闫博   迷 综合材料  120*40cm  2010年作

　　在海德格尔看来，一件艺术品首先是一件物，在这点上它和世间万物并无本质性区别；而在米友仁看来，“画之为说，亦心画也”，画作是心灵的印记。“重物”与“重心”被看成是审美活动的两个法门，似乎从哪里进入均可窥得堂奥，但二者之间的并存性矛盾却成为恒久的争辩话题。“二分法”的思维模式致使每个个体在现代社会生活中产生难以愈合的精神裂缝，本原无处寻觅。当我们沉醉在本原意义的理性追问中，也许会自设一系列难以自拔的陷阱。

　　可以说，当代绘画在分解托身为社会学、政治学、人类学以及心理学等等的方法理论时，充满了太多策略性的追问，其凭借时髦的外衣，在图像制造中编织新的迷网，解构与对抗是其鲜明的旗帜，符号与概念是其招摇的手段。在层层的遮蔽中，“物”拆解分裂，“心”无所依托，“重物”与“重心”在艺术的演进中远离其本原的审美体验，更无从打破壁垒，达到圆融的整合。显然，闫博不是这样的追问者，在远离当下性的社会批判、政治呐喊的同时，他也摈弃了求新求奇、挪移拼接的语言时风，而把目光投向原初的审美感受与文化的互补性思考，渴望以“心物”地融合去接近艺术本体，在个体的生活时空中透射顿悟的灵光。

　　站在闫博的新作《硄愔》系列之前，会发现理性的追问显得苍白而冰冷，画面却真实而温暖。在矿物颜色等混合材质的层层堆叠和打磨后，画面凝固为具有一定厚度的坚实体，点线痕迹从画底滋生，表层细密光莹，在手工的打磨下不失自然的润洁，犹如覆罩了一层薄薄的釉质，或敦厚或稚拙，或斑白剥落，细微处显露着不假雕琢的质朴和沉厚，生长与消磨的印记，“如玉”而空灵的视觉美感，逃避了一眼看穿的意义，以“通感”的方式撩拨起触摸的欲望。材质获得了生命，超越了观念的制约、图像的束缚，我们从而获得与作品共同呼吸的心灵安顿。闫博这样解释，“硄愔”正如其谐音“光阴”，是时间对一切的穿越，是生命的不能与希望，如何以艺术的方式呈现生活的变化及其态度是他所希望的。静止的平面绘画在捕捉转瞬即逝的“光阴”，哪怕它潜藏在画面的每一个角落，只要用物质的空间去占有它，用心灵的温度去感知它，它终会显现，于是，他找到“发光的石头”，在不断地磨砺的过程中得到安宁与和悦。这样的解说听来难免穿凿附会，有些虚妄，但时空本是同构，心物无法分离，《硄愔》系列带给我们的正是似幻实真的新奇的真实感受。

　　“我希望做出一个只属于作品本身的材料。我希望作品是真实的而不是虚拟的。我想寻找一种能够跟时间较量的材质，要有物质穿越时间的感觉。”闫博如是说。显然，《硄愔》的材质明确而强烈、坚实而温润，物质感受完全不同于画布质地。它既隐含时间于其中，又与时间展开对抗性的同构。在不断地磨砺后，其平和而敏感的表层不仅是一种和悦的视觉享受，更有着心灵的对话，欢愉而单纯的生活图景在这里展开，细腻的情感、幽默的故事、重构的快乐……为我们打开了一片空廓的自在境地。前期作品中的斑斓色块、酣畅笔触全然消失，曾经直抒情怀的作者隐身而去，留下观者独自回味，立足于图像的“炫技”被隐藏，取而代之的是“物性”的闪现。从纯粹的油画材质到综合材料的运用，闫博曾说自己完全像泥瓦匠一样的干活，完成这样一块画底需要耗去近一个月的时间。也许，有人会怀疑这样的创作方式是否仍在艺术的范畴之内，如此提问，显然是囿于所谓的水墨画和油画概念，忽视了艺术手段的自由和可能性。

　　闫博在平面绘画中引入综合材质，既是源于一直以来对材料质感和肌理的迷恋，也是其自觉的对人、物质、时空关系与文化的反思。中国书画的纸、绢来自于纯天然物质的提炼，其敏感、通透与脆弱的特性与笔墨共生出传统中国文化独有的性灵审美，落笔留痕、不容篡改，正如时间流逝一般难以把握；而西方绘画中的画布材质在制作完成后只是作为画面图像的载体，基本上不能实现与创作主体的互动，因而，它保持了物质体自身的相对独立，也更具占据空间的特质。闫博择取矿物材质作底，使其天然、淳厚的品质像古老的纸、绢一样参与画面，在融入心性的同时赋予其一定的体量感。这样的材质利用显然受到传统“格物”观的影响。自庄子“齐物论”以来，中国传统文化始终强调物我相融，认为世界万物看起来千差万别，归根结底却又是齐一的。在此基础上，宋明理学家提出如何认识物的方法，即“格物”之法，“盖人心之灵，莫不有知，而天下之物，莫不有理”。古人在对事物的推究体悟中抽取原理法则，并进而上升为普遍的理性知识。此法可谓“以小见大”、“知微见著”，只要用力深久，必然贯通物我，“则众物之表里精粗无不到，而吾心之全体大用无不明矣”。然而，“格物”的终极目的在于“穷理”、“致知”，在于普遍规律和道德良知的求证，作为“理”、“知”载体的“物”，其形而下的器用功能和本身性质必然有所偏废，所谓“重道轻器”即是明证。闫博“格物”，不弃不离，主客相融，时空互现，在投射主体性灵的同时，力图让“物”呈现自己的生命特质，可观，可触，可以细细体味。

闫博 女儿 综合材料 120x40cm  2010

　　如果仅仅是实现物质体自身的完满，那最多不过是一件待琢的璞玉，实在的体量或许还会让人觉得笨拙，怎样化实为虚？怎样营构与材质浑然一体的图像语言？闫博当然不是所谓的泥瓦匠，在磨砺出“发光的石头”后，他以“东方极简”的睿智方式去触摸生活的本质，将表象的喧哗、繁复返归为内在的沉静与单纯，化繁为简，虚实相济。简括的形象、实有的空灵是对生活本原的澄明观照和自由超越。

　　相比于《看到美好》（人民美术出版社2007年4月出版）时的热情洋溢、绚丽夺目，《硄愔》则沉静、含蓄，审美趣味的差异正可看作是“鸡尾酒”与“茶”的不同，从绚烂之极归于平淡。现实生活原本是五味俱陈，闫博沉浸其中，尽情而细细地审视、体味乃至提升。“我喜欢描绘些我身边的、能让我动感情的东西，尤其是那些年少时经历的细节，我许许多多的有趣的第一次都在十几岁前发生，那是在“爱“和“被爱”包围中的无忧无虑的乐趣，它会培养一种对人和对物去感受的敏感。”“爱”是其对于生活的基本态度，如果说，《看到美好》是青春期炽热、大胆的激情张扬，更想直接表达情感的力量，那么，《硄愔》则爱得朴素、醇厚，以内敛的方式打磨着生活趣味的品质。这种转换是自然而真诚的，绝非时下的故作矫情和故作深沉。“现在我步入了人生的另一个阶段，有了一个女儿，对人生有了更多的理解，反而觉得世界的关系更单纯了”。因为单纯，审视的角度与观照的方式发生了改变，生活之爱更具内在的力量，更像是一个中年人自足、智慧地回味与咀嚼后，童心与乐趣仍是那般坦然不惑。

　　不可否认，闫博的生活是一种智慧，他没有回避痛苦与不快，总是以积极的、热爱的情绪去观照，在生活的细节与角落里发现美好。如此，他以内心充溢的幸福感冲破了时空的限制、打穿了心物的界限，同时，又超越了世俗生活的羁绊。也许，我们会惊诧《硄愔》系列中生活图景是那般简化，其实，正是生活智慧赋予其一种单纯的力量，而单纯、宁静的背后是情感的沉淀，是心性的自由。

　　“生命不能承受之重”，艺术也是如此，闫博深谙此理。与此前的作品相比，新作的视觉表达因素的对比与差异虽降至心理承受的极限边缘，却也暗含着在图像语言方面的一脉相承，取景方式也延续了其一贯的截断、拉近、放大，观察角度则是俯仰自如，无所不在，如此近距离的镜头感似乎能让我们感受到生活呼吸的温度。图像传达也既不作体量塑造，也不倾情表现，所有关涉物形的色块、体积、明暗等均被剔除，纯化为画面形式最为本质的基本要素——点线与色域的精炼，在“减之又简”的处理后形成精心谋划的点线结构。在框廓和提示物象的同时，点线的组织与穿插又常常分割出一些空白的错觉形块，与画面边角构成了巧妙的结构互动。它们是孩子的头发，是盖着的被子，甚至是起伏的墙角，与“发光的石头”叠合为“诗意的空间”，材质的精神性得以显现和升华。随着图像的延展，它不仅仅需要作为旁观者来审视，更需要心灵的感应和深静的触摸。

　　在闫博的画中，生活就是那块打磨过的画底，充满着细腻的质感和痕迹的魅力。他正是在不断的磨砺中建构活着的另一种品质，生命的感悟或许在这一刻穿透了永恒的时空困顿。

　　也许，在很多人看来，闫博的材料实践似乎证实他是一个“唯物”者，但其“格物”的方式又显然受到传统中国心性文化的影响，然而，当我们体悟到本原时，“重物”与“重心”并没有不可逾越的鸿沟。海德格尔在首先确认艺术品的物质特性的同时，更进一步指出“神庙站立之地即真理发生之地，这并不意味着这里正确表现或再现了某物，而是所存在之物作为一个整体被导入去蔽性之中，并继续保持在那里”，艺术就是在对多余物的剔除中揭示本质性的存在。闫博选择并找到了一种只属于他的作品材质，将其与个体的生活价值相熔铸。在物我两忘的磨砺中，物质得以升华，本原得以闪现，艺术本体的真正法门由此开启。

（邓锋：中国美术馆馆员）

　　Warm Hard Experiences

　　According to Heidegger, a piece of art work is an object first. From this perspective, it has no substantial differences with the other things in the world. For Mi Youren, a painting reveals heart, called Painting of Heart. Therefore, a painting is the impression of heart. The priorities on material and heart are regarded as the two approaches of aesthetics. By either way, there is something to be observed. However, the conflict for the co-existence of the two approaches has been always a controversial issue. The thinking pattern of dichotomy induces intractable mental crack for every individual in modern social life. And there is nowhere to search its origin. While we are intoxicating ourselves in the rational search of the significance of origin, we may have being trapped by ourselves.

　　At the time contemporary painting is dissolved by the methodology and theories of sociology, politics, anthropology and psychology, there are too many tactical questions which attempts to weave brand new net in image making upon their trendy style. Deconstruction and confrontation are their brilliant stand while symbols and concepts are their means to flaunt. Covered by many layers of veils, object is dissembled and heart has nowhere to place. Both the priorities on object and heart are departing from their original aesthetic experiences during the evolvement of art. To break the barrier between the two approaches and integrate one into another becomes impossible. Obviously, Yan Bo is not one of them. He stays away from social criticism and political whoops. At the same time, he rejects the trend of seeking oddity and patching things up. He sets his eyesight on original aesthetic experiences and the complementarities of culture instead. Yan Bo is inspired to approach the art itself through the integration of object and heart and reflect the enlightenment of the time and space in individual life.

　　Standing in front of the new works Luster of Time of Yan Bo, you may find that rational questions are pale and cold, but yet the paintings are true and warm. In his paintings, mineral colours and other mixed material pile up. After being polished, the paintings turn into solid objects with thickness. The spots and lines appear from the background of the paintings. The surfaces of the paintings are fine and smooth. Being polished by hands, the paintings appear naturally mellow and clear as if they are covered by thin enamel. The details in the paintings reveal artless simplicity and depth. The trace of growing and whiling-away and the visual enjoyment as if spiritual jade avoid the works being looked through at a glance. In the way of synaesthesia, the works make people feel like to touch them. The material gains life and the works exceed the constraints of concepts and images. As Yan Bo explained, Luster of Time shares the same pronunciation of time. Time goes through everything and represents the impossibilities and hopes of life. How to reveal the changes of life and illustrate his attitude by the means of art is Yan Bo’s intention. The quiet flat paintings try to capture the time, which passes away in a twinkling. Even though time hides itself in every corner of the paintings, it would appear eventually with the occupation of the physical space and the sensation of heart. So he found the Illuminant Stone and received peace and pleasure during his continuous practice. This explanation sounds farfetched and delusive. However, time and space are isomorphic while heart and object are undetachable. Luster of Time brings us fresh genuine dreamful experience.

　　Yan Bo said, “I wish I can create a kind of material which belongs to the work itself. I wish the work is genuine rather than untrue. I want to find a material which can go through time.” Obviously, the material used in Luster of Time is definite, passionate, firm and mellow. The sensation of it is completely different with the texture of canvas. Time is included in it. Meanwhile, it initiates the counteractive isomorph with time. With continuous efforts, the peaceful and sensitive surface of the paintings is not only a kind of pleasant visual enjoyment, but also conversation of mind, Cheerful and simple life, exquisite affection, humorous stories, pleasure of restructuring – Luster of Time opened a broad and relaxing space for us. The bright colours and bold strokes used in his previous works are excluded this time. The painter who used to tell his mind explicitly conceals himself from the works and leaves the audience wandering alone. By replacing canvas with mixed materials, Yan Bo said that he has been working as mason. It took him nearly one month to finish the foundation of one painting. People may question that if this way of creation is still in the scope of art. The doubt is simply because of the inadequate understanding on the concepts of water ink painting and oil painting. The question itself ignores the freedom and possibilities of the ways of creation.

　　There are two reasons for Yan Bo to introduce mixed material to his painting. One is for his infatuation with the tactile sensation and texture of material. The other one is due to his self-examination on human, material, culture, time and space. Paper and silk used by Chinese paintings are extracted from natural products. The sensitive, transparent and fragile nature of paper and silk produces unique spiritual Chinese aesthetics together with hair pen and ink. Once the pen leaves a mark on it, it is not allowed to do any correction. It is difficult to master just as time slipping along. However, the canvas used in western painting is merely a carrier of images after the completion of creation. It hardly can initiate interaction with the creator. Therefore, it remains independent as object itself and appears to be the occupant of space.

　　Yan Bo uses the mineral material as the foundation. The natural and mellow nature of the mineral material participates in the paintings like ancient paper and silk. It increases the volume of the paintings along with the integration of mind and spirit. The usage of material practiced by Yan Bo is obviously influenced by traditional study on the phenomenon of nature. Since Zhuangzi proposed the Equality of Things, Chinese traditional culture always emphasizes the integration of nature and human. It is believed that things in the world are all different from each other, but at the same time, equal. Based on this theory, Confucian philosophers in Song and Ming Dynasty proposed the methods of nature studying. They suggested that every spirit has its understanding and everything in the world has its own reason. People at ancient times derived the principles and theories from nature studying and generalized them as common rational knowledge. This is an approach of affording wide views in a small confined space. With long-lasting efforts, nature and human would reach the harmonization eventually. Both inner and external sides of things can be fully understood and our spirits turn to be explicit. Nevertheless, the ultimate goal of the study on nature is to prove common rules and moral conscience. As the carrier of philosophy and knowledge, the functions and characteristics of the material itself which is opposite to metaphysics are under-emphasised. So-called “To place more emphasis on Tao, the method, than the things” is a clear evidence. However, Yan Bo’s approach of nature studying realises the integration of subject and object and the inter-reflection of time and space. Along with the reveal of perceiver’s spirit, Yan Bo intends to let the life of the material itself emerge so that people can observe it, touch it and feel it.

　　If it is merely to full the perfection of material itself, that is more like the case of a rough jade which needs to be carved. The solid dimension may even look clumsy. How to transform presence to absence? How to form the image which can integrate with the material? Certainly, Yan Bo is not mason. After the Illuminate Stone, he tries to explore the substance of life by the wise approach of Oriental Minimalism. The superficial uproar and sophistication resolve into silence and simplicity. The plain images and concrete intangibility reflect the origin of life and go beyond of it.

　　Comparing with the passion revealed in Bright Side of Life(2007.4 Published by People's Fine Arts Publishing House), Luster of Time is calm and implicit. Its aesthetic difference is like the difference between cocktail and tea. Life is full of different flavours. Yan Bo observes it, enjoys it and lifts it. He said: “I like painting things happened in my life and things moved me, especially those experiences when I was young. A lot of interesting first times of mine happened before I was a teenager. I was surrounded by carefree pleasure of love and being loved. This pleasure nurtures my sensitivity on people and things.” Love is his fundamental attitude towards life. If say Bright Side of Life is the torrid passion at youth time and the power to express the emotions straightforward, Luster of Time tries to experience the quality of an interesting life in an implicit approach. Yet the love in it is simple and rich. The transformation is natural and sincere. “Now I stepped into another stage of my life. I’ve got a daughter now. I understand life better. As a result, I feel my relationship with life become simple.” Yan Bo said so. Because of the simplicity, the angle and method of observance change. The love in life possesses more internal strength. It is like a self-sufficient mid-aged man who still has his childlike innocence.

　　It is undeniable that Yan Bo’s life is wise. He doesn’t avoid pains and unhappiness. But he always tries to face it with positive and loving attitude. He explores the beauty in daily life. Therefore, he breaks through the boundary between time and space, spirit and subject, but also the fetters of life. Perhaps we would be surprised by the simple picture of life drawn in Luster of Time. But that is the innocent strength delivered by the wisdom of life. Behind it, it is the accretion of affection and freedom of mind.

　　Unbearable heaviness of life, so is art. Yan Bo understands it very well. Comparing with his previous works, the contrast and differences of the elements for visual expression has been reduced to minimum. But the image language remains coherent, same as his way of taking the views —— truncation, close distance and enlargement. The observing angle is also flexible. With such photogenic sensation in short distance, we can feel the breath of life. In the paintings, Yan Bo neither intends to build up the dimension, nor to have an emotional expression. All colours, dimensions and shades for concrete objects are eliminated. The paintings are formed by essential elements —— spots, lines and refined colours. With the simple but well-conceived structure of spots and lines, some blank spaces are created. These blank spaces then induce artful interaction with the edges of the paintings. They are like children’s hairs, the spread quilt and curvy corner of walls. The paintings of Guang Yin series form the Poetic Space together with Illuminate Stones. The spirit of materials are revealed and lifted. They not only need to be observed, but also to be touched and felt.

　　In Yan Bo’s paintings, life is like polished foundation of paintings and full of exquisite texture and charms of trace. He is building another kind of quality of being alive with continuous efforts. The enlightenment of life breaks through the eternal dilemma of time and space at this moment.

　　For many people, Yan Bo’s practice on material shows him as materialistic, yet his study on nature is obviously influenced by traditional Chinese culture of mind. But when we understand the origin, there is no impassable gulf between being materialistic and being idealistic. Heidegger confirmed the nature of art work as object first. At the same time, he pointed out that “Where the temple stands is the birthplace of truth. It doesn’t mean that this place presents or reproduces things correctly. But the existing things are entirely off covered and remain staying there.” Art is to reveal the essential existence after eliminating the unnecessary parts. Yan Bo has chosen and found his own material and matched it with his value about life. In the state of neglecting both object and being, the object is lifted and the origin is revealed. The true way leading to art essence is opened up since then.

　　Deng Feng from Research Institude of NAMOC

作者：邓锋