張朝暉 (中央美術學院人文學院)
微微的海風不時地掀起她漂浮的裙邊，露出兩條油光閃閃的密人的大腿；而她那兩隻腳也正象歐洲關在博物館中大理石雕的諸女神的腳，一下一下地在細沙灘上刻印下它的痕跡，多索泰非常喜歡買弄風情，他把被人讚美的愉快看得比獲得自由的驕傲還重要。儘管她自由了，但他還赤著腳。她體態和諧地向前走著，幸福地生活著，微笑地露出雪白的牙齒，就好象從遙遠的空中望到一面鏡子，映出她的步態和嬌美。
波德萊爾 《巴黎的憂鬱 • 美麗的多羅泰》
在我的書房中，有一個書櫃是專門收藏各類師友們贈送的書籍和畫冊。喜歡收藏書的朋友會有這樣的體驗，新書得到之後，往往迅速地飽讀一通，然後束之高閣，只有需要的時候，才找出來。只有那种經常從書櫃中拿出來，並經常閱讀，或介紹給朋友，以便共用的書才是一本好書。我經常從朋友們的贈書收藏櫃中拿出一本叫《女人味》的圖文書介紹給朋友，這本書的圖畫部分作者是和我在美術學院一起上日語課的同學雷子人。
其實，説書上的水墨畫是插圖真的有些輕視他作品的重要性了。在這本書中，雷子人所作的近200幅水墨畫作品具有獨立的審美價值和意義，讀者在閱讀王九樓先生的文字之時，圖與文的相互參照對於理解文字和欣賞圖畫具有補充和視覺想像的作用。細心的讀者可以發現，王先生那談論女人的文字與子人用線條和淡淡的色彩編織的圖畫具有相近似的意味和情致。這大概也是這本《女人味》的書在近年大量出版的圖文書中格外引人注目的原因之一吧。更進一步説，每一篇長短不一的文字與穿插其中的水墨畫在情境上沒有特別的關聯，更多的是設計和版式上的考慮。喜歡欣賞文字之美的人，不一定特別在意其中的圖畫，而喜歡水墨畫的人，似乎也沒有必要通讀文字的必要。但子人的畫和九樓先生的文字放在一起的時候，這本書便産生了別致的魅力。
還是來多聊聊雷子人的水墨畫吧，否則這篇文字就要變成書評了。其實，在我們成為中央美術學院博士生同學之前，我就非常欣賞他的水墨人物畫，對於有他參加的展覽和有他的作品的出版物，總是令我格外在意。在眾多畫家參與的水墨畫新探索的浪潮中，子人的畫可以説是其中的佼佼者之一。
從田黎明，劉慶和在到更為年輕的水墨畫家雷子人，最近十幾年中，中央美術學院的國畫係人物畫的發展格外引人注目。越來越多的年輕藝術家嘗試著用傳統水墨畫語言來表達今日中國的都市生活經驗，一種既與中國傳統相連，又融合在全球化時代的都市生活中，但還很生硬與粗糙卻完全新鮮並難以預測前景的當代中國都市生活經驗。
子人喜歡用點，線，墨和淡色作為基本的語言符號。在材料的使用方面，諸如墨，水，和宣紙，他保持了傳統的純粹性。而傳統文人畫中所追求的筆墨變得相對次要。但子人的作品還是正在形成自己的一套語言格式，例如多使用一些清淡的長短不一的線條，顯得鬆散而隨意，透著濕潤的墨與色，畫面上隨處可見到未經修飾的筆觸，平添了恬淡而自我滿足的輕鬆感。他不追求語言的完美性，但卻逐步衍生出自己藝術語言的完整性，一種看似隨意的，輕鬆的，娛樂性的，表現性的視覺面貌出現。這樣的面貌給你以這一派純任天然的面貌，仿佛在戒除學院化的精英化的趣味和格調， 使之更加接近生活與感受的真實，有血有肉，有體溫的真實性與現實感，如同波德萊爾筆下的多羅泰。這樣的真實性不是依靠對現實生活場景的寫實性描繪，而是來源於與每一個當代中國都市人生活經歷相關的現實情景的敏銳與真切的把握與傳達，尤其是對感情生活的各個側面與細節很敏感的女性而言，子人的畫更有不可代替的表現力和感染力。
雖然子人的作品的靈感來源於今日中國的現實生活，但作品中浸透著西方晚期印象主義和超現實主義藝術的精神格調，也有象徵主義的某些微妙借用。用這樣的手法，子人的作品表達了都市女性對於愛情生活的種種夢想及其沉迷其中的陶醉。 例如《聽風》，《聞香系列》，《折翅系列》和《生活做派系列》等。這些作品中隱約滲透出莫奈，貝克蔓，蒙克和夏加爾等藝術大師的影子。這些藝術大師所經歷過的時代極其文化發展的焦慮目前正在中國的大城市上演著。所不同的是，子人使用的藝術語言卻是中國傳統的繪畫材料。
仔細品位子人的人物畫作品，我們可以隱約感受到傳統繪畫藝術對他的感染。當然，這種傳統不是某個單一的手法或者程式；而是將許多古代和前輩多藝術家的特點組合起來，融會貫通，從而形成自己的藝術面貌。例如，在藝術手法上，他的作品中可以約略看到梁楷的簡筆畫的影子，也可以察覺到清末海派人物畫家任頤的血脈，以及傅抱石的筆法。當然，他的作品也吸收了中國人物畫發展的最新成果，例如“新文人畫”以及“都市水墨的”所展現出來的新鮮氣象。這些説明，子人對於中國人物畫的發展和演變的研究是極其深入和縝密的。，從他那厚厚的碩士論文中也可以體現出他對中國水墨人物畫的梳理與思考。這與許多畫家的強調感性是不同的。從這個意義上講，子人的畫更多的是學者的畫，是更嚴格意義上的“文人畫”。
儘管“文人”和他們的“文人畫”在今天顯得不是那麼引人注意，主要不是“畫”本身的問題，而是“作者”的問題，是作者的創新能力問題，是創新是否能被接受和認可的問題。四百年前的“石濤”先生便清醒地認識到“筆墨當隨時代”。我們看到，水墨人物畫被學術界認可的最新發展是關注現實生活的，尤其是關注今日中國的廣泛而深刻的都市化發展，例如李孝萱，劉慶和，王彥萍等人的創作。
顯然，子人的作品也關注著自己週遭的城市生活，他拋棄了寫實性，也忽略了城市生活的絢麗外觀，因為前者違背了水墨的長處，後者是水墨材質特點所吃力不討好的；所以，和許多前輩水墨畫家一樣，他也選擇了用水墨表達自己對城市現實生活的心理感受，尤其是對生命，生理，慾望，愛情，女性有關的內容格外關注。都市生活造就了都市的人格，都市的精神與感情生活，從而區別於鄉土時代的生活與人格觀念。子人的水墨人物畫作品的主題便是探索這個新的領域，通過相對傳統的水墨語言來嘗試表達都市心理生活的各個細節的可能性。通過對水墨語言的提煉，他試圖將傳統上人們對於水墨語言的抽象性審美-也就是專家們通常愛強調的“筆墨”-的過分強調而轉向對表達內容與傳達情緒的關注。這樣，他似乎希望剔除“筆墨至上論”的影響，而刻意在用水墨畫表達都市感受的敏銳性和準確性上。在這種自我設定的藝術追求中，經過多年的努力，子人的當代都市水墨畫已經展開了豐富而充實的水墨圖像，證明了他的水墨藝術創新的説服力。
對都市女性生活場景的關注是西方現代美術史上的重要內容，對於這種現象的理論總結也歸納出當代女權主義的種種話語，可以追溯從蒙克到鬱特裏羅，從畢加索到達利，以及到當代的辛迪•舍曼的藝術實踐。在今日中國這個重商主義的大眾傳媒時代，千姿百態的女性被推到媒體和廣告的前臺，成為公共消費和女性模倣的對象。但作為蕓蕓眾生的絕大多數普通女性一方面幻想著明星一樣的風光，一方面享受著平凡生活的饋贈。這種都市小女人的形象和她們的精神與感情生活正是子人的畫所要表達的。
子人的畫的女人是生活中的女人，也是幻想中的女人。她們是都市生活中的精靈。因為她們的存在，壓抑，枯燥而憂鬱的都市生活變得風光旖旎，妖嬈嫵媚。
The Beauties and Beautiful Life Interpreting Li Ziren’s ink-painting
By Zhang Zhaohui (Central Academy of Fine Arts)
In my library there is a bookshelf devoting to the collection of the books and albums, which authored by my friends. Those who like collecting books usually share the similar experience to books. A newly-purchase book is usually idled on the bookshelf after a quick reading, and will not be used until the reuse occurs. Only those books of which recommendation to friend happened often are regarded as good books. I show a picture-and-text book entitled “Lady’s Smell” to my friends quite often. The pictures on the book is created by my fellow student Lei Ziren, who attended a Japanese class with me one year’s ago.
Considering the ink painting on the book as illustrations is in fact ignored the significance of his works. In this book, nearly 200 ink-painting processes independent value and meaning. There is an imaginative interaction between the textual narrative and visual expression. Reader can discover the sensuous connections between writer Wang’s verse on woman and artist Lei Ziren’s linear delineation and pigment fabrication. This is perhaps the crucial point to explain why this book coauthored by Lei Ziren and Wang Jiulou is so popular. Furthermore, there is no clear narrative interaction between each text and the pictures seemingly affiliated with it. More consideration can attribute to the design and layout. Those readers who enjoy the textual vision usually ignore the picture’s intervention; accordingly, those who enthralled by the ink paintings are not necessary to scan each square character. When Wang’s verse and Lei’s painting are entwined together a special attraction is likely occur to each buyer.
Let me stop reviewing the book, but talk more about Lei’s ink painting instead. Actually, I was an admirer to Lei’s ink painting of nowadays-feminine life before getting to know each other when we become fellow PhD student in Central Academy of Fine Art. Intuitive attention was usually focused on the exhibitions and album in which Lei’s work is included. I have to say Lei’s ink painting is usually eye-catching among many frontier elite whose art stick to the exploration on contemporary ink painting.
There is a visible links between those ink painters like Tian Liming, Liu Qinghe, and Lei Ziren. Over the decade and half figurative ink painting in the National-Painting Department of CAFA is very noticeable. More and more younger artists are exploring the potential of using the ancient medium and technique to convey the contemporary urban life, reflecting to the remarkable social reality – a new life of the Chinese that originate from and the tradition but integrates with globalization, and a contemporary urban experience which is immature but fresh, and unpredictable.
On Lei Ziren’s rice paper, dot, line, and light ink are basic. In terms of application of the technique and media, such as ink, water, and rice paper, he maintains a purity of the grandiose tradition. The elusive esthetic and taste of ink-stroke game valued by the literati painting has become less important. But a pattern-like ink language in Ziren’s oeuvre is taking its form, for example he tends to use some slight lines in different lengths, seemingly casual and relaxed, some un-repeated strokes are visible from here to there. Lei does not intend to seek perfection, but a personal approach of the ink is increasingly visible, even though it appears casual, light-hearted, entertaining, and expressive. Thus a nature looking is about to stand out, it is refusal to scholarly elite taste, and closer to mundane life and visceral experience instead, more physical and palpable. This kind of facticity comes not from the realist description to daily life but the mastery and convey to the urban life that is experiencing by most Chinese people. Especially for those hypersensitive ladies who are susceptive to details and content, Lei Ziren’s ink painting conveys the sensibility.
Although the modern Chinese urban life inspires his artistic impulse, his oeuvres are penetrated with the intense taste of Post-impressionism, Surrealism, and Symbolism. By means of his language Lei Ziren visualize the enthralling and trembling love story occurs to the urban lady, and the dreamland they are searching for. Such as Listening to the Wind, Fragrance Series, and Broken Wing Series. Sensitive audiences can find the traces of such masters as Monet, Beckman, and Chagall. The cultural anxiety of the era and social context that abovementioned masters had experienced is repeatedly taking place in the megacities across China. Thus Chinese younger artists who come out of age with the urbanization share the similar circumstance with western modern masters. What the difference, for Lei Ziren’s case, rests with the traditional Chinese art media he adopted.
Scrutinizing Lei Ziren’s work, one may easily discover the influence from the tradition of ancient Chinese ink painting. Needless to say that the tradition is merely means singular technique, method, or approach, rather the general mastery of the essence or spirit of the vernacular art, and a comprehensive and creative appropriation with it so as to produce his version. For example, his brush stroke reminds me about master Liang Kai’s bold and strong technique; I can also recognize the tradition from Hai School. Definitely, his ink painting owns a lot to recent development of Chinese figurative ink painting, such as New Literati Ink Painting, and Urban Ink Painting. All these elements come together to compose Lei Ziren’s oeuvre. His lengthy but insightful master essay on Chinese ink painting may well confirm with his deep research and investigation of ink painting. From this perspective, Lei Ziren’s ink painting is actually literati painting in a more strict sense.
Although the Literati and their Literati Painting is less noticeable, it is not the issue of the painting itself, but the artist and his/her capability of creation instead. Four hundred years’ ago master Shi Tao realized “Art follows Era”. It is also recognized by the art establishment that the advancement of ink painting is embodied by those paintings, which is concern about the social reality. Such as, to mention a few but not only limit with, Li Xiaoxuan, Liu Qinghe, and Wang Yanping.
Obviously, Li Ziren’s ink painting concerns about the city life around him, and his painting has given up the realistic representation, as it is not the nature of the ink painting. He also ignores the appearance of urban landscape, as the medium is essentially a shortcoming in this regard. Therefore, similar to many of the ink painting masters, he focus on the exploration on ink painting’s capability to articulate artist’s psychological reaction to the social reality of urban life. Especially life, desire, love, the subject that is related more with lady’s world. Urban life nurtures the characters of city environment, urban spirit and culture, which is different from the rural life and idealism. Lei Ziren’s painting is profoundly rooted in the earth of new urban life. He wants to explore the details of societal psychological complex motivated by the urban life. Through the application of his refined personal technique, he is also trying to seek the independent esthetic value of the ink-stroke in the process of portraying the lady’s world today, enriching the modern capacity and freshness of the aged ink painting. A big body of ink painting representing nowadays lady’s spiritual work has confirmed with his self-imposed scheme of new ink creation.
To concern urban feminine life is a critical content of western modern and contemporary art. The feminism theory, a contextual narrative about this phenomenon, is one of the postmodern discourses, illustrating the works by such important artists as Picasso, Dali, and Sindy Sherman. In today’s China, the commercial mass media era, pictures of female are exposed overwhelmingly in public media, such as paper, TV, ad. And film, becoming the symbol of desire and social stature. As ordinary young lady, anyone wants to be part of the luminous and romantic life that envisioned by mass media; on the other hand, she is enjoying a common daily life, which is full of happiness and trouble. This is the life to which Lei Ziren’s work is responding.
The female in Lei Ziren’sink painting is both actual and virtual. They are the spirit of urban life. Due to their existence in the world our depressing, doom, and dreary urban life has turned into a romantic, inspiring, and celestial territory from time to time.
(Trans. By Mary Lee)