THE ARTIST

推倒數位與現實的界線

JONATHAN CHAPLINE

喬納森．查普林

Text / 陳昱良 Iris Chen Photo / Ravenel International Art Group

▲ 2021年8月「喬納森‧查普林」作品展覽 －梵藝術私人美術館，台南 Jonathan Chapline at Fine Art Private Museum, Tainan

總覽 2021 年上半的藝術市場，Digital, NFT, Under 40s, HK, Evening Sales 等關鍵詞，似乎都交集在一位藝 術家 ─ 喬納森．查普林 Jonathan Chapline（1987 年生）， 這位畢業於羅德島設計學院（RISD），目前定居於紐約 布魯克林，自 2020 年春季登上香港夜拍，其拍賣、畫廊 展覽、私人交易成績，皆高速飛漲的美國當代藝術家。

當 2020 年 1 月底，查普林首場亞洲個展於東京舉 行，全球情勢雖為疫情籠罩，卻不掩其獨特風格得到亞 洲市場的迴響。他的作品完美詮釋「3D 渲染」（3D - Rendering）超出電腦螢幕，在當代藝術創作的實踐。 查普林自詡創作精神「推倒數位與現實的界線」，凝視 其畫作的第一印象，大量洋紅與靛藍相互對比，充滿虛 擬、未來和超現實迷幻感。他活用 Instagram 世代的漸層 技巧，彷彿視覺化 Synthwave 電子音樂，反向輸出虛擬 概念於物質世界。2017 年 VICTORI + MO 畫廊（現為 +DINNER）查普林個展「House Work」，展覽佈置跳脫 當代的「白盒子」定律，全空間打造成電氣靛青（Electric Indigo），一邊呼應作品裡大量運用此色，也引導觀眾 脫離現實的氛圍。

梳理查普林的脈絡，約莫 2015 年顯見電腦生成圖 像、建模技術，對他創作核心的影響力。多維空間設定， 光源佈局突破以往限制，漸層色彩的運用，豐富視覺感 與空間關係，同時間弱化幾何板塊，直線切割的冰冷生 硬。不難發現在主題構思，藝術家仍依循傳統選擇如： 桌面靜物、室內空間與人體群像，作為喚醒觀者熟悉感 的共鳴點。當復古元素與經典題材，復生於科技感的表 現手法，過去與未來想像濃縮於畫作，也許是藝術家對 於時序的提問，表達出「現在式」的個人觀點。

2021 年夏季在紐約、東京、香港與台南，皆有查普 林的展覽與大型雕塑亮相。最新釋出的 3D 影片，畫作 的構圖越趨繁複，宣告藝術家蓬勃的創造力，伴隨技術 提升而卓越躍進。查普林自承思考大師傑作，如：畢卡 索、馬諦斯、塞尚是引發靈感的重要過程。此一特點更 是在人體雕塑中有所表現，分成不同區塊的人體結構， 因增厚的平面帶來立體與量感，舞蹈式誇張姿態組合一 起，立體派的外觀覆上鮮活色彩更添戲劇效果，吸引如： ICA Miami、Hermès、Hawkins Ferry House 等公共或商 業機構，在各種空間場域裡合作展演。

目前可公開查詢的拍賣資料中，共有十三筆紀錄， 最高為 2020 年 12 月香港拍賣，室內空間系列畫作《無 題》，由低預估六倍之多創下成交價港幣 189 萬。查普 林與科技聯結的新穎形象，和近兩年線上交易的蓬勃發 展，新世代藏家無疑是亮麗成績的幕後推手。在台灣亦 有不少專業人士，早早將目光鎖定，2018 年就將查普林 的作品推薦給收藏家。獲悉近期查普林作品私人交易的 價格，也間接反映出當時眼光之精準。

▲ 羅芙奧2021年秋季拍賣會― 喬納森‧查普林《家庭景觀》2017年 壓克力 FLASHE顏料 畫板 61.6 x 78.7 cm Ravenel 2021 Autumn Auction, Jonathan Chapline, Domestic Landscape, 2017, Acrylic and FLASHE on panel, 61.6 x 78.7 cm

An overview of the art market during the early half of 2021 shows that various key terms, including Digital, NFT, Under 40s, HK, and Evening Sales, seem to all describe American contemporary artist, Jonathan Chapline (born in 1987). A graduate of RISD currently residing in Brooklyn, NY, Chapline has been rapidly achieving new heights at auctions, gallery exhibitions, and private sales since his participation in Hong Kong Spring Auction Evening Sale in 2020.

Though the global situation was feeling the effects of the pandemic at the end of January 2020, Chapline held his first Asian solo exhibition in Tokyo, winning over the Asian market with his unique style. His art perfectly interprets the idea of 3D-Rendering transcending computer screens and into innovations in contemporary art. Chapline describes his creative spirit as "Pushing the boundaries between the digital and the physical" using a large amount of complementary magenta and indigo colors. While gazing at his works, the impression that one has is of a virtual, futuristic, and surreal sense of fantasy. He has applied the color-gradation technique used by Instagrammers, as if visualizing the Synthwave electronic music and reverse outputting the virtual to the material world. In 2017, the VICTORI + MO Gallery (currently the +DINNER) held Chapline's solo exhibition, House Work. The exhibition design differed from the fixed tradition of a "white box" for contemporary art. The entire space was painted Electric Indigo, echoing the extensive use of the color in his works that lead viewers to become

detached from reality.

Looking at the creative context of Chapline, the computergenerated image and modeling technologies that emerged around 2015 had a strong influence on his creativity. The multi-dimensional setting includes a lighting layout that has broken free from former limits. The application of color gradation enriches the visual sensation and spatial relationships, simultaneously weakening the cold and rigid geometric plates cut by straight lines. In terms of theme and concept, the artist adhered to traditional selections of still life on table top, interior space and group portraits, elements awakening a sense of familiarity among viewers. When retro elements and classical themes are resurrected via a

technological method of presentation, imaginations of the past and future are materialized in the artwork. Perhaps it is the artist's chronological inquiries that express his personal viewpoint on the definition of "present tense".

During the summer of 2021, Chapline's exhibitions and large-scale sculptures appeared in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Tainan. The latest 3D video release shows his canvas composition with increasing complexity, declaring the vibrant creativity of the artist, which

◀ 藝術家攝於工作室 Artist at studio, courtesy of LSC & Jonathan Chapline

progresses along with technical advancement. Chapline states that contemplation upon the works of masters, such as Picasso, Matisse, and Cézanne, are an important process sparking his inspiration. These characteristics are presented especially in the human sculpture, dividing into body structures of different sections. The sense of three-dimensionality and volume comes from the thickened flat surface, integrated together in an exaggerated dance style. The cubist appearance is enhanced by lively colors to create a dramatic effect, while attracting public or commercial organizations such as ICA Miami, Hermès, Hawkins Ferry House, and more, collaborating in exhibitions and performances in various spatial venues.

Looking at the 13 publicly available auction records, the highest amount was Untitled in the Interior Space series during the Hong Kong auction in December 2020. The transaction price of HK$1.89 million was more than six times the low-estimate. The novel impression created by Chapline integrating with technology is probably the result of flourishing on-line transactions in the past two years by a new generation of collectors. Professional art dealers in Taiwan have been recommending the works of Chapline to collectors as early as 2018. The latest private transaction sales price of Chapline's works also indirectly reveals the accurate foresight at that time.