對我來説，劉永剛的歸來是2006年中國當代藝術中一個令人震奮的現象。他傳遞了一種新的資訊，這就是一批長期在海外研究學習的藝術家獲得了一種不同於國內藝術家的文化視野，並且在藝術語言的表達上初步找到了屬於自己的方式。這種方式不同於80年代以來普遍的追隨西方雙年展的藝術模式，也不同於當下一些在畫廊商業操作下急於成功的風格樣式，具體地説，這是一種真正有價值的融會東西，打通中外的中國當代藝術，雖然這仍然不是十分成熟，但具有深厚的文化底蘊，是可以持續發展的藝術道路。評論家鄧平祥稱劉永剛具有打通東西兩種文化的能力，實際上表述了這樣一種判斷，即在全球化時代，要想發展出真正具有藝術史價值的當代藝術，必須對東西方文化進行深入的研究，而非表面性地選取若干政治、商業、流行文化的符號，拼湊所謂的“中國樣式”，以博取國際策展人和畫廊商人的青睞。
劉永剛的抽象性繪畫無疑是十分優秀的當代繪畫，既具有德庫寧式的激情，也有德國表現主義繪畫的自由，同時還在色彩與構成方面表現了深厚的形式修養，是他去國十餘年潛心研究的合理收穫。當然，較之那些厚重顏料的表現性繪畫，我更喜歡那些以綜合材料創作的類似于文字結構和雕塑草圖的構成性繪畫。在這些作品中，色彩的因素退居於後，起而代之的是畫家對空間與結構的研究，其中既有宏大的紀念性意志，也反映了一種強烈的在空間中伸展衍生的激情，這種激情與大地和生長有關，是植物性的，生命性的，如德國藝術史家法蘭克博士所評論的那樣，充滿了生命的衝動。這是十分契合劉永剛個人內在性格與精神追求的，反映了劉永剛藝術中某種古典主義的氣質，也就是古典建築與繪畫中所蘊含的人文主義傳統，那種對人的生命尊嚴的理解，對人的交往和情感的渴望，這在本質上是屬於文藝復興以來米開朗基羅為代表的宏觀歷史的人文傳統。正是站在人類歷史的宏觀視野中，劉永剛發掘出了中國傳統文化所代表的古典人文主義的尊嚴，以漢蒙等不同文字的另類表達方式，展現了一個多民族大國曾經有過的輝煌文明和未來理想。
由此，我看到劉永剛在中國美術館展出的以“愛擁”為題的102件石材雕塑組成的宏大裝置時，涌入我腦海中的第一印象，竟然是秦漢時的大型兵馬俑場面，他的這些站立的文字就獲得了一種森然默立的無聲的尊嚴。“紀念碑性”（monumentality）可以定義為“紀念的狀態和內涵”，它不僅要求有巨大的、持久的、藝術中的超常尺寸的含義，也指在歷史中那些顯著的、重要的、持續的價值。而劉永剛所要表現的，正是他對於人類永恒的愛與關懷的尊崇，在這一意義上，劉永剛以曾經具有廣泛流通性，為民眾熟悉的文字形式，打通了民族與國界的局限，以冰冷的岩石，表達了火熱的激情，在獨特的空間形式構造中，將材料與精神結為一體。在中國傳統藝術中，紀念碑與文字書法，曾經是一種密不可分的結合形態，但文字仍然從屬於內容的表述，書法與雕刻也僅限于作為一種藝術媒介的表達，劉永剛的獨特之處在於，他打破傳統的字碑組合，使之成為字碑一體，字即是碑，碑即是字，而當我們進入劉永剛的文字藝術裝置空間中，又全然忘卻了哪是字，哪是碑，字與碑在人的基礎上已經融為一體，成為人類生命與精神的象徵。
在這裡我們涉及到文字、語言、書法與當代藝術的討論。在80年代以來的中國當代藝術中，中國文字已經成為重要的公共藝術資源，當然與之相關的中國書法也是重要的資源。但是，著眼于文字與著眼于書法是很不相同的。舉例來説，最早用有關中國文字進行創作的藝術家有谷文達、吳山專、徐冰，他們更多地是運用觀念藝術的方式來解析文字與運用到作品中的。這反映了從不同文化背景對於語言和文字的態度，即是注重形態還是意義，這是當代藝術中不同的處理傳統文化的思維模式。劉永剛對中國文字和中國書法的研究借鑒，在這個大的文脈系統中也可以得到觀照與分析。可以説，劉永剛對文字的研究，在文化角度上，更多的是著眼于歷史性、人文性的；在視覺藝術的意義上，更多是著眼于空間性與構成性的，正如評論家賈方舟所言，他的作品不具有文字的可讀性，而具有造型藝術的可視性，這表明瞭劉永剛的藝術與中國人文傳統和古典藝術的內在聯繫。
我在這裡提出“文字的抽象與具像”這一概念。在當代藝術中，不乏運用不同民族文字的案例，但存在著對文字運用的抽象與具像角度。比較而言，前者關注的是文字的意義與概念，像美國概念藝術家克魯格運用放大的英文詞句直接表述對於社會的觀念。而劉永剛則是運用文字的形式與結構，著眼的是文字的形象所具有的象徵性意味。劉永剛運用的是篆書的結構美與線條美，仍然是文字運用方面的具像派，或者説是象徵主義。例如他的作品《愛擁》，就具有男女相擁的視覺形象，比之具像的人，他的雕塑要抽象，但比之文字，要顯得具像一些。但是從抽象雕塑的角度來看，我認為劉永剛的作品在抽象與解構方面還可以走的更遠一些。我希望劉永剛的作品能夠進一步向抽象發展，對文字的整體形象進行解構，將篆書文字的整體美解構為線條的獨立的抽象美，例如西班牙雕塑家奇裏達的雕塑《風之梳》，巨大的彎曲的條型鋼結構，在海岸的懸崖上迎著海風而傲然挺立。我也建議劉永剛可以研究華裔法國雕塑家熊秉明的雕塑，他的雕塑比奇裏達更為具像一些，將鶴的形象高度簡化為飛舞的抽象線條，但仍然不失鶴的形態韻味。
劉永剛的歸來和舉辦展覽，使我注意到90年代以來中國在海外的藝術家群體，特別是一批從德國留學歸來的藝術家值得我們關注。他們中有相當一部份人是採用了抽象藝術的方式進行創作的。如較早回國的許江、馬路、譚平，近來在中德兩地十分活躍的有蘇笑柏、朱金石、張國龍、劉野、馬樹青以及運用影像媒介為主的繆曉春，而劉永剛也正是屬於這一個留學德國的藝術家群體。我們可以從德國文化對中國藝術的影響這一角度來審視劉永剛的藝術，身處不同的文化環境中（當代物質生活交流越來越多，也越來越相近，但文化傳統並不因此而發生根本的變化），劉永剛的作品反映了這種不同文化的綜合。我認為，對於21世紀的中國當代藝術，新的一代海歸藝術家值得期待，是很有希望的生力軍，這是因為他們長期在海外文化的氛圍中生活，具有創造性的文化交流與融合的能力，與那些偶爾出去看一下的藝術家不同，他們的理解要更深刻、更全面一些。而在物質生活方面，他們也由於比較早地解決了基本的生活和創作條件，了解藝術市場對於藝術家的扶持與殺傷的雙重性影響，從而能夠更為純粹地專注于藝術創作。
同時，劉永剛的創作，也印證了我在上個世紀90年代初期評論許江時所提到的關於法國文化與德國文化的區別，這對於我們進一步深入理解不同的西方文化背景，破解籠統的東西方二元對立的思維方式，從而針對性地從個人的文化背景出發，創作更貼近個人特性的當代藝術有所助益。
劉永剛的藝術的獨特之處，就在於其作品中的表現性，不是一般性的情緒化的表現，不只是我們通常認為的“跟著感覺走”，也不是技巧性的優雅表現，或是對現實問題的功利性的主題解釋，後者來源於18世紀的法國及法國革命傳統，即政治化、功利化的行動主義傳統。18世紀的法國啟蒙主義哲學家，像文藝復興早期的公民人文者一樣，崇尚積極活躍的生活，不贊成沉思默想的生活，對形而上學沒有興趣，關心此時此地的人生中的實際問題——道德的、心理的、社會的問題，他們對人類的前途充滿了信心，對歷史的進步具有毫不懷疑的信念。但是劉永剛作為一個富於思考的藝術家，卻具有一種東方式的宏觀視野，這種東方式的思維與日耳曼式的黑格爾傳統有相同之處，即是一種注重統一整體價值勝過建功立業價值的沉思系統，整體性與思辨性是其特點所在。劉永剛所關注的不是某一時期、某一個具體的社會問題，而是對人類歷史的整體性思考。在劉永剛的作品中，我感受到對現存人類文明與歷史的批判性審視，以及藝術家內心深處的焦慮。在我們這個時代，傳統的信念受到當代生活經驗的深深打擾，到處可以看到命運的無常與拒絕對之屈服的人之間的衝突，在內心深處，劉永剛仍然守望著自己的人文價值信念。
劉永剛的作品具有某種雄強博大的氣質，整體上看類似秦漢的兵馬俑。但劉永剛的作品發展趨向是雕塑作品的組合排列還是當代裝置？在我看來，僅僅是雕塑作品的並置並不能構成裝置，如果是這樣，我們能否説秦始皇兵馬俑是中國最早最大的一件裝置藝術？裝置要求作品的不同構成要素之間具有一種共謀關係，而不是簡單的並列關係。我認為，劉永剛還可以發展出更為壯闊的公共空間中的景觀作品。我們可以設想一下，劉永剛的作品在廣袤的草原上出現，大漠孤煙，長河落日，如雄兵百萬站立在一望無際的草原上，會是什麼樣的視覺景象？我希望劉永剛注意和強化室外雕塑的輪廓與剪影，這是決定作品視覺力度的重要因素。除了作品所具有的由形象表達出來的“愛”與“相擁”的象徵意味，劉永剛是否還會注意作品中的簡潔、單純、和諧、精到以及節奏的活力等在中國傳統藝術特別是書法藝術中最具有抽象意味的形式審美要素？簡言之，對劉永剛的未來發展，我充滿期待，很顯然，他目前的創作，找到了一條源自傳統，通向未來的重要道路，但仍然是大業初創之時，有關他的藝術，在形式結構的研究和材料運用表達方面，還有許多工作要做。可以確定的是，劉永剛已經不再局限于繪畫、書法、雕塑這些傳統的藝術媒介，而是在綜合材料與綜合藝術的方面拓展了一條寬闊的平臺，對這樣的優秀藝術家來説，一切才剛剛開始。
2007年2月26日
Standing Life:Interpretation of Liu Yonggang’s Art
Yin Shuangxi,PhD, executive editor in chief of Art Research, famous artcritic
The return ofLiu Yonggang was one of the most exciting events of contemporaryChinese art in 2006. He brought the new message that a number ofartists who have studied abroad have acquired a cultural horizondifferent from that of those who stayed in the country, and thatthey have found their own ways of expression. Those ways differfrom both the imitation of western biannual exhibitions that hasbeen widespread since the 1980s and the success-oriented stylesconditioned by the commercial operation of galleries. Specificallyspeaking, they have created a truly valuable contemporary Chineseart that blends Chinese and western cultures. Though it is not yetmature, it is based on a rich culture, and its way is sustainable.When critic Deng Pingxiang said that Liu is capable of finding thecommon ground between Chinese and western cultures, he was actuallyvoicing his judgment that in the age of globalization, to develop acontemporary art with real value for artistic history, one mustmade an in-depth study of eastern and western cultures, instead ofcatering to sponsors of international exhibitions or art merchantsby cobbling together some ‘Chinese pattern’ composed of an array ofsuperficial signs of politics, commerce and pop culture.
Liu’s abstractpaintings are undoubtedly excellent, with the passion of deKooning, the freedom of German expressionism, and acute formalawareness in colors and composition. Those were what he acquiredfrom over ten years’ careful study abroad. However, I prefer thecompositional paintings similar to the structures of characters anddrafts of sculptures, with composite materials, to thoseexpressionistic ones with heavy use of colors. In the former kind,the importance of color is replaced by the painter’s study of spaceand structure. That contains grand monumental wills, and reflects apassion that extends in space, a passion that is related to soiland growth, like a plant, or life. As observed by German arthistorian Dr. Frank, it is full of the drive of life. That is infull agreement with Liu’s personality and spiritual pursuit; itreflects some classical quality of his art, or the humanistictradition embodied in classical buildings and paintings. Theunderstanding of the dignity of human life and the desire forcommunications and feelings are by nature part of the humanistictradition since the Renaissance, represented by Michelangelo. Itwas from the grand perspective of human history that Liu discoveredthe dignity of classical humanism represented by Chinese culture.His special way of expression, based on the Chinese and Mongolianwritten languages, demonstrates a great multi-ethnic nation’s pastglory and aspiration for the future.
Therefore, whenI saw his grand work composed of 102 stone sculptures at theNational Art Museum of China, the first thing I thought of, to mysurprise, was the terracotta soldiers. His standing characters havea silent dignity. ‘Monumentality’, which may be defined as ‘thestate or meaning of commemoration’, requires not only artisticallyunusual, enduring size, but also prominent, important and lastingvalues in history. What Liu intends to convey is his veneration forthe eternal love and care of mankind. In this sense, Liu usedcharacters, widespread and familiar to ordinary people, to breakthrough ethnic and national boundaries, expressing fiery passionwith cold rocks, and fusing material and spirit in special spatialcompositions. In traditional Chinese art, the monument and thecalligraphy were inextricably linked, but characters weresubordinate to meanings, and calligraphy and carving were no morethan mediums of artistic expression. What was special about Liu wasthat he broke the line between the monument and the calligraphy, sothat the two are united into one. When we see his sculptures, wesimply forget that line, because the two are blended into a symbolof human life and spirit.
Here is involvedthe discussion on characters, language, calligraphy andcontemporary art. Since the 1980s, Chinese characters, as well ascalligraphy, have become an important public artistic resource incontemporary Chinese art. However, focus on characters differsgreatly from focus on calligraphy. For instance, the artists whofirst used Chinese characters in their creations, such as Gu Wenda,Wu Shanzhuan and Xu Bing, tend to analysis characters and use themin the manner of conceptual art. That reflects the difference inattitude towards the written language. Focus on form and focus onmeaning are different approaches to using traditional culture incontemporary art. That may be a frame of reference to put Liu’sstudy and use of Chinese characters and calligraphy intoperspective. In terms of culture, Liu’s study of characters tendsto be historical and humanistic; in terms of visual art, it tendsto be spatial and compositional. As observed by critic JiaFangzhou, instead of being legible like written language, his worksare visual like plastic art. That indicates the intrinsicconnection of his art to the humanistic tradition and classical artof China.
The return ofLiu and his exhibition drew my attention to the group of overseasChinese artists, especially those who returned from their study inGermany. Many of them have adopted the way of abstract art. Liu isone of the artists who studied in Germany, such as Xu Jiang, Ma Luand Tan Ping who returned earlier, Su Xiaobai, Zhu Jinshi, ZhangGuolong, Liu Ye and Ma Shuqing who are recently active in bothChina and Germany, and Miu Xiaochun who specializes in video andimage medium. We may examine his art with respect to Germanculture’s influence on Chinese art. Liu’s works reflect theblending of different cultures under different culturalenvironments (though material life is becoming increasingly similarbecause of the growing exchanges, cultural traditions do not changefundamentally). In my opinion, as far as Chinese art in the 21stcentury is concerned, the new generation of artists who returnedfrom abroad is promising new blood. During their long stay inoverseas cultures, they have acquired the capability of creativecultural exchange and blending. They have deeper and more completeunderstanding of culture than those who go abroad occasionally. Asfor material life, since they have long been free of financialtroubles and are aware of both the positive and negative effect ofmarket on artists, they are capable of more intense concentrationon creation.
Meanwhile, Liu’sworks proved my opinion on the differences between French cultureand German culture that I mentioned when I was criticizing Xu Jiangin the early 1990s. That will be helpful to further understandingof different western cultural backgrounds, solving the general,binary opposite ways of thinking between the east and the west, andcreation of contemporary art which is closer to personality basedon individual cultural background.
The specialthing about Liu’s art is that his works are not expressions ofgeneral emotions (what is commonly known as ‘follow the feelings’),or graceful skills, or utilitarian interpretations of practicalquestions (the latter is originated from France in the 18th centuryand its revolutionary tradition, namely political and utilitarianbehaviorism tradition. French didacticism philosophers in the 18thcentury, just like the early renaissant civic humanists, advocatedactive and vibrant way of life and fought against ruminative way.They were not interested in metaphysics, and cared about practicalissues—moral, mental and social--in their lives. They wereconfident of human future and held undoubted faith in historyprogress.) As a thinking artist, Liu has an oriental broad horizon.His oriental way of thinking has one thing in common with theHegelian tradition—greater value attached to unity and wholenessthan to accomplishment. Its defining feature is wholeness andspeculation. What Liu is concerned with are not particular socialissues of a particular period, but the holistic thinking of humanhistory. In his works I feel critical examination of humancivilization and history, and the angst at the bottom of his heart.In our time, traditional beliefs are deeply troubled by theexperience of contemporary life, and everywhere there are conflictsbetween capricious fate and people who stand up to it. Deep inside,Liu stands by his belief in humanistic values.
Liu’s worksproduce a powerful, sweeping effect similar to that of terracottawarriors. We may imagine the scenario where his sculptures standlike a formation of warriors on a prairie or a desert.
It is certainthat instead of confining himself to such traditional mediums aspainting, calligraphy and sculpture, he has blazed a broad newtrail in comprehensive materials and comprehensive art. For such anexcellent artist, all has just begun.
February 26,2007