前言

“艺术起源于劳动”之说一向被认为是一个唯物主义的艺术发生学理论。当然，我们并不是要再次讨论关于艺术起源的问题，而需说明的是“劳动”的主体是“人”，人具有自由的意志和意识，意识是一种精神状态。艺术作品的产生是以人为基本的手工由劳动而达到的高度完善。因此，艺术也可以说是一种唯心主义的表现。当人们满足了物质的生活需求之后，便会去追求精神上的享受，这时候艺术便产生了。

“物境”作为此次展览的关键词，也许让人会觉得有些漫无边际或充满着想象力的空间。事实上，这个主题是来源于梁启超的“一切物境皆虚幻，惟心所造之境为真实”的唯心主义思想的体现。 绘画作为最基本的艺术形式，其一是用来表现人们心中的理想状态，二是反映着社会的现实和时代的价值。在艺术形式多元化的今天，每一个持之以恒地坚持以绘画创作为探索实践的艺术家，如果没有强大的信念、坚守以及顿悟，是无法能够对绘画有些许的建树或成就的。为此，我们透过艺术作品来感受艺术家情感的抒发和自由生活的历程，也进而寻找我们自己的“乌托邦”，并激发出我们对于生活的热爱。

不同艺见艺术中心推出的“绘画样本研究计划”特邀黄志琼、侯炜国、孟小为、申树斌、郑成俊（韩国）五位艺术家进行比较、研究和共同展出的想法正是来源于他们有不同的探索起点、语境、趣味以及不同的成长经历和生存的背景。这五位出生于不同年代、国家和生活在不同地区的艺术家，他们都以严肃、认真和严谨的工作态度来创作作品。他们的作品所呈现的的视觉艺术效果从精神层面，物质层面，从当代艺术本身，从观念艺术本身，为我们探讨“历史”与“当下”、“中心”与“边缘”、“物境”与“心境”提供了有效的样本。并且，通过对作品的分析我们会看到他们所付出的心血和精神，以及彼此之间的尊重和理解，也能直接看出他们绘画作品的文化性和艺术方式的多元性。

五位参展艺术家的绘画风格和语言都是独特的，都是关注于他们自身的领域和兴趣，通过作品的观念以及人与动物、人与社会、人与自然、人自身的精神和身体来反映人对生命体的一种质问和对人们所面临的文化指向性问题的思考。最重要的是希望能通过与五位参展艺术家之间智慧的碰撞，更多的提供给观众理解作品的多种可能性，来丰富、延展作品对人文的关怀、对人性问题的研究、对人类的终极问题的探索、对人们精神层面的探求。主要也是想鼓励来自不同地域和文化区域的公众、专家和艺术家有一次深度的对话。目标就是让观众共享共有的或者是有争议的对待这次展览和作品本身的兴趣和想法。

Foreword

The assertion that “Art originates in labor” has long been considered a materialist approach to the genealogy of art. Surely, we can do without yet another discussion on the origins of art. Instead, we ought to elaborate further on the notion that “people” - the subjects who undertake the “labor” – are in possession of a free will and a mind of their own. Hence, the creation and shared enjoyment of art can be regarded as a process of idealist expression. Having met their material subsistence needs, people set out to pursue spiritual enjoyment, which in turn spawns art.

The key term underpinning this exhibition, The Realm of Things (wu jing 物镜), could be perceived as too far-flung, offering excess leeway for imagination. In fact, the theme reflects the idealist ideology of Liang Qichao, who asserted that “Everything in the ‘realm of things’ is illusory, whereas only the ‘realm of ideals’ is genuine.” As the most basic of art forms, painting is primarily used to give expression to people’s desired mind state. Secondly, it’s a reflection of social realities, as well as the values of a given era. In light of the current diversification of art forms, artists who tenaciously persevere in the use of painting for their explorative praxis can’t achieve anything in painting unless they possess ardent beliefs, steadfastness and insight. To this end, artworks allow us to experience the outpouring of artists’ emotions, as well as their unfettered way of life. This then enables us to search for our own “utopias”, and helps stir up our own ardent passion for life.

The Painting Specimens Research Project initiated by Another Art Center is aimed at comparing, researching and jointly showcasing the works of 5 artists, i.e. Meng Xiaowei, Huang Zhiqiong, Shen Shubin, Jeong Seong Joon (KOR) and Hou Weiguo, all of whom claim different explorative starting points, contexts, and tastes, along with their own distinct upbringings and life backgrounds. Despite hailing from different generations and countries, and living in different regions, these 5 artists all solemnly, conscientiously and rigorously engage in their artistic creation. The visual outcomes presented in their artworks provide us with valid specimens for exploring the dichotomies of “history” vs “present”, “center” versus “periphery” and “matter” versus “mind”, be it on a spiritual or material level, or the level of contemporary or conceptual art itself. By analyzing the works, we can gauge the painstaking efforts and vigor exerted by the artists, the mutual respect and rapport that exists among them, as well as get a direct sense of the cultural properties inherent in the paintings and the diversity of artistic methods involved in creating them.

Text: Li Yujun
January 9, 2018 - Wangjing District (Beijing)