Chinese Video Now 今日中国影像
Foreword
The great cities of China are amongst the most dynamic in the world, and developing at astonishing speed. The exponential rate at which a cornucopia of modern glass and steel towers grows in their centres is as exciting as the fast changing ideas and attitudes of their people. It is no wonder that these cities are becoming major centres for art, and there is considerable interest further a field as Chinese art enters the international market place. Some of the most exciting work to emerge is art using digital media. Chinese artists came relatively late to digital and video art, and have therefore carved out a distinctive approach that is both youthful and invigorating. We are delighted to have this opportunity to show a range of some of the best new work being made in the regions of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.. We a r e g r a t e f u l t o t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o m m i t t e e o f M o M A , N e w Yo r k a n d P S 1 f o r t h e i r i n i t i a l s u p p o r t o f a n e a r l y v e r s i o n o f t h i s e x h i b i t i o n . We a r e a l s o d e l i g h t e d to be working in partnership with Platform China, and I would like to express my thanks to Pauline Doutreluingne for her time and commitment, especially in the preparation of material for this catalogue under pressure – using technologies that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. But of course my special thanks go to Sun Ning, Director of Platform China, and David Thorp, for the intelligence and sensitivity with which they have curated this exhibition, as well as for their generosity and enthusiasm. Whilst this is a first partnership with Sun Ning and Platform China, it is the latest in a long term relationship between David and the John Hansard Gallery. I hope that there will be many more opportunities for future partnerships with both in the future. Stephen Foster
今日中国影像
Chinese Video Now
Director Published by John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton www.hansardgallery.org.uk
John Hansard Gallery
前 言 And Platform China Contemporary Art Institute, Beijing www.platformchina.org
中國的大城市可以說是這世界上最為活躍的地方之一，並且它們以驚人的速度成長。城市中心裏異常豐富的 高樓大廈的增長要以平方計算，如同這裏的人們的想法和態度的更換速度一樣。毋庸置疑，這些城市成為了 藝術的主要中心，對中國藝術相當濃厚的興趣使其得以進入國際市場。一些藝術裏振奮人心的作品開始顯 現，比如—對數碼媒介的使用。雖然中國藝術家創作數碼和錄影藝術的開始時間相對較晚，但也因此擁有了 其獨特的個性，那就是年輕和充滿了活力。我們很高興能有此機會，展示來自北京，上海和廣州的藝術家的 最新最好的作品。
感謝美國紐約當代美術館國際委員會和PS1當代藝術中心，感謝他們的支持以及對本展覽之前的展出的幫助。我們 On the occasion of Chinese Video Now At John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton 2 May - 16 June 2007
同樣也為和月臺中國當代藝術機構合作感到由衷的愉快，我還要對段寶琳（ Pauline Doutreluingne ）和 她 為 此 付出的時間和努力表示感謝，尤其是在時間緊迫的情況之下對本次展覽畫冊所需的資料進行的充分準備。
C h i n e s e Vi d e o N o w i s c o - c u r a t e d b y D a v i d T h o r p a n d S u n N i n g , D i r e c t o r o f Platform China Editor: Pauline Doutreluingne Translation: Xian Lei Design: MEWE Design Alliance ( www.mewe.net), Beijing, China
當然，我要特別感謝月臺中國當代藝術機構的總監孫甯，和邵大衛（David Thorp），為他們策劃本次展覽 的 智 慧 和 靈 敏 ， 也為他 們 的 熱 情 和 大 度 。 雖 然 與 月 臺 中 國 及 孫甯 是 第 一 次 合 作 ， 但 是 邵 大 衛 和 J o h n H a n sa r d 畫廊已多次合作。希望在以後，能有更多的機會和他們一起工作。
Printed in Beijing 2007 ISBN 978 085432 872 7
Edition of 800
斯蒂芬•佛斯特 總監 John Hansard 畫廊
David Thorp
Compared to the hundreds of painters living and working in China, video artists are
In the contemporary art field, there are artists who still remain obsessed with
comparatively few in number. Nonetheless their profile is rising all the time and, given the
describing and commenting on urbanization, modernization, globalization, and the
huge increase of interest in Chinese contemporary art in recent years, it is no surprise that
ideological crisis in China and the commercial success they bring. And they still
some significant exhibitions of video art from China have already appeared in the West. This
u s e a r t a s a s o c i a l v o i c e . H o w e v e r, m o r e a n d m o r e c o n t e m p o r a r y a r t i s t s w o r k i n g i n
exhibition China Video Now has its origins in one of them. It is a selection of artists who
C h i n a t o d a y, e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e f r o m y o u n g e r g e n e r a t i o n s , a r e t u r n i n g t h e i r g a z e a w a y
were first brought together for an exhibition organised by Platform China, Beijing for PS1 in
from abstract and generalized discussion of social and political issues. Instead, they
New York in 2006 and shown later that year at Platform China ’ s own Gallery. The selection
are looking more from a specific and microscopic perspective, and place their own
of artists was, and remains, carefully chosen but it does not represent one particular school
experience and personal relationship to society ahead of collective consciousness. The
of thought or focussed development. The artists signify a phenomenon, too loosely structured
voices are intuitive, diverse, personal and playful.
to be described as a movement, whose characteristic is to frequently operate at grass roots, from studios based in cramped inner city apartments or by using borrowed facilities in
Her view is born out by many of the video works included in China Video Now. If these
colleges. It shows work from one generation of artists born in the seventies and another from
artists share any one attribute it might be argued that they use video to account for
the previous decade who were involved in the momentous developments in experimental
the modern condition. A position that has been described by Sun Ning, Director of
art in China during the mid ‘ eighties. Most are graduates from China ’ s Art Academies in
Platform China and co-curator of the exhibition, as ‘ removing the ladder ’ a quote from
the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou where now departments in new media are
t h e t w e n t y - e i g h t h s t r a t e g y o f T h i r t y - s i x S t r a t e g i e s f r o m S u n T z u ’ s T h e A r t o f Wa r, a
emerging. However, they are often self-taught in the medium of video.
metaphor for the feeling of having climbed up onto a roof but of being stuck, unable to get
.
any higher or to return to the ground. Having experienced the transition from an idealistic
Change began to occur in China in the mid ‘eighties as Chinese society sought to
society to a pragmatic one, younger artists are shifting their attention from the general to
adopt a new ‘ modern ’ identity. It was initially considered that this would be achieved
the individual, addressing the central themes of modern life; anxiety and separation.
by grafting western styles and attitudes on to Chinese life and, in order to be modern, Chinese lifestyles had to be based upon a western model. It was only later that people,
Huang Xiaopeng and Xu Tan are of the same slightly older generation and have been at
artists included, turned modernity into something that had a direct bearing on the
the forefront of experimentation. Xu Tan was a member of the legendary artists' group
Chinese way of life and was rooted in a specifically Chinese experience. At that time
B i g Ta i l e d E l e p h a n t g r o u p t h a t w a s f o r m e d i n G u a n g z h o u i n t h e s p i r i t o f t r a d i t i o n a l
painting and sculpture dominated the contemporary art scene but some artists considered
Chinese collectivity but which operates as a free collaboration between artists. Xu Tan
that traditional media characterised the authority of the art academies and could not
directed the video Zheng Daoxing a documentary about a Mr Zheng Daoxing whose
adequately express certain subjects, particularly the many social problems of the time.
various roles in life have reflected the changes in China. He has been a farmer, a soldier,
Painting, for example, was therefore considered by experimental artists to be unsuitable
a truck driver and an entrepreneur. Then, at the age of almost sixty, he became a singer
as a critical tool. They were looking for more relevant ways to address the issues they
/ s o n g w r i t e r, p e r f o r m i n g s o n g s a b o u t h i s l i f e i n a c o u n t r y r o c k i d i o m a c c o m p a n i e d
wanted to articulate; to say something different and promote a new approach to art
by electronic instruments he made himself. The film is part of process to support the
practice. The recent explosion of painting, particularly, on the international art market
building of a concert hall in Yangjiang, Zheng Daoxing ’ s home county where most of his
supports the artists’ contention then that painting and sculpture could be turned
performances take place.
t o o e a s i l y i n t o c o m m o d i t i e s a n d w e r e t h e r e f o r e u n s u i t a b l e a s c r i t i c a l t o o l s . Vi d e o a r t
Huang Xiaopeng has a work included in the exhibition I always get a bit jumpy when I ’ m
represented an anti-commercial stance among experimental artists. It was more durable
suspended in the air ’ that has an eerie reference to the events of 9/11. Huang describes
than performance art and remained viable outside the market. It had the additional
it as a ‘ background … interlaced, uncertain, ambiguous and dubious … just like when a
advantage of being an ideal means of opposing the existing system and undermine the
ghost appears on a developed film ’ .
authority of the cultural establishment of the day. As briefly outlined above, displacement of the social and political by the individual But, as Carol (Yinghua) Lu points out in her recent essay about the current condition of
has been taking place concomitant with shifts in value and emphasis in wider Chinese
contemporary art in China, Fragmented Energy,
society. Hu Jieming is from the same generation as Huang Xiaopeng and Xu Tan and his
video works reflect the history and geographical place of China through architecture and
s c e n e . D o n g We n s h e n g h a s s h o t s e v e r a l p i e c e s l i k e J i n g Z h e ( E x c i t e d I n s e c t s ) a n d M e i
topography and share some common ground with Lu Chunsheng whose films collectively
Yu ( R a i n ) t h a t r e f e r t o t h e C h i n e s e l u n a r c a l e n d a r u s i n g i t s p h a s e s a s a m e t a p h o r f o r
entitled The History of Chemistry act as a bridge between the overtly social and the
different psychological moments in his characters’ solitary lives.
specifically individual. But although Lu Chunsheng ’ s films may first appear preoccupied with the industrial era and communist history they use imagery as a background to
Among the youngest artist in the exhibition, Xu Zhen has said that most ‘Shanghai
narratives that are closer to surrealism than social realism.
artists don ’ t pay attention to politics ’ and this is true of most of his contemporaries who choose instead to explore the intimate world of the individual. Some of Xu Zhen ’ s
Without undertaking any kind of comprehensive survey, the inclusion of three women in
early works were quite brutal, employing apparent cruelty to incite the viewer to consider
China Video Now appears to reflect the proportion of prominent women artists in China
the dual relationship between detachment and involvement. In much of Xu Zhen ’ s work
to men. Cui Xiuwen is an artist who through photography and video has portrayed the
there is a voyeuristic feature in which the audience are invited to view moments of
p o s i t i o n o f w o m e n i n s o c i e t y. H e r b e s t k n o w n w o r k i s L a d y ’ s R o o m a s e c r e t l y f i l m e d
extreme intimacy. In one of his first videos From Inside the Body, Xu Zhen films a semi-
video in which young women are shown in the lady’s room at a Beijing karaoke club
naked boy and girl smelling their own and each other ’ s bodies. Xu Zhen examines the
putting on their make-up and preparing to return to the nightclub. Since then Cui Xiuwen
borderlines of personal space, peering ironically into private moments or creating his own
has been developing the character of a young prepubescent girl who appears, clad in a
intimate scenarios in which male and female, corporeal and cerebral merge. In We Will
s a i l o r s u i t a n d t h e r e d n e c k e r c h i e f o f t h e Yo u n g P i o n e e r s , s o m e t i m e s a l o n e o r i n l a r g e
Come Back, an apparently young couple, the upper parts of their bodies out of shot, fiddle
groups, performing simple occasionally quasi-erotic actions. Together this body of work
in the front of the boy ’ s jeans tenderly and practically extracting a packet of cigarettes
provides a mythical account of womanhood in which the girl, singly and in multiple
and lighter. Xu Zhen says that he filmed this close encounter for real, waiting in Chang
images, becomes a symbol for all women young and old. Cui Xiuwen ’ s video ‘ Drifting
Feng Park in Shanghai everyday for a relevant subject to turn up.
Lantern ’ portrays the same girl meandering her way through darkened streets swinging a traditional Chinese lantern. The impression is one of isolation but established within a
In another public place, Beijing Zoo, Ma Yongfeng ’ s recent video work Beijing Zoological
mood of confidence rather than vulnerability.
Garden marks a departure from his earlier video pieces and moves into a realm that is more reflective. In this video Ma Yongfeng wanders with his camera through the Beijing
The position of women in Chinese society is revealed in a different way in the videos
Zoo filming the animals in their various enclosures. The film is shown as a circular image,
of Liang Yue. Her artworks lyrically draw her audience ’ s attention to the beauty of the
as if through the lens of a camera obscura, and this emphasises the viewer ’ s detachment
e v e r y d a y. L i a n g Yu e s e e k s t h e o v e r l o o k e d a e s t h e t i c d i m e n s i o n w i t h i n r u s h h o u r t r a f f i c
from the scenes portrayed. As he drifts around the Zoo, Ma Yongfeng observes and records
or a polluted day. Her videos have a melancholy atmosphere in which her sole character,
the movements of the animals and their spectators, creating a mysterious atmosphere
usually the figure of a young woman, unable to communicate or interact with the world
that explores the artificial habitat of the animals in their man-made shelters. Boundaries
a r o u n d h e r i s t r a p p e d b e t w e e n d r e a m a n d r e a l i t y. T h e t h i r d a n d o n l y o t h e r w o m a n i n
shift between animal and human. Man watches the animals, the animals watch man in an
t h e e x h i b i t i o n , C a o F e i , i s a l r e a d y w e l l k n o w n i n t h e We s t p a r t i c u l a r l y f o r h e r v i d e o
artificial environment in which species are saved from the rigours of the outside world
Cosplayers which recounts the antics of a group of young people who dress up as their favourite characters from computer games and re-enact their fantasies live on the streets
As concern with the pace of change in China and the social effect this has had both
and skyscrapers of Guangzhou only to return at the end of their play to the prosaic
generally and particularly, it is no wonder that some artists have directed their attention
banality of their family homes. All three women deal with role–playing in different ways
to mass media and communication. 8gg is a multi-media duo based in Beijing, composed
but each creates a tension between the common experiences of everyday life and its
of Fu Yu and Jia Haiqing who have been working together as a couple for over sixteen
exaggerated limits, portraying in different ways attempts to reconcile female identity
years. 8gg ’ s production includes web art, music, installations and video and they pride
with the excesses of the new China.
themselves in having no background in art. Their work News Dance is one of their smaller
A s e n s e o f l y r i c a l a l i e n a t i o n i s p r e s e n t , t o o , i n t h e w o r k o f D o n g We n s h e n g . S i m i l a r l y
pieces and uses a well known device to great effect. It comprises images taken from a two
t o L i a n g Yu e , h e t r a c k s t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l i n a w o r l d f r o m w h i c h t h e y a r e
minute random recording of the CCTV news broadcast on a particular day and is edited
detached. The lone figure takes centre stage in a poetic and sometimes shockingly tragic
until one of the most common sights on television becomes a staccato play of sound and
image humorously satirising the banality of news presentation. Li Songhua approaches mass communication differently but with a similar ironic humour. In his video Keynote
邵大衛
比起更多在中國生活和工作的畫家，影像藝術家算是相對很小的一個群體。儘管如此，他們的形象還是日漸 清晰，並在近年內引起了各界對中國當代藝術高漲的興趣熱情。因此，在西方已經出現意義重大的中國錄影
Speech a small child reads a political statement in the manner of a Party spokesman, just
展就不是一件令人驚訝的事情，而“今日中國影像”展有充分的理由成為其中之一。由北京月臺中國當代藝
another talking head. Its unremitting presentation contrasts with the innocence of the
術 機 構 為 本 展 覽 所 推 薦 的 藝 術 家 們 在 2006 年 於 紐 約 PS1 美 術 館 展 出 ， 之 後 又 在 月 臺 中 國 自 己 的 藝 術 空 間 中 展
child who painstakingly and conscientiously reads the whole speech for nearly half an
示。這些被精心選擇的藝術家並非只是來自同一種學院思想，或者只是關注發展。這些藝術家意味著一種現
hour. The dissimilarity between the reader and the text poignantly illuminates the gap
象，由於其結構的鬆散性所以不能被描述成一種運動，他們都是典型的從基礎開始操作，基於在城市內部狹
between common humanity and its social systems.
小擁擠的工作室，或者從學校裏借來設備做作品。參加展覽的作品多出自70年代出生的藝術家之手，還有的 來自更早一些年代的藝術家，他們親身經歷和見證了80年代中期中國實驗藝術的重要發展。他們大多數畢業
Of all the works in the exhibition that of Meng Jin stands slightly apart from the others
於在北京、上海和廣州的藝術院校，這些院校現在也都成立了新媒體專業。但是，這些藝術家們對於錄影這
and this may be because his studies in multi media took place mainly outside China
種媒 介 的使用 常 常 都是 自 學 的。
in the UK. Meng Jin has expressed his interest as being in ‘found objects and the complexity involved with spatial relations’. His film 14 Rooms explores the physical
在八十年代中期，因為對自身“現代”身份的尋求，種種變化開始在中國蔓延。最初被認為是要想達到這個
space of an abandoned industrial building. Using the building as a found object, the
“現代化”目標，就得把西方的方式和態度嫁接到中國，而且中國的生活方式也要基於西方模式之上。只是
film pans slowly across one floor overlaying different parts of its interior to create an
在之後，中國的老百姓，包括藝術家，把現代性直接轉向而變成了中國的生活方式，植根於一種特殊的中國
impossible relationship between its various spaces that cannot be experienced except
經驗中。在那時，繪畫和雕塑在當代藝術中占主導地位，但部分藝術家已經在考慮這些代表著藝術院校權威
through the manipulation of film.
的傳統媒介已經不能充分的表達一些主題了，尤其是那年代的諸多社會問題。比如說繪畫，作為一種批判的 工具，實驗藝術家們認為它已經不適用了。他們在尋找一些可以讓他們更為清晰的表達他們關注的相應的方
There now exists in China a consistent and cohesive engagement by artists in the
式，可以以不同的方式去表達，以促進達到藝術實踐的新高度。尤其是近期，繪畫在國際市場上的飆升，更
multiple forms of video as a language that is a response to the developments taking place
加支援了藝術家關於繪畫和雕塑不適宜做批判工具的論點，因為它們太容易就可以變成日用品。而錄影藝術
throughout the region. The cultural implications of this are integrated within the fast
在眾多實驗藝術家中呈現了一種反商業的姿態。它比起行為藝術更加具有持久性，並在市場之外保持了存活
and vibrant production of new urban life, manifested particularly in the phenomena of
性和 可 行性。 其 另 外的 好 處 就是可 以 成為 與現 存 體系 反方 向 行走 並破 壞 現 有文 化 限制 的權 威 的 理 想 手段 。
challenging architectural evolution and new living systems. The ascendance of China as a society that is a sophisticated manipulator of digital technology has produced a
但是 ， 就象盧 迎 華 （ Carol Lu ） 在她 近 期的 評論 中 所寫 的關 於 中國當代 藝 術之 現狀 ， 《 能量 的碎 片》 中 所 描
new connectivity and a resulting reappraisal of the position of the individual in society.
述的 ：
There has been some speculation by critics in the west that Chinese video artists have
在當代藝術領域，仍然還有藝術家喜歡去描述和評論在中國的城市化，現代化，全球化，和意識形態的轉捩
been responding to the influence of western artists working in video such as Bill Viola or
點，以及所有這些帶來的商業成功。他們仍然把藝術當作是社會發出的聲音。但是，越來越多的在中國工作
Bruce Nauman. The desire of Westerners to see the effect of Western ideas and recent art
的當代藝術家，尤其是年輕一代的，已經把他們的注意力從抽象又無無顯著特點的社會政治事件的討論轉移
history on the work of Chinese artists, whatever their preferred medium, is a continuance
開了，他們從更為精緻和特別的視點，把個人體驗和與社會的個體關係放到了集體意識之前。這些聲音是直
of an hegemony of ideas that places contemporary western art at the core of all cultural
覺的 ， 多樣化 的 ， 個人 的 ， 以及有 趣 的！
developments around the globe. The expansion of interest in video art in China stems from the fast progress and popularity that experimentation with new media has met
盧迎華的觀點來自大量錄影作品，包括“中國今日影像”中的作品。如果這些藝術家和任何人分享其特性，
throughout Asia generally, as global connectivity has progressively moved economic and
都可能會引起關於他們使用錄影來說明現狀的爭論。月臺中國的總監和本次展覽的合作策展人孫甯曾經描述
social development eastwards . For the main part video is employed as an immediate and
過這樣一種狀態，就象孫子兵法三十六計裏的第二十八計——“上房抽梯”，作為一個隱喻，在這裏比喻的
modern means of expression that has established new fields for artists to operate within
是爬到了樓頂卻被困住，上不了也回不去的感覺。經歷了從空想主義社會到現實主義社會的轉變，年輕的藝
and which include Chinese artists in a network that is expanding throughout Asia. While
術家 們 從對群 體 的 關注 變 成 對個體 的 關注 ，選 擇 了當 代生 活 的中 心主 題 ： 焦慮 和 隔離 。
the international world may have adopted a new attitude to China, Chinese artists need no lessons from the West on how to proceed.
黃小鵬和徐坦是來自差不多一個年代的藝術家，都走在實驗的前沿。徐坦是南方傳奇性藝術家群體“大尾 象”工作組的一員，此工作組于廣州成立，本著傳統中國集體意識精神，但卻是藝術家之間的自由協作。徐 坦導演了紀錄性質的錄影作品《鄭道興》，黃小鵬協助了音樂部分。通過鄭道興這麼一個芸芸眾生中的普通
人角色反應了中國的變化。鄭道興做過農民，卡車司機，當過兵，做過生意，在年屆六十的時候，他成了一
的一個男孩和一個女孩，相互嗅著對方的身體。徐震在檢測著個人空間的邊界，以諷刺和令人啼笑皆非的感
個歌手和作曲者，用地方語言配上自己製作的電子樂器，演奏關於自己生活的歌曲。此部錄影作品也是為了
覺，把視點透入隱私的瞬間，或是用男性和女性，物質及意識的融合來創造他自己的親密景觀。在《我們馬
幫助鄭道興在陽江建立一個音樂廳的項目的一部分，那裏是鄭道興的家鄉，也是他的演出最常出現的地方。
上回來》這部作品裏，一對年輕情侶，身體上半部不在拍攝範圍之內。徐震說他拍攝的這場片斷是真實的，
黃小鵬另外有一件作品也在展覽之中：《懸空總是令我緊張》，這個作品對9.11事件有著奇怪的參考。黃小
為此 他 每天都 守 在 上海 的 長 風公園 等 待有 相關 可 能性 的主 題 出現 。
鵬說它作為一個“背景…常常是多義的，交叉的，模糊的，可疑的，曖昧的…就象人們在洗出的照片中看到 的鬼 魂。 ”
在另外一個公眾場合，北京動物園，馬永峰近期錄影作品《北京動物園》標誌著他和以前早期作品風格的轉 變，而進入了更具思考性的領域。在這個錄影作品中，通過在北京動物園拍攝動物們多種多樣的封閉場地，
如上述簡略的描述，在廣闊的中國社會裏，個體的逐漸取代了群體的和政治的，隨之而來的是價值觀和關注
馬永峰以他的相機來思考。影像以迴圈方式播出，由於相機鏡頭的朦朧感，這就強調了觀眾和場景之間的隔
重心的變化。胡介鳴是和黃小鵬以及徐坦同一年代的，通過對建築及地形學的關注，他的作品反映了中國歷
離和距離感。馬永峰對動物園的觀望，觀察和紀錄了動物們以及它們的觀察者的片刻，以創造一種謎樣的氛
史地理學的變化。某種程度上來說，他的作品和陸春生有相似之處。陸春生的電影作品《化學史》，把公開
圍來探索動物們在其人造庇護所下的人工居住生活。人和動物之間的界限在切換著，人觀看著動物，而因為
的社會和特殊的個體橋接在了一起。雖然第一眼看過去，仿佛陸春生的電影專注於工業時代和共產主義歷
外界 世 界的嚴 格 不 得不 被 保 護起來 的 動物 則在 人 工環 境裏 觀 察著 人類 。
史， 它卻 運用了 想像 作為敍事 的背景，比 起社會現實主 義， 這更 加接近超現 實主義。 考慮到中國變化的步伐和社會影響，不論是從總體還是個人來說，必然會有藝術家會把自己的注意力轉移到 在沒有採取任何廣泛的調查下，“今日中國影像”展覽中包括的三位元女藝術家顯示了相對於男性來說也是
大眾媒體和溝通交流上。八股歌是來自北京的雙人組合，其成員富鈺和賈海清即是夫妻又是工作夥伴，在一
卓越的力量。崔岫聞是一位元通過錄影和攝影來表現社會女性處境的藝術家。她最為人知的作品是《洗手
起合作已經有十六年了，他們的作品包括網路藝術，音樂，裝置和錄影，有一點值得他們驕傲的是他們之前
間》，描述的是在北京卡拉OK廳裏的女人們，作品表現了她們如何補裝並進行回到夜總會包房裏的最後準
沒 有 任 何 藝 術 背 景 。 他 們 的 作 品 《 News Dance 》 是 用 他 們 自 己 發 明 的 音 樂 即 時 演 奏 系 統 創 作 的 作 品 之 一 。
備。之後崔岫聞發展出了一個年輕青春期前的女性形象。她穿著水手裝，戴著少先隊員的紅領巾，有時候孤
本作品取材於新聞聯播裏隨機的兩分鐘片斷，然後編輯它直到電視上的視覺變成斷斷續續的聲音和圖像演
獨 一 人 ， 有 時 候 處 於 一 個 大 群 體 ， 偶 爾 表 演 著 類 似 色 情 的 行 為 。 這 些 形 象 總 集 起 來 —— 小 女 孩 ， 獨 自 的 ， 多
示，對新聞的平庸呈現進行了諷刺性刻畫。李頌華以另外一種方式使用大眾媒體，但相似的，是其諷刺性的
重含義的，為成年女子提供了一個幻象而不真實的注解，成為了成熟的或年輕的女人符號。崔岫聞的錄影作
幽默。在他的錄影《講演》裏面，一個小孩以童聲演繹了一位中國領導發言人的演講稿。長篇的陳述，對比
品《飄燈》，同樣是個小女孩，提著中國傳統的燈籠，漫步在夜色的街上。給人的感覺，比起其易碎感，更
天真的童聲近半個小時生澀和真情的閱讀。閱讀者和文章之間的差異強烈的顯露了共同的人性和社會體系之
多的 是雖 然孤立 ，卻 在一種自 信的情緒之 中。
間的 缺 口。
而中國女性的社會姿態，卻在梁玥的錄影裏以另外一種方式顯示了出來。她的作品以很抒情的方式把觀眾的
在所有的作品中，孟瑾的作品似乎顯得有些不同。也許是因為他的多媒體學習是在遠離中國的英國完成的。
注意力吸引到了日常生活的美中。在交通的高峰和城市的污染中，梁玥尋求的是一種鳥瞰的美學角度。她錄
關於自己的興趣，孟瑾的表達是“在空間關係中尋找物體及其複雜性”。他的作品《14個房間》探索了一個
影中唯一的主角常伴隨著憂鬱的氣氛，通常這個主角是個年輕女性，難以與她周圍的世界溝通或是互動，常
被廢棄的工業建築裏的物理空間。把建築作為一個現成的物體，內部的不同空間在鏡頭裏慢慢的滑過，通過
常交織在現實和夢幻的情景中。展覽裏最後一位女性藝術家，曹斐，在西方已經是熟為人知，尤其是她的錄
對拍 攝 的控制 和 操 作， 在 其 內部廣 大 的空 間裏 ， 為不 能被 體 驗的 經驗 之 間 創造 出 不可 能的 關 係 。
影 作 品 《 Cosplayers 》 ， 表 現 的 是 一 群 年 輕 人 ， 穿 著 他 們 自 己 最 喜 歡 的 來 自 電 腦 遊 戲 或 者 是 漫 畫 裏 的 人 物 服 裝，在廣州高樓大廈和街道間的生活中表演著自己的幻想，最後他們回到家中，也回到了無聊和乏味中。三
現今中國有一種新的存在，以錄影的多種形式作為語言，形成了一致調和並濃烈的藝術家交集，作為對貫穿
位元女性藝術家以不同的方式都表現著角色扮演的主題，但她們每一位都在日常生活的共同體驗和其誇張的
了整個國家和民族的發展的回應。新的城市生活所製造出的快速且活躍的成品把文化的含義整合到了一起，
限制 之間 創造了 一種 張力，以 各種方式去 描繪，以嘗試 使女 性身 份與新中國 的飛越有個 和 解。
尤其在具有挑戰性的建築發展和新的生活系統這些現象裏表現特別明顯。中國的優勢就在於作為一個對電子 技術熟練操作的社會，製造了一種新的聯通性，因此可以對社會裏的個體重新估價其姿態。這裏也有一些由
在董文勝的作品裏，也可以找到一種抒情和孤立的感覺。與梁玥相似，他的做法是跟隨一個從自己的世界中
西方評論界所引起的思考，那就是中國的錄影藝術是否也是因為西方錄影潮流影響下所作出的回應？比如比
分離出來的個體的蹤跡。這個孤獨的主角佔據了一種詩意的中心舞臺，或有時候，是一種非常的悲劇場景。
爾•奧維拉或者布魯斯•紐曼等大師帶來的影響。對西方人的觀賞願望來說，想看到西方思想的效應和中國藝
董文勝拍攝了一些類似《驚蟄》和《梅雨》這樣的作品，借用中國傳統月曆裏的名詞，用在他作品裏主角的
術家在作品中所表現出的中國近期歷史，不管他們更喜歡什麼樣的媒介，一種思想上的持續霸權把西方當代
孤獨 存在 上，就 成了 心理的不 同片刻的隱 喻。
藝術置於全球文化發展的中心位置。在中國，對錄影藝術興趣的迅速擴張，在激進的進程和普及中滋長。就 普遍來說，新媒體的實驗貫通了整個亞洲，作全球連通性，經濟和社會發展日漸東移。很大程度上來說，錄
在展覽裏最年輕的藝術家中，徐震說過，多數“上海藝術家不關心政治”，在他的多數同齡人中來看，這也
影藝術被作為表達工具，具有即刻性和現代性，在亞洲，包括中國的擴張，為藝術家建立了新的領域和聯網
是個事實，他們更加關心個體的私密世界。徐震早期的作品有些顯得特別殘忍，利用一種外觀上的殘酷，煽
工作，使他們可以在其中運作。當國際社會對中國採取一種全新態度的時候，中國的藝術家已經完全不需要
動觀者去思考在分離冷漠和關聯之間的雙重關係。徐震大部分的作品都有著一個特點——窺視感，就是觀眾
從西 方 學習如 何 改 進了 。
被邀請觀看那些極端私密的片刻。在他最早期的錄影作品之一《來自身體內部》中，徐震拍攝了幾乎全裸
Transcription of Interview between Stephen Foster (SF) and Sun Ning (SN) Place: Beijing Time: March 2007
SF:
The first question I want to ask is about the origins of video art in China. When did it first emerge as a
SF:
serious art form? SN:
I’m interested in what kind of audience there is for video art. Is there a general audience, and has it created a great deal of excitement?
In the beginning of the ‘ 90s there were some artists like Yang Fudong, Feng Mengbo, Wang Jianwei and
SN:
Video art in China is still very new for the audience, and at times they don ’ t really understand how to
Zhang Peili that started to create art using video and various other kinds of multimedia art. It was a new
approach it. Perhaps this is due to a lack of communication between artists and their audience. Not a
media to experiment with. During the second half of the 1990s, a group of artists emerged, especially in
lot of audiences recognize video as an art form. In their education, they are taught that art consists of
Hangzhou and Shanghai, because the China Academy of Art is there and it is where Zhang Peili teaches
something that hangs on the wall, or a piece of sculpture.
and advises. He is quite influential, and encouraged many artists, such as Lu Chunsheng and Xu Zhen, to create new works using video as their media.
SF:
So you ’ re having to build an audience for video art?
In recent years Chinese video art has become more prominent in leading international exhibitions and at
SN:
We have to do that. It will happen within the younger generation. They will be our future audience, rather
specialized international video art festivals. This international exposure has helped generate local interest
than the older generation.
in video and new media arts in China. As a result, the new media departments at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and at the China Fine Arts Academy are attracting large numbers of students. Other academies
SF:
across China are gradually responding to the recent interest in new media arts.
they might be painting or making installations, or photography, or other things as well? SN:
SF:
So it ’ s really a young artists ’ art form?
SN:
Yes, you could say so. So that ’ s why this exhibition represents a whole generation of younger artists in many ways?
SN:
Yes it really does.
SN:
I ’ m interested in the relationship between artists making video and filmmakers. Are people clearly using video as an art form because they are artists, whilst on the other hand there are filmmakers making film. Does a relationship exist?
SN: SF:
Some artists lately have been solely focused on using video or the moving image to make art. Most artists are mixing media. They are using different media to convey and create their works.
SF: SF:
Are video artists working with other media as well? To what extent might it be part of their practice that
A c t u a l l y, r i g h t n o w i n C h i n a t h e r e i s a g r o u p o f y o u n g f i l m m a k e r s w h i c h w e c a l l t h e 6 t h g e n e r a t i o n
To w h a t e x t e n t a r e C h i n e s e v i d e o a r t i s t s w o r k i n g w i t h i n a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n t e x t ? Vi d e o a r t c o u l d b e
directors. Most of them graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and they mainly create film, whereas
said to be forty years old. To what extent are these artists aware of the history of video art and are they
t h e v i d e o a r t i s t s a r e m a k i n g a r t w o r k s t h r o u g h v i d e o o r m o v i n g i m a g e , a n d b e l o n g t o t h e a r t i s t s e c t o r.
working within this context?
There are essentially two distinct fields. However, these two sectors sometimes interact with each other.
I don’t think so.
In China, when these artists started using DVD and camcorders, they were more
interested in the newness of the technology and medium and the way that video can directly express their
S F:
Are video artists working with video or DVD? Or do they start with one and transfer to another technology?
artistic concept. At that time I don ’ t think they tended to understand the concept of video art within the
SN:
It ’ s a mixture, both technologies are employed.
SF:
How do video artists get trained in China?
SN:
I think most of them are self-taught. They start by playing around with the equipment, start shooting film,
broader context. SF:
So it really was led by the technology as it became available?
SN:
In a way, yes. But it ’ s mostly because using the language of video makes it easy to express artists ’ daily
then find some friends to help them with more elaborate productions.
life, their environment, at first hand. SF: SF:
So what do you feel video art can do that other art forms can ’ t? What opportunities does it create?
SN:
For me, video art is more interactive than the other art forms. Different artists approach video art in
So the techniques are not being taught in art schools or academies? There is no education in videomaking?
SN:
It was like this earlier, but nowadays some art schools or academies have set up media art departments
different ways. Some artists use video as if in the third person — to create an objective view. For example
recently, like in Hangzhou where the Chinese Academy of Fine Arts is located, there is now a video/new
in Cui Xiuwen ’ s famous piece - “ Lady ’ s Room ” , she presented a piece where the result consisted of
media art department.
secretly looking from the third person at the real-life: young women in the lady ’ s room at a Beijing karaoke club putting on their make-up and preparing to return to the nightclub. These artists utilize the media
SF:
Is it a fairly new development
to create and see the interaction between the artist, the image and the object. Some artists use video as
SN:
Yes. I think it is just a few years old.
SF:
Do you think within this group of artists and their works in this exhibition there are certain common
an eye to view their own life or somebody ’ s else ’ s life to represent themselves. For instance, in Dong Wensheng ’ s work Jing Zhe (Excited Insects), I think the self-hanging man really represents the feeling of the new generation of Chinese intellectuals in China now. From these video works, one can interactively engage the audience, affecting their frame of mind.
themes that emerge? SN:
Yes, well, I think the works are about the artists ’ life and experiences. It ’ s really about the question of ‘ why are we here? ’ And about the complex interactions between the artist and society.
individual within contemporary Chinese society.
The life of the
Stephen Foster, 採 訪者 ，以 下 簡稱 SF 孫甯 ， 被訪者， 月 臺中 國當 代 藝術 機構 總 監， 以下 簡 稱 SN 訪談 地 點：北京 時間 ： 2007 年 3 月
SF:
Vi d e o a r t i s c l e a r l y m u c h b r o a d e r t h a n w h a t i s r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h i s e x h i b i t i o n .
Is this selection very
representative of video art activity, or does it represent a specific group? SN:
SF:
我首 先 想問的一 個 問題 就是 中 國錄 影藝 術 的起 源。 它 正式 作為 一 種藝 術手 法最早 是什 麼 時候 出現 的 ？
SN:
在90年代早期，有些藝術家，比如楊福東，馮夢波，汪建偉和張培力等就開始用錄影和別的一些多媒體手段來創作了。這在當時
Well actually in China today there are not lots of video artists. But what we selected for this exhibition
是一種實驗性質的新媒體。在90年代下半期，此類型的藝術家群體就開始出現了，尤其是在杭州和上海，因為中國美術學院就在
doesn ’ t represent all video art in China today. It is a portion, a sample of what ’ s going on. The artists in
那個區，張培力也在那裏教書和給出一些建議，他帶來了很多影響，也鼓勵了很多藝術家用錄影作為媒介來創作，比如陸春生和徐震。
this exhibition have been developing their works over a long period of time. We ’ ve selected artists from
近年裏，中國錄影藝術在國際展覽和專門的錄影藝術節裏開始越來越受到關注。這種國際的接觸又幫助了錄影和新媒體藝術在中國
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou because different regions have different characteristics. China is so large,
的形成和發展。現在，中央美術學院和中國美術學院都成立了新媒體系並吸引了大量的學生。別的中國美術院校也在逐漸對新媒體
thus creating distinct regional differences in video art practice.
藝術 作 出反應。
SF:
So why did you pick these cities? Are they the three main centres of video art production?
SF:
那麼 這 確實是一 種 比較 年輕 的 藝術 形式 ？
SN:
Because video artists are most active in these big cities. Of course there are other regions that have active
SN:
是， 可 以這麼說 。
SF:
這也 是 這次展覽 在 很多 方面 呈 現的 都是 較 年輕 的藝 術 家和 作品 的 原因 ？
SN:
確實 。
that endemic to video art practice generally, or is it specific to the works you ’ ve chosen?
SF:
可以說錄影藝術有四十年的歷史，那中國錄影藝術家在國際語境裏的創作是一個什麼樣的程度？這些藝術家們對於錄影藝術史的認
In looking at the artists presented here you often discover work that is not always wholly professional —
SN:
識， 以 及他們在 此 語境 裏的 創 作是 個什 麼 程度 ？
video artists too. In focusing on Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, we are also incorporating the regions around these major cities. These three regions are where the most active video art is being created. SF: SN:
We said originally that this exhibition represented a kind of new energy in young art in this country. Is
perhaps some frames have small mistakes and so on. They are not totally perfect, but it is the content and
在中國，當這些藝術家開始使用DVD和攝像機的時候，他們可能對於這種新的技術和媒介更感興趣，錄影對他們來說是一種更為
the concepts presented that are important.
直接 的 辦法去表 達 藝術 觀念 。 所以 在那 時 侯， 我不 認 為他 們試 圖 在一 個更 為廣闊 的語 境 裏去 瞭解 錄 影藝 術的 概 念 。
SF:
So what you are saying is that the energy and excitement comes from the ability to work more experimentally.
SF:
那麼 這 就是在有 一 個可 行的 新 技術 條件 下 的反 應？
SN:
Yes.
SN:
從某種角度來說，是的。但總的來說，是因為錄影這種語言很便捷，不論是表達藝術家的日常生活，還是他們的環境，都是一手的資訊。
SF:
Almost all of the art coming into the West from China is painting. But these artists are working outside of
SF:
那你 如 何感覺錄 影 藝術 可以 去 做別 的一 些 藝術 形式 所 不能 做的 ？ 它創 作了 一種什 麼樣 的 機會 ？
that system. We hear that successful Chinese painters are making a lot of money. But how do these young
SN:
對我來說，錄影藝術比起別的藝術形式有更強的互動性。不同的藝術家會有不同的方式來做錄影藝術。有的藝術家把錄影當作第三
SN:
video artists support themselves? How do they make a living?
方觀察者——以呈現更為客觀的視點，比如崔岫聞，在她最為著名的作品《洗手間》，她就以第三方的觀點來呈現了真實生活裏私
The video artists are less famous and marketable than the painters, of course. Most of these artists work in
密 的 一 面 ： 年 輕 的 女 性 在 北 京 卡 拉 OK 廳 的 洗 手 間 裏 化 妝 打 扮 ， 準 備 回 到 夜 總 會 場 上 。 利 用 這 個 媒 介 來 創 作 ， 可 以 看 到 圖 像 、 物 體
other media, and sell other works, such as photography, to support their video art activity.
和藝術家本身之間的互動。也有藝術家把錄影當作一隻眼睛來觀察自己或別人的生活，以此表達自己。比如董文勝的《驚蟄》，我覺得 那個把自己掛起來的人確實就是中國當下的新知識份子群體的寫照。這些錄影作品可以使觀眾參與到其中，影響他們的感覺和想法。
SF:
Is there anything distinctive about Chinese video art? What is its unique selling point?
SN:
Video is central to art-making in China right now. It can do this in a way that painting cannot because it is
SF:
我對 於 錄影藝術 在 中國 會有 什 麼樣 的受 眾 群很 感興 趣 。有 普遍 的 觀眾 群嗎 ？這有 沒有 帶 來一 種新 的 刺激 ？
young and still developing. You can really see what is going on in China right now through these works.
SN:
在中國目前，錄影藝術對觀眾來說還是很新，他們很多可能不知道如何去理解。也許這也和藝術家和他們觀眾之間缺乏交流有關。 現在越來越多的觀眾意識到錄影是一種新的藝術形式。他們所受的關於藝術的教育，可能還停留在覺得藝術是一種掛在牆上的畫，
SF:
What is the one word or phrase to sum up your view of video art is in China today?
SN:
Young and dynamic. I always like to say the works are sticking close to the ground. Not floating in the air. These artists are looking introspectively and turning their lens on the real life of people and society.
或者 是 一個雕塑 。
SF:
所以 現 在你在為 錄 影藝 術培 養 一個 受眾 群 ？
SN:
我們 必 須做。尤 其 是年 輕的 群 體， 比起 老 一輩 的群 體 ，他 們也 許 就是 我們 未來的 觀眾 。
SF:
錄影藝術家也會用別的媒介來創作嗎？什麼樣的範圍會成為他們實踐的一部分？他們可能也畫畫，或者做裝置，攝影，還有些別的事情。
SN:
有些藝術家近期只是專注於使用錄影或者移動影像來創作藝術。大部分的藝術家是使用綜合媒介的。他們用不同的媒介來傳達資訊和創作。
SF:
我對於製作錄影的藝術家和電影製作人之間的關係很感興趣。是否錄影很清楚的被用做一種藝術手段是因為這些人是藝術家，但另 一方 面 又有製作 電 影的 電影 製 作人 。兩 者 之間 有沒 有 某種 關聯 存 在？
SN:
實際上，中國現在有一群年輕導演，我們叫他們是第六代導演。他們大多是畢業於北京電影學院，主要是創作電影。藝術家是通過 錄影 或 是移動影 像 來製 作藝 術 作品 ，是 屬 於藝 術家 這 個領 域的 。 很明 顯這 是兩個 截然 不 同的 領域 。 但這 兩個 領 域 有時 候相 互影 響 。
SF:
錄 影藝 術家用 視頻 或 DVD 來 做東 西嗎？ 或者 他們以一 種方式開始 然後轉換到 別的技術？
SN:
這 是混 合的， 都使 用。
SF:
在 中國 的錄影 藝術 家是如 何受 教育的 ？
SN:
我 想他 們大部 分是 自學的 。剛 一開始 就是 玩設備， 開始拍攝， 找些朋友來 幫忙把作品 做完。
SF:
這 些技 術在藝 術院 校裏不 教嗎 ？沒有 錄影 製作的教 育和課程？
SN:
早 期就 是這樣 ，但 近期已 經有 些藝術 院校 設立媒體 藝術系了， 比如杭州， 中國美術學 院所在地， 現在就 已經 有了。
SF:
那 這算 是全新 的發 展？
SN:
是 ，我 想也就 是幾 年的事 。
SF:
在 這次 展覽裏 的藝 術家和 他們 的作品 有什 麼特定的 共同主題顯 現嗎？
SN:
是 的 。 我 想 這 些 作 品 都 是 藝 術 家 的 生 活 和 經 驗 。 主 要 是 關 於 一 個 問 題 —— ‘ 我 們 為 什 麼 在 這 裏 ？ ’ 也 是 關 於 藝 術 家 和 社 會 之 間 的 複 雜 的相 互關係 ，在 當代中 國社 會裏的 個體 生活。
SF:
錄影藝術很明顯比起在這次展覽裏呈現的還要更廣闊。這次選擇的作品是偏重於呈現錄影藝術的活躍呢，還是表現一個特別的群體？
SN:
實際上中國現在並不是有很多的錄影藝術家。但是我們所選的這些作品並不代表中國現今的所有錄影藝術狀況,它只是其中一個部 分，是來展現現在正在發生的事情的例子。這些藝術家花了很長時間來完善他們的作品，主要來自北京、上海和廣州，因為不同的 地 方的 藝術家 會有 不同的 特性 。中國 太大 了，因此 造成了錄影 藝術實踐裏 可能會有地 區差異。
SF:
那 為什 麼你會 選擇 這些城 市？ 它們是 錄影 藝術製作 的三大中心 嗎？
SN:
錄影藝術家幾乎都活躍在這些大城市裏。當然別的地方也有一些很活躍的錄影藝術家。通過對上海、北京和廣州的關注，我們也關 注 這些 城市周 邊的 地區。 這三 個地方 是錄 影藝術創 作最為活躍 的地方。
SF:
我們說這個展覽本質來說，展現了在這個國家裏年輕藝術裏的新生力量。這是對錄影藝術來說一個普遍的事情，還是只是你對這些 作 品的 選擇？
SN:
看這個展覽裏的作品，你會發現它們不是完全專業的——可能有些地方會有小錯誤什麼的。它們不是完美的，但提出的內容和觀念非常重要。
SF:
你 說的 意思就 是那 些能量 和興 奮，主 要是 來源於以 實驗性方式 工作的能力 。
SN:
是 的。
SF:
幾乎所有到達西方的中國藝術都是繪畫。但這些藝術家在系統以外創作。我們聽說中國的畫家賺非常多的錢。那這些年輕的錄影藝 術 家如 何支援 自己 的創作 和生 活呢？
SN:
當然，錄影藝術家比起畫家，名氣和市場銷售上都不如畫家。很多藝術家就以別的媒介工作，銷售別的媒介的作品，比如攝影圖 片 ，然 後來支 援自 己的錄 影藝 術製作 。
SF:
有 什麼 東西是 中國 錄影藝 術獨 有的嗎 ？其 獨特的賣 點是什麼？
SN:
錄影作為中國當代藝術創作的一種主要方式，它可以做繪畫做不了的事。因為它還很年輕，還在發展。從這些作品中你真的就可以 看 到現 在在中 國正 在發生 什麼 。
SF:
關 於今 日的中 國錄 影藝術 ，你 有什麼 詞或 短語可以 概括你的觀 點嗎？
SN:
年輕，活躍。我喜歡說作品要腳踏在實地上，不是在空氣中飄著的。這些藝術家是自省的，並把他們的鏡頭放在人們真實的生活和社會上。
Artists
8gg 八股歌
“ We are a couple and as 8 Gu Ge (8gg) we have worked as a group since the 90s.
Our work is all related to music and vision. 8gg is the title of a rock song we wrote when we were students. Because of the look and the strange sound of the pronunciation itself, we decided to use it as our group name. When we heard for the first time the two words “ video art ” (there was no precise translation at that time), it gave us the impetus to make “ video art ” , just as we wanted to make our first web art project when we heard the words “ web art ” for the first time. We always consider “ News Dance ” to be a music piece. This has to do with our interests. We like to use ordinary elements to make interesting things, for instance, by using non-music elements to make a piece of nice music. Listening to news broadcasts is the most boring thing we can imagine, so we decided to make different versions of it: dance music, emotional songs, and so on. But after we finished the first piece, we didn ’ t have the patience to work on it further;-. A lot of artists before also use television broadcasting to create new art pieces, but showing a boring thing in an even more boring way is not what we want to do. ”
八股歌是二人的團隊，作為夫婦，我們從上世紀九十年代就開始工作生活在一起，我們的工作，無論藝術的，或商業的，都與音樂和視覺密不可分。 “ 八股 歌 ”是 我們 在 學生 時代 寫 過的 一首 搖 滾歌的名 字 ，因 為這 個名字 本身 的 拼貼 性以 及 讀音 上奇 怪 的感 覺， 所以 我們 用 來 作為 我們 組 合 的名 字。 我 們 好 像 第 一 次 聽 到 “ video art ” （ 那 時 侯 好 像 還 沒 有 對 應 的 約 定 俗 成 的 中 文 翻 譯 ） 就 產 生 了 做 “ 錄 影 藝 術 ” 的 衝 動 ， 就 象 第 一 次 聽 到 web art 這 個詞 就 堅定 的想 做 我們 的第 一 個網 路作 品 一樣。 “ News Dance ”一直被我們當作一個音樂作品。這與我們的興趣有關，我們喜歡用最尋常的元素做出有趣的東西，比如用非音樂的素材做出一段 好聽的音樂。新聞聯播裏的語音是我們能想到的最枯燥最單調的聲音。本來原計劃要做很多個版本，舞曲的，抒情的，等等。但是做完第一個就沒 有 興趣 再 這麼 重複 地 工作 了。 確 實， 用 新聞 做作 品 的方 式被 許 多藝 術家 使 用，但是 把 一個 無聊 的東西 用更 無 聊的 方式 呈 現卻 不是 我 們喜 歡的 。
Cao Fei
Cui Xiuwen
曹 斐
崔岫聞
“ In the background of the entire Chinese economic development, millions of peoples ’ individuals ’ lives have been
In 1998, in the China Century Female Art Exhibition, I showed my work for the first time to a public audience. It was
ignored. All of these lives create an image of a collective blur.
an oil painting. I got into some trouble during the exhibition because the topic I had chosen was sensitive. This was an
An artist ’ s expression is always powerless; all I can do is to find the lost fragments. Like cosplayers, I try to address
ordeal to the exhibition as a whole, as well as to myself personally. In the end it was not too bad. The name of that series
issues of globalisation; a lot of which have been lost in the rapid development and expansion of Chinese cities; for
of work was “ Rose and Labiatae ” , and after the exhibition the media and critics started to call me an artist who is
instance, individual’s unique problems: these group of cosplayers are the adolescents who were growing up in the
concerned with “ sex topics ” , even though that was not the case. Sex was a very sensitive topic at that time in China.
last 20 years of rapidly changing China. I tried to get in tune with their attitudes, and the relationship between their
Now, 10 years later, the situation has changed totally. China is developing and changes everyday. This can be seen from
cities and families, how they would face reality as alienated players. The images they came up with are the images of
the acceptance of my works by public media and professional magazines. In the very beginning, only very small sized
developing countries in a globalized world. My inspiration comes from reality: Chinese reality now is even more absurd
pictures of my works could be published, and always with an unimportant and obscure layout. Later people showed my
than surrealism.
works on whole pages to introduce my work and my life. From a student then I become an … artist! It made me more clear
Near my studio in Guangzhou, every evening on the street downstairs, I used to see a middle-aged man acting strangely:
about the direction of my life.
h e d a n c e s , d o e s e x e r c i s e s , a n d g e n e r a l l y l o o k s n u t s , b u t a t t h e s a m e t i m e l o o k s o r d i n a r y. . H e g i v e s k i s s e s t o e v e r y
I am an artist who is growing and living in China. All the sources of my spirit and inspiration come from the experiences
passer-by, and says he wants to thank each of them who appreciates him. He says he doesn ’ t need music because the
that come from working and living here. China is a country in motion, everything is in change, the atmosphere is very
music is inside his heart. The road is his stage, car lights are his stage lights, passers-by are his audience, so, he has
intense, in every different kind of field. You could compare it with oxygen molecules, in which each of the molecules are
got all the space he needs. He has got this city; happiness is his aim. It brought us a smile as well. ”
very active. People are living in constant inspiration. The desire to express or tell something becomes overwhelming.
在以國家為背景的大規模經濟發展下，無數的個人命運往往被忽略，而這些無數的個人又形成了一整個模糊的集體。作為一個藝術家，表達往往是 乏 力的 ， 我 所 能 做的 是 尋 找那些 失去的 碎片 。
1998年，我參加了中國世紀女性藝術大展，第一次展出我自己獨立創作的作品。當時我展出的是油畫。由於創作題材比較敏感，所以展出頗費周
像 Cosplayers ， 我 試 圖 探 討 在 全 球 化 浪 潮 中 ， 中 國 城 市 的 急 速 發 展 與 擴 張 拋 離 了 許 多 現 實 問 題 ， 如 個 體 生 存 困 境 等 問 題 ， 那 群 Cosplayers 就 是 在
折。展出過程既考驗了承辦方也考驗了我自己。還好一切都沒有想像的那麼糟。那一批作品的名稱是“玫瑰與水薄荷”，展出後被許多媒體及評論
中 國 近 20 年 高 速 發 展 期 間 成 長 起 來 的 年 輕 人 ， 我 試 圖 觸 及 他 們 的 生 活 態 度 與 他 們 城 市 及 家 庭 的 關 係 ， 他 們 作 為 異 化 了 的 Player 是 如 何 應 對 緊 迫 的 現
界關注，並把我稱為“性別題材”藝術家，雖然我自己並不那麼認為。在那時的中國，性還是一個比較敏感的話題。十年後的今天，已經完全不一
實 ，他 們 在 城 市 中營 造 的 風景恰 好是全 球化 在發展 中國 家的縮 影 。我 的創 作靈感來自 現 實，中國當 下的 現實比 超現實更荒 謬。
樣。中國每天都在變化和進步當中，從媒體及專業雜誌接受我作品的尺度就能看出來。一開始只是火柴盒大小的圖片發表，在不顯眼、不重要的地
在我原來廣州工作室附近，每晚樓下的街道上總看見一位中年漢子做著奇怪的肢體運動，似是舞步又似體操，似是瘋人又似是常人。他不斷向路人
方，到後來已經整版介紹我的作品和我自己的工作和生活狀態。我從一個默默無聞的學生變成了一個受人關注的藝術家，不知不覺中似乎更加明晰
獻吻，他說他要感謝每個觀賞他的路人，他說他不需要音樂，音樂在他心裏。馬路是他的舞臺，車燈是舞臺上的照明，路人是他的觀眾，就這樣，
了 我的 人 生方 向。
他 享有 了 整 個 空 間， 得 到 了整座 城市。 …… 這種歡 樂是 他的目 標 ，也 帶給 了我們歡樂 。
我是成長和生活在中國本土的藝術家，我所有的資源和創作靈感都來源於我在中國生活和工作的體驗。中國是一個發展中的國家，一切都在變化中，似乎在 各個領域都有一種不安定的躁動。似乎每一個空氣分子、每一個細胞都很活躍。人每天都在被激發的感覺當中。要創造和表達些什麼似乎是一個必然。
Dong Wensheng
Hu Jieming
董文勝
胡介鳴
I am an artist using photography and video as the basis of my work. I would describe my works as experimental with a focus on the poetic.
“ I finished my first video piece in 1996, but I started to be interested in video even earlier. I read a lot of material about
After I graduated from university, in 1995, my paintings were exhibited in "The Third China Oil Painting Annual Exhibition",
video art. But the realization had been postponed because of technology and equipment problems.
I was quite excited about the fact that my work could be shown in the National Art Museum of China, but I could describe
At the end of the 80 ’ s, I discovered the video “ The Wall ” , by the director Alan Parker. I was strongly shocked by it,
the experience about this whole exhibition just in one word, "boring". This directly caused me to put m y p a i n t b r u s h e s
i t w a s t o o i m p r e s s i v e . L a t e r I l i k e d I t a l i a n d i r e c t o r s s u c h a s P a s o l i n i , a n d F e l l i n i , a n d t h e S o v i e t d i r e c t o r Ta r k o v s k y.
d o w n , a n d a f t e r t w o y e a r s o f h e s i t a t i o n , I s t a r t e d a g a i n b u t n o w w i t h p h o t o g r a p h y, a n d t h e n a f t e r w a r d s w i t h v i d e o !
The earliest video works I liked were by two American artists, Gary Hill and Bill Viola, but I saw only the images in the
I was thinking about many issues, and it felt inadequate to express them only through static images. In fact when I was
catalogues, I had no chance to see the original video works. However, even just static images of them fascinated me very much.
making "Jing Zhe(Excited Insects)", I learnt how to use a DV camera that I borrowed from someone else.
I thought it was such an amazing media. Afterwards I saw the original pieces in the USA, as well as the review
During 1995-1997, the people in the dark corners of the street who were selling pirated VCDs were my "heroes". At that
exhibition of Nam June Paik and earlier works of Matthew Barney, very impressive.
time, there were no DVDs, only VCDs. I always managed to find some good films among a lot of junk pirated VCDs and
Video art is a very special language to me; it gives enough space and time to narrate and express the content you want
that was a real exciting experience for me! I got my basic education in moving images from those pirated VCDs.
to, and does it quite directly. Because it has a huge capacity, you have great possibilities to expand, which means you
In China, we don’t have so many chances to see a lot of good international video art, but Bill Viola is one of my favorite video artists. His video
can play around with it a great deal. ”
installations do not only contribute to the language of art, but the eternal topics "life, death, common sense, subconsciousness", that concern him are the common experiences of all human beings. I have never lived in another environment than a Chinese one but I think, the most important
我 的第 一 件來 錄影 作 品是 1996 年 完成 的 ， 但在這 之 前的 幾年 中 已經 開始 對 錄影 藝術
thing, as an individual, is the self's sensitivity to the exterior world. Artistic inspiration shouldn't depend upon our environment!
發 生興 趣 ，看 了很 多 這方 面的 資 料。 只是 技 術和設備 問 題推 遲了 工作的 進程 。 在80年代末我得到了英國導演艾倫·派克的《迷牆》，當時受到很強烈的震動，留下深刻的印象，後來對義大利導演帕索裏尼的影片比較喜歡，對
我 以攝 影 和 錄 影 為媒 介 進 行創作 ，作品 以實 驗性為 準則 ，注重 詩 意的 表達 。
費裏尼和前蘇聯的塔爾科夫斯基也極為迷戀。我最早看到的是美國藝術家蓋利·希爾和比爾·維奧拉的作品，僅僅是畫冊上的照片，沒有機會看錄
在1995年我大學畢業以後，我的油畫作品參加了“中國第三屆油畫年展”，能在中國美術館展覽，我很興奮，但是展覽給我的體驗只有兩個字 -
影，但照片上的資訊已經使我很著迷了，我覺得這是一個不可思議的媒介。後來在美國看到了他們的原作，並看到的更早的白南准的回顧展和年輕
“ 無聊 ” 。 這 個 展覽 直 接 導致我 放下畫 筆， 經過了 兩年 的彷徨 ， 我開 始以 攝影來創作 ， 接著是錄影 。
的馬修·巴尼的作品，印象非常深刻。錄影是一種較為特殊的語言，我覺得在錄影中有足夠的時間和空間來敍述你想要表達的內容，並且非常直觀。
當時我發現我所思考的很多東西，已經不是只用靜態畫面就可以表達的了。實際上我在拍《驚蟄》的時候，是在拍攝當天才現學怎麼使用借來的攝像機的。
它 的容 量 非常 巨大 ， 可拓 展的 餘 地也 是十 分 寬廣，玩 起 來可 以隨 心所欲 一點 。
在1995－1997年期間，中國一些小巷裏的盜版音像店老闆，他們是我電影上的“英雄”，當時沒有DVD，只有VCD，每當從一堆垃圾般的盜版 光 碟中 找 到 金 子 般的 好 片 子，實 在是一 種讓 人興奮 的體 驗！我 關 於影 像的 基礎教育就 是 在那些模糊 不清 的盜版 光碟中完成 的。 其實在中國看到好的國際錄影作品的機會並不多，但是我肯定要提到“比爾·維奧拉”。他的影像裝置不僅是創作語言上的貢獻，他所關注的“生 命 、死 亡 、 感 官 、潛 意 識 ”等問 題，是 人類 共同的 經驗 和永恆 的 主題 。 我 沒有 在 其 他 環 境的 生 存 體驗， 但是我 認為 ，重要 的是 個體對 外 部的 感受 力，而不能 太 依靠環境。
Huang Xiaopeng
Li Songhua
黃小鵬
李頌華
I am an artist and an art professor. As a video artist I am mainly self-taught - the technical part I got strangely enough
“In my work ‘Keynote Speech’,
from my students. Gongfu films are the films I saw over and over again and they influenced me a lot, they make me laugh.
China. I think this is an attitude I have. I made this piece with a lot of hopes.
For my video works, time, speed and sound are all very important; they transform everything. With a DVcam, you can
I am an artist growing in China and I am curious about the world I live in.
record anything wherever you go, take some elements from it, and build up a reality of fiction from these elements.
At the end of 2001, a work I showed caused a lot of concern and dispute, even though it was the first time I had shown
An “ uncertain identity ” (28 years in China and 14 years in the UK ) made up the background of my work “ I always get
the work. This brought a lot of pressure and confusion to the host group, so through the curator they asked me to take
a bit jumpy when I' am suspended in the air ” . This 2:1 ratio is my angle for observation as well as my position on “ the edge ” .
away this piece in the afternoon of the second day of the exhibition. Subsequently I have felt concerned and amazed by
I n t h e v i o l e n t l y c h a n g i n g m o d e r n d a y C h i n e s e s o c i e t y, b o t h t h e h e a v i n e s s a n d t h e l i g h t n e s s o f b e i n g a r e b e c o m i n g
this experience. Also, from that moment on, I realized that art is not something totally useless to society, as some people
unbearable, just as the slowly permeating bright Buddhism pink and blue become horrific.
say, at least; society can be astonished when confronted with art. Media art particularly fascinates me because we are
My recent project is to use fast translation software to translate the lyrics of Western and Chinese pop songs, backwards
living in a world that has been inundated with the media. ”
I want to express, through my son’s voice, the perception of Chinese people to
and forwards between English and Chinese again and again...until the language becomes ridiculous and fits the images.
在我的作品《講話》裏面，通過我兒子的聲音，來表達對新中國的期望與寄予。我想這也是我所持有的態度。我的確在這作品裏投入了很多美好的願望。 我是一個藝術家和教育工作者。作為一名錄影藝術家，我基本上是自學的，技術方面我會向我的學生請教。我喜歡看功夫片，它們給我很多影響，
我 是 一 個 生 長 在 中 國 的 藝 術 家 ， 我 對 我 生 活 的 這 個 世 界 充 滿 了 好 奇 與 憧 憬 。 2001 年 底 ， 由 於 我 第 一 次 展 出 的 那 件 作 品 就 引 起 當 時 很 多 社 會 媒 體 的 關
總 是讓 我 發 笑 。
注與爭議，以致給主辦方帶來了很大的壓力與不安, 從而導致他們通過策展人要求我在展出的第二天下午就把作品撤掉了。這個經歷讓我至今都感
對我的作品來說，時間、速度和聲音是非常重要的構成，它們使一切得以轉換。你可以用數碼攝像機隨時隨地的拍下任何東西，在其中抽取一些
到奇妙而有趣。而且，從那一刻起也讓我認識到：藝術並不是如人所說的那樣，對於社會是完全無用的東西；最起碼，社會在面對藝術時並不是完
素材來構建一種虛構的現實。構成我的背景的，是“模糊的身份”（中國生活28年，英國生活14年），所以我做了這個作品：《懸空總是令我緊
全 無動 於 衷的 。尤 其 是錄 影作 品 ，因 為我 們 現在就生 活 在一 個被 影像覆 蓋的 世 界裏 。
張》。這個2：1的比例就是我觀察事物的角度，也是我的“邊緣”位置。急劇變化的今日中國, 存在之輕與重同樣變得不可承受。如佛教中明亮的 粉 紅和 湖 藍 , 硫酸 般 慢 慢 滲出而變得 恐怖 …… 近 期我 正 在 做 的 計畫 就 是 利用中 英文快 譯軟 體重複 地翻 譯中外 流 行曲 ，一 直到它們和 影 像荒謬地結 為一 體。
Liang Yue
Lu Chunsheng
梁 玥
陸春生
When making these works, I didn ’ t consider them work at all. I just played around with my camera and took photos. The
Making a piece is limited by a lot of conditions. The place and period you live in, the opinions you have, the knowledge
other night I went out and suddenly had a déjà-vu experience. The immediate thought in my mind was that I should take
of your career, the understanding of other people ’ s works, your interests, your education, your experiences, even the
a photo to record it. As is said in Buddhism, once you receive wisdom, your pre-life and after-life enters your brain. But
things that coincidently happen, all of these would influence you. So if you make a piece in “ this ” way, you have a red
it enters little by little. If it comes all at once, you cannot bear it. The scene I saw gave me just such a feeling, which
line which goes through the entire creative concept. Some things are very hard to change.
was unfamiliar yet very intense for me. I thought I had a direct relation to it. It ’ s like when you are bathed in coldness,
In my latest film “ History of Chemistry 2 ” , John Dee is the first one who uses the words “ British Empire ” , he is the
the cold feeling is, in a sense, related to your inner world. That was exactly how I felt at the time. I felt all the trees and
astrologer and mathematician under Queen Elizabeth. That was the most important time for England to grow strong and
houses along the road were part of me. It ’ s also like when you are walking along the road and see fog, houses, cars in
establish the country. Englishmen produced amazing energy from water (or steam), and let this energy last for always.
the distance; coming closer, you feel that the scene has a soul, just like you.
John Dee ’ s descendant is living somewhere in the UK. He has a “ special ” ability, which he inherits from his ancestor. He knows the things that happen in the future, only he knows, that might be the future of the UK, he keeps an important
在創作這些作品的時候，我並沒有把它們當做作品。我只是到處閒逛然後拍照片。有個傍晚在我出去的時候突然有種似曾相識的感覺，我腦子裏的
“ contract ” . “ Company ” people use a special way to get in touch with him---- These 3 people set special installations
第一個反應就是我該拍照片，紀錄它。如佛教所說：當你的智慧來臨時，你的前生和今後都會進入你的腦中。但是這些東西是一點一點來的。如果
in the places which they precisely measured, then through the control of the water gate in certain times, they force him
是一次就全部來了，你是負擔不起的。我看到的場景就是給了我這樣的感覺，不熟悉但是又很強烈。然後我覺得我和它有很直接的聯繫。就象在寒
to give the “ contract ” , at the end, he kills the man who was always following him in the highlands.
冷中洗澡，在那場景下，冷的感覺是和你內在的世界聯繫起來的。這就是我在那時侯所感受的一模一樣的感覺。我覺得那些路邊的樹和燈就是我。
A lot of details of this story resemble climbing a mountain: continuously and precisely repeating every single movement,
這 也好 比 你 在 街 上走 ， 看 見了霧 ，房子 ，車 ，都是 有距 離的； 走 近了 看， 你就會發現 它 們也和你一 樣有 靈魂。
no mistakes at all, this makes it looks very restrained. Of course all of these are just my imagination.
創作作品是受很多情況制約的。你生活的這個地方，生活的這個時代，你對事物的看法，對所從事職業的認識，對別人作品的理解，你的趣味、性 格，你受的教育，你經歷過的一些事情，甚至是一些偶然發生的事情，等等這些都會影響你。於是你做了“這樣”的作品。於是你就有了一條“始 終 都貫 穿 整個 創作 概 念的 主線 ” 。 有 些東 西 是很 難改 變 的。 在我的新片《化學史 2 》的背景資料是， John Dee 是伊莉莎白一世的占星術士和數學家，也是第一個使用“大英帝國”這個詞的人。那是英格蘭強壯和 國家建立最重要的一個時期。也正是英國人讓水（或者水蒸汽）產生了巨大的能量，並且這個能量一直延續下來。這個故事就是關於 John Dee 的一個 後代，他生活在英國的某個地方。他有著“特殊”的能力，那一定是從祖先那兒繼承來的。他知道一些“以後”的事情，只有他知道“以後”的事情， 也許那是英國的未來。他掌握著一份關鍵的“合同”。“公司”的人是用一種特別的方式和他接觸的—他們在三個經過仔細測量的 地 方 放 置 了 特 殊 的 裝 置 ，然 後 通過 水道 上 的水 閘積 聚 起巨 大的 “ 壓力”， 這 種“ 壓力 ”會迫 使他 交 出“ 合同 ” 。最 後在 “ 高地 ”他 殺了 那個 一 直 追蹤 他的 人 。 這個故事的很多細節就像登山。不斷的、精確的重複每一個相同的動作，不能有絲毫的偏差，那看上去確實讓人覺得很“拘謹”。當然所有這些都是我想像的。
Ma Yongfeng
Meng Jin
馬永峰
孟 瑾
“I define myself as a media artist, and not as a conceptual artist.
The way I am working is a continuous linear
“ The piece ’ 14 rooms ’ was shot in the UK. Its footage came from an abandoned factory in East London, and I did
development, and I always make “re-mediations” of a media. Through these kinds of traditional media such as
the postproduction in China. I don ’ t use human figures in my videos probably because actors normally draw too much
installation and painting, I redefine my photography and video works.
attention away from their surrounding;, they bring up too much narrative. While my work often explores memory and
To tell the truth, to me the label “ video art ” is out of date already and is not so attractive anymore as a term. Now,
the ambiguity of architecture and objects, it deals with the nature of looking, a kind of observation in which unpeopled
“ video art ” means a tool for me. I am more interested in how to “ remediate ” this traditional “ new ” media, video art,
scenes are more appropriate. It also leaves more room for the viewer ’ s imagination. I am aiming to let those physical
in my exploration. For example my recent work “ Storm Model ” demonstrates this kind of style. First I made some active
spaces, objects and shapes tell the stories.
installations of a floodwater break out and a volcanic eruption, then through the light control I shot the artificial natural
The moving images create a quite careful process of observation -, to explore every inch of the objects in the shot. The
disaster. I call this process “ the installation after installation ” .
silence in my work keeps a kind of distance between the viewers and what they are watching.
Maybe some westerners think that my work “ The Swirl ” deals with political repression, but this is not the case. I notice
In “ Illumination ” , I chose some discarded objects on the floor and let them become illuminated one by one, creating a
a lot of “ Pan-Politicization ” on art works. This piece is in fact about mechanisms; the powerlessness of human beings
short shiny moment in which to reflect on life and the society around us. The sound of breathing is in syncopation with
and animals in front of the mechanisms. ”
the lights, creating a claustrophobic tension between the dark interior and ourselves. China is now fast changing; I hope my work can trigger thoughts on Chinese modern-day society. ”
我把自己定義為媒介藝術家，而不是觀念藝術家。我工作的方式通常是一種連續性的線索發展，並且通常將一種媒介“再媒介化”，即我通過裝置 和 繪畫 等 傳 統 媒 介重 新 定 義我的 攝影和 錄影 作品。
《 14 個 房 間 》 這 個 作 品 是 在 英 國 拍 攝 的 ， 是 在 倫 敦 東 部 一 個 廢 棄 的 工 廠 拍 攝 的 影 像 ， 然 後 在 中 國 進 行 的 後 期 製 作 。 我 沒 有 在 影 片 中 使 用 人 物 形 象 ，
說實話，“錄影藝術”這個詞已經過時了，對我來說已經沒有什麼吸引力了。現在，它對我來說只是一種工具，我現在更感興趣的是如何通過“再
也許是因為演員太容易帶走觀眾對周圍環境的注意力，並產生過多的敍事性。我的作品常常探索關於物體和建築的記憶及多重含義，常常是關於看
媒介化”錄影藝術這個傳統的“新”媒介來實現自己的探索。比如最新創作的《風暴模式》就是這樣的例子。我首先製作一些洪水暴發和火山暴發
的天性，什麼樣的觀察在無人的場景下更為合適。這也為觀者留下了更多的想像空間。我希望能讓這些物理的空間、物體和形狀能夠講故事。移動
的 模型 ， 然 後 通 過燈 光 的 控制來 拍攝這 個人 工製造 的自 然災害 ， 最後 只展 出錄影投射 裝 置，我把這 個過 程稱為 “裝置後的 裝置”。
的 影像 製 造出 了觀 察 的詳 細過 程 ，在 拍攝 裏 探索物體 的 每一 寸。 我作品 裏聲 音 的缺 失使 觀 者和 他們 所 看到 的東 西保 持了 某 種 距離 。
也許有些西方觀眾會把我的作品《漩渦》和政治聯繫起來，但實際上不是。我也留意到有很多這樣一種將藝術作品“泛政治化”的做法。實際上這 個 作品 還 是 關 於 機制 ， 人 或者動 物在機 制面 前的無 力感 。
在《靈光》這個作品裏，我選擇了一些在地板上的廢棄物，讓它們一個接一個的被燈照亮，為我們周遭的生活和社會製造一個小小的發光的瞬間。 然後呼吸的聲音出現在燈光熄滅的片刻之間，產生一種在黑暗內部和我們自身之間的幽閉恐懼感。中國現在變化很快，我希望我的作品可以引起一 些 對中 國 現代 社會 的 思考 。
Xu Tan
Xu Zhen
徐 坦
徐 震
I am an artist working on the relationship between concept and reality, especially social reality. Whenever I start to
“ My name is Xu Zhen. In 1997 I showed my work for the first time to the public and the feeling I had through this was
make a new work, I explore directly from my experiences, mostly about my everyday life in China. Sometimes interesting
an eager to continue making art.
t h i n g s e m e r g e f r o m m y s u b c o n s c i o u s , w h i c h g e n e r a t e s m y t h i n k i n g a n d c r e a t i v i t y. I f I h a v e t o n a m e a f i l m t h a t h a s
A few years ago I was still interested in subjects that were related directly to my personal life and a corporeal
inspired me a lot, then it would be the Chinese cartoon film Monkey King (Sun Wukong's Revolt against Heaven).
apprehension of the world. The video Rainbow (1998), for instance, shown at the Biennale of Venice in 2001, was a very
The phenomenon of “ Xintiandi ” in Shanghai is a particular feature of some cities in China. It relates to the great socio-
simple work. It is a video of four minutes in which you see the back of a male person getting red from slapping it. The
economic changes taking place. Why does the hottest economic boom happen in the birth place of a communist party, an
process of the slapping is not shown, just the faint red marks which are almost beautiful. Actually it is quit a violent
area with such an ideological heritage? I think it symbolizes the changing of China and the triumph of capitalism.
action, though. This work is still very much related to a direct, physical awareness of things. For me, the body is not so much a material as a medium. I use the body as an expressive tool because it is direct; a way of thinking without having recourse to the mind. Later on I became more involved in the experience of my environment, on a social level as well as
我是一個在觀念和現實，特別是社會現實關聯方面工作的藝術家。我的創作主要直接來源於我的生存經驗，主要是中國的社會生活經驗，一些有趣
a geographical level. Of course this work is also related to my personal experience, but more in an environmental way. I
的 東西 從 我 的 意 識裏 浮 現 ，給我 帶來思 考和 創作的 開端 。如果 要 我提 到給 了我很多靈 感 的電影，應 該是 中國早 期的動畫電 影《孫悟空 大鬧天 宮 》 。
have a quite direct simple way of creating my work. Just straight forward. You can consider humor an important part of
位於上海的“新天地”在中國某些城市成為了一種景觀，這和社會經濟的迅速發展是相關的。為什麼最火熱的經濟景象會出現在如此一個有著意識
it. To me humor is life so that ’ s why you will find a lot of humor in my pieces. Everything is in motion, whether art is an
形 態遺 跡 的 地 方 ，這 象 徵 了中國 社會的 變化 和資本 主義 的成功 。
aim or a way. ”
我 是 徐 震 。 1997 年 ， 我 做 了 第 一 次 展 出 ， 帶 給 我 的 體 驗 就 是 我 要 繼 續 做 下 去 。 前 些 年 我 還 對 與 我 個 人 生 活 和 這 世 界 的 有 形 理 解 直 接 相 關 的 事 情 感 興 趣 。 比 如 《 彩 虹 》 （ 1998 ） 這 件 作 品 ， 在 2001 年 於 威 尼 斯 雙 年 展 展 出 ， 只 是 4 分 鐘 ， 你 可 以 看 到 一 個 人 的 背 部 通 過 拍 打 逐 漸 變 紅 。 但 是 拍 打 的 過 程 和實行並沒有被展示出來，但慢慢變紅的色彩是美麗的。雖然這實際上是個有些暴力的行為。這件作品仍然是對事物很直接很生理的反應。對我來 說，身體並非是媒介，我用身體作為表達工具是因為它夠直接，不需要在大腦裏去求根問底。之後我更多關注我對周遭環境的體驗，從社會層面和 地理層面上。當然這件作品和我的個人體驗有關，但更多是以一種環境的角度。我以一種非常簡單的方式來做我的作品。你可以認為幽默在其中佔 據 了很 大 一部 分。 對 我來 說， 幽 默就 是生 活 。所有的 一 切都 在變 化之中 ，無 論 藝術 是一 種 目的 或是 一 種方 式。