——《霓裳》系列创作谈
Freezing the Time on the Runway
--- On the Creation of “Rainbow Fashion” Series

步履曼妙、倩影婆娑，一个个时尚的俊男靓女来往穿行、摇曳生辉，在迷幻闪烁的灯光下演绎着都市的时尚神话。我曾经一次次的欣赏着“T”台之上的场景，感受着时代风潮的节奏与色彩，呼吸着当代文化的沁人气息。由于服装学院教师的工作关系，以及雕塑专业的出身，使我逐渐产生了这一种想法：服装，是一种雕塑人体的独特方式，是形体、造型、色彩与时尚审美的空间艺术的自我感受。服装与雕塑之间的这种流动与凝固的形体，在我的脑海中时常产生出空间叠映，进而促发我用雕塑的方式，来表达我对服装文化所阐释的人文意义及时代精神乃至对当代文化所引申的思考、理解与诠释。

Gracefully and gorgeously, chic boys and girls walk on the runway, unfolding under the flashing highlight urban fashion myths. Time and again, I have been watching fashion shows, intoxicating my mind in the paces and colors of fashion trends, and breathing an air of fashion culture. Teaching at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology and majoring in sculpture, I gradually come up with an idea: fashion design is a unique way for sculpting human body, a comprehensive way to express feelings about figures, styling, colors and aesthetic appreciation. What is between fashion and sculpture is like what is between something fluid and solid, which frequently overlap in my head, inspiring me to illustrate with my sculpting knife my perspective, insight into the significance and zeitgeist brought about by the fashion cultures.

我真正开始对雕塑艺术本体进行深入思考与独立探索，是2003年工作以后。这是一条寂寞、艰辛而又充实的道路。什么是艺术？什么是当代雕塑艺术？什么样的创作形式才是自己想要的所追的……这些问题终日萦绕在我的脑海中。在艺术的求索过程中，我曾经陷入迷茫，长期积淀下的学院思维模式和文人气质，以及在此基础上形成的审美价值，使我想要固守与坚持。然而，在当代艺术这个“话语”与“观念”驳杂的体系中谈及架上艺术，又总会让人感到格格不入与不合时宜。诚然，在中国当代艺术匆匆走过的近二十年的过程中，伴随着当代西方文化艺术的强势浸入，带有后殖民色彩的艺术价值与评判体系也随之建立，并在此基础之上成为中国当代艺术的孵化器。在唯新唯变的西方意识的主导与冲击下，传统审美及价值遭到严重质疑。面对时下以“观念”论“概念”的创作思维方式，或是单纯强调“前卫”的视觉经验与形式主义，我不禁质疑道：何谓当代性？对于这种观念性的思考往往是深刻而晦涩的，但是艺术毕竟不是哲学，艺术要解决的问题还是形式与内在的问题，最终目的仍然要回到审美价值与审美意义上。如果丧失这些，我们的美术史上还能留下什么呢？

It was after the year 2003 when I set out to work that I really started pondering about and probing into the sculpture as art. I have been on an artistic road which is lonely, tough yet fruitful. What is art? What is contemporary sculpture art? What kind of creation should I seek after? Such are the questions revolving around in my mind all day long. In the process of pursuing art, I have at times felt confused and lost, but my academic background and aesthetic outlook enable me to persist. However, it seems inappropriate and outdated to discuss shelf art within the context of “discourse” and “concept” associated with modern art. Looking back to the past twenty years of the growth of contemporary Chinese art, art values and judgment featuring post-colonialism have been established accompanied by the penetrating of western cultures. Under the impact of change-esteemed western thoughts, traditional esthetics and values are challenged. When creation thinking mode is concerned, people tend to consider “concept” from the perspective of “opinion”, or put more weight on “avant-garde” visual experience and formalism, which makes me wonder what the contemporary features should be like. Such questions are profound and obscure, but art is art, not philosophy. What art concerns about is form and content, and its eternal goal is esthetic value and significance, for without which, what can be left behind in our fine art history?

带着诸多问题的思考，我埋首于创作的现实中。我亟待寻找一个形式，一个承载我思想的载体，也就是一个属于我自己的“符号”。关于“符号”，我首先要谈一谈自己的看法。在中国的当代艺术界，“符号”似乎是一个成功艺术家获得身份的方式与标志，对于某一类型语言模型的群体效仿，成为艺术创作中的时弊。然而，环视我们的圈子，这种带有策略性的符号狂热已经使艺术家们陷入到形式的“围城”之中，缺乏独立精神与思想立场的投机性创作使艺术丧失了最为核心的灵魂，“符号”也就理所当然的成为形式的空中楼阁。因此，对于“符号”，我的想法是单纯的，就是要远离片面的“经营”，而成为内心经历的真实外化。“符号”就是我的语言路径，也就是观念本身。

With so many questions lingering in my mind, I dedicate myself to my creation. I am seeking for a form, a carrier to embody my thoughts, namely, my unique “symbol”. I have to elaborate on that. In the field of China’s contemporary art, a “symbol” seems to be a way to symbolize a successful artist’s identitWith so many questions lingering in my mind, I dedicate myself to my creation. I am seeking for a form, a carrier to embody my thoughts, namely, my unique “symbol”. I have to elaborate on that. In the field of China’s contemporary art, a “symbol” seems to be a way to symbolize a successful artist’s identity, for which a lot of artists in the circle will chase and it has become an object of public denunciation. The fever about such strategic symbols has indeed lured so many artists into a trap of formalism. Speculative creations lacking independent thoughts and spirits have deprived the art of its core; thus “symbol” is undoubtedly reduced to castle in the air. Therefore, “symbol” in my eyes is purely to stay away from partial “speculation”, and to become externalization of one’s internal thoughts. “Symbol” is the language I adopt to express my opinions.

一、当代多元文化语境下的思考
作为“70后”的一代，我们正在经历的变化与选择是丰富的、前所未有的。长久以来，雕塑创作作为我生活中最重要的内容，也是我的生活方式，到服装学院工作以后，我的生活又注入了新的内容。在这座美轮美奂的服装艺术殿堂中，一切都是新鲜而眩目的：服装设计展示、模特表演、先锋的当下设计观念的研讨……这些信息都强烈地充斥着我的感官神经，服装设计大师们的作品令我入迷。记得第一次看John Galliano 的作品秀时，就被他大胆与新颖的构思、强烈的化妆效果所震撼。

I.Some Thoughts in the Context of Contemporary Multi-Cultures
As people born in 1970’s, the changes and options we are undergoing are abundant and unprecedented. For a long time, sculpture creation has been the most important part in my life and my life style as well, which has been enriched ever since I came to teach at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. Everything in this glamorous fashion art palace is fresh and dazzling: fashion design exhibits, fashion shows, symposiums on the latest fashion design concepts… All of these excite my sensory organs and the masterpieces of renowned fashion designers are so fascinating. I still remember the first time I watched John Galliano’s fashion show, how shocked I was by his bold and novel conception as well as the intensive effect brought about by models’ make-up.

我不禁感叹道：原来服装也能设计的如此精彩，如此地打动人心！这改变了我对服装设计的看法，也延伸了我对于艺术更为深层的理解。服装，在当代作为一种视觉与空间的艺术，既可以将其看作是一种形式的绘画，也可以将其理解为三维空间立体雕塑，其本身是一个融合多重艺术形式与艺术元素的集合体。由此引申，雕塑与服装也因为这种共性，而在我的意识中不再泾渭分明。后现代文化的重要特征就是强调文化多元性，提倡宽泛的“艺术”概念，正如后现代主义之父博伊斯所说的那样：“生活即雕塑。”服装设计与雕塑都是艺术的手段，在本质上是相通的，服装大师们可以从雕塑和建筑中吸取灵感，我为什么不能从服装艺术中寻求给养？从服装艺术中，我终于找到了自己的艺术出路。此后，我对服装设计与表演产生了更加浓厚的兴趣，并使自己沉浸在雕塑与服装相溶的艺术实验之中。2003年开始，《霓裳》系列的想法日臻成熟，在此之后我也做了许多尝试。在创作中我渐渐发现，单纯的人物塑造不是太难，但是要想做到使雕塑具有时代特征与时尚品味，就必须要创造出一个全新的符号。
因此，我开始从服装入手来寻找形式的契合点：衣饰风格与纹路的表现、人体的型体与比例、质地的软硬与薄厚……这些在传统雕塑创作思维模式中鲜少考虑的因素，都成为我反复斟酌的重点。在服装的色彩追求与表现上，我通过雕塑中不同材质与效果的尝试，以求能够呈现出一种有别于以往雕塑语言的全新视觉效果。除了常用的铜，我还尝试了铸铁，大漆，金，银，铂等各种材质，后期的制造工艺也反复实验。在用心创作与感受每件作品的时候，我发现每种材质都能够赋予作品不同的情感：有的古朴，有的绚丽，有的冷艳，有的神秘……服装与雕塑的语言，在我的作品中默默的产生出“霓裳羽衣”般奇妙的共鸣。

Bearing these in mind, I begin exploring corresponding forms in clothes: styles and patterns of clothes and accessories, figures and proportions of human bodies, softness and thickness of various textures… such elements, seldom taken into consideration during the traditional sculpture creation, nevertheless becoming my deliberations. In terms of presenting clothes’ colors, I have tried different materials and textures in order to achieve a brand-new visual effect in sculpture. Besides the commonly-adopted bronze, many other materials such as cast iron, lacquer, gold, silver and platinum have been testified and adopted, as well as the after-creation craftwork. In creating and appreciating each work, I come across the fact that different materials may possibly convey different feelings: plain, gorgeous, cool, mysterious, and so on. Naturally, fashion design and sculpture creation come to resonate well in my works with a fantastic effect.

二、“本土”精神与形式的膜拜

II.“Domestic” Spirit and Form Worship

中国古代的雕塑，如从秦代兵马俑到隋代的佛像，都渗透出一种虔诚与神秘之感；汉唐雕塑的雄浑厚重、荡人心魄，过了这几千年，仍是深深触动人们的心灵。历史的积淀与文化的光晕为它们罩上一层神秘与崇高的面纱，展示着永恒的艺术生命。相较之下，在如此的浮躁的现代生活中，艺术还能否为人们的心灵注入一股清泉？

Ancient Chinese sculptures, ranging from The Terracotta Army in Qin Dynasty to the Buddha Statue in Sui Dynasty which transfer a sense of mystery and piety, as well as to the brilliant sculptures in Han and Tang Dynasties, remain touching and stirring up our feelings with the passage of thousands of years. Covered with a layer of mysterious and noble veil by historical and cultural sedimentation, those sculptures glare with eternal light. However, in this hustle and bustle world, is it still possible for art to bring a fountain of fresh water into people’s soul?

在《霓裳》系列的近期作品，我开始努力尝试在传统与当代中寻求一种超越时空的心灵沟通，并将其聚焦在具有中国传统精神意蕴与图像风格的形象塑造上。中国传统艺术源于古代哲学思想的影响，在儒、道、佛思想体系的沃土中形成的具有典型东方意味的审美取向与精神追求，已经作为“集体无意识”渗透到中华民族的内部，成为本土文化的重要构成。我在创作中就是在极力感受这种“古韵”，进而体会内化的精神升华与玄静神秘的美学境界。于是，一种近似道教“无为”的超脱与飘渺，融合着汉室壁画中的古朴庄重之气，慢慢的在行云流水中蔓延开来……

When creating the later works of the “Rainbow Fashion” series, I have tried searching for, between the traditional and the modern, a spiritual communication, transcending space and time and focusing on the image creation which embodies traditional Chinese spirits and style. Originated in classical philosophy, nourished by Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism ideologies, the traditional Chinese art, with its typical oriental aesthetics and tastes and as kind of “collective unconsciousness”, has merged well into and become an indispensable part of the domestic Chinese culture. I have tried to sense with heart this “ancient art”, its innate spirits as well as mysterious tranquility. Gradually and naturally, an ethereal and transcendence quality as suggested in “letting things take their own course “(a Taoist concept of human conduct), in company with the plain and solemn tastes as found in frescoes of Han Dynasties, come to emerge in my head, drifting like sailing clouds and rambling like flowing water…

对于艺术的“本土性”的探索，一方面源于历史文化的浸染，另一方面则归于艺术家自身对于本土文化的参与性与社会责任，这能够充分的丰富艺术的精神品质。在中国当代文化的问题中，“后殖民主义”是一个讨论的热点。关于后殖民主义，赛义德提出的“东方主义”，目的就是要解构西方的文化中心主义，然而，在面对西方文化的强势逐渐失落之后，我们如何从曾经忽视的历史文脉中寻找民族文化的自信？当下，在东、西方文化关系面临调整与重新定位的局面下，作为艺术家就要敏感的做出反应，在艺术创作中唤起我们民族的共性审美情节，以建立具有东方意识形态的文化身份。

The exploration of the "domestic spirit" of art, which on the one hand is a natural result of historical and cultural influences and on the other, can be attributed to the artist's social responsibility towards getting involved in the domestic culture, may well enrich the spirit of art. As regards the contemporary Chinese art, “post-colonialism” is a hot issue. Edward Wadie Said proposed “Orientalism”, aiming to deconstruct the western “Ethnocentrism”. Facing the fact that the domination of western cultures is declining, how can we renew our faith in our domestic cultures which have once been neglected? An artist is deemed to be sensitive to the possible reshuffle of oriental and western cultures, arouse our nation’s aesthetic complex so as to establish a cultural identity with oriental ideology.

对我来说，雕塑艺术是探索未知的一种方式，是在感觉的世界里对未知的世界进行诠释。雕塑作为我生活一部分，也可以说是我的思想经历与生活态度。我对于创作未知地域一直充满了好奇，对于下一个作品总是充满了期待，去想象未成形的作品之时，总是处于一种亢奋的状态，而浑然不知时间的悄然流逝……

Sculpture art, as far as I am concerned, is an access to something unknown, an interpretation of the unknown world with artistic intuition. A part of my life, sculpture is representative of my outlook on and attitudes towards life. Curious about unknown domains in sculpture creation, looking forward to the upcoming works, and imagining the incomplete works taking into shape, I have always been in a state of excitement, unconscious of the passage of time…

转眼已几年过去，回头看去这几年的单纯生活，不仅是一种自我性情的陶冶，更是一种心性的修炼。制作雕塑的过程是怡人的，而借由艺术的形式对自身灵魂的深刻追问，更是精神层面的炼达与提升。我希望通过雕塑的形式，在时尚审美、理想审美与超越现实的想象中表达自己的看法和对当下社会的立场，体现当代文化人对于当代性的思考，进而追求这种非常态的理想化。

Time flies. Looking back to the past years, I find myself living a life which is simple but self-promoted and spirit-cultivated. Sculpting is much like introspection in forms of art; through this pleasant process, my soul is purified and refined. I sincerely hope my sculpture works may express my outlooks on today’s world with the aesthetic of fashion, ideal and surreal imagination, reflect a contemporary intellectual’s reflections on contemporaneity as well as my pursuit of certain unusual idealization.