>肆< si - #19

一月

肆 [

日 ] 拾玖號 4. January

issue 19

本期藝術家

the Artist

李亭葳

Tingwei Li 1989 年出生于山东烟台 现工作生活于柏林、纽约 Born in Yantai, Shandong, PR China, 1989 Now live and work in Berlin and New York

- 教育 / Education 2005-2008 中国美术学院附属中学 2008-2010 同济大学肄业 2010-2011 德国不来梅大学艺术教育系客座学生 2011- 德国柏林艺术大学美术系学习自由艺术 2014 纽约 Hunter College 艺术系硕士交流生 2011-present Berlin University of the Arts. Berlin, Germany, Fine Arts 2014 Hunter College of The City University of New York. NYC, USA, Exchange student in Art/Art History Department, MFA for Fall 2014 term 2010-2011 University of Bremen. Bremen, Germany, visiting student in the College of Pedagogical Education, 2008-2010 Tongji University of Shanghai. Shanghai, China, Studied Photography and German

- 展覽 / Exhibition 2014 Hunter MFA Open Studios, New York City, USA Migrant I, Zhong Gallery, Berlin, Germany MACHT, Wals.Gallery, Munich, Germany 2013 Chapeau Art Fair. Innsbruck, Austria European Project PHYSIS, Minigallery Assisi. Assisi, Italy LUXUS+, Museum FLUXUS+, Potsdam, Germany PHSIS 2013, Goethe Institut Athen & Old Course Veria, Greece Moments of Encounter, Confucius Institute Berlin. Germany 2010 OFPIX Photocamp 9, Workshop Exhibition, Peking INSPIRED BY THE UK Art competition in UK Pavillon of EXPO, Shanghai. - Video work “what is growing” 2009 Starting point:”366 Tage involvement in Art”, Himalaya Art museum, Shanghai

" 我的作品是关于思维的质量和精神的控制。通过极度简化、形式几 何的转变，使经验化的情绪、经历和物件抽象凝缩至接近本质，用看似简 单常见的几何形和基本纯粹的色彩块面，展现关于生存、时间等宏观话题 的哲学。 我擅于运用深植在中国人行为和思维中的道家思想理论，玩味着“平 衡”、“对比”、“限制“”、“颠倒“的经验，例如在“游乐场”、“儿 童乐园”、“幼儿园”的概念下生成的系列，是对“纯粹”、“基本”的追求， 重建出的似如玩具和儿童脑海里的世界，但又对属于每个人的过往经验提 出着巨大的问号。我的作品给出求证线索，摆出一些天真简单的物体或组 合，没有使观者深信或参与的预设，在有距离感的冷静的鲜艳色彩中平静 存在，极度视觉化的表象引发非观看性的思索。"

"Through simplifying and transferring forms, my work is a compression of emotions, experiences and objects under common sense to their essence. I use seemly simple and general geometrical forms and basic and pure colour to show my concept of life, time and philosophy, and playing with balance, contrast, limit, quote, reverse, exaggeration and so on. For example, in the concept of “Playground” and “kindergarten” series of works, I pursue the purity and basic. It is resembled of toys and reconstruction of imaging children’s world from an adult’s view, but asking questions to everyone’s past experiences. I leave clues for people to entering in my logic, I set up naïve and simple objects or arrangements, without pre-design for convincing viewers to participate in. The objects are being as still existence in distantly, bright colour, therefore the extreme visual effect brings about non-visual thinking and resonance. "

李亭葳

採訪實錄 interview

with Tingwei Li

肆 : 你对道教有何理解 ? 为什么说在你的作品中有道教的思想背景 ? 李 : 道教在我的观点里更多是倾向于哲学性 , 而非宗教性。它强调的无为、自然、 自然发生、简单、节制、谦逊和怜悯 , 更是根植在中国人思维观念里的哲学。 我非常赞同“阴阳”这个概念，并从这个概念出发 , 潜移默化地运用它做了一 些绘画作品 , 其中有很多对比力量的平衡和共存。两两一组的对比色之间的关 系在我看来也是类似“阴阳相生”。因为一直以来对几何形这种简单、基本的 元素的偏爱 , 让我想到“天圆地方”这个中国古代的朴素宇宙观 , 也由此为命 题做了个墙面装置作品。

Si: How do you understand “Dao”? How does it show in your works?

Li: To me, “Dao” is more prone to philosophical not religious. It emphasis on inaction, natural, abiogenesis, simple, abstention, modesty, mercy, and it is planted in the philosophy in Chinese thinking.

I agree on the concept of “Yin Yang”, and take it as a starting point, unconsciously make some paintings, which includes balance and coexistence of much contrast strength. The relationship of contrast colour used in my paintings is also for me, like “Yin Yang engenders each other”. As a result of preference in simple, basis elements as geometrical forms, reminds me the naive view of universe in ancient China, and then I made a wall installation based on this.

>>TydF, acrylic on plywood and plexiglass, height 2m, 2014 („TydF“ is the short name of a chinese ancient theory called „Tiān Yuán Dì Fāng“, which means a square earth and spherical heavens.

It is a taorist space philosophy of orbicular sky and rectangular earth. - by T.W.Li )

>>Seesaw, acrylic paints, MDF, height 140cm, 2014

肆 : 你的作品是对现实生活的抽象化吗 ? 你如何理解“转化”? 李 : 可以这么说，是对一些经验——视觉上或生活中或精神活动的抽象化，形式上、 审美上、结构上综合考量进行转化。这种“转化”对我来说很自然，像一种思维惯—— 把东西简化、概括、做联系、类比、抽象，以便更容易接近和理解一些事，所以也 习惯成自然地用到创作中。艺术通过压缩生活经验和材料的转化，产生客观现实的 自然认知。“转化”是做艺术最基本的过程吧，至少在视觉艺术方面，这种“转化” 是必要且必须的。 《Seesaw》这个作品是源于跷跷板这个玩具。两端不同的力量一直在平衡和不平 衡之间摆动。跷跷板上所有物体的代表性、象征性被简化为“同类不同大小”和“不 同类同体积”的一组正方体和一个圆球的排列 , 代表广泛意义下的“个体”, 白色—— 标本化。重的一端翘起源于“逆向现实”, 而逆向现实经常是 big truths. 红色最大 的正方体在一个墙面空间上 , 并列于《seesaw》主体的位置 , 成为平行主体。通过 正方体大小逐次数列般地变大 , 颜色的最后的变化也有“演变”的用意。关于力量 对比、趋近平衡、并列与等级、演变、过程、瞬间，一直是我感兴趣的，想放在作 品里展示的，同时也想寄托些笼统的共同经验和哲学化暗示。

Si: Do you think your work is abstraction of the real life? How do you see “transformation”?

Li: It could be said so. It is abstraction of some experiences, visual or social or mental action, and makes transfer based on comprehensive consideration to form, aesthetics, and structure. This kind of transformation is very natural for me, its like a type of thinking habit, to simplify, summarize, makes connection, analogize, abstract, in order to approach and understand something easily. So I use them naturally in my works. Through life compression and materials transformation, art produces natural cognition of objective reality. “Transformation” is the fundamental of making art, at least in the Visual Art; this transformation is essential and necessary.

The idea of “Seesaw” comes from the real toy “see-saw”. The strength in two opposite side is always shifting between balance and unbalance.

The representative and symbolic of all the objects in see-saw are simplified to an arrangement of several cubes and one sphere, following by two rules “same type but different size” and “different type but same volume”.

These represent general “individual”, and the white colour represents “standardization”. The idea of heavy side up is originated from“backwards reality”, which is often regarded as the “big truth”. The red, biggest cube is hanging up on a wall space, standing side by side with the main body of seesaw, and becomes parallel body. In a sequence of enlarging the size of the cubes, the final change of colour is also intended to evolve. I am always interested in comparisons of strength, approaching balance, parallel, order, evolvement, process, moment, I want to show them in my work, and also want them to have some common experiences and philosophical hints.

>>"TydF" & "Der Bruch", live, 2014

>>detail of "Seesaw"

肆 : 介绍下《游乐场》这件作品，你是如何把具体的空间转化成抽象语言的？ 李 : 《游乐场》是个系列作品 , 以绘画雕塑和装置为主 , 就如同在组建一个自己想 象里的游乐场 , 把“印象”变成实物。像积木和旗子还有靶子，这都是我小时后常 玩的东西 , 做创作的时候想把自己的情感和印象放在一种新的形式里 , 但保留一些 原本的元素 , 例如颜色和几何形状。做这个系列前我很少回忆童年的事 , 有一天看 到街心花园的游乐场，一下被那些颜色和气氛震住了 , 和我当时的状态和潜意识里 的愿望正好对接 , 就是那种纯粹无杂质的几何空间。 我有一些自己的抽象语言 , 是 非常直觉性的 , 做东西的时候偶尔也会用这种直觉 , 虽然这些几何形的作品表面看 起来很理性。在德国的前两年我也画过很多具象的人和物 , 但都感觉不贴切 , 我的 思维模式倾向于转化、简化、归类、总结。

Si: Can you please introduce the “Playground”? How do you transfer a concreted space to abstract?

Li: “Playground” is a series of work, mainly are painting, sculpture and installation. It is likely to build an amusement park in my own imagination, turning the “impression” into real objects. Such as stacking blocks, flags and rakes are what I often played with in my childhood. I want to place my emotions and impressions into a new form, but remaining some original elements, for example colour and geometrical form. I rarely recalled childhood memory before I made this series. One day when I saw the entertainment instruments in Street Park, the colour and atmosphere got my attention, it somehow just exactly fits into my mood and unconscious wishes, it is that kind of pure geometrical space. I have my own abstract language, which is very intuitive. I occasionally use my sensitive when I am working, although these geometrical forms look very rational. In the former two years in Germany, I also painted a lot of concrete portrait and objects, but feeling not like myself, my way of thinking is more likely to transfer, simplify, classify and summarize.

>>Playground - Blocks, acrylic on wood, 52cm x 55cm x30,5 cm, 2013

>>Playground Series, 2014

>>Playground Series, 2014

>>Playground Series, 2014

肆 : 在《游乐园》系列作品中 , 我们理解你是用抽象的语言再造了一个几何游乐园 , 这里的抽象是对形体的一种再造。然而在你的叙述中 , 儿童娱乐设施本身就是一个 类乌托邦模型 , 换言之 , 它本身就是一种再造或者说是成人对儿童世界的一种想象。 你的再造我们仅仅看到对形体的简化处理 , 除此之外你还有什么别的考量吗 ? 李 : 《游乐场》这个系列我想通过简化、放大、缩小、抽象、再现 , 使之脱离令人接 近的可能 , 失去功能性 , 使观者进入一种想去亲近想去玩却又感到奇怪、陌生、越看 越陌生的无措状态。这些物体形状简单、颜色鲜明 , 但都又是令所有人很熟悉的童 年经验。我个人也有想寄托些“天真”、“纯粹”的私心。而且如果这种天真纯粹 和简洁到一定极端就会反而显得更加别有用心 , 是个成人的愿望 , 带有些伤感和怀念。 这些作品能和观者的情感进行互动并非难事。

Si: In the “Playground” series, we understand that you are using abstract language to reconstruct a geometrical amusement park, in here the abstraction is a rebuilt of form. However, in your interpret, the children’s entertainment toys are original a resemble of Utopia model. In other words, they are original a reconstruction or an imagination of adult for seeing children’s world. Your rebuilt here we only can see is a simplification of forms, do you have any other consideration other than this?

Li: I want to detach the possibility of approaching the toys, to de-functional, by simplify, enlarge, decrease, abstract and reappear, and let the viewers step into a powerless position, which is familiar, yet strange, with a desire to play but feeling playless. These objects are with simply forms, bright colours, and share very familiar experiences with all people’s childhood memories. I personally want to have some “naïve” and “pure” in my works, but when they become an extreme, instead will be lost and the motive appeared even more. So they are adults’ wishes, accompanied by melancholy sense. It is not difficult to have interaction between these objects and viewers’ emotion.

肆 : 为什么喜欢用饱和度很高的颜色？ 李 : 因为真正的游乐场通常漆的都是饱和度很高的三原色和复合色 , 包括儿童玩具的 颜色。我是基于这个从游乐场系列开始用那些纯色，强烈、直接。

Si: Why do you like to use bright colour?

Li: Because the real amusement park usually painted in the bright three primary colours and composite colour, same in the children’s toys. As a result of this, I started to use those pure, strong, direct colours from the “Playground” series.

肆 : 不仅是《游乐场》这个作品 , 你的其他作品里也主要是运用三原色或者复合色 , 请问你运用这些颜色的根本出发点是什么 ? 李 : 利用颜色的一些象征和心理感受作用，就是颜色效应。也限制用色种类，为了 简化信息。大多情况下是会根据主题和想达到的观者感受给自己一个用色的理由和 线索。不过我也用纯白色很多 , 黑白灰，也不排斥混合色，如果需要。

Si: Not only in the “Playground” series, you mainly use bright three primary colours and composite colour in your other works, what is the fundamental point make you to use these colours?

Li: I use some symbolic and mental feelings of colours, so called colour effect. I also limit the types of colours, for simplify information. In most condition, I will give myself a reason and clue to use colours according to the themes and expectation of viewers’ feelings. I also use pure colour, such as white, black and grey, and if necessary, I don’t mind to use composite colours too.

>>details of "Playground Series"

肆 : 在你之前 , 也有一些用到三原色和几何 形式组合的艺术家 , 你觉得你和他们的区别 在哪里 ? 你的独特之处在哪里 ? 李 : 从 20 世纪初抽象的兴起 , 到后来 40 年 代开始有极简的各种方向的艺术 , 到现在是 有太多艺术家用三原色或几何形式组合 , 不 胜枚举。同样的严峻问题可以去问现在所 有以油画为媒介创作的人 , 无论写实、表现 或任何方向的绘画 , 艺术史中都有无数前辈 做过类似的作品，但我们可以打个比方来 解释这种情况——有种艺术创造就是用大 家都认识的已存在的字母在造新词，而创 造这些新词的艺术家赋予它们定义，慢慢 被他人认知肯定，日积月累形成这个艺术 家个人的语言。我觉得在当代做艺术一定 不能忽视历史 , 必须细细研究历史，看过别 人都做过什么；什么时候；为什么 , 然后在 做自己的东西时才可以明确地说，我在使 用和他们不同的系统 , 我们使用类似的一 些元素 , 但我是在走向另一条路 , 另一个地 方。 四十年代到六七十年代是极简几何抽 象的鼎盛阶段 , 许多大师刚过世不久或还在 世呢。那时候他们更偏重探究形式的本质、 材料的本质、颜色的本质、把自己放居最 最后面 , 更加注重理性分析和理论系统。而 我并不想去挑战他们研究过的成熟理论和 系统。我的作品更多的是从个人情感和生 活经验出发 , 最后呈现一个瞬间、动作或一 些思想、过程和结果 , 包含更多的趣味和玩 乐性质。有些甚至是游戏般的、叙事性的、 隐藏着浓重情感性的。这是区别。当然作 为中国人 , 我有中国人的哲学和思维方式 , 这是从身份和背景上的独特之处。

>>"playground Block" & "Der Bruch" live 2014

Si: There are some artists who use the three primary colours or geometrical forms composition into their works before you, what difference you think you have from them? What is your speciality?

Li: From the raised of Abstract Art, to the Minimalism Art in 40s onward, to the recent time those numberless artists who use the three primary colours or geometrical forms composition, we cannot count. Same serious problem one may ask for the artists who use oil painting for their main creation medium, no matter concrete painting, abstract or any direction of painting, there are numberless older generation have made similar kind of works.

However we can make an example to explain this condition – one type of art is to create new word that based on the already known character. And the artists, who created these new words, have offered them new definition, and gradually being accepted by others, after a long period of time, the artists evolve their personal language. I think we shall not ignore the history when we are making art upon this time, we have to research the history carefully, to see what others made, when and why, then we can clearly speak out when we are making our own stuffs “I am using different system, although we are using some similar elements, I am moving towards another path, going to another place”. The period when from 40s to 60s and 70s was the blossom time for minimal geometrical abstract art, many masters active in that time was just passed away or still alive. They were focus on the essence of form, material and colour, concentrated on rational analyze and theoretical system, and placed themselves in the last position.

For me, I am not intending to challenge their mature theory and system. My works are more likely to start from my

personal emotion and life experience, and end by a moment, action or some thoughts, processes and result.

It contains more fun and playful quality. Some are even like a game, narrative, and implicit heavy emotion. This is the difference. Of cause, as a Chinese, I have Chinese way of thinking and philosophy, which are the speciality of my identity and background.

肆 : 你在“怀疑性”这个话题里 , 谈到作为创作者 , 你留下了 很多线索。那么你作品中的线索是设计出来的还是不经意留下 的？ 李 : 有些是预先留下的，方便观者进入。有些则是巧合。但是 现在越来越倾向故意留线索了，觉得像设计个陷阱或游戏。 《Trace》这个系列的线索就是故意留的。是一个演变过程。 从绘画 A, 三原色被任意涂的绿色覆盖 , 然后进入一个垂直的 实物 B, 利用这个柱子的一个面 , 同样的绿色 , 同样的形式覆盖。 然后最左边白色的雕塑 C 就是柱子上的绿色面积的翻版。整 个是一个从 (A) 二维到 (B) 三维 ,(B) 二维到 (C) 三维的过程。

Si: According to your words in the topic “doubt”, you commented, as a creator, you left clues. So are you design those clues or just left unconsciously?

Li: Some of the clues are designed for the viewers to enter easier, whereas others are coincidence. But now I am more inclined to leave clues on purpose, because it’s like to design a trap or game.

For example, the clue of “Trace” was on purpose.

It is a process of evolvement. Starts from painting A, the three primary colours are coved by freely painted green, and then entering in a vertical object B, thus the same green and form is coving by using the same section of this pillar. Finally, the white sculpture C which sits in the most left, is the copy of the green section of the pillar. Overall speaking, it is a process of being evolving from two-dimensional (A) to three-dimensional (B), and two-dimensional (B) to three-dimensional (C).

>>Trace, acrylic on canvas, 60cm x 50 cm, 2014

>>parts of Trace, 2014

肆 : 在你个人的叙述中的大概意思是说 , 观众会就你作品中的现 象感到好奇并提问 , 所以这个是你预先埋下的线索 ? 你对这些线 索有答案吗 ? 李 : 给出线索不是“给答案”, 也和“答案”这个词没有任何关系。 线索只是线索 , 为的是指引。

Si: In your statement, you said, the viewers might be curious about the effect of your work, and then asking questions. So is this a clue that you left in advance? Do you have answers for these questions?

Li: I offer clues are not equal to offer questions, and it is no business with “answer”. Clues are for guided.

肆 : 是的 , 我们时常怀疑眼前所见与其后真实性的差异。什么是 真实 , 什么是虚假 ? 这是我们总是会想到的问题。你的“怀疑性” 作品的主要目的是为了让人们怀疑吗 ? 其实它们本来想说什么我 不是很明白 , 似乎只是为了怀疑而怀疑。 李 : 目的是更多地让观者从怀疑里马上自觉走入思考 , 多停留一 会 , 换个角度思考下 , 很多看到的东西完全就不同。有时我也在 怀疑 , 有些作品像个巨大的问号 , 而且不可能有什么标准的完美 答案 , 许多事本身就是个问号。有时我想重点指出这个情况 , 然 后马上收手 , 让作品停留在具有怀疑性的阶段。

Si: Yes, we often doubt the difference between visual and reality. What is real and what is fake is the question that we often think of. The main aim of your “doubting” works is for doubting? Actually I don’t quite understand what they want to speak out, seemingly they are just made to doubt.

Li: The aim is to push the viewers consciously move into thinking immediately when they doubt. To stay longer, to think upon a different angle would have made the visual things totally different. Sometimes I have doubted, that some of the works are like a huge question mark, and it is impossible to have any standard answer. Many things are like questions themselves. Sometimes I want to point it out, and then stop at once, to let the work stay at the step that with doubt.

>>Der Bruch I / II, acrylic on wood, plexiglass 51 cm x 30,5 cm x 3- 9cm 2104

>>tropical lsland ， papers, mixed media， each 31,5 cm x 22 cm， 2014

肆 : 形式是作为什么在你的作品中存在？ 李 : 形式主义和很形式的作品通常对我来说很有吸引力，形 式主义在历史里对许多领域的影响不容忽视 , 没有无形式的 内容，也没有无内容的形式。可能由于很喜欢各种归类和有 规律的东西 , 所以避免不了走入形式感很强的表象，但倒也 没做过完完全全分析形式的创作。就像对抽象语言的使用， 我的形式语言使用经常通过直觉，或通过推理 , 两个方面都 有。而考虑“形式”在创作中有时是最大的框架 , 有时是个 途径去帮助推理的过程 , 有时是最后整理使用的工具。

Si: What role that “forms” plays in your work?

Li: Formalism and works that very formalistic usually attract me very much. The influence of Formalism in art history is un-neglect. There is neither content without form, nor form without content. I like things that can be classified with and following rules, so I cannot avoid slipping into the strong formalistic surface, but I didn’t make a complete work of analyzing forms. Similar to use abstract language, my usage of formalistic language is often instinctive or speculative or both of them. The consideration of using “form” is sometimes the biggest structure, sometimes a way to push speculation, and sometimes a tool for final arrangement.

肆 : 你的作品的本质是什么 ? 李 : 在视觉和审美层面上的思维的质量 , 精神的控制。

Si: What is the essence in your work?

Li: The quality of thinking upon visual and aesthetic level, the control of mental. >> Living is a kind of madness glass, plexiglass, paper 41cm x 31cm 2014

>>Pairs glass and paper, mixed media each 33 cm x 33 cm x 2 cm 2014

>> ∠∠∠ , Installation view acrylic on wood, mixed media, 2014

>>Cube, acrylic paints, MDF, 78cm x 42cm x 42 cm, 2014

肆 : 你认为作品的说辞和呈现之间 存在一种什么样的关系 ? 李 : 存在很多种关系。有的说辞和 呈现是一致的 , 给出基本的创作背 景而已 ; 有的说辞是高于呈现 , 也 许是有丰厚的必要的理论 ; 有些呈 现已经很好了 , 说辞显得低于呈 现 , 会给人一种遗憾的感觉。 但 是无论怎样 , 清晰明白的说辞都是 对作品非常必要的补充 , 不可缺 少。即使有很多人会说艺术是靠 感受的 , 好的作品不需要解释。我 也希望如此 , 那么现在我们就不用 谈很多问题了 , 艺术家和策展人都 会轻松太多。但其实这些”好的 作品”也是被无数说辞反复论证 和相互作用过 , 呈现的结果。

Si: What kind of relationship do you think that exists between statement and effect of one work?

Li: There are many kinds of relationships. Some statement and effect speaks the same, just offering the basic creating background of the work; some statement is higher than the effect, this maybe because the rich and necessary theory is needed. If the statement is lower that the effect, might gives a regretful impression.

But anyhow, clear statement is necessary complement for the work, is indispensable.

Although many people would say that art is unspeakable, just rely on feelings. I hope so, then it is not necessary for us to talk about many problems, artists and curators would have less work. But those “good works” are results that convinced by repeatedly prove and interaction with numberless statements.

- end {translated by Wendi Xie & Yandi Wang}

>>Cube, acrylic paints, MDF, 78cm x 42cm x 42 cm, 2014

关于 > 肆 < 隶属 > 草乙載萬殊 [zoewanshu.com] 之微杂志 介绍活动于欧洲的亚洲青年艺术家

{designed by Minqi Sun}

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editor / 編輯 孫 敏祺 Minqi Sun 謝 文蒂 Wendi Xie 鄭 田明 Tianming Zheng 王 琰迪 Yandi Wang 应 梦婷 Mengting Ying

front cover / 封面 >>Playground Series 2014 Tingwei Li

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SĂŹ 4. January 2015 No. 19

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