Pan Jian - Shadow of Light

PAN JIAN SHADOW OF LIGHT 潘剑 光的阴影

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SHADOW OF LIGHT - Jessie Xie

When we try to explore the function or significance of a painting, regardless of how complicated the context is, we would usually begin to interpret the image by means of some elementary intelligence and logic, such as content and perception.

Pan Jian’s latest series Shadow of Light is obscure and yet accessible. We rely on the deliberately placed branches, whose shapes and gestures are just discernible in the dimly lit sky to “enter into” the painting. These naturally graceful outlines and deeply saturated colors compose one’s first and possibly final impression of the artworks; a dark, dense forest sunk in sleep.

Through the low lights, a pavilion hidden in the forest, wooded paths or low-lying ponds are just discernable.

Everything in the shadow is ambiguous, overlapping in multiple layers. The artist reveals traces for the viewer to follow; one can imagine the remainder of the painting and finally can conceive of a whole composition revealing a typical ‘landscape’. By virtue of his skillful technical ability, Pan Jian successfully leads us into the ‘forest’- relying on the viewer’s foresight, he evokes the conventional image of a forest that roots in our mind, though the forest we usually see is in the sunlight.

Looking beyond the compositions, the viewer is invited to take a moment to delve into the tranquility of the darkness. Once upon a time in a cottage by Walden, Thoreau lived in seclusion to prevent himself from the greed and desires incited by materialism and capitalism, and to place himself in nature in order to recover life’s original simplicity and to probe the depths of a human’s mind1 . Now, Pan Jian chooses to stand against the glories of the world, to sift out and dissolve all the glitz and bustle into the shadows, creating a space where one can settle into the depths of a purely aesthetic experience. For those who are captured by the various needs of reality, even a second of self-contemplation can be valuable. Is it not more beneficial to spend time with one’s own soul, rather than receiving others’ repeated advice or convoluted speech about the truth?

Although an artist’s original aim can be quite personal and poetic, in the context of contemporary art, artists and artworks can also become a sociological reference whereby an aesthetic circuit is formed connecting creators, works and viewers.

Pan Jian’s paintings demonstrate a relationship between the image and the textual references behind the work; they are released from a singular monologue of emotions and placed in a broader social context. When treating the subject, Pan keeps his distance and invites spontaneity; the viewer’s attention naturally moves towards the mysterious light, and one cannot help being enchanted by the metaphorical world behind the 4

image. The artist almost positions himself as an on-looker, as the source of the light remains unknown. The paintings incite the question: when we retreat from reality and immerse ourselves in the painting, where should we go from here, how do we return?

What the paintings describe are beyond the scenery of daily life; they are not simply representations of natural landscapes. In Pan’s artworks, we observe the repetitive process of construction and destruction, between which the artist painstakingly maintains a delicate balance. On the one hand, he intends to keep the images somewhat realistic in order to play on the viewer’s conscious response through visual perception; on the other, his employment of rhetorical languages keeps reminding us of the gap between what we have seen and what really exists. The use of abstraction simplifies the ordinary scenes into a mystifying ghost-like existence whilst the foreground darkness in many of the pieces in this series is contrasted with the unnatural glow of light in the background, creating a play between illusion and reality.

Our willingness to believe what we have witnessed is “a forest in darkness” is to some extent due to the fact that the scene constructed by the artist relates to our memory of a forest. The overwhelming inclination towards drawing on our own experience is exactly what the artist is critical of. Returning to the image itself, the artist dialectically constructs and disrupts the scene, encouraging the viewer to delve into the landscape, and providing a chance for each person to take a breath and get away from the craziness of society. And yet, more important than the offer of a retreat is what happens after this world that Pan Jian constructs wakes up; do we possess the ability to discriminate between illusion and reality? The worst part of reality is maintaining a false belief that the world is thriving. When we finally shrug off of the confinement of the image and walk out of the shadow and into reality, perhaps the viewer should be skeptical and question what he sees, which might be exactly what the artist intended in the first place.

Walden Pond is a lake in Massachusetts in the United States, where the American author and philosopher Henry David Thoreau (18171862) lived alone for two years starting in the summer of 1845, and composed his best known book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings.

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光 谢 的 玮 阴 玲 影

无论如今绘画被放在何等复杂的框架下来探讨其所能发挥的功能或传递出的意义，当我们在观看一幅绘画作品 时，依旧会习惯性地从一些最基本的知识层面和思维角度出发，来解析眼前的图像。例如内容和感知。 潘剑的这一系列绘画作品《光的阴影》，隐晦却没有那么地令人为难。我们判断的依据是画面中肆意的“枝 桠”－虽然只有在灰暗天空的衬托下才能看清它们的姿态和模样。这些优美自然的线条与画面中大面积渲染 的、深浅不一、虚实有度的深色色块一起，构成了我们对于作品最初，亦有可能是最终的印象：一片在黝黯中 沉睡的丛林。 借着微弱的光线，我们可以依稀辨识出藏匿于树林中的亭隅，林间小路，或低洼处的池塘。阴影中的一切都是 模糊浑沌的，彼此之间交错、叠加，我们依靠艺术家透露出的局部来想象剩余的那些部分，最终拼凑出一个完 整的符合日常的“风景”。潘剑以娴熟的绘画技法成功地使我们“身临其境”，以最普适的观看角度调动起我 们脑海中一切关于“丛林”的既定形象——虽然大多数的我们见到的都是它们在日光下的样子。 我们先不去深究艺术家所塑造的情境的真实性和其目的，暂且在万籁无声的黑暗中停留片刻。曾经梭罗选择隐 匿在瓦尔登湖边的木屋中抵御物质资本挑起的贪婪欲望，渴望亲近自然以返璞归真，通过独居来解析人类的心 灵1 。而如今潘剑选择站在光芒世界的背面，浮华和喧闹的表像在阴影中被过滤、溶解，使人得以在纯净深邃的 审美体验中沉淀。对于被现实生活中各种需求绑架的我们而言，哪怕片刻地向内张望都显得难能可贵。安静地 与灵魂相处远比有他人在耳边反复叮咛，用华丽的词藻诉说美妙真理要来的更有帮助，不是么？艺术家的出发 点完全可以是非常私人的、诗学化的，但放在当代艺术的系统里看，艺术家和艺术作品亦可以成为社会学的注 脚，形成创作者、作品、和观众三者互相流通的美学回路。 潘剑的绘画激活了与文本内容背后的对应关系，将绘画从封闭单一的情感思绪中释放出来，安置于更开阔的社 会场景中，并对主题的切入在语言上保持疏离感，以一种退避的方式，放任观者不由自主地凝视画面背后的隐 喻世界——最吸引着我们的始终是光来的那个方向。艺术家几乎是以旁观者的角度来安置自身的，至于有光的 6

地方所发生的内容，则无人知晓。那么问题来了，当我们在图像的引导下抛开现实，在画面中出走，继而又该 以何种态度回归真实呢？ 绘画所构建起的情境早已经超越了日常观看的生活景观，绝不单单是一种自然景象的再现。我们可以在潘剑的 作品中观察到一个不断构建又破坏的过程，体会到艺术家谨慎地维持着某种刻意的平衡——既保持着图像尽可 能地不失真，以唤起观者感知意识上的共鸣，亦在使用不同的修辞语言始终提醒着我们眼前的所见与真实之间 存在的距离：弱化层次、附加肌理，普通的场景因为提炼简化成魅影般的存在而显得神秘莫测，其中几幅作品 中远处不明的局部光源在大面积的黑暗近景反衬下透露出其违背真实的本质。 我们愿意相信眼前所见的是“黑暗中的丛林”，很大程度上是将艺术家在画面中虚构的场景与我们意识中对于 丛林的记忆相互叠加得到的结果，这种对于经验的依赖恰恰是艺术家所批判的。回到画面本身，所有反反复复 对于情境辩证式的营造与破坏，都传递出这样一个讯息：走入画面并沉浸于其中固然是值得鼓励的，至少它使 我们在当前疯狂的社会中获得了一个清空和喘息的机会。但比放逐更重要的是对于苏醒后的世界，我们是否拥 有了辨析的能力？因为凡是变得越来越糟糕的那一部分现实，也会以越来越虚假的繁荣来维持。当我们最终摆 脱图像的控制，走出阴影直面现实时，恐怕抱以一种怀疑的态度来思考所见的一切才是艺术家真正想要提示我 们的生存法则。

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瓦尔登湖位于美国马萨诸塞州。美国作家、哲学家亨利·戴维·梭罗 (1817-1862) 自1845年夏天起，独居在湖畔丛林中两年，并最终

著成其最为知名的作品《瓦尔登湖》。 7

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SHADOW OF LIGHT - Pan Jian These works are my most recent of 2015, they show a much clearer relationship between light and shadow compared to my previous works. The subject matter that I always turn to – shadow – is richer. Through an image which holds no specific contents, I have tried to bring a sense of reason and emotion to the complex visual changes in the work. This process of change results in my work.

光 潘 的 剑 阴 这些作品都是2015的最新作品，相对之前的作品有新的变化，画面在宁静的氛围中有了新的表述，使得光和阴影 影 的关系更加清晰，也使得我一直在表现的主题 -“阴影”有了更丰富的内容。我试图在一个没有具体内容的图像 中通过复杂的视觉变化带来心理和情绪的感动，这样的一个转变过程也许就是我的绘画的结果。

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 1 光 的 阴 影－1

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 120 x 210 cm 10

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 4 光 的 阴 影－4

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 70 x 150 cm 12

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 5 光 的 阴 影－5

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 80 x 150 cm 14

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 6 光 的 阴 影－6

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 80 x 150 cm 16

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 8 光 的 阴 影－8

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 70 x 150 cm 18

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 9 光 的 阴 影－9

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 70 x 150 cm 20

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 11 光 的 阴 影 － 11

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 90 x 150 cm 22

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SHADOW OF LIGHT 13 光 的 阴 影 － 13

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 70 x 150 cm 24

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PETER’S DARK FOREST 2 彼得的黑树林-2

2015 Oil on Canvas 布面油画 80 x 150 cm 26

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ABOUT PAN JIAN Pan Jian (b. 1975 Shandong) is a young and committed painter who currently lives and works in Beijing and Xi’an.

He graduated from the Oil Painting Department of Xi’an Academy of Fine Art where he is now a teacher.

关 于 潘 剑

潘剑（1975年生于山东）是一位年轻而专注的画家，现工作及居住于北京及西安。 潘氏毕业于西安美术学院油画系，现为该院教师。

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CURRICULUM VITAE 1975 2001

Born in Shandong Graduated from Oil Painting Department of Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2015 Shadow of Light, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong 2013 The Realm of Shadows, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong 2010 Strange Image - Painting Solo Show - Pan Jian, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China 2008 The End of the World, Beijing Space, Beijing, China GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2014 The View of “Social Landscape of Contemporary Chinese Painting” Narrative, Chendu, China

Primary Landscape, Aroundspace, Shanghai, China

Macht Sichtbar: To unveil the invisible – Pan Jian and Fu Xiaotong Duo Exhibition, Jing Gallery, Beijing,

China

OUTSIDE THE LINES, RH Contemporary Art, New York, USA 2013 ARTSANYA, Hainan, China 2012 MAXIMA+, Shanghai Gallery of Art, Shanghai, China

Between Dreams and Memories, Culture Cube FORCE, Beijing, China

Jing Yi Art Space, Beijing, China

Xinjiang Biennale, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China

View and Meditation, 2012 Contemporary Art Exhibition, Nest Art Center, Chengdu, China

Hakgojae Gallery, Seoul, South Korea 2011 Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu, China

Art HK 11, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong

China International Gallery Exposition, Exhibition Hall of the China World Trade Centre,

Beijing, China

Fabricator, Soka Art Center Beijing, Beijing, China 2010 Shanghai Art Fair-Young Artists Promotion Exhibition, Shanghai Mart, Shanghai, China

Pure Views-New Painting from China, Louise Blouin Foundation, London, UK

negotiations, 2nd Today documentation exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China

Upstairs in the youth-young critics nomination exhibition, Times Art Museum, Beijing, China

Reshaping history-China youth new art invitational exhibition, ARARIO GALLERY, Beijing, China 2009 Observation of reality, Joyart, Beijing, China

Li Xiaojing and Pan Jian Joint Exhibition, Yuz Museum Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia 30

2008

2006 2004

2003 2002

Lovely Blossoms and Full Moon: Yuz Collection of Chinese Contemporary Art Yuz Museum Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia Art Taipei 2008, Taipei, Taiwan A Tale of Two Cities, Beijing Space, Beijing, China Distinctive Landscape, 3818 Cool Gallery, Beijing, China Contemporary Art Document Exhibition - New Prominent Exhibition, Wall Art Museum, Beijing, China Unusual Landscape, Highland Gallery, Beijing, China China New Vision – Chinese Contemporary Youth Artist Group Exhibition, China International Expo Center, Shanghai, China The 3rd China Oil Painting Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China Dissimilation Realism - Contemporary Art Exhibition, Upriver Loft Gallery, Kunming, China

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简历 1975 2001

出生于山东 毕业于西安美术学院油画系

个展 2015 2013 2010 2008

光的阴影 十号赞善里画廊 香港 阴影的边缘 十号赞善里画廊 香港 陌生化图像 今日美术馆 北京 世界的尽头 北京空间画廊 北京

联展 2014 界限之外 RH当代艺术 纽约

社会风景 - 中国当代绘画中的风景叙事 成都

笔端的风景 周围艺术 上海

使看不见的被看见 - 潘剑和付小桐双人展 静Gallery 北京 2013 艺术三亚 三亚 海南 2012 MAXIMA+ 沪申画廊 上海

梦与记忆之间 富思画廊 北京

异度．风景 静艺空间 北京

新疆双年展 乌鲁木齐 新疆

近观与冥想当代艺术展 巢一艺术中心 成都

游戏的抗争 学古斋画廊 首尔 2011 中秋的月色 十号赞善里画廊 香港

成都双年展 成都

杜撰者 北京索卡艺术中心 北京

溪山清远 - 中国新绘画 亚洲艺术博物馆 旧金山 2010 上海艺博会青年艺术家推介展 世贸商城 上海

溪山清远 ﹣中国新绘画 LBF基金会 伦敦

调节器 ﹣第二届今日文献展 今日美术馆 北京

楼上的青年 ﹣批评家提名展 时代美术馆 北京

改造历史 ﹣中国青年新艺术邀请展 阿拉里奥画廊 32

北京

2009

2008

2006 2004 2003 2002

现实的观察 卓越艺术 北京 李晓静潘剑作品联展 余德耀美术馆 雅加达 花好月圆 ﹣余氏中国当代艺术典藏展 余德耀美术馆 雅加达 台北艺术博览会 台北 双城记 北京空间画廊 北京 别样风景 3818库画廊 北京 当代艺术文献展 ﹣新锐特展 墙美术馆 北京 非常风景 高地画廊 北京 中国新视觉 ﹣中国当代青年艺术家联展 国际展览中心 上海 第三届中国油画展 中国美术馆 北京 异化现实 ﹣当代艺术展 上河创库 昆明 云南

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artist’s studio in Beijing 艺术家北京的工作室 34

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ALL WORKS OF ART COPYRIGHT © PAN JIAN A VIBRANT LIFE PUBLICATION Designed by Prima Yu

This catalogue is published on the occasion of Pan Jian’s solo exhibition Shadow of Light at 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong in 2015.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

ISBN 978-988-16892-9-0 Printed in Hong Kong, 2015

G/F, 10 Chancery Lane, SoHo, Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2810 0065 | Email: info@10chancerylanegallery.com | www.10chancerylanegallery.com

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