘的并非对象化的一山一水，而是一种变幻与隐现4。画家是风景和事物沉默的目击者。他所目睹的，是风景事件——作为事件的风景，发生在山川气象明灭的一瞬。这一瞬间，目击而道存，如见所梦，如悟前世。
隐者造化之所藏，显者造化之所用。了显隐之枢机者，得造化之真谛。画中群山出离于人事之外，自成世界。在这个世界中：山河寂静，黯夜森然；显隐生化，似有若无，浮沉万象，惟恍惟惚，因缘劫数，山重水复。
现象之外，我们一无所见；世界之黑暗中，我们一无所见。世界之玄远莫测，莫过于此。世界之玄远莫测处，才是黑暗之根本。群山沉没在黯夜昏茫之中，如同黑天鹅的故乡——所有的日子都浸在那里。山谷深处，黑色的回声隆隆，一切都无法企及，因而不可阻挡，任凭往昔之火，沉降入木石和水域，当闪电惊醒午夜时暗哑的潮水，如同黑色旷野中的兽群。于是，自然那隐匿的历史，现身于疏远群山中幽深的水域，如同一面晦暗的镜子中迷茫幽邃的蜃景。
1．大方廣佛華嚴經願行觀門骨目 (卷1) T36, p1057b
2．Rilke, Rainer Maria. Ten Letters to a Young Poet. Sanlian shudian, p.37.
3．在某种意义上说，佟飚的“黯”是古典美学中“澹远”之境的反题。欧阳修《朝中措?平山堂》中的名句“山色有无中”，所说的是在平山堂上凭栏远眺时，江南诸山似有若无的景致，画史中得此意趣的不知凡几。事实上，“山色有无中”的意境并非独见于欧阳修，王维《汉江临泛》中就有“江流天地外，山色有无中”之语；而权德舆《晚渡扬子江》中也云：“远岫有无中，片帆烟水上”。所以陆游在《老学庵笔记》才说：“欧阳公长短句云‘平山栏槛倚晴空，山色有无中’，诗人至是盖三用矣。”“山色有无中”描述的是依稀隐约之貌，于似有若无中，自有一股缠绵。而此时的“看”，也正如李日华所说的是“意之所游”——“山色有无中”自在“目力虽穷，而情脉不断处是也”。此种景色情致在意趣上，一方面通向“淡”，另一方面则暗示了“幻”。山色淡则远，远则虚旷幽玄。玄未必色暗，犹如淡未必色浅，而是指物象之隐约，落实在画面，就是指“迹淡”。“淡”更重要的是指含义深远的“意淡”。意淡则疏散，率意而发，随机而动。随笔点缀，但求大意之象真，而不拘于绳墨之周全；不致力于造境，而用心于平淡从容；着力于在笔墨上求生动，运笔灵转活泼，用墨淡雅自然，笔与墨会，气韵遂生。在“黯”与“淡”的对比中，我们依稀可以经验到佟飚作品的当代性之所在。 4．虚实之变化与转生为“幻”，而“幻”之根本在乎隐现。《文赋》有言：“课虚无以求有，扣寂寞而为音”。落笔之际，尽心于虚实生变。即所谓“虚实实虚”。“虚实”就是“实者虚之”，“实虚”就是“虚者实之”。也即“虚中求实，实中运虚”。一面运无入有，一面力求笔少意多：“笔纵可数意不了，墨彩欲无情转浓”。如此虚实相生，乃成变格，乃成画理。虚实是画面之事，隐现是造化之机。然而今日之绘画往往纠结于画面虚实之间，而难抵造化隐现之境。
Sound of Darkness
Tong Biao’s Recent Works
by/Gao Shiming
A painter, for example, distributes paints,
To capture various images in the void. There is no difference in the basic elements .
There is no form in such elements, and there is no such element in form.
The form, however, is created with the presence of such elements.
There is no colored picture in mind, and there is no mind in a colored picture.
The colored picture, however, is created with the presence of mind.
The mind changes constantly and can hardly be measured.
All kinds of form are manifested, and one form does not know another.
A painter, for example, does not know his own mind.
His painting derives from his mind. The nature of all things is like that.
With the mind of a painter, one can paint anything in the world,
And know the five attributes of all beings; without law there is no creation.
The Buddhahood is like the mind; All beings are like Buddha.
One should know that the nature of Buddha and mind is infinite.
If one knows the mind’s activities, one can create all things in the world.
The person will then reach enlightenment and understand the true nature of Buddhahood.
Mind does not reside in body; and body does not reside in mind.
If one can practice Buddhism, one can enjoy a carefree state that one never experiences.
If one tries to understand Buddhas of the past, present, and future.
One should observe the nature of all things. Everything is created by mind.
---Juelin Bodhisattva Sutra
It is not always easy to write about Tong Biao’s paintings because one can hardly place them art-historically. They seem to fit neither the category of traditional art, nor contemporary art. I have proposed that the success of Chinese contemporary artists in the international arena is primarily a political success. What I would like to add is that their success owes, first of all, to the creation of an icon, something that can be immediately recognized as “ Chinese contemporary art”. Clearly, Tong Biao’s work defies any convenient identification. Furthermore, it invites the question: What else can a Chinese painter offer to the contemporary art community in an age when art is being produced and reproduced on a massive scale?
What Tong Biao creates is a timeless landscape without the presence of humans. It is not the home one can leave and come back in the Romantic light. In the connected paintings, Tong invites the viewer to roam in some unknown territories, and constantly get lost in the labyrinth-like landscape. What the viewer experiences can be described by the Greek term “aporia”, that is, a pleasure in the state of being lost. The pleasure lies not in solving a mystery, but in the loss of intention and sense of direction. The painter constantly challenges our perception and assumption by taking us to the dark mental forest where memories, reality, and images entangle. This mind maze conveys a sense of detachment. A going away implies a distance and a return. But what Tong Biao creates is a landscape of no return. This distance is essential to our existence. Labyrinth and home are probably both illusory. Tong Biao’s work recalls Rainer Maria Rilke’s concept of the strange and remote landscape, detached from the human world. “This landscape is not the portrayal of an impression, it is not the judgment of a man on things at rest; it is nature coming into being, the world coming into existence, unknown to man as the jungle of an unknown island. It had been necessary to see the landscape in this way, far and strange, remote, without love .... It had to be almost hostile in its exalted indifference, if, with its objects, it was to give a new meaning to our existence."
Tong Biao’s landscape is somewhat different from what Rilke describes. It is not something sublime, sacred, or soothing, but something illusory and mysterious. Tong’s landscape is not the ideal nature depicted in Classical or Romanticist paintings. It is a world where things are happening. In this sense, the artist creates a “landscape of event”, which requires an eyewitness to the deep mystery of creation
The nameless mountains also have a ritualistic flavor. As we look into the mountains, the unfathomable darkness gulfs us and, finally, in the heart of the darkness, something reveals to us.
The image of these cryptic landscapes, in my view, is an illusion, a lie from its creator. It manifests the conflict between humans and the world as well as the interplay of presence and absence. At the moment when our eyes, mind, and mages meet, the physis, or the nature of the world reveals to us.
This is the darkest component of the painting . The mountains bury the mystery of the silent earth. The darkness surrounds us and leaves the traces of ink on the paper. Darkness, indeed, is at the heart of Tong’s painting.
In the lonely night scenes without human actors, the secret of creation is revealing and concealing. Past and future, and everything else seem so remote. The creation of the world is a perfect crime. We know nothing except Genesis, and we still have no opportunity to see God, the perpetrator.
Tong’s landscape recalls the idea of the three stages in Zen Buddhism: What you see as mountain is mountain, and what you see as water is water; Then, what you see as mountain is no longer mountain, and what you see as water is no longer water; Finally, what you see as mountain is still mountain, and what you see as water is still water. In Buddhism, all images are illusions. Even the illusion itself is illusory. What the artist creates is not a representation of the physical world, but something in between presence and absence, the substantial and the void . The painter quietly eyewitnesses the landscape as an event, which reveals to us the truth of the world.
The ancient states, “ The concealed is what nature hides. The manifested is what nature uses.” If we understand the secret of the concealed and the manifested, we obtain the truth of nature. The mountains in Tong’s painting, detached from the human world, constitute a world of its own. The quiet mountains and rivers in the dark night embody the endless interplay of presence and absence, being and non-being, cause and effect.
In Tong’s landscape, we see nothing except phenomena, and the darkness of the world. At the core of the darkness is a deep mystery of the unknown. The mountains are immersed in the darkness. A thunder breaks the silence. The mountains become a group of wild animals running in the dark prairie. The distant dark mountains create roaring sounds, telling the stories of fire, water, and rock. In the distant mountain, the surface of the water, like a dark mirror, reveals the hidden history of nature.
(Translation by Wang Yiyou)
1.Four elements include wind, water, earth, and fire.
2.The five attributes of every human beings are form, perception, consciousness, action, and knowledge.
3.From Da fang guang fo hua yan jing yuan xing guan men gu mu 大方廣佛華嚴經願行觀門骨目 (卷1) T36, p1057b
Rilke, Rainer Maria. Ten Letters to a Young Poet. Sanlian shudian, p.37.
4.In a sense, Tong Biao’s painting counters the idea of the “light and distant” landscape in Chinese classical aesthetics. Inspired by the misty distant hills in the South, Ouyang Xiu creates a famous line in Chao zhong cuo, Ping shan tang “The color of the mountain is in between existence and non-existence”. This idea, however, was understood only by a small number of painters in the history of Chinese painting. Wang Wei creates a similar scenery in his poem Han jiang lin fan, “The river flows outside the sky and the land. The color of the mountain is in between existence and non-existence.” Quan Deyu in Wan du yang zi jiang (Ferrying the Yangtze River at Dusk) writes, “ The distant hills are in existence and non-existence. A single sail is on the misty water.” Lu You in Lao xue an bi ji (Notes of the Laoxue’an Studio) points out that poets have repeatedly referred to the line about the distant and obscure landscape in Ouyang Xiu’s poem. The viewing is a process in which your eyes and mind travel, as Li Rihua describes. “Though you exhaust your sight, the emotions and ideas the landscape evokes will not end.” The landscape is characterized by a sense of lightness and illusion. The hills appear light and distant. The lightness does not necessarily mean lightness of color, but the unclear view of the landscape. In terms of painting, the lightness is translated into light traces of ink. The notion of lightness emphasizes the light state of mind, which results in spontaneous and expressive brushworks. The painter with a calm mental state will create works with elegant ink and lively brushwork.
5.According to Wen fu, “To employ non-being to seek being, and to tap silence and solitariness to create sound.” To use one’s brush is to generate an interplay of the substantial and the void: to make the substantial void and to make the void substantial, or to seek the substantial in the void and to carry the void in the substantial. This philosophy is manifested in the art-making process. The artist uses a few brushstrokes to express rich meanings. “The brushstrokes can be counted, but they create ideas endlessly. The ink seems so spare, but the mood is rich.” The wondrous interplay of the substantial and the void brings about changes and creates “a painting outside the painting”.
