wen wu 文 倵
reflec)on of beijing 2014 oil/linen 220x630 cm 《北京面对面》 220x630 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through the book 2014 oil/linen 220x420cm 《切开的书》 220 x 420 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through the book 2013 oil/linen 100x180cm 《切开的书》100 x 180 cm 亚麻布面油画 2013
slice through the book 2014 oil/linen 110x100cm 《切开的书》 110 x 100 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
chicken from wenchang 2013 oil/linen 128x192 cm 《文昌鸡》128x192 cm 亚麻布面油画 2013
chicken from wenchang 2013 oil/linen 128x192 cm 《文昌鸡》 128x192 cm 亚麻布面油画 2013
the british bulldogs 2014 oil/linen 55x80 cm 《英国斗牛狗》 55x80 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
chinese stone lions 2014 oil/linen 100 x 220 cm 《中华石狮子》100 x 220 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
《自画像》100x200cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through chinese identifications 2014 oil/linen 40x110 cm 《切开的中国身份证》 40x110 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
untitled 2014 oil/linen 55x80 cm 《无题》 55x80 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
In the eye 2014 oil/linen 55 x80cm 《对视》 55 x80 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice the butterfly into three layers 2014 oil/linen 240 x 160 cm 《切成三层的蝴蝶》 240 x 160 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
white bu@erfly 2014 oil/linen 80 x 80 cm 《白蝴蝶》80 x 80 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
fall of strawberry 2014 oil/linen 240x120cm 《坠落的草莓》 240x120cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
fall of watermelon 2014 oil/linen 140 x 110 cm 《坠落的西瓜》 140 x 110 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through the tomatoes 2014 oil/linen 80x80cm 《切开的西红柿》80x80 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through the oranges 2014 oil/linen 80x80cm 《切开的橙子》60x160 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through the oranges 2014 oil/linen 80x80cm 《切开的橙子》80x80 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
slice through the bread 2014 oil/linen 120x80cm 《切开的面包》60x160 cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
hot milk 2014 oil/linen 40 x 55cm 《热牛奶》 40 x 55cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
hot chocolate 2014 oil/linen 40 x 55cm 《咖啡杯》 40 x 55cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
cup 2014 oil/linen 40 x 55cm 《茶缸》 40 x 55cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
cup 2014 oil/linen 40 x 55cm 《绿茶缸》 40 x 55cm 亚麻布面油画 2014
un)tled 2014 oil/linen 100 x 90cm 《无题》 100 x 90cm 亚麻布面油画2014
《无题》140 x 110cm 亚麻布面油画 2013
《无题》 亚麻布面油画 120 x 90cm 2013
Wen Wu, a personal way of Pain2ng by Huang Du Wen Wu is interested in the rela)onship between the literal and the metaphorical power of paint. By depic)ng everyday objects in thick, coarse layers of pigment, the ar)st reduces the subject ma@er to its essence, allowing for immediate recogni)on to something so specific and yet so general at the same )me. By doing so, he also calls a@en)on to the medium. Pain)ng becomes more than a symbolic vessel; it asserts the tangibility of the objects it represents. When one looks at Wen Wu's recent pain)ngs, one is leN with an indelible impression. Today, ar)sts con)nue to explore unique and innova)ve methods of crea)on, hoping to invent a new visual language. In the same vein as Lucio Fontana — who brilliantly expanded the crea)ve possibili)es of a two-‐dimensional pain)ng by taking a blade to it — Wen Wu found inspira)on in a food slicer. Observing the manual opera)on of mechanical food cu@ers, Wen Wu was fascinated by how they rhythmically and predictably cut food into standardized shapes. When Wen Wu uses this “dehumanizing” mechanical method in his pain)ngs, the resul)ng imagery is compelling, unique and obviously made by an individual — one with an ingenious thought process. Wen Wu begins by adding layer upon layer of pigments, forming a thick, almost sculptural slab. He then uses his self-‐made cu[ng device to slice the layers of paint, which becomes displaced and distorts the image. The original image is destroyed, giving way to a new one. The handcraNed “human” quality of pain)ng coupled with the spontaneous image cut by machine highlights the dichotomies an ar)st oNen grapples with: human and machine produc)on, composi)on and deconstruc)on, delibera)on and chance. Of his Self Analysis series of works, Wen Wu says: “they can be seen as retrospec)on of my past experience in pain)ng. The separa)on of layers of my thick pigment pain)ngs by food cu@er is my method of dissec)ng the thin laminae of my unveiled imagina)on. It allows me to turn my previous pain)ngs into a process of deconstruc)on, and it also shortens the distance of imagina)on between the ar)st and the viewer.” (1) It is a playful interven)on of tradi)onal art prac)ce. Together, mind, body and machine contribute to the process of construc)on and deconstruc)on. Hence, a tension arises because an external object is used to disrupt the original experience of pain)ng. By thinking beyond the two-‐dimensionality of pain)ng and emphasizing its sculptural and even performa)ve a@ributes in space and )me, Wen Wu revolu)onizes the experience of art making and art viewing.
Wen Wu's pain)ngs is influenced by the German plas)k, which means to "sculpt" or to build up the shapes of people and objects in pain)ngs, also emphasizes the act of deconstruc)on. Wen Wu’s new pain)ng method focuses on the opposing concepts of "construc)on" and "deconstruc)on". The ar)st processes macroscopic and microscopic images of everyday objects or historic figures by hand and by machine. Removing details and contextual clues, the images become purely visual forms. Again, it seems as if the pain)ngs elude a cri)cal stance; however, the ar)st actually overthrows the human penchant for signifiers. The ar)st thus undermines the tendency to reduce collec)ve memories, poli)cal languages, social statuses, fashion icons, personal iden))es, scenes from everyday life into mere symbols. For instance, in the work Self Analysis (128 x192 cm, oil on canvas, 2013), Wen Wu depicts a Hai Nan-‐style cooked chicken on a plate, applying his usual concept and method. The image is composed of 64 small icons, sugges)ng that nothing escapes ar)ficial manipula)on. The idea is reinforced by the ar)st’s signature slicing process. Despite such dras)c manipula)on, the chicken dish is s)ll immediately recognizable. Another unexpected result are peculiar streaks and blots caused but the displacement of thick paint by the cu[ng machine. In the works Conflict (80 x 100 cm, oil on canvas, 2006), Face to Face (60 x 140 cm, oil on canvas, 2012), Un)tled (40 x 110 cm, oil on canvas, 2013) and ID Card (40 x 110 cm, oil on canvas, 2014), Wen Wu cut the thick layer of paint and transferred it onto another canvas, crea)ng a rorschach effect. The contrast between the ar)st’s hand and machine becomes apparent. One can see the rela)onship between calcula)on and accident, technology and nature, imagina)on and reality. Wen Wu also devotes himself to abstract pain)ng, which allows him to study the rela)onship between pure colors and forms without the constraints of depic)ng figura)ve representa)on. In works like in Un)tled (100 x 90 cm, oil on canvas, 2014), RooNop (230 x 200 cm, oil on canvas, 2014) and Rainbow (120 x 90 cm, oil on canvas, 2014), the rich textures and colors give the viewer a very palpable sense of the ar)st’s presence. One can easily imagine how the ar)st crushes, cut, scraped, applied and sliced the vivid color pigments to arrive at this point. Wen Wu's work does not prescribe to any specific theory or doctrine. He is merely interested in challenging universal and societal ideas of how art is made and viewed.
文倵：绘画作为个人方式 黄笃 文倵最近创作的绘画给人以难忘的印象。他聚焦于绘画的物质与精神的辩证关系，通过对形象的解读与分解，以油画物质性（颜料）作为认知 物像的载体，力图扩张绘画的内涵与外延。在文倵作品中，绘画不仅是符号的载体，而且还呈现物质的自在性。 当今，艺术家无不都在创作中寻找排他性的可能，因为排他性意味着其中发现一种与众不同的方法论，运用新的方法则预示着生成新的艺术语 言。如同丰塔纳（Lucio Fontana）在平面绘画空间上的开创性，文倵受启于日常生活中的食物切割机，试图建立个人的艺术维度，他偶然发 现了食物切割机的机械效应——人主观操作它能改变物质的形态，从整块食物被切割成标准化的片状，这种机器完全具有一种去个性化的强迫 力量。当这种去个性化的机器被转移到绘画创作过程时，它顺即展现了艺术家在观念与语言上的独特个性。文倵充分发挥如何使用厚颜料创作， 描绘的形象在画布上用厚颜色一层层画或叠加，形成了厚重的雕塑感，然后，他以自制的切割机把厚厚的雕塑感画面一层一层切割开来，不断 改变绘画的物质形态。这种层层切割形象的过程，就是形象的移位，既在“破坏”形象的同时，又在“生成”新的形象。也就是说，这种绘画 具有独特的辩证关系，既保留了绘画形式的手工性，又展示了机器切割的不确定形象。因此，文倵的新作无疑打开了新的绘画维度，从中揭示 了人工与机器、形式与形状、生成与解构、设定与不确定之间的争斗和纠缠。 事实上，文倵把被自己覆盖的（绘画）想象断层剖开展示，让人看到绘画的新维度。如他所说，“自我解析系列作品，对我来说是我对过去绘 画历程的反思。是把我的厚颜料油画用食物切割机一片一片的分解，试图把绘画完成后某个被覆盖的想象性断层解剖出来。这种方式，让我把 过去已完成的绘画转变为二次解构的过程，它化解了作者和观众的想象力距离。” 这是一种以游戏方式对艺术的介入，即思维、身体与机器对 绘画的干预，交织着塑造与解构的过程，这一过程让绘画不再是经典秩序的呈现，而是使它与外物的结合与冲突，以颠覆绘画固有的经验。虽 然绘画的发展有其线性逻辑的视觉经验，但这些经验也往往构成了绘画创新的约束或牢笼。因此，正是在这个意义上，文倵采用非绘画的方式， 以打破固有的艺术逻辑和经验为砝码，让绘画不再仅仅是平面意义上的形式，而是要彰显绘画具有空间和时间的雕塑感。也就是说，机器之于 绘画，则改变了绘画空间、形式、语言、观念的意义。
值得注意的是，文倵绘画的重心在于解构塑形（plastic），而德语的“plastik”一词，蕴涵“雕塑”的塑造之意，具体指在绘画中与刻划或塑造 人物或事物的形态。文倵把这种雕塑概念引入新的绘画方式，将之观念性地转换成“塑造”与“解塑造”的整体。这样使绘画从传统经验中挣脱 出来，他以雕塑绘画的效果，冲破绘画的平面性，透过物质变化，向外延展，从而使作品在空间与时间上产生无限性，让绘画自身最终获得新的 解释。无论是日常形象，还是历史图像，他主观剔除了与图像相关的语境，并使其转化成纯粹的视觉语言。一切图像经由他手绘与机器处理，宏 伟和微观的图象被过滤和简化成纯粹视觉形式，看似没有鲜明批判的姿态，实质上却有非常理性的思考——以绘画／雕塑／装置的形式揭示形形 色色的图像背后的象征符号——集体记忆、政治话语、社会阶层、流行时尚、日常生活、个人身份的轨迹。例如在作品《自我解析》（128 x192cm，亚麻布面油画，2013）中，文倵循用自己的观念与方法，画了一只盘中的海南鸡，由64张小画拼成一张大画，描绘了盘中之鸡，预 示其任人宰割，恰与一层一层切割厚厚的油画颜料过程和效果相吻合。他主观使绘画的物质性发生变化和转移，最底层的油画颜色被（机器）切 割成几近光滑的平面，依然能分辨鸡之形态。然而，画面上被（机器）切割下的一块一块颜色分布于一块一块小画布上，并没有布成鸡的形状， 而是组成抽象的色块。其余被切割的油画颜色被自由堆积在一个麻袋上，组成了绘画／装置的整体结构。在《冲突》（80 x100cm，亚麻布面 油画，2006）、《面对面》（60 x140cm 布面油画 2012）、《无题》（40 x 110cm，布面油画，2013）和《身份证》（40 x 110cm， 布面油画，2014）中，文倵在不同的厚厚油彩形象上切割下一层，将之移至另一画布上，形成了两个正反或对视的形象。显然，这是平面绘画 的手工与机器切割的肌理之间的对比，其形象蕴涵了精确与偶然、技术与自然的关系，从而建构了一种超出想象的奇异视觉效果，并在现实与非 现实之间找到某种精神本体。 除此之外，文倵还从事抽象绘画的创作，他把抽象绘画看作身体运动的产物，灵活把握住了色彩的结构、关系和形式，将纯粹色彩或不同色域进 行流动性处理，呈现画面的韵律、结构和形式，这一切归结于他对整体与局部、强与弱、轻与重关系的熟练拿捏。尽现色彩挤压、划动和刀刮所 形成的凹凸肌理及其雕塑感，如作品《无题》（100 x 90cm 亚麻布面油画，2014）、《屋顶》（230 x 200cm，亚麻布面油画，2014）和 《彩虹》（布面油画，120 x 90cm，2014）等所呈现的丰富而微妙的变化，它们无疑表明：不仅反映了（艺术家）个人在创作中对绘画物质 性的强调，而且也展现了其把控几近极简形式的能力。 文倵的作品并没有呈现什么主义的明确理论，但他要以最简单的方式发挥机器之功效，将其转移到绘画中，并让其颠覆绘画表现技巧及其秩序。 虽然他所表现的是大多常见的形象，但其作品剔除了语境化成份，以再现其纯视觉意义。与此同时，文倵的作品通过手绘与机器的冲突暗喻了社 会普遍价值观的混乱，进而直指当今社会与文化互相动摇的评价基准的根基。因此，文倵作品所彰显的操作性，显而易见地证明艺术生产就是一 种思维方式。
About Self-‐deconstruc)on Self-‐deconstruc)on is the theme I yearn to reflect in my pain)ngs and such a desire has been fermen)ng over the past years …… My Past : During my study in Germany, I, together with many other young ar)sts, were influenced by my supervisor and followed his thick color style. Through learning and pain)ng, I shaped myself and at the same )me was shaped, which is a process of self-‐expression and being expressed. In my twenty years spent in Germany, I was most impressed by the food cu[ng machine, which I used in my daily life. It is awe-‐inspiring, as it cuts food into standard pieces and forces out any individuality. Such an ea)ng habit can only be dis)nguished and judged by our diges)ve system. As individuals, are we really leN with no choices? My Present: As a Chinese born in Lanzhou, Shandong Province, living in Hainan Beijing and with an overseas background in Germany, I was able to reflect my past and present into my work. Eastern and Western influences converge throughout my work. Self-‐deconstruc)ng my own pain)ngs means cas)ng eyes back into my ar)s)c life, cu[ng my thick-‐color oil pain)ngs into pieces and a@emp)ng to expose the fault line in imagina)on covered deep under the colors. This allows me to re-‐deconstruct my completed pain)ngs and bridge the gap in imagina)on between the painter and the audience. By blending the past with the present, self-‐deconstruc)on provides a special experience of entertainment for the audience. My future: To be constantly generated by my past + my present ……
《自我分离》作品自述 自我解析是我一直想做的作品，它的概念一直在我脑海里，不断的发酵…… 我的过去： 在德国的求学期间，我的导师影响了包括我在内的一大批青年艺术家。我们都在学习如何学会使用他善长的厚 颜料。对我来说这种学习、创作状态是一个自我意义塑形和被塑形、自我言说和被言说的经历。我在德国的二 十年期间，对我印象最深刻的是食物切割机。它存在日常生活中，和我息息相关。我对它感到惧怕，我认为它 把食物标准化成片，有一种去除个性化的强迫力。这种饮食习惯只能用我们的消化系统去鉴别和判断，作为个 体是否无法真正选择？ 我的现在： 我是生活在北京的兰州出身的祖籍山东的德国海归。我的经历让我面临着诸多不同的语言系统、消化系统，它 让我思考如何解放过去，融合现在，投射未来。自我解析系列作品，对我来说是我对过去绘画历程的反思。是 把我的厚颜料油画用食物切割机一片一片的分解，试图把绘画完成后某个被覆盖的想象性断层解剖出来。这种 方式，让我把过去已完成的绘画转变为二次解构的过程，它化解了作者和观众的想象力距离。在这里，过去、 现在是相容并存的构成物，也提供一种特殊的观赏经验。 我的未来： 在过去＋现在的不断生成中进行……
WEN WU 1968 Born in Lanzhou Gansu, China 1990 Moved to Germany 1993-‐1998 Master Class with Professor Dieter Krieg, Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, (Düsseldorf State Arts Academy), Düsseldorf, Germany 1998 Graduated from the Master Class Held several interna)onal solo and group exhibi)ons Artworks collected by public organiza)ons and private collectors 2013 Opened Wenwu Studio in Beijing Currently works as an independent ar)st. Lives in Beijing, China, and Düsseldorf, Germany. Selected Exhibi)ons from 2011 2015 The Meaning of another Layer of Pain)ng, Wenwu’s Solo Exhibi)on, Whitebox Art Centre, Beijing, China Blend In: The Spiritual Dimension in the World of Imagery, Ningbo Museum of Art, Ningbo, China 2014 APP＋FIFTH ROUND, ArtDepot, Beijing, China Tracing: Un)l Grow Moss, Grand Space, Beijing, China Self-‐Rela)onship: We Are Utopia Organism, Today Art Gallery, Sanya, China Nanjing Interna)onal Art Fes)val, Nanjing Museum, China Main Exhibi)on -‐ Encounter on the Silk Road, The 1st China Xinjiang Interna)onal Arts Biennale Urumqi, China Is Circle a Shape, or a Symbol, D-‐Space, Beijing, China 2013 Enlargement: 55th Interna)onal Art Exhibi)on, La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy Encounters: Interna)onal Contemporary Art Themed Exhibi)on, Art Sanya, Sanya, China 2012 Center’s LeN Borders Right: Hainan Contemporary Art Exhibi)on, Haikou, China 2011 Chaile Travel-‐The Fourth Visit to Plan, Wenchang, China
文倵 1968年出生于甘肃兰州，祖籍山东平原， 1990年旅居德国科隆， 1993年至1998年就读于德国杜塞尔多夫艺术学院 Dieter Krieg 教授工作室， 1998年大师班毕业，之后多次举办国际个展和群展， 作品为机构及私人收藏家收藏, 2011年回国， 2013年开始在北京成立工作室， 至今独立艺术家工作和生活在中国北京和德国杜塞尔多夫。 2011年回国后展览节选 2015 “绘画的另一面”，文倵个展，白盒子艺术馆，798，北京，中国 “心与物游－图像世界中的精神纬度”，宁波美术馆，宁波，中国 2014 “APP＋FIFTH ROUND”，艺术仓库，798， 北京， 中国 “致痕迹－一直到长出青苔”，圣点空间，798，北京，中国 “自我关系-乌托邦有机体”，今日艺术汇， 三亚， 中国 “南京国际美术展”，南京，中国 新疆国际艺术双年展 “相遇丝绸之路”， 新疆， 中国 D-SPACE 艺术空间 “这是圆还是圈？”， 北京， 中国 2013
第55届威尼斯双年展特别邀请展“放大”, 威尼斯, 意大利
2014 ART SANYA国际当代艺术展主题展“不期而遇”，三亚, 中国 2012 “中心向左边缘向右”，海口，中国 2011 “拆了旅行社”——现场， 文昌，中国
文倵工作室 wenwu studio