具体关系中的存在
文/蓝蓝
天地悠悠，时光流转。茫茫六合之中，人何以确定自己的存在？
答曰：在具体的关系中。
长期以来，在我国诸多《圣经》译文文本中，路加福音里有一句至关重要的话被翻译成：“天国在你们心中。”然而，这句话本来的意思是：“天国在你们中间。”前者把人引入到一个注重自我完善的误区，而后者才真正道出《圣经》的本义，即：天国建立在人的关系之中。
法国新精神分析学大师J•拉康在他著名的“镜像阶段”理论中告诉我们，婴幼儿第一次看镜子中惊喜地看到自己的面貌时，就开始了自我确认的第一步：镜中的映像促成了婴幼儿心理中“自我”的形成。虽然此时人的自我不过是一个二维物质反映出的虚像，但是成年后的人的“自我”并不比镜子里的映像更真实、更有根据。我同意一种说法，那就是：人的自我是在对另一个完整的对象的认同过程中形成的。或者，“人是世界的一个结。（圣奥克絮佩里）”。人借助与他发生联系的一切事物确立自我的存在。因此，“关系”不仅仅体现了生活的价值，同样也是一切艺术表达冲动的根源。
庞永杰将他自己上个世纪九十年代末期、本世纪初印制的画册命名为《触摸•距离》，这两个词汇本身就蕴含人或事物已经建立起某种关系才能达成的后果，也意味着进入画家感受的特殊关系已经存在于他的画面中。抛开画家强调的“与保守主义、与急功近利、与观念艺术”保持距离的艺术态度不论，他用心灵触摸和关注的恰恰正是人与人、人与事物的关系。
庞永杰九十年代末期创作的油画作品，带脸谱的中国古典戏剧人物和身份不明的当代人物形象被并置于同一画面之中，作为对历史感的强调，偶尔在背景里还会出现有特殊符号意义的中国古典建筑，诸如天坛。这一类型的作品，戏剧人物大多衣衫整齐，甚至连头上的帽冠及繁复的头饰都被详尽地保留。而同一画面中的当代形象则是赤裸的，面部表情平静安详，与戏剧人物摩肩擦踵，神态却又似咫尺千里。在此种场景里，戏剧人物所蕴含的紧张、冲突、传统意味，与当今人物的平淡和漠然，形成了一种内在的张力。观看者稍微留心就会发现，这两组人物虽然身居一处，但他们的视线往往互不交融，也就是说，他们至少在表面上并没有构成一种交流，他们的关系处在一种漠然的模糊和暧昧之中。或许可以判定，正是双方相互间都具有外在的疏离，本质上就把他们紧紧地联系在一起。从这一点来讲，所谓传统与现代、历史与文化的关系，从画面大概可以窥一斑而知全貌了，这也是作为观者猜度艺术家复杂的内心感受的一个视角。
在庞永杰同一时期创作的另一部分油画中，画面人物形象呈现出更为简洁的处理，并愈来愈形成强烈个人化的风格：浑圆的脑袋，丰腴的四肢，情态温润亲昵。相当数量的画面呈现出耳鬓厮磨的情色场面，互相拥抱亲吻的对象含情脉脉，旁若无人，深深沉浸在彼此灵与肉构成的排他世界之中。情欲，作为人类最强烈的一种欲望，往往会伴随着压抑、焦虑、分裂和内在的暴力。即便在宣泄欲望的行为过程中，这种紧张也会伴随始终。一般而言，欲望只有保持在内心才可称之为欲望，经由无度发泄得到满足后的欲望，通常会被空虚所充满，这也是为什么无节制的纵欲者最终会丧失欲望的根本原因。进一步讲，譬如爱情，作为人类最重要的人际关系在当今时代的短命和无常，常会使人们陷入几乎无依无靠的境地，因为没有什么长久的可能性和允诺来安慰我们那孤独的、很快就要消逝的生命。一切都是转瞬即逝，一切皆为虚空。可以说，人际关系的焦虑是现代人神经症的根源。当代艺术在表达人类欲望和人际关系时，上述的高度紧张和分裂、空虚与绝望的内容比比皆是，真实地反映了人在各种压力下的异化情形。但在庞永杰的作品中，人物大多自由安详，仿佛刚刚降生于尘世，迥然不知何谓痛苦和焦虑。他们互相缠绕的肢体，温柔自在的举动，圆润祥和的姿态，完全没有此类题材通常会呈现的激动、颤栗和失控的情绪，甚至互相折磨、绝望、血腥等极端的情景。在一些人物众多的作品中，无论是性爱场面还是沐浴、演奏、阅读、谈话等日常情景，人物几乎都以最无防范和遮掩的裸体出现，而且，不管是作为这些行为的参与者还是旁观者，几乎每个人物都呈现出宁静懒散的形态，仿佛他们不是生活在一个民族冲突、战争暴乱迭起，人被金钱和欲望驱赶奴役的时代，而是生活在一个世外桃源，一个没有了蛇的引诱的伊甸园。在他的笔下，人物和人物之间似乎消除了所有的隔阂，彼此完全信赖，其宁静安谧、和平自由的甜蜜弥漫出画面，向观者传达出艺术家内心对于人的关系纯洁而又肯定的信念。倘若后现代艺术表达了当今世界的混乱和对人类的绝望感，解构了某些虚假的崇高、伪善的意识形态观念，破坏了建立在谎言基础上功利牌坊，那么可以肯定，庞永杰的作品正是以对人性向善和重新建构人类信心的努力，用一种崭新的艺术语言，为当代绘画研究提供了一个独特的范本。
在庞永杰上世纪末至今创作并展出的大量作品中，一个艺术形象愈来愈清晰地确定了它的轮廓。这个形象脱胎于他笔下众多的画上人物，曾几何时，它无声无息地走出那些悠然自足的肉体，跨出画框，走近现实生活的土壤和我们的身边——
……幽深的密林，静悄悄的正午。
斑斑驳驳的阳光洒在各种各样草木的叶片上，懒洋洋的野花安谧地沐浴着来自遥远恒星的光和热，以张开的花瓣和叶柄呼应着冥冥中宇宙秩序的安排。
清澈的溪水在淙潺流淌。一阵风来了，高天的云朵悠然飘移。
……突然间，观者的眼睛被某种莫名的力量粗暴地牵引着，落到了一头半人半兽的东西身上。它忽而潜伏在高高的蒿草中，忽而旁若无人地漫步在溪水边，出入于丛林之间。一瞬间，你强烈地意识到，你身处的世界和周围的一切忽然变得和刚才不一样了。
庞永杰创造的这个有着人类的饱满乳房、圆润臀部、同时也具有北极熊般强壮结实身躯、四肢着地迈步行走的雕塑形象，在乍一看到时，人们往往会发出愉快的笑声，因为它看上去实在憨态可掬。简洁洗练的造型，颇有卡通意味的情态，都会使人感到轻松愉快。但是，如果再仔细打量，就会暗暗吃惊。它那阔大的背脊，绝对粗壮有力的肢体，没有眼睛和毛发的威风凛凛的大脑袋，以及钢铁似的
脖子，无不从内而外地透出令人不寒而栗的力量。
有意思的是，这种印象其实靠不住，因为你可能随时推翻自己一分钟前的判断。在对于它的另一瞥中，你说不定一扫恐怖惊惧的感觉，又会得出快乐的结论：它是头多么温驯舒适、悠闲自在的“人兽”。
就个人而言，面对艺术家手下诞生的这个近乎雌雄同体的艺术形象，观者所有的感觉都会处在一种不停的变化之中。唯一不变的，就是对它身躯里静静藏卧的那个“人类的人”、那个包含着所有的人性和兽性、既安详又充满不可预测的危险的象征的不安。它幽灵般在光天化日下出没于，蓦然现身于山林、水岸；甚至出现在都市车水马龙的大街。它们或单独游荡，或成群聚积，井然有序地迈步经过斑马线，穿行于飞驰的出租车旁，混迹于游客们中间，踯躅在故宫的红墙下，甚至驻足在巨大的广告牌前、出现在摩天大楼办公室光滑的地板上。在这一幅幅令人惊愕的场景中，观者可以注意到，画面上出现的市民、游客、三轮车夫等等人物，似乎对身边这样一个或一群“天外来客”浑然不觉。除了艺术家本人外，它只在极少的三、两处情景中引起了人的留意：一个是在草地上抚摸着它的孩童，一个是推着小车从狭长高墙间胡同里走过的老妇人。孩童的双手停留在它硕大的肚腹上，眼睛却似乎被另外的东西吸引，和站在一旁的老年人的视线处于同一方向。那么，是不是可以说，它的出现并未使人们感到吃惊，就像那是一个随处可见的人或动物？推小车的买菜老妇人虽然眼神稍有诧异，但很明显，小车车轮的方向却是朝着它靠近，并不是吃惊地躲避一旁。在庞永杰的“草地系列”里，排队玩起“老鹰捉小鸡”游戏的成年人们，仿佛回到了天真无邪的童年，而就在他们身后，同样排队悠闲走过草地的，正是这群令观者莫名紧张的庞然大物。
“人兽”——作为雕塑作品必不可少的背景和人物——观看者，这三者之间构成了大有深意的关系。
在庞永杰的绘画作品中，画中人物自成一体，关系水乳交融。作为画中人的观看者和现实中的观看者似乎都可以被富有魔力的画面情绪同化，表现出没有隔阂的认同感。在这里，无论画中人物彼此还是观者，他们之间的关系是和谐的，是放松和自由的。但是，他创作的情景雕塑给人的感觉却比绘画要复杂得多。这些作品中的形象和背景中的人物、自然景观的关系虽然处于一种既疏离又相融的自在状态，然而，观者和作品之间的关系十分明显地处于一种紧张状态，诡异、神秘、不确定等感觉会在第一时间有力地冲击观者的感受力。这个不自然的异物的出现，给我们身边的世界到底带来了什么？
美国现代重要诗人华莱士•史蒂文斯在他的名诗“坛子的佚事”一诗中，对于一个富于象征意味的坛子曾做过如下描写：
我把一只圆形的坛子
放在田纳西的山顶。
凌乱的荒野
围向山峰。
荒野向坛子涌起，
匍匐在四周，不再荒凉。
一件普通的坛子和作为“艺术”的坛子是大不相同的。艺术的出现，会改变周围的事物，改变环境、世界、乃至人和世界的关系。一片树林，一条河流，抑或喧嚣的闹市，在大自然中都不会排除孤独荒凉的本质，盖因此中没有人的精神创造。可以想象，在庞永杰手下诞生的“人兽”，当它的足迹未踏上那片树林、那道河流和闹市大街时，世界原有的秩序仅仅是大自然的秩序和尘世的秩序。一旦将这些艺术品放置到其中，一种神秘的力量立刻就会改变原有的一切关系，从而建立起新的秩序和形态，正如史蒂文斯所言，无知无觉的大自然和尘世的事物不再荒凉。它所具有的超现实风格，印证了布勒东对于“超现实主义”的阐释：……（它）反映着一种最近的浪漫企图，其目的要图破“事物现状”的约束，以便使另一些生动活泼和正在生长的事物来代替。
庞永杰手下诞生的这些雕塑作品，早期使用树脂材料，给予人现实存在的印象。而到了晚近，他采用了不锈钢材料。这种具有高度清晰反光的质材，在光线的作用下拥有了吸纳周围事物影像、并使之变形的功能。如此一来，这些艺术品一方面会与背景现实发生直接的关系，另一方面，它通过本身神秘的镜像作用，又聚拢和变形了背景现实。这一切在作用于人的观察时，势必会带来更为震撼的感受。当这个隐藏着人形、同时又具有动物性的“实体”悄然出现在我们日常生活的周围，就像是一个巨大的漩涡，将所有有可能触及到它的事物吸取吞没到它那高深莫测的躯体之中，给于我们一个或多个体验人与人、人与世界关系的视角，并昭示了改善这种关系的无限可能。
综观庞永杰的油画和雕塑作品，无论表现人与历史、传统文化和世界的关系，还是表现人与人之间的关系，都尽可能的杜绝了尘世粗俗的气息。在他的这些作品中，主体与客体、个人与社会的关系通过回复到艺术家自我的精神结晶作出了表达。艺术品不是自然之物，而艺术家恰恰是依靠艺术品“使自我远离自然同时又唤醒自然的力量（勃洛克）”而获得了创造的光荣。
2007-5-17
Exist in the concrete relationship
--by Lanlan
In the remote universe, how human beings ascertain their existence in the heaven and earth with time passing by?
The answer exists in the concrete relationship.
In many versions of Chinese translation of Bible, an important sentence in Luke gospel has been mistranslated as: “the land of promise is in your heart” for many years. In fact the original meaning is “the promised land is in your midst”. The former leads people to a misconception of self-improvement rather than revealing the true meaning of Bible—“the land of promise is established upon the harmonious relationship among people.”
The French great depth psychologist J. Leconrad told us in his famous “mirror stage” theory: when a infant is pleasantly surprised to see his or her face in the mirror, the first self- ascertain begins. The reflection in the mirror prompts the formation of the infant’s psychological “self concept”. Even though this is only a virtual image reflected by a two-dimensional substance, it bears no less truth and evidence than the “self image” of an adult. One parlance I approve is that: our self- image is formed in the process of self-identification with another integrated object. In other word, “Men are a kink in the world” (according to San Auxubury) .We ascertain our existence through our relationship with the entire world around us. Therefore, this kind of relationship not only incarnates the value of our life but also is the root cause of any impulse for artistic expression.
Pangyongjie named his painting volume created in 1990’s and published in early 2000<touch and distance> which in it self contains the effect after the established relationship between men and other things. It also tells us that the special relationship entering the painter’s sense had already existed in his paintings. Not mention the painter’s artistic attitude that emphasizes on keeping his distance from “conservatism, eager for quick success and instant benefit and conceptual art”, what he focus on and touch with his heart is just the relationship between human beings ourselves, and between men and other things.
In his oil paintings created in late 1990’s, Chinese classical drama characters wearing masks and some unknown contemporary figures were juxtaposed in one picture as an emphasis on historical touch. Or he would employ some typical symbols of Chinese ancient classical architecture as the background of his paintings once in a while, such as The Temple of Heaven. In this type of his works, the drama figures are generally in tidy clothing; even their hats or headwears were portrayed in details. In contrast, though appearing in the same painting the contemporary figures are naked yet with quite calm and peaceful expression that is quite different from that of the drama characters. In this scene, the strain, the conflict and the traditional odour of the drama character contradistinguish with the wateriness and the indifferent expression of contemporary figures thus forms an internal tension. If we take a closer look we will find that although the two groups of people were put in the same setting but their line of sight are not blended. That is to say, there seems no communication between them but full of indifference and vagueness in their relationship. Perhaps we could tell that just this external alienation closely bonds them together in nature. From this perspective in his paintings we can learn the painter’s complicated feelings and his point of view towards the relationship between tradition and modern, history and culture.
In other oil paintings created at about the same period of time, he handled his figures in a more lucid manner and gradually formed his unique individual style: round heads, chubby limbs, very gentle and in an intimate state. In many of his works we could find intimate even erotic scene: the figures embrace or kiss each other tenderly deeply immersed in their own world enjoying the soul and flesh of each other as if there is no one else present but themselves. As one of the strongest human desire--ardor always goes with oppression, anxiety, abruption and internal violence. Even in the process of releasing the lust, this tension would last till the end. Generally speaking, lust is called desire when it is kept in one’s heart and will be satisfied when given vent to. Then the desire is replaced by boundless emptiness. That’s why those untempered carnalists would end up losing their desire. Further more, as the most important interpersonal relation—love is so ephemeral and uncertain always getting us into a helpless circumstance because there’s no promise for long-term commitment to comfort our lonely and passing life. Everything is written in water and in vain. We can say that interpersonal anxiety is the root cause of modern neurosis. The above-mentioned severe tension and abruption, emptiness and desperation are found everywhere in the contemporary artist’s expression for human desire and interpersonal relationship. It truly reflected the state of human dissimilation under various stress. Yet those figures in Pangyongjie’s work are generally free and peaceful, like newborn babies ignorance of any agony and anxiety. Their entangled bodies, gentle comportment, peaceful gesture distinguish Pang’s works from the excitement, tremble and uncontrolled emotion even torture, desperation and bloody scene generally adopted in this kind of theme. In some works with many figures, his figures are always naked without taking any precaution or cover no matter what settings they are placed—bathing, playing music instruments, reading, talking or sex scene. Moreover, everybody is in a quiet and slovenly state no matter as a participant or a stander-by, as if they live in Xanadu, a paradise without the lure of the snake, a peaceful time without national conflict, war and chaos, no men being enslaved by money and desire. Under his brush, all the gulfs between people are removed, people trust each other, and the tranquility and sweetness permeate the whole picture demonstrating his genuine belief in pure and positive relationship between people. If super-modern art expresses the desperation for human destination and chaos of the world, interprets some mendacious loftiness and canting ideology, destroys the money oriented torii established on mendacity then we can be assure that Pang’s works is a endeavor to reconstruct the belief of human kindness and Pang employs a brand new artistic language providing a unique model for contemporary painting.
In many of Pang’s works created since the end of last century, a profile of an artistic image becomes more and clear; this image is born out of many characters he has drawn. Once in a while, it comes out of the leisurely self-sufficient body as well as the painting frame and quietly approaches us and our real life—
In the deep and serene forest, at the quiet midday
The Sun sheds light on various plants, the lackadaisical wild flowers quietly enjoy the light and warmth coming from this star far away and by their unfolding petals and leafstalks they echo the arrangement of the universal order.
A clear creek is trickling, there comes a blast; the cloud is floating in the sky high above…
Suddenly a nameless force harshly drew our eyes to a half-man half-animal creature. Sometimes it lurks in the grass, and sometimes roams at a brook or in a jungle. Instantly, we would have a strong feeling that the world around us is much different from just now.
This sculpture created by Pangyongjie has a plumpy breast and round hip as well as robust limbs as strong as that of polar bear’s. When people see it walking on four limbs, they cannot help but laughing amusively, as it looks silly and funny. Its lucid sculpts and cartoon style bring easy and happy atmosphere. However, after careful observation, you would be surprised at its broad back and robust limbs, on the commanding big head there’s no eyes or hairs, alone with its steel like neck invariably shows a formidable force.
What is interesting is that in fact this impression is not trustworthy, as anytime you may overthrow your judgment made one minute earlier. You may later find it funny instead of frightening: what a tame and docile, easy and comfortable ”half-man half-beast” it is.
As far as I’m concerned, facing this almost bisexual artistic image, all my feeling was in a constant change. The only unaltered feeling is the upset towards that human like creature that grovels on the ground quietly which contains both the humanity and beastliness, has both peaceful and unpredictable dangerous elements. It haunts in the light of the day like a ghost, or suddenly appears in the forest, at the bank even on the crowded street. They roam alone or in groups, pass through the zebra crossing in apple-pie order, or walk beside the galloping taxi, get alone with travelers, loiter around near the red wall of the Imperial Palace, even stand in front of a big billboard or on the smooth office floor of a sky-scraper. In these astonishing scenes, we may notice that most people in the photos including citizens, travelers pay no attention to one or a group of this oddities beside them. Except for the artist himself, only in two or three places, it arouses curiosity: a child touches it on the grass, an old women watches it when walking in the lane. The child puts his hands on its big belly, yet his eyes sight was attracted by something else, and he was looking at the same direction with an old man beside him. Then could we say that this sculpture did not surprise them, just like a person or an animal you could find anywhere? Though the old woman showed surprise expression in her eyes, obviously, she approached it without dodging. In Pangyongjie’s “grass series”, a group of adults standing in a line played the game “eagle capture chickens”, as if they were young again. Yet, behind them you can see a group of those astonishing busters were walking through the grass in a line.
“Half human half-beast” – as a sculpture, its background and the audience are indispensable part of it, and the three constitute a profound relationship.
In Pangyongjie’s work, his figures have their own manner and they are in complete harmony. Both the standers-by in the painting and the viewers were assimilated by the magical power of the painting demonstrating a kind of self-identification without estrangement. Here, no matter the figures in the painting or the viewers are in complete harmony, and they are easy and free. However, compared to his paintings, Pang’s scenery sculptures bring about much more complicate feelings. The sculptures are both compatible and estrange with the environment and the viewers in the photos. Furthermore, the sculpture brings a tense, eerie, mysterious and uncertain feeling impacting the audience’s senses at first sight. We cannot help but asking what on earth does this unnatural oddity bring to this world?
An important America modern poet Wallace Stevenson once describing a symbolic crock in his famous poem” An anecdote of a crock”:
I put a round crock
on the top of mountain Tennessee.
The disordered wildness
surrounded the mountain.
The wildness upsurge the crock,
Creep around, then no more desolation.
Here a common crock is quite different from an “artistic” crock. The artistic perspective will change the environment and the world even the relationship between men and nature. A wood, a creek or a blatant busy street would not remove their solitude essence in nature because there’s no human spiritual creation involved. We can imagine that before the “Human beast” sets its foot in the forest, river or in the busy street, the original order of the world was only the order of nature and earthbound order. Once these artworks are placed inside, a mysterious power will change all the original relationship and establish a new form and order, just like Stevenson’s theory: Artistic creation makes the indifferent nature and earthbound matter no longer desolate. The super realism style of art verifies the explanation for “super realism” by Broad: art reflects the last romantic attempt aiming to break through the bind of established rules and to allow something full of life to replace the old ones.
Pang’s earlier sculpture works apply colophony as material that delivers a substantial impression. For his latest works he applies highly reflective and clear stainless steel material which would absorb light around and distort the light, Thus, on one hand, these artwork will affect its surrounding directly, on the other hand through the mysterious mirror effect, it focuses and distorts its background at the same time. All these combined effects pose more shock to human senses. When this image that has both animality and undercover a human shape quietly appears in our everyday life, likes a gigantic swirl it swollen everything nearby into its enigmatic body, provides us one or more perspectives to experience the relationship between person to person, human and the world, and indicate infinite possibility of improving it.
To make a comprehensive view of Pang’s sculpture, no matter in manifesting the relationship between men and history, traditional culture and the world or the relationship among people, he tries his best to keep away from the earthly or uncouth atmosphere. In his works, the relationship between subject and object, individual and society was expressed through reverting to the painting’s spiritual achievement. Artwork is not a nature product. Yet artists just rely on their works to accomplish this creative glory through the power that keep us away from nature and at the same time waken the nature. ( Belloc)
2007-5-17