cheng 鄭
藍
I first came across Halley’s watercolor works at a Chinese University showcase and I immediately fell in love with his creations while he was still in his undergraduate studies. As I was busy, I returned the next day to inquire about the works but only found that they were gone. I did not have a chance to meet him in person until a few years later when I bumped into his works again at the Fotanian Studios Open Day. Once again, I loved his watercolor works and recognized his style even though the subject matter was completely different from what I saw before. This time, I was determined to meet him, and there he was in the flesh - Halley Cheng. Since then, I have wanted to host a show for Halley at my gallery as I really hoped that he would put the time and effort to develop a series of works for himself using watercolor. After over a year of planning, discussion and putting the creation into action, we are proud to present to you his first solo exhibition in watercolor - “Cerulean”. Halley’s newly finished works are a series of schools often attached with a church, or a Catholic or Christian symbol. Halley told me he finds it interesting in observing these buildings. Let’s take a closer look at this series of works. It is very rare to find young artists who can have such good control of colors especially in watercolor. In this series, Halley chose mostly cool colors like cerulean blue, grey, earth and white, using them sparingly to make pale and translucent shades. The colors are not contrasting to each other; rather, there are numerous uses of nuanced hues of similar color tones. Halley’s high level of techniques is demonstrated by his sensitivity to color gradations, layering versus transparency, and contrasting shallow to deep spacing. It gives viewers many aspects in which to enjoy his works.
序言
Instead of using a realistic way of expression, Halley composes the buildings using super-flat perspective. Not only did it simplify the structure of the buildings portrayed, but he was also able to pinpoint on objects that attracted him and enable the viewers to experience the same. Perhaps Halley’s years of training in Chinese ink painting may have put weight on how he managed to complete these portrayals of architecture without drawing a single line. His technique is similar to the Mogu method in Chinese ink painting: what you perceive as lines are actually layers of colors concentrated to create an impression of a ‘line’. It amuses me greatly when he is so focused in this repetitive action when making these lines of windows and air-conditioners so tidily and flawlessly. Maybe this is Halley’s way of meditation. The buildings are portrayed in a well-balanced and symmetrical manner that gives a sense of unity. Many geometric shapes formed by patches of colors are used here. Interestingly, these rectilinear shapes with mostly angular definitions do not evoke very strong or harsh feelings. Rather, they help to create a mixed sense of nostalgia, authority and a past community denoted by school buildings. It is fun that Halley sometimes adds organic shapes such as plants and trees that make viewers giggle or laugh, and which tickle our visual sense to look for little details. He does so because he knows viewers would look for tiny details, similar to most people’s tendency to be curious. People often like peeping into others’ homes at public housing estates when they pass by in a bus or a car just to have a glimpse of what people are doing inside. The deliberate use of white space around the margins of the works also encourages viewers to further use their imagination and to reflect on the subject matter. Apart from the obvious appreciation of the physical form of the schools with his techniques above, Halley has a more subtle intention to help viewers transcend to the reflection of the subject matter – schools. It is perhaps a collective memory for all of us, our school days from morning assembly, to classes, recesses, lunch breaks, tests, and exams etc. However, there are also many personal memories unique to each of us: laughters we shared with schoolmates, friendships, fights and betrayals, etc.
Henrietta Tsui 徐錦熹 Founder and Director of Galerie Ora-Ora
奧拿‧奧拿創辦人、董事
My interpretation of his works would be this: they are nostalgic, poetic, comforting and they have the power to evoke personal reflections. School is a place that each of us must go through before we enter society. It is therefore a society in itself, for students for many years. Have we ever taken the time to appreciate the appearance of it? This subject is accessible to all; yet, our individual reflections on this series of works can be quite different. Overall, Halley succeeded in presenting a nostalgic mood, demonstrating his interests and his mastering of watercolor with an innate, perhaps even subconscious, use of Chinese ink painting techniques. Viewers should look for contrasts in shapes and forms, and variations in subtle hues of colors, whether these pieces touch your heart, bring back memories of the past or call to your feelings of the present. More importantly, this original concept of using schools as a symbol to portray Halley’s remembrance and memories of his school life is unique. His presentation of these works is highly stylistic. Halley is a young and confident artist, diligent and focused with a high level of energy. He knows what he wants to achieve and works hard to achieve it. He is articulate and this quality is very important for an artist. I hope you enjoy his works as much as I do.
第一次看到哈雷的作品是在香港中文大學的一個展覽。我對 他的作品一見鍾情，而他當時還是個未畢業的藝術系本科 生。我記得我當日很忙，翌日才有機會回去再欣賞作品。打 算詢問關於他的作品的時候卻已經太遲，作品都不見了。和 他的第一次見面已經是幾年後的事。那時我去伙炭藝術工作 室的開放日，儘管畫作的主題已不同，但我還是馬上認出了 他的水彩畫，再一次迷上它們。這次，我一定要見到他，而 終於得償所願，認識了──鄭哈雷。我很想為他在我的畫廊 舉辦一個展覽，希望他能藉此更認真地去發展他的水彩系 列。用了一年多的時間去計劃、籌備、創作，終於我們高興 地向您呈獻他的第一個水彩個展──《藍》。 哈雷是次新作描繪一系列的學校或它們的附屬教堂。他說他 從觀看這些校舍中得到很大的樂趣。細看這些作品，您會發 現哈雷有著非一般年輕藝術家擁有對水彩的駕馭能力。這系 列作品裡，他主要以輕、淡和通透去演繹天藍、灰、白、土 等冷色系。它們沒有對比，沒有矛盾，但每種色系都有多層 次的重疊。哈雷的技術在於對顏色的敏感、層次和透明度的 拿捏，以及深淺空間的對比。這些都令觀者能從多方面欣賞 他的作品。 與其直接、現實地表達他的題材，哈雷於視覺上把三維的建 築壓平。以二維呈現令校舍結構變得簡潔，是他向觀者分享 和強調一些特別吸引他的細節的方法。 他於國畫上的造詣大概能解釋到他何以在描繪建築物時也用 不著畫上一條線。那些疑似「線」的，都是以色塊重疊或排 列而形成的「邊」，用上的是類似國畫中的「沒骨」技法。 他孜孜不倦地重複畫著一排又一排整齊的、四方的窗戶和冷 氣機，實在難得又有趣。這可能是他個人的靜坐修心方式 吧。
構圖上，這些建築物對稱又平衡，帶出完整的感覺。雖然哈 雷用上很多幾何圖形的色塊，不過這些稜角的形狀卻沒有絲 毫強硬或冷漠的感覺，反而表達出懷緬、紀律及校園內的社 群。有時他會藏入一些有趣的原素或生物，例如一個盆栽或 一棵樹，細心觀察下發現了這些細節時總會讓人會心一笑， 促使觀者去探索畫面，尤如我們坐車經過香港密密麻麻的屋 宇時會好奇向內觀望一樣。畫作邊緣的大量留白就更加供予 觀者對畫中主題更多的想像空間。 以上說及的種種技法和表達風格之下，哈雷想達到的，其實 是引領觀者踏入更細膩的對學校的反思。學校生活是我們的 一個共同回憶。我們都經歷過早會、上課、小息、午飯時 間、測驗、考試等等。還有更個人化的，例如與同學一起的 歡笑、友情、爭執、背叛……
我對這些作品的詮釋就是：充滿懷緬、詩意、令人舒適並發 人深省。學校是我們通向社會的必經之地，也是我們經歷多 年光陰的一個小社會。我們可曾好好欣賞過它的外貌？這些 畫，我們之中每一個人都會看得明白，但每人對學校的反思 卻又將大有不同。 哈雷成功地表達出懷緬的氣氛、他的興趣和創作原意，還顯 示出他的水彩技巧和潛在的國畫造詣。無論作品觸動了內心 深處，牽動回憶或是讓您反思現在，不要忘了細看他於用色 和圖形上的細心和創作出的視覺反差。另外，他選擇以學舍 象徵他對校園生活的回顧和懷念，於概念上是獨一無二，而 表達方面，亦是充滿個人風格的。 哈雷年輕、自信、用功、有魄力。他知道他要的是什麼而且 會努力爭取。他也能流利地表達自己。作為一位藝術家，這 是很重要的。我希望您會和我一樣喜歡他的作品。
哈雷的話
My most sincere thanks to Henrietta, Rebecca and Odetti – because without your help and advice, this exhibition would not turn out as well as it is. Henrietta is a strong-minded gallery director. I dare say she is the second person who has discovered me and significantly helped me along in my artistic career. Our collaboration is very smooth as we often share similar ideas. She has a particular kind of energy that encourages and motivates artists to keep working and keep improving, which I believe is one of the main reasons Galerie Ora-Ora has grown so fast in these few years. We have gone through many changes from the inception of the exhibition to its realization. I am very grateful towards Rebecca and Odetti for putting up with me. Art gallery is an important part of my artistic journey and I am glad I have the opportunity to work with Ora-Ora. I will say that much about the exhibition; I hope you all enjoy it as much as you can.
It seems that every school that we see could be represented by a colour. One school would be a specific shade of blue and another a different shade, even if their actual walls are painted in the same swatch of colour. My favourite are those in cerulean, with walls that look as plain and austere as a monumental stone slab, as if all their rules and missions are trapped inside them. The primary and secondary schools that I went to were green. My secondary school uniform was such an awkward and perverted shade of green that I used to feel ashamed every time I pulled it out of my closet - it still gives me goosebumps thinking about it now. Schools are always teaching the most outdated and least applicable kind of knowledge. Real and useful knowledge are found outside in society; when they finally enter into the academic curriculum, they have become obsolete. However, school was the place which substantially shaped our attitude and our characters. I believe one of the most important lessons we learn from school is to accept things that we may not voluntarily accept, such as teachers, P.E. class, P.E. kit, P.E. teacher, teachers with tucked shirts, chicken wings being sold out from the tuck shop and the singing of the Head of Student Discipline… So I learnt to accept that shade of green too. I had passionately anticipated life as a university student because to me, university symbolised a totally different world of freedom. It was much later that I realised that my years spent in school were the most precious, as it was then that I learnt to be humble and respectful towards all things and people. Yet, I am not painting any green schools; I am honestly a bit tired of them.
很多謝Henrietta, Rebecca 與 Odetti，沒有你們的意見與幫 忙，這個展覽不會成功。 Henrietta是一個很有主見的畫廊老闆，她可說是我的第二位 伯樂。在工作上我和她是一拍即合的，大家在很多事情上的 看法也很一致，而且她往往能給予藝術家一股精益求精的動 力，我相信這是 Galerie Ora-Ora 畫廊數年間便崛起的一個 重要因素。 這次展覽由概念到最後成形中間經歷了很多很多次的改動， 我很多謝 Rebecca 與 Odetti 對我處處的忍讓。 在我藝術探求的路上，畫廊是不可或缺的一部份，很高興能 和Ora-Ora合作，關於展覽的也不用多說了，大家盡情享受 吧。
我們遇到的每一間學校，彷佛都可以用一種顏色去表示，並 且，每間學校都有它的專利顏色，此藍不同彼藍，縱使它們 的牆身都是相同編號的漆。當中，我最喜歡藍色的學校，尤 其那些外牆鈍得像一塊石碑，好像校訓和校規就全裝在牆裡 似的藍色學校。我入讀的中、小學卻都是綠色的，中學時校 服還是異相和帶點變態的綠，每次我從衣櫃裡取出校褸，總 有莫名的慚愧。現在想起來還有點餘悸。 學校永遠教授著最過時、最用不著的知識，最新的知識都在 社會裡，待得進入到教育制度已成過氣。學校卻成就了我們 最重要的人格和學習態度，我想，學校最大的價值是要我們 無條件去接受一些我們不願接受的東西──老師、體育堂、 體育服、體育老師、束衣的老師、小食部的雞翼總是賣完、 訓導主任永遠高了音的詩歌歌聲……所以我還是接受了中小學 的綠。我曾經為充溢著自由開放氣息的大學生活感到興奮， 以為進入了另一片天，甚麼都有得選擇。後來發覺中小學時 的沉澱才最重要，是我對萬物投以虛心和尊重的基本。 不過，我對綠色的學校是太厭倦了，還是沒有畫出來，或 者，是我太熟悉綠色的學校吧。
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Excerpt from a letter from John Batten to Halley Cheng on the subject of his new series of paintings of Hong Kong secondary and primary schools and some of their respective church halls. Batten is active in the development of Hong Kong’s art and culture sector, with a focus on visual arts, public art and the conservation of cultural heritage. He is a member of the International Association of Art Critics Hong Kong, an advisory Board Member to the Asia Art Archive and he is the organizer of the annual charity art event Hong Kong ArtWalk.
July 2010 Dear Halley Thank you for sending me this set of watercolour paintings. They are intimate and I should critique them and write the catalogue essay you asked; in the style that a catalogue essay is expected to be in, in that style. But, I haven’t spoken to you. … But that is not how I really feel, because; well, you don’t know, as I haven’t told you, but the paintings have given me great comfort. Comfort. I have been a little sick recently. Don’t worry, nothing too serious, God willing, but still… Your paintings are strong and perfect as a centre from which to begin again. I think that sounds both ominous and pompous. Images of churches, do that, don’t they – be it Monet’s studies of light on Rouen Cathedral or Constable’s great Salisbury Cathedral with rainbow . What is it,
親愛的哈雷
John Constable, Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1829, oil on canvas, private collection on loan to National Gallery, London.
John Batten Renowned Art Critic
what is so humbling about churches? Because, really, they are places of discredited doctrine, but those churchly spaces really have something. The austere Baptists or the gaudy Catholics or those pious Anglican vaults that I grew up with – while I am on it, why do Anglican churches always have a corner with the flags of a war lying, lying in a corner? A memorial to those who died fighting – or is it something else, another lie, that the Church is really memorializing? You know I love the old, tatty, forgotten parts of cities. Hong Kong has many special little corners that change daily: tatty they remain, but it is a different set of tatty every day. There is a pattern to it, but don’t look too carefully, because the magic is in the nonchalant balance of each special tatty place. Your churches, Halley, are similar. They reek of Hong Kong’s sub-zonal climate with your careful rendering of carefully nonchalant weathered blemishes on each church exterior surface. … Church architecture in Hong Kong has a few nuances governed by the city’s close and congested urban landscape. In Hong Kong, churches often occupy buildings with other tenants; possibly, the church owns the building with upper level tenants providing an income. Even placement of the church’s cross is problematic, as most churches do not have an apse or exterior spires, so the cross is often an architectural feature in itself, incorporated into the body (a liturgical phrase, that!) of the building’s exterior walls. The cross is at street-level, but often camouflaged by the viewer’s inability to have enough distance to actually see it. An example, which I discovered a few months ago, is the Pentecostal Holiness Church - Rousseau Memorial Assembly on Ap Lei Chau Main Street. I also like Catholic Church fences that incorporate the pattern of the cross - a good example, is near Broadway Cinematheque in Yau Ma Tei. And simplicity: the accurate, but brazen “Baptist Sunday School” sign, in English and Chinese, on the cacky-brown tiled outer wall of the Ap Lei Chau Baptist Church, has a melancholia of children’s lost Sunday mornings (as mine were, for a time). But then, is learning of or about the Ten Commandments etc etc etc, something to be frowned on? What do you think, Halley?
I like that you use watercolour. These paintings are so, so very different from your work done in biro and graphite on wood, which are thoughtful, calculated and organized. The watercolour paintings are free, immediate and catch a silent in situ moment. I suppose some people will dismiss your church paintings: “A painting of a church!” Don’t listen, paint what you want – especially paint the views of our city that are underappreciated. They really are a comfort for me. Yours - J
摘錄自約翰．百德寫給鄭哈雷的一封信，信中表達他對這系 列中小學校舍和禮堂的水彩畫的看法。 約翰．百德活躍於本地藝術文化、公共藝術、文化政策、文 化遺產保存工作等範疇。他是國際藝評人協會香港分會會 員、亞洲藝術文獻庫的顧問，並出任每年藝術籌款活動Hong Kong ArtWalk的籌辦人。 親愛的哈雷， 多謝你讓我看到這些水彩畫，它們讓我有很親切的感覺。你 請我為你的畫冊寫一篇文章，請我評論這些畫作。我會寫 的，而且能適當地用上一篇畫冊文章應有的風格，之不過， 我還未有機會與你談談。 ………… 但這不是我真正的感受。雖然你不知道，因為我未有機會跟 你說，但這些畫給了我很大的安慰。
的地方，卻往往被忽視，因為途人根本沒有足夠的空間距離 去看到它。 例如，我幾個月前發現的，鴨脷洲大街上的五旬節聖潔會盧 亨利紀念堂。我也很喜歡那些用上十架設計的圍欄的天主教 堂;油麻地百老匯電影中心附近就有一所。還有就是簡潔：鴨 脷洲浸信會啡色瓦牆上那精簡的、中英文的「浸信會學校」 字樣，彷彿散發（我也曾經歷過的）孩子們失去週日上午而 感到的頹喪。 話雖如此，去學習和知道「十誡」等等，真的是惹人討厭的 事嗎？ 哈雷，你覺得呢？ 我喜歡你這些水彩畫。它們跟你之前用原子筆和炭筆的作品 很不同。那些作品有精心設計的感覺，但你這批新的作品看 起來自在逍遙、直接，捕捉到一個個寧靜的一剎。 我猜會有人不屑看你畫教堂的。他們會說，「他在畫教 堂！」你不用聽他們的，只要畫你想畫的就好，尤其是這些 我們往往忘了欣賞的角落。
很大的安慰。 它們真的讓我感到很欣慰。 我近來身子抱恙。別擔心，幸好不很嚴重，不過始終…… 你的畫作是新開始的完美出發點。
J謹上 2010年7月
聽起來好像有點弔詭又浮誇。教堂就是這樣──哪怕是莫內 借以探索光色的盧昂大教堂，還是康斯特勃筆下有彩虹陪襯 的索爾茲伯里大教堂 。到底是什麼使教堂會讓人感到渺小和 謙遜？實際上它們是其教義已經失信的地方，不過它們還是 奇妙地引人入勝。肅穆的浸信會教堂、華麗得俗氣的天主教 堂，還有伴著我成長的虔誠的聖公會堂拱頂──說起來，為 什麼聖公會堂總有某戰爭用的大旗遺落在教堂的一角？那是 教堂對戰死的士兵致敬嗎？還是別有用心？教堂要紀念的可 會是別的事、另一個謊言？ 你知道我最愛都市中那些破舊的被遺忘的角落。香港有很多 別緻的小地方每天都在轉變：它們始終破舊，但每天的破舊 卻又不一樣。其實有一個規律的，但千萬別去深究，因為這 些地方的魅力就是躲在破舊和凌亂的平衡中。 你的教堂，哈雷，也是這樣。 你細緻地描繪的每個禮堂的外牆和你小心地佈置出來的，那 些錯落的剝落和斑駁，使它們散發出香港氣候的味道。 ………… 香港的教堂建築有某些特色，源自於這城市密集狹迫的環 境。在這裡，教會通常與別人分租一棟建築。又或是，教會 把建築的上層出租，以增收入。就連教堂的十架放在哪裡， 都會是一個難題，因為大多禮堂不設半圓壁龕或塔尖，所以 很多時十架變成建築上的一項特色。十架放在不高於一層樓 約翰．康斯特勃，《從草地看索爾茲伯里大教堂》，油畫布本， 1829。借展於英國倫敦國家美術館；私人收藏。
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Grace and Evangel 恩磐 | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 71 x 100 cm | 2010
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Shum Oi 深愛 | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 75 x 110 cm | 2010
Ka Chi 嘉智 | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 103.5 x 75 cm | 2010
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pp. 12-14 | Faith Lutheran (A Set of 2) 深信 (一共兩幅) | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 87.6 x 47 cm | 87.6 x 165 cm | 2010
Kit Sam Hall 潔心禮堂 | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 82.5 x 71 cm | 2010
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Rhenish 禮賢 | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 75 x 110 cm | 2010
Kit Sam 潔心 | Watercolour on paper 水彩紙本 | 75 x 110 cm | 2010
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Galerie Ora-Ora spoke with Halley Cheng about his latest series of watercolour paintings, his journey as an artist so far and his aspirations for the future.
與藝術家對談 In this series you are painting school buildings, is it inspired by your life as a student? It does not have much to do with my life as a student, but everything to do with my daily life. Whenever I am out on the streets, I am always attracted to school buildings. They move me in a way that other urban architecture do not. I find schools more relatable, so much more than shopping malls or commercial buildings. They are something that are always old but always young at the same time. They are old because they have their histories and they carry their principles and responsibility for education; and they are young because of their students. Schools are like trees: they show greater strength and a greater depth of longevity as they age and mature. It is not something we can find in other architecture. What I like best about school buildings are the tidy rows of air conditioners and windows. They remind me of the students seated by order in the classrooms. There is no pretense in school buildings; they give people a genuine and sincere feeling, which is very rare among the architecture or people in our society today. What is also special about schools is that, if you can represent it with one colour, say yellow, but every school would need to be represented with a different shade of yellow. It is not like the new residential architecture in Hong Kong which are all cookie-cut model homes. Why are you using watercolour? I really enjoy using watercolour. To me, it gives a sense of tranquility and it requires a high level of concentration, both of which I enjoy. I like being quiet and focused when I paint. What really appeals to me too, is the moisture and fluidity of the colours. When I lay down a patch of colour that I am happy about, I can spend a few minutes looking at it and enjoying it. I take a lot of care to control the amount of water used. I think that is what I enjoy most and what makes my watercolour paintings attractive.
You graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with an undergraduate degree in Fine Art. How did you decide to enroll in the program? As I was having interviews at the art and design department of another university, I realised that I was more of an artist than a designer. In fact, at that interview, the professor said that I am more suitable to join the Fine Arts program. He asked me a question: if you came up with a design which you are very happy about, but which your client disputed and requested you to change, would you change it? And my answer was, and would still be the same if anyone asks me that again now - No I would not. I give what I think is best. If I cannot stand up for my own work and my principles, if I easily compromise my personal style, I believe it makes others less appreciative of my work. What was the biggest inspiration you got from your time at university? I believe it was the people I met who were my biggest inspirations, and there were two professors in particular: Mr. Lui Chun-kwong and Mr. Chan Yukkeung. Before entering university, I’d been learning Chinese Painting for ten years, but I always felt a lack in my tutor’s teaching, who taught by way of imitation. At university, I learnt from Professor Lui and Professor Chan that what I felt was a lack of inspiration or creative guidance. My time at university was a pivotal point. The people around me significantly expanded my horizons because they thought in very different ways. How were they different? I used to think the most important thing in making a Chinese Painting is to imitate as well as I can. I really enjoyed the process of laying each stroke onto the paper. I learnt my techniques. I learnt to focus and concentrate in painting but I thought next to nothing about being creative and did not even have a concept of “medium” or “materiality”. One day, I was making a painting, and naturally I was going to add colour too. An older student saw it, and
commented that adding colour would be superfluous, since the artwork was more about the lines. That made me start to think more about making choices in my work. How did that affect your way of thinking about and seeing art now? Did that change the way you see Chinese Painting? Absolutely, it affected my view on Chinese Painting in two ways. In Lingnan Chinese Painting there is a technique called Mogu – literally “boneless”, in which no solid lines are used. I used to aspire to this technique and be frustrated that I could not do it as well as I wanted. However, as I saw many people mastering that technique, I began to question the meaning in achieving a level of technical competence. Secondly, Chinese Painting is always known as “Chinese Painting”, despite its tremendously long history and its wide range of styles. I do not understand why all the richness and diversity is grouped under one name but at least now I see the problem with that. I do not have one single standard for viewing Chinese Painting. If one asks my opinion on a certain movement or style, I can give it, but I do not have a general standard for viewing “Chinese Painting”. What kind of Chinese Painting do you like best? I like the landscape paintings from the Five Dynasties period and from the Northern Song Dynasty. I think painters from those times, such as Fan Kuan, were doing something more out of the box. The Han and Tang paintings were mostly religious and I see a certain lack of freedom in paintings from the Qing Dynasty. In Song paintings however, I see melancholy, a surreal and romantic atmosphere, which is why I am drawn to them.
to judge the aesthetic quality of any given line on a piece of rice paper, we judge it against the definition regardless of what the line was supposed to convey, or what the space outside it was supposed to convey. Watercolour does not have these limitations. There are more expressionist-like brushwork in Chinese ink painting, but these were developed from Gongbi painting, so I do not believe anyone without Gongbi training can create a good expressionist stroke. Yet, watercolour is something that can be done well without such extensive training. Perhaps in Chinese ink painting, the importance is given over more to interpretation of the subject, while in watercolour, it is more to the communication of feelings. What are your aspirations in art? The Hong Kong art scene is growing, which means as an artist you may have more space to work and grow as well. The Hong Kong art scene is developing, but not developed. My view towards it is based on certain role models, such as artists like Ha Bik Chuen and Chow Chun-fai. Inevitably, the place they are at seems to be the place you think you want to go. But then I do not want to walk their paths and I do not have the goal of becoming more famous than them. My interest is not only in fine art. As a visual artist, if you can paint, that is the most and furthest you can do and go, as it is not entirely up to you how you enter, survive or exist in the market. I’m interested also in collaborating with different people from various disciplines and industries. I’m interested in working for corporate and organizations in projects or commission work related to visuals and aesthetics. I am also interested in working in a more academic field. I am excited about other options for creativity.
Which do you find more difficult to work with, Chinese ink or watercolour? If by difficult you mean the technical difficulty of “painting well”, then Chinese ink is definitely more difficult. Chinese ink painting is a visual language that carries a heavy burden of history, a set of ancient definitions for what is beautiful. If we are
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請談談你選用水彩的原因。
Galerie Ora-Ora 與鄭哈雷談及這系列最新水彩畫的創 作理念、他到目前為止對藝術的體驗，還有他對將來 的抱負。
這系列畫都是跟學校有關的建築物，這與你的求學生涯有關 嗎? 這與我的求學生涯沒有直接關係，但與我的生活有很大關 連。我一向在街上走的時候，都容易被學校吸引。我對學校 有一種情意結，覺得它是一種永遠破舊但永遠青春的建築 物。永遠破舊沉重是因為校舍的歷史和學校對教育理念的承 擔，而永遠青春活潑是因為校內的學生。學校就似一棵老 樹，越老越見它的生命力，這是其他建築物無法比的。我最 喜歡學校外牆一排排的冷氣機和整齊的窗戶，因為這些都令 我想起班房裡有一群整齊的學生。校舍從不掩飾，不充大， 這份真情，在今天的社會（無論建築或人）尤見珍貴。
水彩給我的感覺是：它是一種很靜態的媒介，而且需要高度 的集中力。可能我比較喜歡很靜，很專心地繪畫，很自然便 覺得這個媒介很適合我。水彩特別吸引我的，就是一片片潤 澤的顏色。當我每繪畫一片我很滿意的色塊時，我都會很滿 足地凝望它數分鐘。這也許是我十分注意控制水份的原因， 我認為水份是我水彩畫最吸引的地方。
我發現有很多人都能把這技法演繹得很出色，我便開始問自 己，到底掌握和精通一種技巧的意義是什麼？另一方面，我 發現中國水墨畫總是被稱為「國畫」，儘管它有多遠的歷 史、多麼數之不盡的時代、風格。我不能解釋為什麼只有 「國畫」一個統稱，但起碼我明白到這是一個問題。所以我 現在對「國畫」沒有什麼特別的看法，因為我不會以單一標 準去看或評這麼豐富又複雜的事，反而被問及個別時代或風 格，我還有意見可以表達。
你是怎樣決定報讀中文大學藝術系？
你最喜歡哪個時代的國畫？
我到過其他學校的設計系面試，言談中發現，最適合自己的 原來是藝術系。當時與我面試的教授都這樣想。他問我：如 果你做了一個你很滿意的設計，但你的客戶並不同意，要求 更改，你會順應他的要求，改變你的設計嗎？如果現在有人 再問我同一個問題，我還是同一個答案：我不會。因為我做 出來的就是我認為最好的。如果我不能堅持自己的作品或原 則，我相信別人也不會去欣賞。
我最喜歡五代至北宋的山水畫，例如范寬的作品。這時期的 畫表達的精神有點跳出了框框的感覺。漢和唐朝的畫比較多 宗教題材；清朝的彷彿有一種思想箝制。唯有宋代的作品表 達出悲情、有點超現實的浪漫氣氛，這是最吸引我的地方。
大學的四年間，有甚麼經驗給你最大啟發？ 我相信給我最大啟發的是我身邊的人。我從呂振光教授和陳 育強教授身上學到實在很多。上大學之前，我已學了逾十年 國畫。國畫導師引導我們以臨摹的型式去了解藝術，我總覺 得好像缺少了什麼。直到遇上呂教授和陳教授，我才知道以 前缺少的正是他們帶給我的啟發性。在大學認識的人都使我 眼界大開，因為他們的想法和看法都和我的太不同了。 有甚麼不同？ 我曾以為國畫最重要的是要畫得似，我也很享受一筆一筆地 畫的感覺。我學到了技巧，訓練出耐力和專注，然而，我那 時就是沒什麼創意的想法，連對「物料」也沒有任何概念。 記得有天我在大學畫畫，正要加上顏色，一位師兄經過，他 覺得無必要上色，反正整個作品最重要的、最突出的是線 條。那次之後，我便開始考慮於創作上的「取捨」。 這些經驗有沒有改變你對藝術、創作和國畫的看法？
學校另一種特色是它彷彿可以用一種顏色作表示，比如黃 色，但此間學校的黃色又不同彼間學校的黃色。這是香港新 型住宅找不到的，因為它們都一式一樣的。
絕對有，而且是兩方面的。我以前很追求嶺南畫中以色塊表 達線條的「沒骨」技法，但我經常覺得自己畫得不好。後來
水墨和水彩的運用上，哪個較難? 如果難的意思是難以畫得好，我一定認為水墨是較難的，因 為國畫（水墨永遠脫離不了國畫）的視覺語言太根深蒂箇 了。人們若要評價宣紙上的一條線美與否，無論你那條線是 想表達甚麼，線以外想表達甚麼，甚麼情況下對那條線的評 價都是不變的，相反水彩並不是這樣。雖說國畫裡有意筆， 但意筆亦是從工筆慢慢演變出的，我不相信有人可以不學工 筆畫便畫出好的意筆畫，但水彩絕對可以沒有基礎也畫得 好。可能國畫重觀察理解，水彩卻較重感覺。 你對將來的發展有什麼抱負？香港藝壇越發蓬勃，藝術家越 來越多機會及成長空間。 香港藝壇還是在發展中。現在我對它的看法大部份建基於本 地數一數二的藝術家如夏碧泉和周俊輝的藝術歷程。所以有 時難免會想，或許他們的成就就是我想要的東西。不過我也 知道我想走不同的路，我不會以超越他們的名氣為目標。況 且我不單止對純藝術有興趣。作為一位畫家，你在藝術市場 上的位置和走勢並非能靠自己完全掌控，所以更必須專注地 做自己的作品。但我有興趣接觸其他美術方面的行業和人 才，與不同的機構和組織於視覺藝術的範疇上合作，或接受 委託工作。學術方面的工作也會是有趣的新嘗試。總而言 之，我想在藝術和創意工作有更多的嘗試、體驗和挑戰。
Born in 1986 in Hong Kong, Halley Cheng is one of the youngest and most actively involved members of our local art community. His exhibition history includes several international art fairs in Hong Kong and Basel, a group exhibition in London on the theme of contemporary Hong Kong art and he holds a successful auction record at Sotheby’s. One of his professors had described him as “someone who will do anything to get the effects he wants in a painting”. With his artistic sensibilities he finds the unusual from the ordinary, and so in addition to the visual or conceptual intrigues, his works often have a sense of familiarity and sincerity to which most people find easy to relate.
簡歷
生於1986，鄭哈雷是本地藝術界最活躍又最年輕的藝術家 之一。他有豐富的展覽經驗，目前為止他參與過六個國際性 的藝術博覽會，包括ART HK和Art Asia Basel。他曾在倫敦 參加以香港當代藝術為題的聯展，而他的作品曾於2009年 蘇富比的秋季亞洲當代藝術中成功拍賣。曾有教授形容他為 「會不擇手段得到想要的（在藝術上的）效果的人」。他的 靈感來自日常生活，自己對平凡事物的不平凡體驗，所以作 品視覺上給人親切又陌生的感覺，引人入勝之餘，亦能與觀 者產生共鳴。
2010
參與展覽選錄
Fotanian – Fotan Artists Open Studios 10 (Hong Kong) 伙炭工作室開放計劃2010 (香港) ARTHK10 – Hong Kong International Art Fair 10 (Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) “香港國際藝術展10”(香港會議展覽中心) 2010 Jakarta Art Award International Painting Competition Nominees Exhibition (Indonesia)
2009
Sotheby`s Auction – Contemporary Asian Art (Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) “蘇富比秋季拍賣會—當代亞洲藝術”(香港會議展覽中心) Hong Kong International Art and Antiques Fair (Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) “香港國際古玩及藝術品博覽會” (香港會議展覽中心) “Urban Spirituality: Contemporary Hong Kong Art” (London, UK) “Urban Spirituality: Contemporary Hong Kong Art” (倫敦，英國) Art Asia Basel, SCOPE Basel Art Show (Basel, Switzerland) “Art Asia Basel - SCOPE Art Show” (巴塞爾，瑞士) ARTHK09 – Hong Kong International Art Fair 09 (Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) “香港國際藝術展09” (香港會議展覽中心) “Hong Kong．Water．Ink．Colour – Exhibition of Chinese Paintings 2009” (Hong Kong Central Library) “香港．水．墨．色—2009中國繪畫展” (香港中央圖書館)
曾獲獎項選錄 2010 2010 Jakarta Art Award
2008
Hong Kong Arts Centre 30th Anniversary Award Competition entry, Hong Kong Arts Centre 香港藝術中心三十周年藝術獎入圍，香港藝術中心
2007
The Art of CUHK 2007 Cheung’s Award, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) 中大藝術2007張氏創作獎 ，香港中文大學藝術系 The Art of CUHK 2007 Man Yuen Chinese Painting Award, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) 中大藝術2007文苑國畫創作獎 ，香港中文大學藝術系 The Art of CUHK 2007 Ding’s Award, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) 中大藝術2007 丁衍庸藝術創作獎，香港中文大學藝術系
2006
The Art of CUHK 2006 Cheung’s Award, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) 中大藝術2006張氏創作獎，香港中文大學藝術系 Philippe Charriol Foundation Winner 2006, The Philippe Charriol Foundation 夏利豪基金會藝術比賽冠軍，夏利豪基金會
Fotanian – Fotan Artists Open Studios 09 (Hong Kong) 伙炭藝術工作室開放計劃2009 (香港)
2008
“Ghostliness – Halley Cheng” (Hong Kong) “鬼王：鄭哈雷作品展” (香港)
作品收藏
2007
“Ink Contemporary: INKnonINK - Contemporary Ink Exhibition” (Hong Kong) “水墨當代：非水亦墨 - 當代水墨展” (香港) Hong Kong International Contemporary Art Fair 2007 (Hong Kong Exhibition Centre) “ICAF-香港國際藝術當代博覽會2007” (香港展覽中心)
The Philippe Charriol Foundation 夏利豪基金會 Grotto Fine Art Limited 嘉圖現代藝術
關於奧拿‧奧拿
Galerie Ora-Ora is a research-based Asian Contemporary fine art gallery specializing in sculptures, New Ink works and the discovery of emerging talents. Privileged with exclusive representation of artists, we strive to share high quality artworks with art lovers for appreciation, investment and collection. Based in Hong Kong, we are also an international platform for local artistic talents. With Ora-Ora meaning “from one era to another” or “eternity”, we believe that good quality art survives through generations. We believe that art has no frontiers and should be experienced by anyone in the world. Art is a lifestyle. Galerie Ora-Ora 致力推動及研究亞洲當代藝術發展，專營雕塑和新水墨作品，與及發掘藝界潛能。我們享有 一系列獨家代理的優秀藝術家，憑著這份優勢，提供高質素又有創意和代表性的作品供藝術愛好者欣賞、投資 及收藏。作為一所香港畫廊，我們亦十分支持本地創作，為香港藝術家提供國際性的舞臺。Ora-Ora 意指“由 一個時期到另一個時期”或者“永恒”，我們深信好的藝術作品能夠世代長存。我們相信藝術是無界限的，任 何人也應該能夠欣賞和分享。 藝術是一種生活方式。
Henrietta Tsui 徐錦熹 Odetti Tse 謝穎君 John Tsang 曾肇輝
Rebecca Liu 廖鎧熒 Hong Kong, August 2010 2010年印於香港
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