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In Brief No.005
talking points for contemporary art in China
presented by the dslcollection and RedBox Review
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13 April 2010
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Is there'space' for Hong Kong artists?
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by John Batten,
writer, Hong Kong |
Ho Sin Tung 'Map - Home'(2008)Ink on paper, 21x30cm Courtesy of the artist, Hong Kong |
The following is an excerpt from “Space and Art” by Hong Kong-based writer John Batten and originally published in Chinese for ARTCO Monthly, Taiwan, March 2010. It appears here with courtesy from the author and publisher.
普遍來說，香港藝術和中國藝術截然不同（卻總是不得不被比較），而香港藝術也幾乎是有意識地忽略大部分國際藝術潮流的影響，作品通常都是具有堅實質 感的、手製的、以結構為基礎的，在雕塑方面，則通常使用現有的、天然的或回收的物件，也常受當地文化要素啟發。許多藝術品都觸及某種狀態的荒謬性，帶點超 現實主義和達達主義的本質；在這方面，程展緯的藝術和報紙文章由於其不妥協的獨特性、對社會政治訊息持有的個人和諧與純淨，格外對年輕一輩藝術家具有影響 力。年輕的藝術家們例如李傑、黃頌恩、張康生、劉學成、吳家俊、李天倫、白雙全、鄧國騫和呂朗婷，最近都製作了觸及荒謬性的三度空間作品，當中通常也都帶 有一絲細微的政治社會評論。這種不合潮流的作法也出現在繪畫和平面藝術中；徐世琪細緻的素描和石家豪的水墨畫都處理著怪異或詭譎的層面；鄭哈雷運用宋朝風 格的繪畫經常包含著一股破壞性的現代性扭曲；陳素姍在插畫中的社會評論，以及何倩彤運用影片的指涉及其結合自創字體的網路介面，對香港忙碌青年做出了尖銳 觀察。曾建華對粗話的運用（其中廣東話格外明顯）搭配著受莫里斯（William Morris）啟發的壁紙設計，一旦觀眾理解了這種並置作法，便會大受震驚。香港藝術家的實踐開始變得多層面，這只是最近的發展而已；能看到藝術家的作品 輯中包括了錄像、攝影、裝置作品與二度空間作品，這真是振奮人心的事。
當代中國藝術經常有一種巨大性，讓人忍不住發出「哇」的反應，但 當同樣提示性的技法再度重複時，人們很快就會厭倦了；而香港藝術則要求觀者進入其中，欣賞訊息和媒材兩者的精緻細節。另外令人振奮的是，這其中也沒有對市 場的迎合性，但這種作法也意味著很少有香港藝術家能為人所知─即使在香港亦然。
香港在珠江三角洲佔有經濟、政治與社會的中樞角色，而眾 所理解的是，這裡的地區藝術活動對香港藝術社群同樣重要，尤其是「廣州國際攝影雙年展」和「廣州三年展」。一群年輕香港藝術家，包括孜孜不倦的黃慧妍在 內，最近亦在廣州成立了藝術空間「觀察社」。而奠基於香港的亞洲藝術文獻庫（簡稱AAA），無論在實質的硬體、線上資訊和圖像庫方面，成為世界各地亞洲藝 術研究者的藝術資源集結地。顯然，香港無可比擬的基層結構、表達的自由、法律規則和高透明度的資訊系統，使它成為三角洲地區的首要連結；這是好藝術得以在 其中成立的事實─或者，該說是「空間」。 (more)
…As a generalization, Hong Kong art is markedly different from Mainland Chinese art (with which it is inevitably compared against) and which - almost consciously - ignores much of the influence of international art trends. Work is often tactile, hand-worked and construction based, on the edge of sculpture, often using found, natural or recycled objects and inspired by local cultural imperatives. Much art touches on the absurdity of a situation, surrealist and dada in essence; the art and newspaper articles of Luke Ching Chin-wei, in this respect, has had particular influence on a younger generation of artists due to his uncompromising individuality, personal rapport and purity of social and political messages.
Younger artists, for example Lee Kit, Magdalen Wong, Enoch Cheung, Hanison Lau, Hei Ng Ka Chun, Otto Li, Tozer Pak, Tang Kwok Hin and Lui Long Tin have all recently produced three-dimensional work that touches on the absurd, often with a subtle political and social commentary. The offbeat can also be seen in painting and the graphic arts; Angela Su’s detailed drawings and Wilson Shieh’s ink paintings deal with aspects of the bizarre or quirky; Halley Cheng’s use of Song-dynasty styled paintings often contain a subversive modern twist; Sushan Chan’s social commentary in illustration and Ho Sin Tung’s wry observations of Hong Kong’s busy youth using references from film and the Internet styled with her own typography. Tsang Kin-wah’s use of profanity (with the Cantonese being particularly explicit) patterned within a William Morris inspired wallpaper design gives the viewer a jolt once the juxtaposition is understood. It has only been a recent development that Hong Kong artists’ practice has become multi-faceted; it is refreshing to see video, photography, installation and two-dimensional work included in an artist’s portfolio.
Contemporary Mainland Chinese art often has a monumentality that demands a ‘wow!’ reaction, but quickly tires as the same suggestive trick is repeated, while Hong Kong art beckons the viewer to step in and appreciate the finer details of both message and media. There is also a refreshing lack of pandering to the market, but this soft approach has meant few Hong Kong artists are recognizably known – even in Hong Kong.
(Read the full text on RedBox Review here)
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HIGHLIGHTS 005
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