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　　意明笔透 鸿蒙尽收——桑火尧 (雅昌指数54↓) 的水墨境界

　　看桑火尧的画，不由想到波普尔说过的一句话：“艺术是变化的，但是伟大的艺术永远在它自身课题的影响下变化。”什么是艺术的“自身课题”？在我来看就是有关艺术本体中的诸问题。一个艺术家在艺术的某个领域能否有所创造，有所建树，就要看他在艺术的“自身课题”中是否有所作为。一个艺术家一旦离开对艺术自身课题的研究与探索，就很难在相关领域做出有价值的贡献，因此，作为一个艺术家，他只有在艺术的演进与拓展中安身立命。

桑火尧，玫瑰山谷的午后，水墨、绢本，122cmx122cm，2017

桑火尧，云天深处，水墨、绢本，122cmx122cm，2017

桑火尧，乐神飞天，水墨、绢本，122cmx122cm，2017

桑火尧，神圣之光，水墨、绢本，122cmx122cm，2016

桑火尧，东坡居士云游记8号，水墨、绢本，122cmx122cm，2016

　　桑火尧在水墨领域所作的拓展是显而易见的。而且，这种拓展首先是在水墨本体意义上的拓展，是建基与水墨材料和水墨语言层面的拓展。关于这一点，那些喜欢谈禅说道的人会大不以为然，但事实上，水墨画的发展，首先是与它所依凭的物质材料以及相应的技法紧密相随的。传统绘画用笔用墨的历史十分久远，但水墨画的诞生却并非源于笔墨，而是源自于用水，源自一再被人们忽略的“水”。水掺入墨中，分出浓淡，分出层次，即所谓“渲淡”，即所谓“破墨”。正是“水性”与“墨性”的结合，由水性揭示并引发出墨性，才构成了水墨画诞生的契机。

桑火尧携作品参展香港水墨艺博2016

桑火尧在3812画廊参展“心·景三”艺术家群展

　　可见，水墨画作为一种画体，其形成的首要条件是技法与媒介的拓展。水墨渲淡法的出现，即“墨性”借助于“水性”，大大丰富了“墨”的表现力，甚至让人感到，单一的墨色在格调上胜于丰富的彩色。相对于工笔人物与金碧山水一类的“赋彩画”，水墨画以其更接近自然神韵的水晕墨章显示出它的优势。

桑火尧，桃花源记1号，水墨、绢本，60cmx163cm，2016

桑火尧，桃花源记2号，水墨、绢本，60cmx163cm，2016

桑火尧，桃花源记3号，水墨、绢本，60cmx163cm，2016

　　桑火尧的水墨给人的第一印象就是它的“意明笔透”，就是它那种层次丰富的通透感和细腻的质地感，那种清淡的墨块在绢面上不断迭加所显示出来的“墨性”之美。他深知水墨画所籍助的媒介材料的意义，所以极力从材料自身中发掘其特性，显示出它们不可取代的价值。就像一个现代派音乐家把乐器当做发声器，极力发掘出它特有的音质和音效一样，当桑火尧以一个当代艺术家的身份和媒材观念面对水墨画时，他甚至将他作画所用的“水”也做出特殊选择，这在过去是闻所未闻的，我们只晓得水墨画家对纸、对墨有严格要求，却从没有听说过哪个画家对水也有挑拣。但在桑火尧的《江水注》系列作品中，他特别申明调制“矿物质”和“油烟墨”所用之“水”是取自长江的，或是雅鲁藏布江的。虽然在视觉上我们还无法辨析这两种“水”用于调制颜料和墨的差异，但他这样做并非故弄玄虚。正是这种对待媒材的观念，把他导向一种新的思维方式和当代状态。在这种状态下，他从水墨的平面性延伸到占领空间的装置就是再自然不过的事了。

桑火尧，东坡居士云游记2-3 号，水墨、绢本，122cmx122cmx2，2015

桑火尧，快乐谷1-3号，水墨、纸本，160cmx60cmx3，2015

　　桑火尧的抽象水墨，是从一张由淡墨构成的“方手帕”开始的，方手帕不断措置、迭加，一生二，二生三，在这样的不断生成中我们看到了“无限”的多种可能性。而这种“无限”和“可能”是在艺术家决定放弃了一定要“表现什么”的时候才会出现的。那些方块在措置、迭加中形成的如结晶体般的微妙形态、丰富层次以及方块和方块之间的构成关系就成为作品可释读的全部内容——这里所说的“内容”不是指那些外在于形式本身的附加内容，而是产生于形式本身的美学内容。这是一种艺术本体意义上的建构，是任何一门艺术在其演进中必然要抵达的一种境界。桑火尧把它称之为“境象”，但“境象”之“境”在我来看同样也是一种“抽象”。我曾在一次演讲中把“具象-意象-抽象”这个过程描述为：写实-写意-写境。“写境”是我造的一个词。在此，“境”与“景”是相对应的；“景”是实的，“境”是虚的；“景”是可见之物，“境”是不可直观的；“景”即是“象”，而“境”则是“象外之象”，即所谓“境生象外”也；“景”是处于视觉范围之内的“小象”，“境”是不可直观的“无形”之“大象”。因此，所谓“写境”，就是写“无形”之“大象”，也即抽象、宏观的境界。桑火尧在他的“方手帕”的不间断措置和迭加中所进入的正是这样一种境界，一种抽离了“景”和“象”、如“象外之象”的“鸿蒙”之境。因此可以说，抽象就是以直觉的方式还原对自然、对世界的一种理性认知。如石涛《一画章》所说，是在“具体而微，意明笔透”中“收尽鸿蒙之外”。

Crystal Intention and Potent Brushwork, Predecessor of All Brushstrokes

——Status of Ink Wash Paintings by Sang Huoyao

Written by: Jia Fangzhou

　　While contemplating the paintings by Sang Huoyao, the words by Popper sprung to my mind: "The art is in a state of flux, and great art only changes under the influence of its own subject." What is the art's own subject? These are, as far as I am concerned, the numerous questions concerning the art itself. In judging whether an artist has produced great works and achieved attainments, you must see whether they have made achievements in the "own subject" of the art. It can be hardly said that an artist, once departed from the study and discovery of the own subject of the art, has made worthwhile contribution to related areas. Therefore, as an artist, he has to settle down and immerse themselves in the advancement and development of the art.

Sang Huoyao, Between Cloud and Water, Ink on silk, 122cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, A Scene of the Mountain South, Ink on silk, 122cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, April Sky of Jiangnan in My Dream, Ink on silk, 122cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, Forever, Ink on silk, 122cmx122cm, 2016

　　The efforts in advancing the ink wash painting by Sang Huoyao are patently manifest. Furthermore, this advancement begins with, first and foremost, the area of ink wash painting itself and those of the foundation and ink painting materials and ink painting language. In this respect, those fond of deep meditation and empty talk will take a dim view of it; in actuality, the development of ink wash painting is closely connected with the materials and corresponding skills on which it relies. The brushwork for traditional paintings has a long history, and the advent of ink wash painting emanates not from ink, but rather the "water", which is time and again ignored by people. Water, once mixed with ink, will presents it in varying shades and gradations, namely the "color application" and "breaking the ink". The combination of "water properties" and "ink properties", with the water revealing and touching off the nature of the ink, provides the opportunity for emergence of the ink wash painting.

Sang Huoyao, Walking in Wide Stretch of Land in Dunhuang, Ink on silk, 190cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, The Autumn in That Year, Ink on silk, 190cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, The Charming Moonlight,Ink on silk, 190cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, Love, Ink on silk, 190cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, In the Spring, Ink on silk, 190cmx122cm, 2016

　　As can be seen above, the prerequisite for formation of the ink wash painting is the extension of skills and media. The beginning of color application in ink wash painting, namely "ink properties" dependant on "water properties", has immensely enriched the expression power of the ink, so much so that the monotonous color of ink is even superior to multicolor. Compared to Gongbi (a careful realist technique in Chinese painting) figure painting and "color ink wash painting" of the "Jin Bi Shan Shui" (Bright Color Landscape refers to a style of Chinese painting that involves or depicts scenery or natural landscapes), the ink wash painting asserts its superiority for the "Shui Yun Mo Zhang" (meaning to mix ink with water to achieve various effects on the paper), which is more akin to the nature charm.

Sang Huoyao with his artworks in Ink Asia 2016

　　The first impression of the ink wash painting of Sang Huoyao is its "Crystal intention and potent brushwork", whereby the rich transparency feeling and exquisite texture, and the beauty of "ink properties" of the delicate ink blocks revealed on the silk cloth. He is well-versed in the importance of media upon which the ink wash painting depends, so he spared no effort in tapping the properties of the materials, in order to bring out its irreplaceable value. Just like a modern musician trying to discover the unique tone quality and sound effect of the instruments in its capacity as acoustical generator, Sang Huoyao, confronting the ink wash painting in his capacity as a modern artist and from a viewpoint of the media, he went so far as to make special selection on water. This is never heard of before, since we know that the ink wash painters place strict demands on paper and ink, and nobody is so picky on the water. In the River Water series, Sang Huoyao made a special statement that the water for mixing the mineral substance and soot ink was taken from the Yangtze River or the Yarlung Zangbo River. Though perception for difference between pigments and ink mixed with these two types of "water" is negligible visually, it is hardly a fact that he was just purposely to make a mystery of simple things. It is just this concept on the media that led him to a new mentality and the current status. Under this condition, it is all too natural to extend the two-dimension of the ink wash painting to the spatial installation.

Sang Huoyao, Lost Paradise with Blessedness No.1-2, Ink on silk, 122cmx122cm, 2016

Sang Huoyao, The Clouds, Ink on paper, 200cmx200cm, 2014

Sang Huoyao, Dithyramb, Ink on paper, 223cmx113cmx4, 2015

Sang Huoyao, Memory of Jiangnan-Romance in the Rain, Ink on silk, 190cmx122cmx2, 2016

　　The abstract ink wash panting by Sang Huoyao begins from a piece of "square handkerchief" of delicate ink, and we can see "endless" possibilities resulting from the continuous folding and arrangement. However, this "endlessness" and "possibilities" only emerge when the artist is determined to abandon the predetermined "what to present" mind. The crystal-like delicate form, rich gradations, and the relationship between the squares through arrangement and folding of the squares constitute the all-inclusive contents of the construction on the works of art; the said "contents" do not mean the additional contents outside of the form; rather it is the aesthetics content arising from the form itself. It is a construct based upon the meaning of the art itself, and is a status indispensable to any art if any progress is to be made. Sang Huoyao named it the "Jing Xiang" (literally situation image); however, the "Jing" of "Jing Xiang" is, as I see it, an as abstract. I once described the process "concrete - image - abstract" as "realistic painting - freehand painting - situation painting" in a speech I delivered; the "situation painting" is a term coined by me; as above described, the "situation" corresponds with the "landscape", while the "landscape" is real, the "situation" virtual. The "landscape" can be witnessed, while the "situation" is invisible to the eye; the "landscape" is the "image", and the "situation" is the "image outside of the image", to wit "situation formed outside of the image". "Landscape" is the "small image" falling within the field of vision, while the "situation" is the invisible "large image". Thus, the so - called "situation painting" is the "invisible" "large image", namely the abstract, macro situation. The continuous arrangement and folding of the "square handkerchief" by Sang Huoyao is just such a state - a kind of "chaotic world" state, detached from the "landscape" and "image," and "image outside of the image". Thus, in a manner of speaking, the abstract is a rational perception of the nature and the world in an intuitive fashion. As Shi Tao put it in the "One Brushwork" chapter of the Words on Paintings, "small but complete and crystal intention and potent brushwork", encompassing "all the brushstrokes".

作者：贾方舟