廖真武的《民国事城图》：绘画的印记及其真理性

​Liao Zhenwu's Re-presentation of Minguo: Traces and Truthfulness of Paintings

　　全球化的现代性远未终结，中国现代性启蒙的事业远未完成，甚至，中国的现代性转换从根本上就还尚未开始，也是因为我们一直会退回到起点，“进半步退两步的步伐”让中国的现代性转化如此艰难曲折。

　　The process of modernization brought by globalization is far from coming to an end, the same as the modernization of China. Basically,the changes in China, in fact, hasn't even started yet. Because, in part, we always end up getting back to the start point. With "one step forward, two steps backward", this transition becomes immensely difficult.

　　对于当下的中国现实，回溯我们一百年艰难的现代性转换历程也尤为关键，越来越幽暗，也越来越被后叙屏蔽的历史记忆有待于再次被唤醒。

　　Given this reality,it becomes essential for us to recall our history of how our society changes in the past 100 years. This very chapter has been neglected by our people. But today, those memories are bound to come to light again.

　　回到民国，乃是回到一种追求自由的气质，一种自我反思的品质，尤其是再次重塑我们这个古老帝国走向现代性的曲折变迁，不仅仅是现代性反思批判的责任，也是艺术家们的责任。

　　The re-presentation of the time of the Republic of China is sparkled by the artist's spirit of pursuing freedom and self-reflection. To re-depict the twists and turns in the process of transiting from an ancient country to a modernized one should be the obligation of an artist and even of every Chinese to reflect critically on the current society.

　　廖真武，来自于四川，在北京生活十多年的艺术家，从2012年开始立志起势，历时六载，数易其稿，汇出指向1900-1930那个民国年代四座代表性城市（四川-广州-北京-上海），高4米长达30米的鸿篇巨制，让我们看到了“一个人的民国，一个人的史诗，一个人的历史记忆，一个人的图像学还原，一个人的绘画雄心。”在廖真武之前的绘画系列展览中，从“见证的历程”，到“时代标签”，直到“岁月留痕”，就已经可以看出艺术家对于历史记忆与时代变化的独特敏感。

　　Born in Sichuan, China, Liao Zhenwu has lived in Beijing for more than 10 years. In 2012, he was determined to compose a magnificent work. He spent 6 years and painted for numerous times. Finally, a masterpiece that is 4 meters high, 30 meters long was created. The re-presentation of 4 China's representative cities (Sichuan-Guangzhou-Beijing-Shanghai) during the time of the Republic of China between 1900 to 1930 means more than a painting, but also a Republic of China, a history, a memory and a renewal of an image for the painter.

　　此30屏的巨作，以三个系列建构起来，以体现现代化的变迁与表征。

　　This great work of 30 screens has fused three elements together as a way to represent the transition and manifestation of modernization.

　　其一是高处的建筑物，从川蜀小镇与徽派建筑，到粉墙黛瓦与江南园林，直到上海租借的十里洋场。

　　The first one is the high buildings which include the characteristic buildings of Sichuan, Anhui, Jiangnan and Shanghai.

　　这些建筑形态在高处巍峨并列，具有一种纪念碑式的威严，但都处于历史风云的冲洗之中，斑驳陆离的表面暗示了时间的力量，而且具有一种中国山水画长卷一样的展开阅读方式，历史画卷的徐徐展开，在晦暗的天空与萧瑟的树木之间，也是无名自然历史的严酷见证。

　　These buildings all stand high and behind, which generates a sense of dignity familiar to monuments. However, they are all under the wash of history. The eroded surface symbolizes the power of time and also generates a sense familiar to Chinese traditional landscape painting: after unfolding a historical drawing, you will feel that the history of nature is hidden between gray sky and bleak trees.

　　其二，则是画面前方的那些运输工具。

　　The second one is the transport vehicles in the front of the painting.

　　画家之前画过大都市的摩托车，对于速度与运输工具的思考，再次体现了时间的具体化形态。

　　Liao has once painted motorcycles in cities. His thoughts for speed and transportation, again materialized the concept of time.

　　从黄包车到三轮车，到老爷车，再到蒸汽火车，从中可以看到历史的车轮不可逆转，工具的技术客观性要求中国人再次回到对于科学“赛先生”的尊重。

　　From cart to tricycle and vintage car to steam train, the changes have shown us that the wheels of history can never be reversed. The development of the tools requires Chinese to once again show their respect to science as they do at the time of the Republic of China.

　　这些器物被画的最为坚实明确，几乎以超写实手法描绘出来，以表达其绝对的客观性。

　　These objects are most clear in the painting and are almost pictured in a hyper realistic way, reflecting the objectivity of the vehicles or time.

　　其三，则是处于中景的中国人，这是从晚清梳着辫子的国人，还有穿着长袍马褂，直到西装革履的现代中国人。

　　The third is the Chinese at the middle of the drawing who still keep the braid, a historical left-over of Qing Dynasty. Some still wear mandarin-jacket and some in suits. The change of clothes is actually resulted from the transformation of self-image of Chinese people.

　　看似衣装的演变，其实也是中国人自我形象的变化，在画家笔下，这些人物并非历史的具体还原，而是一种身份自我意识演变中的“理想类型”。

　　These characters in the paintings are not completely copied from the history, but instead, they are actually "the ideal images" that are applied to show how identities or self-awareness transformed at the time.

　　我们从中可以看出阶层与身份，可以看到他们的汗水与辛劳，看出他们面对悠久历史的重负与运输工具的速度这两重力量的撕扯。

　　From the picture, we can not only know their social status or identity but also their sweat and efforts. We can sense that they are confronted with both the burden of heavy history and the speed of transportations.

　　但绘画并非突出具体的某一个人，因此此巨作并非历史写实画，而是一种“虚写”，这也是为何画面上的这些人群，处于来到前面以及退回历史深处的矛盾挣扎之中。

　　However,this painting aims not to stress any particular person. Therefore, it is not a faithful depiction of the history. But it actually entails some "false portraits", which explain why these people are suffered with the struggle between coming forward and stepping backward.

　　我们就看到了中国的文化生命苦涩而模糊的面容，看到了历史的沧桑与凄楚，也感受到了艺术家的悲悯之情。

　　Through the painting, we have seen not only a bitter and blurred face of the culture of China but also the vicissitudes and miseries of the Chinese history, making us feel the compassion of the artist.

　　为了体现出此三重性的历史境况，画家综合运用抽象的笔触、情绪的表现与具象的描绘各种手法。

　　To put these three elements into one painting, Liao had used many skills, such as abstract brushes, expression of sentiment and concrete brushes.

　　而且整个画面看似一幅老照片，但又并非超现实的还原，而是具有一种水墨画的色感。

　　Moreover, the painting looks just like an old photo, which is not in a realistic style but in an ink-wash painting fashion.

　　具有一种历史回眸目光的灼热，那些在记忆深处闪烁的幽光与忧郁的气息，被画家捕获住了。

　　The burning heart of history and coldness hidden in the memories are both put into one single painting.

　　这是本雅明所言的图像静止的辩证法，这是时间的政治。

　　Ben Benjamin said that it is the dialectics of static pictures and the politics of time.

　　中国的现代性才还有待于再次开始，绘画所重塑的历史记忆自有其真理性内涵。

　　The modernization of China should start again. The memories depicted by the painting have its own connotation of truth: when artists are in the middle of the chaos of the present days, they can still restore the bitter and blurred face of the culture in the state of transformation.

　　这就是面对混杂现代性的处境，艺术乃是还原出文化生命变迁中的苦涩面容。

　　In the respect of time, the author makes us taste a bite of the time of Republic of China which entails the Chinese unshakable will for freedom and happiness.

　　以具有时间辩证的张力，让我们感受到绘画所传达的民国气质，那是一种中国人坚忍不拔地追求自由与幸福的意志！这幅巨作的当代价值，无论是现代性的重叙，还是绘画语言的价值，其图像学的价值以及广泛的社会学维度，还有待于更多的讨论与研究。

　　The value of this masterpiece to the nowadays still requires further discussions and studies from various respects, such as its depiction of modernization,its value of painting language and iconology and extensive sociology.

作者：夏可君