蔡志松的雕塑《故国》系列所引起的反响在中国当代雕塑作品中还不多见。无论是在巴黎秋季艺术沙龙获奖，在全国美展获奖，还是被大众所误读，在网络媒体惹出众多非议，都在说明他的作品的成功。成功的标志不只是获得了奖项，更在于它所引起的多方面关注。盛赞与争议都是由于作品受到关注乃至被震动的结果。如果一件作品摆在那里，观众视而不见、无动于衷，说明这件作品未能提供任何新的和值得关注的因素。

　　蔡志松的《故国》系列所以能引起这样的反响不是偶然的。蔡志松不仅对东西方雕塑艺术的历史沿革有自己独到的认识，而且对雕塑在当下所处的文化环境也有着清醒的了解。《故国》正是他在历史与当代的经纬在线所做出的个人化选择。在历史这条经线上，他缕出了他可以承继的写实这条线索，在当代这条纬线上，他又确认了立足本土文化这一坐标。蔡志松的这一看似保守的选择，实际上是极为明智的和深思熟虑的。因为他清醒地看到，在全球化风潮中，西方强势文化对各种地域文化的兼并以及它们之间不可避免的对抗。然而，这种文化冲突给艺术家带来压力的同时，也给艺术家带来前所未有的机遇。

　　从积极的方面看，全球化的文化环境应该理解为一种多元并存又相互渗透的文化环境，而不应是一个以西方为中心的、以强凌弱的文化环境。不同文化之间不仅应该寻求相互沟通和交流的可能，而且应该保持自己对艺术的阐释能力和判断标准。全球化与本土化不应该仅只是一种对抗的关系，还应该是一种互动关系，即全球化为本土文化的发展和多种文化之间的沟通带来新的契机。我们共处于一个多种文化并存的星球上，不同文化之间既存在对歭与冲突，也存在交流与沟通的可能。过多地强调不同文化之间的对抗，不利于不同文化之间的交流。要使自身文化得到世界性的扩散，就必须首先考虑如何实现不同文化之间的交流，而交流的第一要义，就是要接近对方而不是疏离和排斥对方。接近对方的过程，就是一个了解、接纳、兼容同时又向对方渗透的过程。在当代，没有能够孤立于全球化以外的文化实践。如果我们不想攀附在西方强势文化的骥尾，又不打算与全球化风潮取对抗的姿态，那么，我们就既需要对异质文化的“兼容”，又必须坚守自己的文化身份，在我们自身的文化背景中建立精神支点。蔡志松的《故国》系列正是在这样一个大的文化背景下引人瞩目地浮出水面 。

　　蔡志松在学院所受的专业训练基本是源自于西方雕塑的写实语言，但他的《故国》系列无论在形体结构的设计上，还是造型空间的处理上都与西方雕塑拉开距离。《故国》中的人物既非叙事性的，也非生活化的。蔡志松所塑造的人物，既不属于某个具体的时代，更不是某个具体的历史人物或神话人物。如希腊雕塑均是来自于神话中一个有名有姓的神。蔡志松所塑造的人物是拟人化的、象征性的、共性化的。他的思路不是要表现某个时代、某个历史人物或历史事件，而是在更高的层面把握一个民族的精神特征。因此，我们既可以把《故国》中的人物看作是中华民族群体人格的象征，也可以看作是中国文化精神的象征。我们在《故国》中看到的是“国故”，看到的是一个民族既有的历史和文化，看到的是一个民族固有的气质与精神。

　　蔡志松通过他整整一个系列的创造，把我们带回到中华民族的古老文明之中。《故国》系列由“风”、“雅”、“颂”三部分及外加一个“行为实验”组成。“风”、“雅”、“颂”出自于《诗经》中的三种格体(“雅”又分为“大雅”与“小雅”)，但又不能用《诗经》来附会他的雕塑，作者借用这些《诗经》中的概念，只不过是为更加凸显其作品的历史与文化意涵。“风”、和“颂”两部分均各有一组人物构成。在《风》中，人物的身份(侍者与文臣)显现在服饰与动态中。在《颂》中，人物(略去服饰的武士)则是通过人体的动态结构来体现。而衔接前后两组人物的“雅”则是通过对一组具有象征意义的对象(竹简、卷轴、屏风)的“再现”来完成。加以他通过行为实验制作的一扇红色大门，使这个系列更显得丰富和完整。

　　蔡志松的《故国》让我感到，他力图在作品中体现的是一个已经逝去的“古中国”形象，如同古希腊、古罗马、古埃及那样的一个文明古国形象。因此，他虽然使用的是纯粹的雕塑语言和材料语言，但却是一种更为宏大的超越历史时空的“文化叙事”与精神性表述，是通过雕塑特有的形体、空间、结构加以阐释的“微言大义”。蕴涵着对生命、人性乃至“族性”的深刻理解。但这种理解无疑是个人化的，是“我注六经”而非“六经注我”。因此在对作品的理解上产生的歧义也是正常的。

　　蔡志松用象征性的雕塑语言所诠释的“故国”也即“古中国”，在我来看是准确的、有分寸的和有深度的。这种整体的关照和立足于内在精神的把握，略去了许多浅表的、虚张声势的东西。网民们对那些所谓“勾胸驼背”和“下跪”的形象提出质疑，是因为他们似乎觉得只有昂首挺胸的英雄形象才能代表我们的民族。其实这是一种肤浅的简单化的理解。中国一向被视为“礼仪之邦”，侵略、好战、扩张、冒险不是中国人的本性。自秦以来一直在修长城即是一个很好的说明。这道大院墙只是为了防御外族的入侵，只是出于一种守卫而非扩张的需要。辜鸿铭在《中国人的精神》(又名《春秋大义》)一书中用“温良”(gentle)来概括中国人的特性或留给人的总体印象：“我所谓的温良，绝不意味着懦弱或是软弱的服从。正如前不久麦嘉温博士所言：中国人的温良，不是精神颓废的、被阉割的驯良。这种温良意味着没有冷酷、过激、粗野和暴力，即没有任何使诸位感到不快的东西。在真正的中国式的人之中，你能发现一种温和平静、庄重老成的神态，正如你在一块冶炼适度的金属制品中所能看到的那样。” 辜鸿铭把这种“温良”看作是一种从野蛮人进化而来的文明的象征：他说“在旧式的典型的中国人身上，没有丝毫的蛮横、粗野或残暴。借用一个动物学的术语来说，我们或许可以将中国人称之为被驯化了的动物。我认为一位最下层的中国人与一位同阶层的欧洲人相比，他身上的动物性(即德国人所说的蛮性)也要少得多”。蔡志松在他的《故国》系列中通过人物的造型、形体结构以及发髻服饰的运用所给予我们的总体印象正是如此。他通过这些“古人”所表达的正是一个已逝的 “古国”和一种“古风”。

　　或许，我们很难从纯专业的造型角度来向公众解释清楚何以要采取那些“躬形”(如《故国•风1#》、《故国•颂2#》)以及“跪”、“拜”的姿态(《故国•风2#》、《故国•颂1#》)。但这种身体的“躬曲”姿态确实是谦卑甚至身份卑微的人的一个非常典型的身姿。甚至是上千年来除了皇帝之外所有的臣民都会有的一个姿势。它象征着顺从或服从，即古时所谓的“顺民”。至于在《故国•风2#》中的那个五体投地的跪拜者，不能简单地解释为是给谁下跪或屈节。它既是一种礼仪，也是一种心悦诚服的顶礼膜拜。它表示对被拜者(如父母、祖宗、天子、神佛)的尊重、景仰、崇拜、乃至敬畏之情。《故国•颂1#》中那个武士的跪姿则有完全不同的内涵，它显然不是一个生活中的动作，表情也不是特定情境中的表情。下肢的“曲”和上肢的“张”所产生的空间节奏是独特的，表达出一种庄严感和神圣感。当然，作为艺术家本人的态度我们也不能简单解释为是对“故国”的一味颂扬，我以为，带着一种包括神往在内的复杂的感情对已经逝去的沉重历史与人生的回望与反思，是蔡志松在《故国》中所取的基本文化立场。

　　蔡志松的《故国》系列成功的另一个重要原因是他在材料语言方面的开拓和创造。没有对这些新材料的借用，就难以保证其“文化叙事”的独特性、新颖性和经典性品格。他对铜板、铜线、铅板、铅皮、铅丝、钢板乃至麻布、麻绳的使用，不仅超越了传统的木料、石料和铸铜，而且充分显示了这些材料的语言特质。蔡志松一方面对人物造型的推敲表现出一种少有的敏感和精准(《故国•颂5#》是唯一的例外，这个过分扭曲的动作与整部作品不协调)，同时对材料的选择和处理也是独具慧眼。当他把那些切割好的铜片一块一块粘接到形体上的时候，我们看到的不仅是丰富的肌理，而且看到了秩序、看到了历史与文化的积淀;当他用铅皮、铅板来做卷轴、竹简、用钢板来做屏风时，他让我们感到材料的转换所产生的巨大意义。这些看似具象的对象已经不再是原有的“实存”，而是在材料的转换中被观念化、永恒化为一种文化象征。

　　2005-11-30 于北京上苑三径居

　　Motherland and Cultural heritage-Classical and Spiritual— a key to understand Cai Zhisong's series of sculptures: "Motherland"

　　Jia Fangzhou

　　Today's China seldom has the chance to bear witness to an influence as big as the one effected by Cai Zhisong's series of sculptures: "Motherland". Regardless of the fact that Cai has been awarded with the highest prize in the Paris Autumn Saloon, his works still continue to be misinterpreted by the masses and criticized by all online media, which explains the great success of the artist. His triumph derives not only from his prizes, but also from the great interest that he has drawn in many different ways. Approval and criticism all derive from the same shocking feeling that his art provokes. Wherever his works are displayed, the viewers look at them but they do not see, they remain indifferent, jumping to the conclusion that these works do not bring any new element which is worth paying attention to.

　　It is therefore not accidental that Cai Zhisong's series of sculptures "Motherland" provoked such a resonance. Cai Zhisong, besides having knowledge of the East and the West's historical sculptural evolution, has also a sober understanding of the immediate location of sculpture in a cultural environment; "Motherland" represents his choice of individualization in the historical and contemporary latitude. Following a certain line of history, he went ahead pursuing his realistic description, from a contemporary perspective. He has also confirmed the coordinates of the solid cultural basis of his motherland. Despite the fact that this view of Cai Zhisong may look pretty conservative, it comes, as a matter of fact, from an extremely wise and careful consideration, because in times of global unrest, he soberly sees the problems of the inevitable resistance of every regional culture to annexation. Trying to overlook things from a positive point of view, a globalized cultural environment is intended to be a cultural environment where different elements coexist and interact and not necessarily where the west plays the central role and the strong bullies the weak. Among different cultures, we should not only seek the chance to link up and exchange but also, should stick to our own artistic interpretations and judging standards. The attitude toward globalization should not be one only of resistance but also as a way to create mutual relations. Globalization should be seen as a development of local culture and as a turning point in the communication between different cultures. We coexist on a star where many different cultures intersect at the same time. Conflicts can arise between different cultures, but even in such situations, there are possibilities of exchanges and links. To excessively emphasize the conflict between different cultures is counterproductive towards cultural exchanges themselves. If we want to help our own culture to spread worldwide we first have to ponder on how to effectively create cultural exchanges, the first step to achieve this is certainly not to fight off the opposite party but, on the contrary, to find a good way to approach it. And this process actually translates into understanding and incorporating and at the same time mixing with the opposite party. Nowadays, nobody has been able to isolate cultural practice outside of globalization. If we decide to neither follow the trail of the mighty western culture nor follow an anti-globalization attitude, we need in order to stay within the heterogeneous culture compatibility to preserve our own cultural status, and establish the spiritual pivot in our own cultural context. Cai Zhisong's series "Motherland" comes out to the surface in a cultural background and that is where he tries drawing people's focus.

　　The type of professional training that Cai Zhisong received at the academy was basically to outsource from western sculpture practical language but his series "Motherland", regardless of whether it is in physical structure design or modelling space processing, it all spreads out with the western culture. The characters within "Motherland" have no narration, and no adaptation, they do not belong to any specific time, neither are they some concrete historical personage or mythological characters like Greek sculpture where characters derive from mythological gods. The characters modelled by Cai Zhisong are humanized, emblematic, generalized. His idea does not display some specific time, some historical characters or facts, but I is to assure some ethnical group's distinctive spiritual features to a higher level. Therefore, we can look at "Motherland" as an attempt to symbolize the personality of the Chinese nation as a community and as a symbol of the spirit of Chinese culture. What we see in "Motherland" is "cultural heritage", a nation's history and culture, a nation intrinsic temperament and vitality. Cai Zhisong, through his entire series, brings us back to Chinese nation's ancient civilization. "Motherland" consists of three parts "Custom", "Refinement", "Ode" and an external part called "behavior experiment". These three parts derive from the "Book of Songs" 's three major parts ("Refinement" is divided into "Small Refinement" and "Big Refinement").

　　The two parts "Refinement" and "Ode" are composed respectively by a group of characters. In "Refinement" the identity of the characters' social status (servants and literates) appears in the adornments and in the dynamic. In "Ode" (where no reference is made to the warrior's costumes), the characters are manifested through the human body dynamic structure. And before and after linking up the two groups of characters in "Refinement", through some symbolic objects, bamboo slips, reels, screen, completes his work. His passing through a red gate has been added to experiment his behavior and makes this series appear full in richness and integrity.

　　The feeling that "Motherland" transmits to me is that of an attempt of depicting an image of Ancient China that has something in common with Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and Ancient Egypt, the fascination of history. For this reason, although he employs the pure sculpture and material language, it is by employing a kind of "cultural narration" and spiritual indication that he attempts transcending the concept of time and space in history. It is through sculpture's distinctive form, space and structure that he tries to elucidate these "sublime words with profound meaning", containing the profound understanding of life, humanity and "race". This kind of understanding is undoubtedly individualistic as he said: "I entered the six Confucian classics and not the six Confucian classics entered me". Therefore, as far as it concerns the understanding of the works, ambiguity in significance is also a normal component.

　　Cai Zhisong's symbolism in "Motherland" could also lead to an interpretation as "ancient China" and in my opinion it is accurate, discreet and deep. This overall look based in the intrinsic spiritual assurance, has left out many shallow points and bluffs. What people in the network define as "humpback without thorax" and "kneels down" has raised a lot of questions because they seemingly look at it like someone who throws away his chest to be able to represent our nationality. As a matter of fact, this seems to me like a very simplistic and superficial way to see things. China has always been regarded at as a "country of etiquette" and "aggressive", "militant", expansionistic and risky are not part of the Chinese natural disposition. The Great Wall, since the Qin dynasty, has always been under restoration and this could be seen as a proof of this attitude. This big courtyard wall exists only for protecting the country from aggression and is not a symbol of expansion. Gu Hong Ming in his book "The Spirit of China" or "The Principle of Righteousness of Spring and Autumn" uses the term "gentle" to describe Chinese people's main characteristics and for leaving space for overall impressions: "What I called gentle, does not mean spiritless or weak obedience". Mai Jiawen expressed a similar concept a while ago: The gentleness of Chinese does not mean a lack of spirit or being docile because castrated. Cai Zhisong in his Motherland series, through characters modeling, physical structure and the hairstyle gives us this kind of model. Through these "ancient people" he describes a sort of antiquity and an "ancient country" which definitely belong to the past.

　　And probably, we hardly could ever explain from a specific modeling point of view how to adopt these body shapes, (like "Custom to Motherland No.1" and "Custom to Motherland No.2") and the posture of "kneeling" and "worship", "Refinement to Motherland No. 2", and "Ode to Motherland No. 1". But these body postures like "bow" are typical of the humble. And it is even the kind of posture that all high ranked could have, besides of course the emperor. They symbolize submission or obeisance, what in ancient times we would refer to as "docile people". We cannot possibly know to whom these postures that we see in "Refinement to Motherland No. 2" like that of kneeling down or forfeiting his honor is addressed to. It is just a kind of etiquette, and it is also a prostration to show admiration. It is an act whose aim is to show the counterpart the due respect, admiration (like to a father, ancestor, emperor, or to the gods), worship, and even awe. The warrior kneeling position in "Ode to Motherland No.1" has therefore a completely different connotation. It is obviously not a movement in life, and the expression does not fit that specific situation. The spatial rhythm produced by bending the lower limb and the opening of the upper limb is unique and expresses one kind of dignified feeling as well as the sacred feeling. Another reason for Cai Zhisong's Motherland series success is the development and the creation of his own language of materials. Not in the borrowing of new materials and one can hardly guarantee his moral character's uniqueness, novelty and classical "cultural narration". Copperplate, copper wire, lead plate, lead sheath, lead wire, steel plate cloth and hemp, not only have surpassed the traditional lumber, the stone material and the cast copper, but it has moreover fully demonstrated these materials language's special characteristics. When he sticks those sheets of copper one by one, we not only notice it is rich skin texture, but also the order and the cultural and historical accumulation. When he uses the lead sheath, the lead plate to produce a reel, the bamboo slips, the steel plate to make the screen, he transmits us the great significance of the transformation produced by the use of these materials. These resembling embodied objects no longer possess their original "sense of reality"; but it incorporates also the material transformation of the ideal in a cultural symbol.

　　Beijing, 30th November 2005

作者：贾方舟