宇宙洪荒－鄭麗雲個展

亞洲藝術中心台北大直二館，於2013年3月2日－31日舉辦「宇宙洪荒－鄭麗雲個展」。旅美藝術家鄭麗雲，1959年生於台灣台北，1994年獲紐約州立大學藝術創作碩士，是美國聯邦政府的合約畫家、文化大使，其作品展於世界各國的美國大使館，其中三件作品已是美國聯邦政府的永久典藏。本展展現鄭麗雲近年的十幾幅油畫新作，其取材自水、土、風、火等四大元素的創作，捕捉自然界的各種色相和意象，帶領觀者投身廣袤的宇宙大氣，感受其中的騷動與自由。

作為藝術家，鄭麗雲最了解藝術的本質是混亂的，但其實這是一種生命力的表現，狂野而強悍。透過最擅長的藝術，鄭麗雲自在而自然地在一片混沌之中，能夠安身立命。鄭麗雲的創作必須經過打底、以深色顏料覆蓋、刮除的過程，初看她的作品，令人印象最深刻的就是畫面上數不盡的刮痕線條，雖然是重複的動作，但也不可能有一樣的線條，這種大規模地每一次在畫布上的刮劃，就像是澎湃的生命力一次又一次的迸發，內心騷動不安，也有它積極的意義。鄭麗雲現階段的創作主題環繞在水、土、風、火，此次展出作品中呈現這些自然元素的各種面貌，例如海洋從清晨到黃昏的表情，蝴蝶撲向火焰的熾熱之心，大氣中的繁星飛過，她似乎深知水與火的情緒，深度感受空間的無垠無涯，正所謂「天地玄黃，宇宙洪荒」，在她的亂中有序的畫面中，我們彷彿回到創世紀體驗了前後的平靜與崩裂。中國審美觀中「雄渾」的感覺，對比於康德「崇高」(sublime)的概念，鄭麗雲的藝術無疑是崇高美學的當代詮釋。

曾經研究版畫陶藝與雕凹線法的鄭麗雲，意圖使現階段的油畫作品保有凹雕版與雕凹版的特性；她先在畫布上打底，再以深色顏料覆蓋畫布表面，在顏料未乾時即以筆尖刮除，兩層顏色可同時顯露，整個畫面佈滿抓痕線條，凸顯油畫的肌理厚度，費工耗時，對藝術家來說，線條刮劃是一種享受，就藝術表現的說，則是即興創作的自由感。3月底前，請至亞洲藝術中心位於大直的台北二館(中山區樂群二路93號)欣賞「宇宙洪荒－鄭麗雲個展」。

展覽資訊
藝術家：鄭麗雲
展名：宇宙洪荒－鄭麗雲個展
地點：亞洲藝術中心台北II館∣台灣台北市中山區樂群二路93號
展期：2013年3月2日-2013年3月31日
開幕酒會：2013年3月2日3pm-5pm
開放時間：週二～週日10:00-18:30（週一休館）

“The Unfathomable Universe: Leigh Li-Yun Wen Solo Exhibition” will be held at Asia Art Center—Taipei Ⅱ branch gallery at Dazhi from March 2nd, 2013 to March 31st, 2013. Leigh Li-Yun Wen was born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1959, and received her M.F.A. from the State University of New York at Albany in 1994. Her works were selected to be part of the Art in Embassies Program of the United States Department of State and have been on display in the U.S. Embassies around the world, among which three works are permanent collection of the state. (of the States?) This exhibition will showcase Leigh Li-Yun Wen recent new oil paintings, a collection of creative works inspired by four fundamental elements: water, earth, air, and fire. The artist captures various natural hues and sceneries, leading viewers to plunge into an unfathomable universe and experience the fickleness and freedom within.

Being an artist, Leigh Li-Yun Wen knows too well that the nature of art is chaotic, yet it is still a reflection of our vigorous life—wild and powerful. It is this understanding that helps Leigh Li-Yun Wen to remain at east amidst the chaos by engaging herself in art. The artist’s work must go through priming, covering the canvas with layers of dark pigment, and then carefully scraping the moistened pigment with a stylus to create rhythm and depth. The first impression of her works is the countless scratch lines on canvas done by repetitive action, and yet no two lines are alike. Such massive scraping movement symbolizes a kind of surging vitality of life, internal commotion, and positive connotation. Leigh Li-Yun Wen’s recent thematic creations are established around water, earth, air, and fire. In this exhibition it will present a various faces of these natural elements, such as expression of ocean from dawn to dusk, butterflies darting into a flame, and stars traversing the vast universe. The artist seems aware of the mood of fire and water, and feels deeply the immensity of space. As stated in The Thousand-Character Writing: “The sky was black and the earth was yellow, the universe was vast and a dark whole.” In Leigh Li-Yun Wen’s paintings we perceive an order within disorder, as if witnessing the calmness and disarray of Genesis. The sense of “grandeur” in Chinese aesthetics coincides with Immanuel Kant’s aesthetic philosophy of a “sublime” state. Leigh Li-Yun Wen’s artwork undoubtedly provides an interpretation for contemporary sublime aesthetics.

Having studied printmaking and pottery, and is familiarized with engraving and carving techniques, Leigh Li-Yun Wen tries to incorporate such unique characters into her oil paintings. She first primes the canvas, then covers the canvas surface with dark pigment, then scrapes the pigment before it is dried, so the two layers of color can be revealed at the same time. The lines flow across the canvas in rhythms and frequencies that create depths and swells on the painted surface, highlighting the thickness and texture of the painting—an arduous process for the artist indeed. For the artist, scratching is a pleasure; for artistic expression, it is the freedom of improvisation. From March 2nd, 2013 to March 31st, 2013, “The Unfathomable Universe: Leigh Li-Yun Wen Solo Exhibition” will be held at Asia Art Center—Taipei Ⅱ branch gallery at Dazhi (No.93, Lequn 2nd Rd., Taipei 10462, Taiwan), come and appreciate the life inside the heart of the universe.  

Exhibition Info
Artist:    Leigh Li-Yun Wen
Exhibition:        The Unfathomable Universe: Leigh Li-Yun Wen Solo Exhibition
Venue:    Asia Art Center Taipei II ∣No.93, Lequn 2nd Rd., Taipei 10462, Taiwan
Date:    2013/03/02 – 03/31
Opening Reception:    2013/03/02,  3pm – 5pm
Opening Hours:     Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00am – 6:30pm (Close on Monday)