（1）置换与转换
　　雕塑能从许多面看，但绘画只能从前面看，设想一下，从背面看米开朗基罗的“最后的审判”会是什么样子呢？我想，原先重要的人物都会变得不太显眼，反而是次要的处在边角的人物成为了主要角色，而画面原先的意义也发生了巨大的戏剧性的转变。也许这连米开朗基罗本人也未曾设想过。
　　按照上述设想，我先将我自己的3D模型“置换”《最后的审判》中的所有近400人物，然后按照“最后的审判”中的格局进行翻转，就好像是走到这张大型壁画的后面，透过墙壁去看这张壁画一样。
　　由于我用我自己的形象置换了画面中的所有形象，因而审判者与被审判者的身份被取消了，他们之间的地位区别不复存在，或者变得亦是亦非，上天堂与下地狱的是同一个人。
　　将所有形体做成类似于大理石的质感，是源于作为雕塑家的米开朗基罗比作为画家的米开朗基罗更让我佩服。
　　将整个场景建起来之后，一个原先是二维的图像便“转换”成了三维的空间。我便不仅能从前面看这个场景，也能从侧面、旁边、上面来看它，我甚至也可以漫步其中“拍摄照片”。在一个现实场景（3D）中拍摄照片，是将一个具体的场景转化为二维平面（2D）图像。现在我将一个二维（2D）平面图像转化为3D数码场景，再“拍摄”二维静态图像和制作动态影像（Video）
　　（2）主题
　　做这件作品时，我下意识地联想到了当前的国际政治，还有宗教和文化方面的一些矛盾冲突，这都是我必须要面对的。我对本人，对本民族，对本民族宗教文化的审视是过分仁慈了还是过分挑剔了，而对他人，对他民族，对他民族宗教文化的审视和判断是过分严厉了还是过分推崇了呢
　　（3）被审判者与审判者之间的问与答
　　我会去哪儿？— 你会去那儿。 
　　我能去哪儿？— 你能去那儿。
　　我应去哪儿？— 你应去那儿。
　　我想去哪儿？— 你想去那儿。
　　我可以去哪儿？— 你可以去那儿。
　　我就去哪儿？— 你就去那儿。
　　我只能去哪儿？— 你只能去那儿。
　　我还是要去哪儿？— 你还是要去那儿。
　　我真的会去哪儿？— 你真的会去那儿。
　　我马上就会去哪儿？— 你马上就会去那儿。
　　我立即要去哪儿？— 你立即要去那儿。
　　我不能不去哪儿？— 你不能不去那儿。
　　我最终还是会去哪儿？— 你最终还是会去那儿。
　　（4）自省
　　想想自己的所作所为，做了一点坏事好像还算不上是个坏人，做了一点好事也算不上是个好人。平时一直做得的是不好不坏的事情，假如我面临末日审判，我该上天堂还是下地狱呢？我们更多的时候是自己给自己做评判，我该这样做，还是该那样做，这样做是好还是坏。自己给自己做评判是件痛苦的事情，也许要比让他人给自己做评判还要费神费力，而在我们这个时代里无数星期天不去教堂的人，无数星期天在森林里的人，在海边的人，在阳光下的人，在山上的人，在草地上的人，开车在路上的人，是否会在某一瞬间在检点自己的某一个行为,是否会在某一个瞬间自己充当自己的上帝，而又在某一个瞬间听从某种召唤、或接受某种评判，指责，规劝和谏诤？
　　（5）放弃
　　我想，米开朗基罗的“最后的审判”只是我这件作品的一个出发点，从这个出发点开始往前走之后，我其实是离原作越来越远了，大概是因为我在我的作品中把所有的人置换成同一个人之后，就自动放弃了上下之分，左右之分，善恶之分，尊卑之分，东西之分，古今之分。
　　（6）公正
　　公正？如何能做到公正？上帝？他如何做到公正呢？全能全知吗？
　　（7）本性
　　这是一件完全在电脑中完成的作品，让我感到惊讶的是，最后我加了比在米开朗基罗原画中多得多的云，尽管它们也完全是在电脑中生成的，好像不这样就觉得太呆板，就是不“气韵生动”！甚至我发现我加云的方式与传统山水画的方式如出一辙：为了能够散点透视，为了掩饰散点透视之后各部分的难以衔接，为了虚虚实实，等等。我的传统也因之明明白白毫无掩饰地体现在其中。
　　（8）虚拟最后审判——正视图
　　几乎所有人物都是基本上按照米开朗基罗的原来的构图排列的，但在原作中有些动作非常夸张，3D模型居然做不出那么夸张的动作，即使是真人也很难做出，我想那可能更多地存在于米开朗基罗的脑中和手下，他人无法模仿，便也索性不再刻意模仿，再者，精确模仿也不是我的最终目的。费了九牛二虎之力，将原画中近400人在虚拟空间中排列到位，这是第一步。
　　（9）虚拟最后审判——后视图
　　在电脑中将摄像机转到按正面画面排列的人物模型背后，便会发现：我必须根据想象更新排列所有后排的人物，因为这些人物在原画中也许只露出一个脑袋，但在后视图中无疑都是最重要的人物。这样，从后视图开始，便完全是重新再创造了。我必须处理得有新意一点，这就不完全是180度转过来这样一个角度，而是从斜后方看整个场面，这样中心点就偏移到了右边。从背后看到的场景都集中在这儿，有兴趣的人也可以前后对比着考证一番。但重要的是在左边留出一大块空白，让我有更多发挥的空间，空旷的天空也有某种象征含义在里面。我注意到在米开朗基罗之前的乔托Giotto在他的《最后的审判》（1303-1305 Scrovegni chapel, Padua）壁画中，远处的天空画着太阳和月亮，而我们现代人也许希望能“看”和“感受”到更遥远的宇宙。在米开朗基罗之后也有描绘地狱景象的艺术家如罗丹（《地狱之门》）或德拉克罗瓦（《但丁的小舟》）等等。这样在画面后面看不见的地方，我加上了三个在天空飞翔的人，他们的手指着地上发生的悲惨景象，有点类似于罗丹地狱之门上站着的那三个人。把画的下部想象成一片洪水，滔滔洪水中是围绕一块救命木板的一群挣扎着的人，熟悉美术史的人大概会联想到德拉克罗瓦的《但丁的小舟》。
　　（10）虚拟最后审判——俯视图
　　C区1号（Rizzoli 出版社The Vatican Museum《The Last Judgment》）是一个用双手撩起
头巾的老妇人，处在画面左上角最边缘的位置。我猜测也许米开朗基罗把她画在这个角落并让她撩开头巾，是想让她目击他想象中的末日审判的全过程。她的动作从背面看，极类似于现代人用双手举起照相机拍照片的样子，因而我非常想从她的角度俯看整个最后的审判的场景，也应该是从天堂俯看地狱，人潮滚滚；在审判的一刹那，或飞上天堂或坠入地狱。如果现代人遇上这样的景象，一定会下意识或有意识地去找一个记录它的工具，如被一个非职业记者下意识地记录下来的9.11事件最初的一瞬间和被职业记者有意识记录下来的海湾战争，它们都被反反复复呈现在全人类的眼前。
　　（11）虚拟最后审判——仰视图
　　从I区35号（Rizzoli 出版社The Vatican Museum《The Last Judgment》）往上看的情况，这是一个仰头向天空看的男子，不知自己将被抛向地狱或还有希望进入天堂，也许我们每个人都像他对未来一无所知。近处的天使在将被恶魔拖下地狱的人往天堂拉，象征着救赎，再往上是吹响最后的审判号角的天使们，天空中则是审判场景。
　　（12）虚拟最后审判——侧视图
　　几个视图虽然几乎是同时开始的，但我最先完成的是侧视图，因为侧视图的排列让我觉得饶有兴味，其排列组合方式极似画一幅山水画。这个角度也正是从西斯廷教堂二楼回廊上看过去的，多少有点像从半山腰的凉亭中眺望近山远水。
　　(13)《我会去哪儿？》虚拟最后审判Video部分
　　如果说静态的五幅图片都是全景图，能让人上上下下前前后后左左右右细细观看各组人物及他们之间的关系，而动态的Video则都像是摄像机在画中密密麻麻的人群中穿行，恍恍惚惚，跌跌撞撞，多为局部而少有全景。除了在大量的审判场景中穿行外，我还加入了诸如从审判场景中单独逃离出来的镜头，突然安静，突然飘渺。最后部分也加入了审判之后的场景，成排的人飞向遥不可及的天堂，飞向空无一人的宇宙，因为我一直对审判之外和审判之后的事情感兴趣：审判之外是什么呢？审判之后是什么呢？审判结束以后，该上天堂的人就上天堂了，该下地狱的人都下了地狱，天堂和地狱就没关系了吗？天堂里的人还要再加以分别对待吗？都符合某种标准了吗？世界归于沉寂与宁静了？
　　（14）证明
　　我不信动物们在吃饱喝足之后就没有思考过他们的命运和归宿。想一想聪明的猴子、威猛的狮子和雄伟的大象吧，它们仰望天空的眼神是那么深邃，也许它们比忙忙碌碌的我们更有思考的时间。只不过，我们人类用文字、用绘画、用影像等各种各样的手段记录下我们的思考，遗留下了我们思考过的证明。我们的肉体和这个星球上所有动植物一样会归为尘埃，唯有曾经的提问和回答都依旧存在，和我们的前辈后代一起汇成一条长河，仅这一点就足以让所有的思考都具有价值。
　　Artist’s statement about The Last Judgment in Cyberspace
　　(1) Substitution and Transformation
　　A sculpture can be looked at from multiple sides, whereas a painting can only be viewed from the front. Imagine what would happen if we looked at a painting from the back?
　　How would Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment appear from behind? I think the figures considered important in the original work would become less conspicuous, while the secondary figures situated on the edges of the picture plane would assume principle roles. The original meaning of the fresco would be dramatically transformed. Perhaps even Michelangelo himself never imagined such a way of looking at his fresco.
　　In light of the imagined scenario above, I substituted all four hundred or so figures in The Last Judgment with a 3-D image of myself. I then reversed the original structure of the painting, as if we could walk behind the fresco and look back at the mural through the wall.
　　Substituting my own image for all the figures in the fresco effectively erased the identities of those judging and those being judged. The differences in their statuses no longer exist. The person who ascends to heaven is the same who descends into hell.
　　If all of these forms have a marble-like texture, it is because the sculptor Michelangelo elicits my admiration even more so than the painter.
　　In the construction of the entire scene, I transformed a previously 2-D image into a 3-D space. I can view it not only from the back, but also from the sides, from the top and from below. I can even walk through the scene and take photographs. Taking photographs of a real space transforms a 3-D scene into a 2-D image. Now, I am turning a 2-D image into a 3-D digital scene, from which I can, furthermore, take static 2-D photographs and moving videos.
　　(2) Theme
　　When I was making this work, I subconsciously related it to current international politics, as well as religious and cultural conflicts. These were all things that I necessarily had to confront.
　　Are my views towards myself, my nation, and my national religion and culture overly compassionate or overly critical? Are my views and judgments of other people, other nations, and other religions and cultures too severe or too respectful?
　　(3) Questions and responses between those judging and those being judged:
　　Where will I go? --- You will go there.
　　Where can I go? --- You can go there.
　　Where should I go? --- You should go there.
　　Where do I want to go? --- You want to go there.
　　Where may I go? --- You may go there.
　　Where must I go? --- You must go there.
　　Where can I only go? --- You can only go there.
　　Where will I go after all? --- You will go there after all.
　　Where will I really go? --- You will really go there.
　　Where will I go right now? --- You will go there right now.
　　Where will I immediately go? --- You will immediately go there.
　　Where do I have no choice but to go? --- You have no choice but to go there.
　　In the end, where will I go? --- In the end, you will go there.
　　(4) Introspection
　　Thinking about my own behavior and conduct, it seems that doing bad things doesn’t make one a bad person, nor does doing good deeds make one a good person. If I normally do things that are neither good nor bad, then in facing the last judgment, do I deserve to go to heaven or hell? Most of the time, we are the ones who judge ourselves. Should I do this or do that? Is doing this good or bad? To judge oneself is a painful thing, perhaps much harder than being judged by someone else. These days, there are countless people who don’t attend church on Sundays. Rather, on Sundays, they are in the forests, by the seashore, in the sunlight, on the mountains, on the meadows, driving on the road…do they stop for a moment to examine their own behavior, do they stop for a moment to serve as their own God? Or, in the flash of another moment, would they answer a call, accept criticism, reproach, advice or admonishment?
　　(5) Abandonment
　　I think that Michelangelo’s Last Judgment serves only as a point of departure for my work. In moving forward, I have found that my work has become more and more removed from the original painting. This is probably due to my substitution of all the characters in the picture with the same figure. Such a substitution automatically abandons the distinctions between high and low, left and right, good and evil, honorable and humble, east and west, ancient and modern.
　　(6) Fairness
　　Fairness? How can one achieve fairness? God? How can he make impartial judgments? Is he omnipotent and omniscient?
　　(7) Nature
　　This work was completed entirely on the computer. What surprised me was that, in the end, I generated more clouds on the computer than originally appeared in Michelangelo’s fresco. If I had not done so, I would have felt the work too rigid and lacking in “spirit consonance”! Furthermore, I realized that my method for adding clouds derived from the same ideas used in traditional landscape painting: the attempt to achieve a “shifted perspective,” to conceal the difficult connections between the different parts of such a shifted perspective, to play with the false and the real, etc… As such, my cultural tradition cannot help but manifest itself in this work.
　　(8) The Last Judgment in Cyberspace—The Front View
　　Almost all the figures were arranged according to Michelangelo’s original composition. However, in the original fresco, some figures were positioned in extremely exaggerated ways. The 3-D model couldn’t make such exaggerated movements, which are difficult even for a living person. I wondered if even more complicated actions existed in the inimitable Michelangelo’s mind. I simply stopped trying to imitate these movements as precise imitation was not my ultimate goal anyhow. I did my utmost to succeed in arranging in place, in cyberspace, each of the nearly four hundred figures: this was the first step.
　　(9) The Last Judgment in Cyberspace—The Rear View
　　When I turned the video camera to the rear view of the figures, I realized that I would have to rely on my own imagination to arrange those occupying the back rows. In the original work, perhaps only their heads were visible, but from the back view, they became the most important figures. From this rear view, then, my work is a complete re-creation. It was necessary for me to add a bit of innovation here: this rear view is not a 180-degree rotation, but rather was angled so that the central point shifted to the right-hand side. The scene from the back is focused in this area, and interested persons can compare the front and rear views. However, the most important part remains the large blank area on the left, a space left for me to elaborate. The empty sky also holds a kind of symbolic meaning. Preceding Michelangelo’s work, Giotto painted a mural of Last Judgment (1303-1305, Scrovegni chapel, Padua). In the background of his painting, a sun and moon are visible in the sky.  Nowadays, however, people may wish to “see” and “feel” an even more distant universe. Following Michelangelo, there were many artists who created depictions of hell, for example Rodin’s The Gates of Hell or Delacroix’s Dante’s Boat, etc… Thus, in the rear view, I added three figures flying in the sky and gesturing at the tragic scene on the ground. They are reminiscent of the three figures in Rodin’s The Gates of Hell. I imagined the lower part of the painting to be consumed by a massive flood. In the midst of the swirling water, groups of people surround a plank of wood, struggling for survival. Those familiar with Art History will probably be reminded of Delacroix’s Dante’s Boat.
　　(10) The Last Judgment in Cyberspace—The Vertical View
　　Figure C.1 (Rizzoli Publishing House, The Vatican Museum, "The Last Judgment") shows an old woman holding open her hooded mantle with both hands. She occupies the upper left-hand corner of the picture. I suspect that Michelangelo placed her at this corner, holding open her hood, as a way of allowing her to witness the entire process of the last judgment as he imagined it. From the back, the old woman’s position resembles a modern person holding up a camera and taking photographs. Thus, I would very much like to look down at the entire last judgment scene from her point of view, an angle from heaven looking down into hell through a billowy human tide. In a split second of judgment, one could either fly into heaven or crash into hell. If a modern person came upon such a scene, he would certainly, either subconsciously or consciously, look for a tool with which to record it. This is like when the first moments of September 11 were subconsciously recorded by an amateur reporter and when the Gulf War was consciously recorded by a professional journalist. Such pictures have been presented over and over again before humanity.
　　(11) The Last Judgment in Cyberspace—The Upward View
　　Take the point of view from No.I-35 (Rizzoli Publishing House, The Vatican Museum, "The Last Judgment"), we can see a man who raises his eyes to look up at the sky, not knowing if he will be condemned to hell or ascend to heaven. Maybe all of us are ignorant of the future like him. In the foreground, angels pull people towards heaven, even as demons tow these same figures towards hell. This image is a symbol of redemption. Above, an angel sounds the clarion call to judge, as the judgment scene unfolds in the sky.
　　(12) The Last Judgment in cyberspace—The Side View
　　Although I began the different views of The Last Judgment in Cyberspace around the same time, I finished the side view first. The arrangement and composition of this view particularly fascinated me, as I saw them as being very similar to those of landscape painting. From the perspective of the second floor corridor in the Sistine Chapel, it is like viewing nearby mountains and distant rivers from a pavilion halfway up a mountain.
　　(13) The Last Judgment in Cyberspace—Video
　　The five pictures allow viewers to see, in detail, all of the groups of figures, and the relations among them, from the top, bottom, front, back, left, and right sides. The video, however, weaves absentmindedly among these busy throngs of people. If it can be said that the static pictures constitute full views, then the moving video mostly captures partial views. Besides the many shots taken within the last judgment scene, I also added some others; for example, views taken from a distance, as if one extricated oneself from the scene. When these views appear, everything suddenly becomes quiet and hazy. In the end, I also added a scene after the last judgment. Large groups of people fly towards an unreachable heaven, towards an universe in which there are no people. I have always been interested in what happens after the last judgment: What is there outside of the last judgment? What is there after the last judgment? After the judgment, people who deserve to enter heaven ascend, and those who should go to hell do so. So, are heaven and hell no longer related to each other? In heaven, will people be treated in different ways? Have they all met some criterion or conformed to a certain standard? Will the world return to quietude and serenity?
　　(14) Evidence
　　I don’t believe that animals, after they are satiated, don’t think about their fates or life journeys. Think about intelligent monkeys, mighty lions, and magnificent elephants, they all raise their heads to the sky with such abstruse looks in their eyes. Maybe they have more time to think than us busy humans. Yet, humankind uses writing, painting, and photography, etc...as different means of documenting ideas and leaving behind evidence of our thoughts. Our human bodies, along with the plants and animals on this planet alike, will turn to dust. Only the questions and answers we have raised will still remain. Along with the generations that precede and follow us, this evidence will form a river, and only this little bit will suffice to give value to all of our thoughts.    
　　(Translated by Peggy Wang)
　　2006年3月18日

作者：缪晓春