• 林江泉

        “他一定是吃了狮子才变成狮子人的。”笔者4岁的女儿界界无意中看到刘明鉴一系列虚构的狮子人画作后，脱口而出。我注意到，“狮子人”一词应该是来自于孩童的直觉。这句童言似乎对应了艺术家对待物种之间的复杂关系，提示了互为镜像的双方有着实存的秘密和生命共同体内部的紧张关系。

        “狮子想当国王有什么好啊？”界界思索道，“没什么好处，还要命令别人。”孩童浅尝的思考似乎走进入了刘明鉴一系列关于物种的拣选和措置的位置，比如他2017年的狮子人系列 《非首选人生》、《静谧的克拉肯》、《三方的窥探》、《善良的墨菲斯》等，他一直对物种的“有限视角”进行绵延性的补充，形成了多角度、多线索和多重时空的辩证性视觉方法论。

        刘明鉴没有抛弃前提和预设，他整理过去已知的象征性事物，虚拟现实世界的心理秩序，层出不穷的隐喻重现了柏格森“心理时间”的紧张氛围，显现和隐藏同步输出，恒常与变动共时。他挪用神话世界的象征性，转化现实生活中的物体和物象，内部景观显得摇曳多姿，颠覆及剥离其原有的语境，让其产生新的意义。在观看他变化莫测的场所，你会不自觉地进入另一个自成系统的象征性世界，或与你平行和映证的场域，这个世界里具有但丁的神曲般庞杂的隐喻系统，同时在拯救正在失去二元论基础的象征性。某种内在秩序中的语义持续性多变，能指与所指深远，他似乎想尝试恢复一个神话和寓言的象征世界，每个角色、道具和场景都是他精心输出的一个个象征性类型。

        刘明鉴通过虚构来恢复一个象征性的世界，这个世界是完整的。他似乎想虚构一个让你完全信服的世界，经过他的视觉模型检验“一个广义统一的框架”。从他的视觉构成中，虚构是与生俱来的，我们看到艺术家坚定地出示了自己对虚构的信仰，并一厢情愿地，甚至无药可救地相信虚构之所，他相信虚构的现实度、真实性和存在感，如同一个天生的牧师那样，看到所有的神话都以为是真的，即使这个浑然一体的世界是不存在的。其实，他竭力想具现的就是一个被抽离的“不存在之所”。荷马史诗的世界在西方的想象当中是一个非常完整的世界。这个世界由神来统治一切，所有的事情都有既定的意义。对于那个世界，被哲学家认为那是一个你睁开眼，你深呼吸或感受一股风都能够知道存在的全部意义的世界。而当下的世界是各种信仰和思潮的交错构成了碎片化模式，绝对的信仰和语言的种类每天都在消逝，上帝也被认为缺席了。但在这个时代里，刘明鉴依然对记忆作出必要性的负责，尝试启动一个史诗的结构和主题来处理复杂纷纭到几乎崩溃的事件：消费主义、数据主权、娱乐至死、暗网交易、流动恐惧、全球CRS、赛博朋克等，即使他知道不能处理这个现实，也在意图的末梢上进行彼岸的观照。携带着破灭底色的理想主义也许就是一个永恒的彼岸观照。你只要在此岸保持清醒，就有光源或点燃机制，这才有可能照亮彼岸。能够接近，也许永远无法抵达，抵达的只是心理现实，并直面稳定的隐喻世界的分崩离析——消费精神灾难、数据监控、坚尼系数攀升等，如同刘明鉴塑造的那些不断滋生的冰晶，随时生长攀升，随时支离破碎，轰然倒塌。

        在时间纵深感仍未消失之际，刘明鉴的图像极力成为了脱离原有尺寸的奇特世界，但仍保持其一致性。在某种程度上它变得更具有开放性，而另一方面则变得更为复杂。喧哗与骚动，简单或迷人，这都取决于观看方式。抽象化的注解与图像间的互释状态，异质混成的图像处理手法不断提示图像的秩序化问题。

        在一个隐喻的失序，物质高速运转时代里，躁动的人被揭开了动物的面相；单一的器官具有人的行动力；植物、动物和一切事物都成为了有台词的角色。一切事物都变得八面玲珑，甚至面面俱到，进入了一个为讽刺预设的剧场。他所营造的叙事场所是某种高度紧张的片断集合，在深化、篡改和调动图像的文本属性的同时，也悄悄的搅动了图像内部的意义，意义也随之运转起来。很多艺术家试图通过降维的方式来提炼一种符号的景观，以此来对抗躁动的时代。刘明鉴反其道而行之，他没有尝试通过视觉降低时代的加速度，也没有企图凝固瞬间，而是如乔伊斯那样，会通过一个章节来收集城市里各种交错的声音和动态。刘明鉴打开折叠的空间，繁衍纠缠不清的细胞，以繁杂的物象来复刻繁杂的世界。在艺术史上，极少派其实是极多者，极简更倾向于极繁主义。世界本来不需要那么多物象，但对于探寻自我的隐秘和人性破绽的时候也许需要。他深受装饰主义和维也纳分离派的影响，对克里姆特有研究，他以暗藏的速度来回应高速发展的社会；以大量的装饰性来凸显欲望过剩的特征；用更多的物象和丰沛的修辞来消解人类全能的嘉年华。每一个场景、构件、物种的详实出现都试图在还原传教士过往的一天又一天。

        被看到的究竟是自我还是面具？还是脸用久了也成了面具？在刘明鉴众多对象输出中我们能看到的只有一种对象，即仪式中的人和物，但他始终和这些对象保持距离。在象征喻体和主体间充斥着秩序和混乱的感知力，在秩序的内部更新语义，带来不存在的物体与场域。美国建筑师海杜克就说过：“如果你进来我的建筑里坐了很久，你还没理解这栋建筑，你就相当于没来过我的建筑。”刘明鉴虚构的场所尝试处理现实社会，人和物在每个场面的深层含义中进进出出，一种喻指在他自身中出窍，完成了“人”的现实转场。

        刘明鉴始终以传送的方式实现视觉语言的编排，在一种声音的长度中增强退隐与克制。他设置的人物和道具一直在剧中保持换幕或退场，往前方进行的同时，又预示着向后看，前瞻与后顾成为观看他的方式，思想动态始终在图像中徘徊，他画面上的喻体——大章鱼那无休止的触须持续在运动，伸向虚无或回到自身。

        刘明鉴的章鱼意象是干预心理的动态，随着无休止的变幻而变化，使人们的情绪与八爪鱼更加吻合。每根触角经过慎重的人类心理学思考。他的章鱼原型来自于有着神话定义的挪威海怪克拉肯（Kraken），也可指向“瓦尔基里章鱼”（Valkyrie Octopus），又称“女武神章鱼”。克拉肯是挪威民间传说中游离于挪威和冰岛近海的海怪。这个传说对应真实世界中巨型章鱼袭击船只的记忆，是渔人与大海搏斗的经历和缩影。女武神同样来自北欧神话，她们可以飞越战场，为战死的英雄们提供新的生命。这个传奇曾经被德国作曲家瓦格纳改编成歌剧，也被一群纳粹军官用作谋杀希特勒的暗语。而瓦格纳和刘明鉴在意大利留学时研究的古斯塔夫·克里姆特有着千丝万缕的关系。女武神章鱼与瓦格纳息息相关。瓦格纳从不同主题和主导动机衍生出和声与音乐，十分复杂，女武神章鱼也是如此，它集合了种种纠缠不清的梦魇，涉及多样的问题和意义类型，触须共同构成了一件隐喻有效的作品。章鱼的触须意象是刘明鉴整个图像实践中的重要指向，这为他2020年之后被我命名为“缠绕物系列”的作品埋下了连续性的线索。触须的纠缠不休得到了他不断的深化，演变成一系列与触须“一多对应”的缠绕物——一种不明朗的发展态势和时代的困顿。

        2020年之前，刘明鉴对图绘性、视觉定义、叙事与反叙事有着深刻的探寻，在视觉的深度中营造场所和主旨。疫情年之后，他似乎放大了之前繁杂场所的局部，创作了卷草、被束缚的翅膀等作品，这些作品出现了透明薄涂画法，多层次透明画法，或者书写方式。实际上，他的视觉构成一直有着当代水墨的基因。他初期的图绘场面中，背景的处理注重偶然的流动性。他2020年之后的新作系列上，每一笔都是有迹可循的，自动性的笔触，每根毛的迹象都能一一显现，这反而以即时性来加重了他一如既往的繁复性结构，成为他描绘深埋过去的痕迹的一种，始终处于一种混合性的时间模式之中。不能被识别为具体之物时，他运用流动性的水墨来处理继续抽象化的问题。

        从繁复的场景到单一的主体输出，或放大和缩小大场景的局部，刘明鉴一直在更新他的视觉叙述模式，充分发掘图像自身的异在潜能。《兰鸟》、《野蛮》、《银灰色荆棘》、《荆棘与彗星》、《仪式与浪潮》、《女神像》、《血色琥珀》、《放肆》、《卷草》、《金莎》、《瞳》等作品出现了荆棘缠绕飞鸟和胜利女神、纠缠不休的章鱼触须、盘绕的卷草、光线环绕的金莎（Ferrero）和瞳孔等构成了“缠绕意象”。继续“意义类型”上相异的构成物，以一种非有机的方式混杂于一个主体中，使它们进入到一种戏拟（parody）的状态。诡异的图式和隐喻感进入到一种预设的意义构成之外，而不止于之内。出乎意料的缠绕为观看提供了深度化的集合气息。在《荆棘与彗星》系列当中，画面出现的是鹰的翅膀，注解为“彗星”，艺术家揭示了看似没有关系的事物往往环环相扣。彗星可以视作是鹰的飞行的一种喻指，而翅膀被交错的荆棘所困更能透出对飞行的渴望。鹰和带翅膀的女神经过荆棘不断的缠绕，重复的接触持续更新和改变了“我者”，也改变了他者的领域边界，在捆绑的同时又将破碎的自我弥合。在世界隔离期间，艺术家更注重间隔与世界联系从而达成内省的在场，人们被隔离于千里之外，但不同地域之间的距离因一种自省反而更近了。在《金莎》系列中，刘明鉴重新丈量了他在意大利的生活：“国内叫金莎（Ferrero）的巧克力广告集优雅与浮华于一身，提示了我所向往的地中海。后来我去了原产地意大利，发现表里一致的Ferrero，依然有着一种美好、甜蜜的向往感。”生活在原产地，Ferrero近在咫尺，依然存在距离。他的回忆构成了他的视觉自传。“缠绕物系列”是他在时间序列上取多个截面，他在这些截面上同时选取样本观测，构成了视觉样本数据，同时，他在阶段性的时间节点和多个截面上持续检验自己和周遭。

        刘明鉴的水墨系列“星辰”与“混沌与微光”似乎是他从早期的猫科动物系列的流动性背景中移植出来，具有一种图解的文本属性。他在精细的图像语汇中解脱出来，不以型为出发点，用不具体的墨象记录形而上的状态。水墨实践中看似“无定义的状态”对应了他架上绘画中细化并“重新定义”隐喻系统中的每个事物。两种媒材，架上是他拥有的控制论，水墨是他以某种程度崩坏一种结构。他通过“渗”的过程形成繁密和多变的肌理，并透出混沌世界中的光源和星迹，重复出现视觉隐喻夹杂着心理幻象的痕迹。不确定性和流动性加剧了画面主体的陌生化过程。他平衡了内部和外部，始终把媒材保持在一种中间状态。墨的状态在不同在层面上可浅可深，是他过去耐于入微的“图绘”经验的一种默化，他甚至排除掉美学过剩的干扰，进入了非客观的纵深区间。

        埃尔文·罗斯利用博弈论的数学工具来改进和修补运转不佳、支离破碎的庞大体系。包括：肾脏捐赠匹配网络、学习与工作分配系统等。刘明鉴的多物种博弈是一种序列之谜，他与真实的世界博弈，也在试图进入一个复杂的系统——物种的话语权不再那么政治，而是对世界的万能的思辨。

        罗斯认为：过去，经济学理论一般是没有实用价值的，都是解释已经发生的事情，一般也只是定性的，很难像物理学或者工程学那样精确并可以计算。但这种情况会因为博弈论的应用而改变—今后会出现一个新的学科—通过应用博弈论。刘明鉴通过他的理论化的视觉语言在改变已经出现的物种和正在发生的事情。

        从物种基础到他虚构的结果，刘明鉴把复杂的物种世界变成一个更复杂的模型，而不是常态中的把复杂简化，从复杂到更复杂。实际上，他也是在复杂的世界尽力让事物简洁，他输出了一种不言自明的视觉模式。

        刘明鉴的艺术实践是一种博弈论。博弈论是研究活着的生命（包括人）之间冲突与合作的学科，所谓合作与非合作的划分，并非说非合作博弈只研究冲突而不关心合作问题，而是合作博弈更强调，博弈者能够通过纵横捭阖的结盟导致什么样的结果，至于如何达成有约束力的联合协议，如果大家心知肚明，就不必像非合作博弈那样去过多考虑其过程和细节。譬如所谓的核(Core)，如同非合作博弈中的纳什均衡，就描述了一个各种结盟行为最终的进行结果：这是一个具有某种稳定性的局面，它不会被某些博弈者通过进一步的结盟而击破。

        沙普利的合作者戴维·盖尔有本书叫《蚁迹寻踪及其他数学探索》，其书名中的“蚁迹寻踪”启发了我对沙普利的评价：没有上过一节经济学课程的沙普利是他自己对自己安置的方式，他以另一种经济学存在者的显踪出场，这是他在椅子的另一边与世界之间形成一种榫卯结构的契合。《蚁迹寻踪及其他数学探索》讨论了“为什么某些用分式定义的序列只产生整数”，“怎样才能让两人通过电话玩扑克，还要保证对手不爱欺骗”、“一个有两千年历史的学科的几百个新定理：何处是尽头？”等许多有趣的数学问题。观看刘明鉴的作品就是在寻找物种一切行为的踪迹，即使是在他的水墨系列中的混沌世界中也能感受生物的存在，这最终会成为一场数学探索吗？

        戛纳双金棕榈俱乐部成员中的电影导演今村昌平是一位动物主义大师，《楢山节考》给人最直观的感受就是“动物世界 ”——大量的动物镜头，以及人处于残酷环境中的本能，这个本能就是动物性。在《鳗鱼》中，今村昌平则让人类性承认和回归动物性。刘明鉴所营造的欲望和人兽一体透出今村昌平的信息。人具有人类性，但同时又具备动物性；人的思维人类化，动作却动物化，这是无法改变的，但在刘明鉴的视觉模式里开始改变。每当我重看今村昌平的电影，我都会想起预言家和作家罗伯特·希勒（Robert J. Shiller）。自2000年以来，希勒先后出版了多本影响世界的经济学通俗读物，成为了真正的公共知识分子。《动物精神》一书的开篇说道：“要理解经济如何运行，弄清楚如何管理并促进经济繁荣，我们就必须关注能够真实反映人们观念和情感的思维模式，或者说动物精神。如果我们不承认那些重大经济事件背后基本上都有人类心理方面的原因，那么就永无可能真正弄清楚它们的来龙去脉。”可惜，大多数经济学家似乎不谙此道，因而他们对经济事件的解释经常有很大的误差。刘明鉴的“动物精神”一直在试图修补人性的系统故障。

        《动物精神》里所描述的经济走势和人的精神抛物线：一些人想当然地认为，个人的情感、感受和激情并不重要，经济事件是受神秘的技术因素或反复无常的政府行为驱动的。实际上，正如《动物精神》所揭示的，这些事件的起因其实比较常见，只借助于日常思维就能发现背后的机理。在生物进化中，每种生物在繁殖下一代时，都会出现基因变异。物种为了适应迅速恶化的环境，必将产生过度变异。罗斯托的心理因素分析法就是人类“欲望更替”的分析方法。他认为，人的欲望更替是经济成长阶段依次更替的动力之一，具有与主导部门“反减速斗争”同等推动作用。因此，他把心理因素分析方法与历史阶段分析法和主导部门分析方法结合起来，用于论证他的经济成长阶段论。历史阶段分析法、主导部门分析方法和心理欲望分析法是三位一体的，构成罗斯托经济分析方法的基本内容，体现了罗斯托经济分析方法的基本特征。

        刘明鉴似乎描述我们如何陷入困境，以及我们要采取什么样的行动才能走出困境，他的系统似乎设了一个紧急出口。我们对现实生活的感觉、对自我身份的认同以及对自身行为的看法，是同我们自身和他人的经验交织在一起的，这些经验可以汇集成一个国家甚至世界的全部，并在记忆中发挥重要作用。被人们所忽略的感受和经验，作为一种精神向导的力量在刘明鉴的实践中获得了幸运的“储藏”。

        刘明鉴的庞大系统出示了我们总是生活在博弈之中，总是在进行博弈。如果想把事情分析透彻，就必须用博弈论表述出来，这样就能知道改变游戏规则时会有什么样的结果。让·梯若尔的贡献之所以伟大是在于很难用若干代表作来概括，但万变不离其宗的是博弈论的思维方式。其对各种"不完美"市场的分析,以及对作为解决方案的激励机制的研究,全面推动了经济学科的走向。让·梯若尔是这样总结博弈论的主要思想和为何致力研究对策论的：博弈论研究人与人之间、组织以及国家之间的相互作用。我们用博弈论这种工具把相互作用公式化，并由此开始思考政治科学、经济学和社会学的许多问题。我们所作的工作是给出一些工具帮助我们了解一些情况的含义。刘明鉴的物种奇幻景观始终是博弈论与整个世界结构的一个庞大的隐喻系统，他在重复中更新。

        刘明鉴的假设与推想源于他出色的虚构能力，设定假设、设定检验和偏误处理似乎都在他的视觉虚构中。常态分布的墙纸花式图案与物种不可观察的隐藏变量交错在一起，似乎在通过他的视觉来模型检验一个广义统一框架。他似乎针对思考的部位提出了框架性讨论。画面上，与对象保持距离的每一个细节与他的思考模型一一对应，或一多对应，并详细地通过每个构造的物种询问每一个假设的理由。

        思考模型的基本假定是先验的，它在预测变量之间的关系，其不能解释的部分就是不可观测、随机和偶然的。从史学出发，刘明鉴始终保持着思考和词语上的独立性，他的实践极大地加深了我们对与消费有关的各个方面的问题的认识，他在具体的个人选择行为与总体的经济结果之间建立起了联系。

        视觉的话语唯有自我指涉，保留一种结构感，抗拒自身中潜伏的麻木才可能提示世界的真实性。具有政治学隐喻的虚构场景似乎是一种制度的构件化、图式化和场景化，刘明鉴悄悄的介入，对一种制度进行“再描述”。从制度外沿和内部对其进行观察，这意味着所有的制度不是唯一可能存在的制度，在对这一制度进行再描述时，出示了他将其与其他现实的或想象的制度进行比较。差异意味着选择，选择意味着批评。他的图式化“批评”源自于已经深深浸入我们的伦理预设。每个构建物和图式都是批判过往的有力思想武器，艺术家的看法基于哲学本体论的认知而来，使主流的思考处于更加危险的境地。刘明鉴的转变是伴随着其视角从微观向宏观的转变，在矛盾之中去反思历史的先天预设，无懈可击的形而上也带来了第二个他。

        “时间来不及了，我不能再用比喻了。”刘明鉴有意以过剩的修辞方式摒弃一些带着修辞的复杂模型回归实证。唯有从复杂的程序开始，最后落实到一个间接的抽象理论方能解释复杂而真实的社会，真相因比喻而受损或流失，每一个比喻都会从失败走向失败。刘明鉴的虚构以价值观、主观的判断和客观的分析连在一起构筑而成，他的虚构的实践回归到语言的“可信性”，恢复语言的真实性。他揭示真实世界，直接说出事物本身。虚构不是与世隔绝的，而是为了更好地对应现世，唯有对他的视觉文本予以足够的重视和深刻阅读，才能深入了解他隐藏在每一个笔触间的本意，他的思考作为能量媒介直指显性景观的隐性问题。刘明鉴的图像属性具有建筑复杂性与矛盾性的多层语义。对于走出人们通常的认识界限，并冲击无法言喻的事物，人们在方法论中发现：介于记忆和经验中的情感根源与在形式手法之间的一种能动的警觉。对意识的震颤，视为事实的东西在记忆中变成了奇迹。当观者收到冲击的信息，以词语“跳动”告终，这是神秘的核心；同样“跳动”把多种同质化语言作用归结为一种声音。具有阅读性是让图式发出声音的一种可贵的精神。人们相信，只有沉默的声音才是永不消逝的声音，它永远有待“被发生”，刘明鉴的图像就是这样的发生，他的景观面向与日俱增的不确定性，把一种内化的、破碎的景观学置于多尺度错位的“景观重组”中，对真实世界做出了深层的理解，析出可试探远近的视觉辨识度和认知复杂度，在幻觉与具现之间保持了平衡，产生了现实的说服力。陌生化理论在他的综合性视觉文本中得以浸入，而不会削减其感知力，使每个人都能够在有限的空间内获得多样的、去熟悉化的日常体验。

        信息化给人们带来了彼此间的隔膜呼应和虚拟比照，同时，人们在生活中共同担任的角色感又产生了扁平化，这是因为我们真实的日常在过剩的信息量中进入知识焦虑，从而出现了一个“无词讲述”的景观。生产过剩的视觉机制脱离现实，有时像一门止步不前的科学，其理解阐释现实的能力甚至发生了退化。刘明鉴的图像意涵是一个硕大无朋的共同体、有着近乎宗教团体的虔诚、倾向于忽视与理论不相匹配的结果，已经变成只有假设的巨魔、小鬼和以太（Aether ,物理学家假想的物质）的存在。一个向内生长的对象，在所有过于依赖中可能存在一种“通用失败模式”。基本上，“荣誉”归于那些处在前沿的人物，而非正确运用模型描述现实的人，消解英雄主义的刘明鉴世界似乎在挑出现实的骨头。

        在视觉研究中，记忆一直仅依靠对象检索的总量，而刘明鉴则从个体开始，先“加总”所有的个体，再推断整个思考模型的特征，这里的一个关键是思考线索的可得性，他的实践在发现理论上的行为和视觉显示的行为之间的偏差，并把这种偏差放大或缩小，这是他在非主体输出中的假设与变量。

        刘明鉴的物种生成的是场所，在场的物种是场所的一部分，也是他作品构成的主要部分，人是移动的场所，人通过汇集特定场景的各种意义，建筑得以超越物质的需要。这是通过建筑与场地的现象学的、经验的结合而得来的。个人对建筑的真实知觉试图在构建出一种是人能够亲身体会或引导人们对世界进行感受的契机。那么，建筑所呈现出的现象是如何为人们的知觉所感受的呢？如果将刘明鉴的尝试对可以为人们的知觉所感受的现象作总结，包括了纠结其中的透视学的空间、色彩透视与光影、定格与时间片断、夜空间、细部与声音、作为现象镜头的光影、知觉和经验、空间的心理矛盾，这些统称为“现象区”的元素正是刘明鉴实践中的现象纠缠不清的总和。他的实践进入了“现实区间”或“可将各种事物融合于一体的物理范畴”。现象学的潜力在于，作为空间实践的出发点，它能以更加尖锐的方式面对“生活愈发人工合成化”的现状。现象学的经验能够与新技术兼容，那些技术能够创造新的体验机制。环境里所包含的物理的、心理的、世俗的各种因素，都是相互联系和相互依存的。刘明鉴所虚构的场所同样是一个体验复杂现实的集合。

        当我翻着《动物精神》，脑海中不经意浮现今村昌平于1961年集合了横须贺市内近一千头猪来拍摄“动物精神”的镜头，同时，一幅幅刘明鉴的作品在显现《猫科动物的微笑》、《理想型》、《三分之一刻的风景》、《万兽先生》、《水晶塔》、《苍穹之下》......

        从猫科动物系列、缠绕系列和星辰系列，在刘明鉴个人的时间轴上互为关系，我们从中看到艺术家清晰的发展脉络。从时间、地点、角色到信仰的经验，所有这些都在一个叙述形态中，实构与虚构兼有。刘明鉴把奇观再度转化为结构复杂、设色繁杂的装置般的奇观，探索了关于身份、性别政治、宗教、阶级和民族的问题。时间与遗忘的重重矛盾被他带到超历史的叙事之外。历史并不能自动保存或者自动呈现。形而上的沉思和历史检索在他的图式中得以论证。

        在刘明鉴的发轫之作中，他带来的神话世界中有狮子人、荷鲁斯之眼、海怪的触须等。2020年后，他带来了一系列“缠绕意象”——象征巫、怪、妖的海怪、飞鸟等，这些危情意象和险阻状态的连续性出现似乎掀起了“尤利西斯”这座建筑的一角，你得以窥视其中。乔伊斯从12岁起就熟读希腊罗马神话故事，他十分向往奥德修在海上历经千辛万苦最后回到家园的故事。奥德修海上历险的故事始终令他难以忘怀。英国散文家查尔斯·兰姆于1808年出版的《尤利西斯历险记》给乔伊斯以创作的灵感。在该书的序言中兰姆写道：“尤利西斯的故事除了人以外，还有独眼龙、海怪、海神、巫婆、巨人、妖女等等。他们象征着人生外在的力量和内心的诱惑。这些具有双重意义的艰难险阻是任何一个有智慧、有毅力的人必然会遭遇的”。兰姆的这段话可以说对日后乔伊斯构思其传世巨著《尤利西斯》有至关重要的意义。尤利西斯是一部尝试把荷马史诗《奥德赛》重写一遍的书，《尤利西斯》共有十八章，除了前三章是乔伊斯风格的正常叙事以外，其他每一章都采用了不同文体，如纯意识流、新闻体、抒情散文、百科问答等，笔者在这个结构中找到了与刘明鉴驳杂的视觉构成的一些对称性的信息——他持续地把各种场所的事物构成了一个不存在的地方，即使他对单一对象的输出，也进入了这种驳杂的形式和绵延的场景。柏格森认为，在时间中流动的我们的人格就是绵延的自我；绵延的自我就是一种记忆的连续的生命。柏格森的生命绵延影响了意识流世界里的乔伊斯。《尤利西斯》是一种强加在连续性流动的叙述之上的史诗，一切有机地向前发展。布鲁姆一天的普通经历与《尤利西斯》的历险以及希腊版本的《奥德赛》有着同样的史诗效能，从某种意义上来说，这是一部关于当下普通人的一部巨大的史诗。刘明鉴的实践正在打开这部史诗。

        看不见是一种局限，看得见也是一种局限，观看刘明鉴，也许需要选择闭上眼睛，不断完备局限， 挑战不可及的观看模式。他的视觉的语法能否再译《尤利西斯》？从刘明鉴2016 从意大利米兰布雷拉美术学院视觉艺术绘画专业获研究生硕士后回国至今的艺术实践脉络，可以看到艺术家在疫情之前与之后的演变。哪一种观看方式才能进入“尤利西斯的窥视”层次呢？6年的实践也许可以视为“一天”——被压合成一天内发生的单一事件，刘明鉴通过非人类和非物体向人们展示了一出人类社会的缩影式剧作，去叙事化地记录了一个人一天的日常生活和精神变化，由此揭示了世界的危情重重与此消彼长，英雄与懦夫的共存以及荒诞与沉闷的同现。

        在刘明鉴营造的场所里，似乎由磁场和魔力联结、糅合成一个个形态超出常人想象的非客观世界。绘画的将来不是绘画的？我们不能够创造一个为了将来的绘画？绘画的历史观点同当代的思考都没有提供一个切实可行的起点。专注于图像实践的刘明鉴也许给出了不确定的修订过程和提示性的意识。

                                                                                                    2021年8月12日-2021年9月8日于广州珠水南隅

• 徐乔斯 / Qiaosi Xu

阻隔

        2016年对于刘明鉴来说是人生的一个段落。这一年，他完成了在意大利米兰布雷拉艺术学院的研究生课程，顺利地获得了视觉艺术绘画专业的硕士学位，结束了四年独自一人海外求学的生活，回到了深圳。

        深圳也只是刘明鉴的第二故乡。90年代初，沿海经济特区发展，一批历经了‘85美术运动的艺术家和评论家们由湖北举家南下，那时刘明鉴尚幼，与许许多多的“深二代“一样，他的成长伴随着这个城市的日新月异，一日千里。在刘明鉴的童年里中国正经历着市场经济的崛起，沿海地区接触的文化无非是开放而多元的。他会说粤语、普通话、英语和意大利语，但是对于父母说的武汉话[1]，他只能听不能说，“来武汉话去普通话”，是这个家庭日常沟通的旋律。

        在去意大利之前，刘明鉴师从郭润文[2]，本科毕业于广州美术学院油画系第二工作室——以写实主义为创作方向。严格的学院系统将刘明鉴的绘画技术训练得日臻成熟，等到他进入意大利米兰布雷拉艺术学院后，他的主教授Gaetano Grillo却禁止他再画具体的对象，并说：“你们中国人技术都很好，可是你们不知道什么时候停止。”环顾四周，意大利的同学们都在画各种材料的彩色方块，于是刘明鉴也把材料更换成了手工纸，虽说是绘画专业（全称是视觉艺术绘画专业[3]），除了版画和雕塑不能做，其他也百无禁忌。于是班里有人缝制巨大的旗帜，还有人做陶瓷和亚克力板。等到研究生毕业，刘明鉴制作出了一组水墨综合材料作品：宽70公分，长度在6米至8.5米之间名为《咏叹调》的长卷。或许是剥离了具体形象与象征意味，作品的材质催生出了异国情调；或许是答辩的当日门外有艺人在演奏中东的乐器，听觉为视觉注入了解释……不管怎样，在外国主教授的眼中，东方神秘的色彩渲染了地中海的天空，他对刘明鉴的创作颇为满意。

        可是，对于刘明鉴而言，他恰恰离不开具体事物的象征性。这种象征性层层叠加，在画面中形成了多重而繁杂的指向，加密了绘画者的心理空间。

        在广州美院的日子里，刘明鉴的创作以肖像居多，对象是同学或自己，或是理想中具有人性的动物。在刘明鉴的笔下他们具有戏剧化的神情和夸张的仪表，写实主义的技法与想象力同时并存在画面中，背后隐含着无法告白的情绪，一再克制。克制是刘明鉴赋予画中人物的姿态，通过添加色彩将他们置于一种绝望而分离的境地中（《玩偶系列》、《处女星之墓》），这种绝望从2011年的《你说我该如何是好》中喷薄而出，作品采用的是具有撕裂感的对角线构图，画面中主人公向天空投出了长远而绝望的目光，长发在一瞬间被猛烈地甩向相反的方向，画面一改往日的绚丽，仿佛谎言破碎后留下的灰白和深黑，惨淡且深刻。在后来的创作中，刘明鉴再也没有流露出像这张作品中那样强烈那样明确的情感力量。

        在回国以后第一年创作中，刘明鉴重拾写实主义技术，创作了一批以动物为主体的大幅油画作品，《善良的墨菲斯》、《静谧的克拉肯》、《非首选人生》、《来自猫科动物的微笑》I-III是这一时期的代表。在这些大尺寸的油画中，雄性的形象以狮子作为象征，雌性的形象以猫作为象征，它们被高度地拟人化了。在这一系列的作品里，作为主角的狮子和猫没有了一丝的情绪，它们像道具一样被安置在一个虚构的场景中，周遭一切都被描述得极尽仔细。对于刘明鉴的这种“极多主义”的绘画倾向的理解，或许来自归国后的不安。他还没有准备好如何去面对一次次环境与生活的更替，就像画面中的主角，穿戴得华丽，处在建筑物的一个角落，渴望一个掩体，也渴望窗外的鲜花与飞鸟。

        赋予一个空间结构以花纹和窗口，这样的处理方式最早出现在2012年的一幅名为《初恋的亡灵》的布面油画中。这一年，刘明鉴大学毕业，人生总要在此处经历一场灾难性的告别。在这幅作品中，刘明鉴建立了四层构图：前景的人，在一棵稀疏的水晶树旁；近景的窗，仍然是与地面与墙面相连的魔幻色彩；窗外的中景是另一个向前眺望的人，然而他再也无法跨过那道彩色的围栏抵达现在；最后的远景，是一片褐色的山峦。当刘明鉴第一次把这些反复操练的绘画元素集合起来时，作品因为内容的繁多而变成了一道谜题。在后来与这件作品尺寸一致的《善良的墨菲斯》、《静谧的克拉肯》、《非首选人生》中，再也看不到人类的面孔，这是一种试图逃逸却又被死死固定在某一点的现实，当情绪消失以后，出现的是无能为力的沉默。这种沉默的冷漠的动物面孔，在后来的作品中显得更加无情。

色彩、花纹、晶状体

        除去以写实技术刻画的主体外，色彩、花纹与晶状体是刘明鉴作品中关键的构成元素。刘明鉴在研究生毕业论文中讨论了东西方的壁画艺术，讨论了东西方的艺术在克里姆特的绘画中的表现，同时他也受到了装饰主义和维也纳分离派的影响，倾向于一种富有装饰意味的画面感。刘明鉴掌握了在手工纸上泼墨挥洒的抽象表达方式之后，他将华丽的水墨片段制作成了灯的立方体和菱形的装置小作品，这种菱形的装置小作品（《手工纸-立方系列》2016）又呼应了一贯在他画面中出现的水晶体形状。这些立方体虽小，却有着不同的面向，而不同的面向上所携带的色相又与临近的块面构成了色彩和空间的新关系，像一条被拉长的魔方，不论从哪个方向上看，细微的、流动的色彩都在眼前形成一个开口，它们仿佛宇宙的虫洞，精微地联通时空。

        对于那些大面积渲染出来的色彩，刘明鉴总习惯将之想象成星辰大海。或许片甲之间并不能道尽星辰的璀璨，于是刘明鉴大量地制作着这些图像，像极光一般变幻无穷。绘画的暗线是时间，艺术家在满足自身精神需要的同时，也用作品描述了时间的伤痕。水晶的质感某种程度上呼应了星光熠熠的感觉，晶莹剔透，看似简单，实则深邃，令人无法洞穿。

        水晶体最早出现在《初恋的亡灵》的室内空间里，在地面的表层纠缠暗涌，最后生出一棵脆弱的水晶树。如果说这幅作品是刘明鉴人生一个重要阶段的感情汇总，那么在他结束了意大利的学业之后，他所创作的作品都在《初恋的亡灵》的基础上试图寻找到延续。这种延续不单单是绘画题材和绘画技术回归，更是对于个人情感经历未完成的追忆和隐喻。在2019年与动物有关的作品中，原来复杂的背景内容被简化为只有窗口和水晶球的组合，动物们伫立在魔幻的背景面前，身上的华丽的服饰和毛发都被刻画得十分详实，这让画面诞生了一种漠然的分裂感——在自我囚禁的空间里，对视的目光变成了一种难以舍弃的、刻意的矜持。

        如果目光可以被理解为是一种光线，就像刘明鉴在早期的作品《你说我该如何是好》中表达的那样，那么眼球就可以看作是水晶体在视觉上的延伸。在2017年的绘画创作中，刘明鉴着重刻画了眼球这个会令人产生不适观感的对象，他将这个系列取名为《全知的邪眼》。从《全知的邪眼》到《荷鲁斯之眼》[4]，刘明鉴在潜意识里渴望获取一种洞察之力，能够拆穿生活的谜题，得到修复和庇佑。然而迷宫的出口还是迷宫，对于全能之眼的描绘也不能为现实的生活找到任何的答案，寄托仅仅是一种寄托。

        在意大利留学期间的造纸工作坊的创作中，刘明鉴制作了一系列的《情书》作品，结合他对于克里姆特的研究，刘明鉴抽取了装饰性的花纹作为《情书》的内容，这些造纸作品被制作成了灯光装置，在光源的投射下，不同的色彩组合呈现出了不同的色温，像一段不确定的关系中忽近忽远的体温。日后这些花纹成为了刘明鉴作品中重要的装饰语言。

        刘明鉴的作品中隐含着一种阴性的忧郁，仿佛保有许多的秘密。他留给观者的心理空间并不多，尽管他的空间构图是多重的。偶尔，他会让人看到心灵的脆弱，但是很快，仅有的一丝线索也被繁富的绘画手法所掩盖，一切都表述得十分具体，除了情绪。

隐忍，或许不会有结局

        孤独对于世界上的所有人来说都是一道无解的题。在刘明鉴的作品中很难看到明确的情绪，这并不代表他的心灵是麻木的。在静默中等待，艺术家在生活中携带的内心诉求总会被他们不自觉地带入作品中。几幅刻画动物的作品，被刘明鉴命名为《理想型》。这些主人公拥有谦逊精致的样貌，穿着高级的华服，目光温柔。这是艺术家的一种愿景，刘明鉴小心翼翼地表达着他的心意，不敢越界，也是内心有所顾虑。这样的顾虑来自现实生活带给他的纷杂争议，他一边无法舍弃自己，同时也无法令所有人都为之满意——他不知道该以何种方式呈现自己。他乐此不疲反复刻画的猫科动物，实则是时光流逝之下永恒的囚徒。出生在80年代的独生子女有着一人无法言说的内心。他们没有兄弟姐妹，独自一人面对社会。在这样的血缘关系里，幸福与痛苦捆绑在一起。因此这一代人的战役就幻化为他人眼中的叛逆。

        2016年刘明鉴回国，用他自己的话说，就像“无头苍蝇跌出了象牙塔”。他的主教授曾经明明白白地告诫中国的留学生：“如果你们想当艺术家，就还是回国发展吧。”因为在欧洲，艺术生态很完整，艺术家、评论家和画廊是一个三方稳固的铁三角关系，外部的新人很难打入他们的世界。相比之下，在主教授Gaetano Grillo的眼里，中国人回到中国或许上升的速度还会快一些。然而对于“跌出了象牙塔”的人来说，刘明鉴感受到唯一强烈的就是混乱。一方面他脱离了自己原来的老师和同学已久，另一方面他又对于国内的现状一无所知——大家都在干什么？画什么？要在国内的艺术圈行走要遵循哪些法则？这一年，嘉德春秋两季的“’85新潮美术专场”拍卖，一共推出了19件拍品，成交总额达6411.3万元。[5]其中耿建翌[6]于1985年在浙江美术学院创作的毕业作品《灯光下的两个人》以1840万的人民币价格成交，望着第一代中国当代艺术探路者的背影，跌出象牙塔的人们已经完全没有了父辈的历史机遇与激情，取而代之的是日益激烈的行业竞争，“职业艺术家”的道路似乎在摸棱两可的行业规则内变得有迹可循。

        唐高宗上元二年（675年）秋，王勃前往交趾看望父亲[7]，路过南昌时，在南昌都督阎伯舆重建滕王阁庆祝宴会中，26岁的王勃写下了著名的《滕王阁序》，暗射自己的怀才不遇。“关山难越，谁悲失路之人；萍水相逢，尽是他乡之客”。世界上有太多的天才带着耀眼的斑斓划过尘世，比如席勒，比如王尔德，比如舒伯特。自古忠孝难两全，这个宏大的矛盾真实而严肃地发生在八零后一代人的身上。

        与上一代人相比，此起彼伏的政治运动离这一代人很远，八十年代出生的人成长在高歌猛进的中国，没有经历过一次又一次的时代转折，人生风平浪静。然而，就是在这样年复一年平静的光阴里，他们也被时光打磨得沉默不语。历经了代际的鸿沟、隐晦的青春，孤立无援的时刻四面楚歌，忍着痛，看不见血。最终，他们还是摘下了那副承载着期望的面具，任由一个真实的世界万箭穿心。

        你说过，我们的征途是星辰大海。

Block

        For Mingjian Liu, 2016 was a passage in his life. This year, he completed postgraduate courses at Brera Art Academy in Milan, Italy, and successfully obtained a master's degree in visual art painting. After four years of studying abroad alone, he returned to Shenzhen.

        Shenzhen is only Mingjian Liu's second hometown. In the early 1990s, coastal special economic zones developed. A group of artists and critics who had experienced the '85 Art Movement moved south from Hubei with their families. At that time, he was a child. Like many other “Second Generation of Shenzhen, his growth was accompanied by the rapid changes in this city, with each passing day. In Mingjian Liu's childhood, China was experiencing the rise of a market economy, and the cultures in contact with coastal areas were nothing more than open and diverse. He can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Italian, but for the Wuhan dialect[1] his parents speak, he can only listen to but not speak. " Intake Wuhan dialect and output Mandarin " is the melody of the family's daily communication.

        Before going to Italy, Mingjian Liu studied under Runwen Guo [2] and graduated from the second studio of the Oil Painting Department of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts with realism as his creative direction. The strict academy system has trained Mingjian Liu’s painting techniques to be more mature. After he entered the Brera Art Academy in Milan, Italy, his chief professor Gaetano Grillo prohibited him from painting specific objects. He said: “You Chinese have all good skills, but you do not know when to stop." Looking around, Mingjian found his Italian classmates were drawing colourful squares of various materials. He therefore replaced the materials with handmade paper. Although his major is painting (the full name is visual art Painting major[3]), except for printmaking and sculpture, there are no taboos. Some people in the class sew huge flags, and others make ceramics and acrylic plates. When he graduated from graduate school, Mingjian Liu produced a group of ink and wash works with comprehensive materials: a long scroll named "Aria" with a width of 70 cm and a length between 6 meters and 8.5 meters. Perhaps the specific image and symbolic meaning were stripped away, and the materials of the works gave birth to an exotic atmosphere; or perhaps on the day of the defence, there were artists playing Middle Eastern instruments outside the door, and the sense of hearing injected explanations into the vision... In his foreign professor’s eyes, the mysterious colours of the East rendered the Mediterranean sky.  He was quite satisfied with Mingjian Liu's creation.

        However, for Mingjian Liu, he cannot do without the symbolism of specific things. This kind of symbolic superimposition forms multiple and complicated directions in the picture, which encrypts the psychological space of the painter.

        In the days of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Mingjian Liu mostly created portraits, targeting his classmates or himself, or ideal human animals. Under Mingjian Liu's brushes, they have dramatic expressions and exaggerated appearances. Realistic techniques and imagination coexist in the pictures. There are emotions that cannot be confessed behind them, and they are repeatedly restrained. Restraint is the posture that Mingjian Liu gave to the characters in the painting. By adding colours, he placed them in a desperate and separated state ("Doll Series", "The Tomb of the Virgin Star").  This kind of despair was gushing out from "Tell Me What I Should Do" in 2011.  He adopts a tearing diagonal composition. The protagonist casts a long and desperate gaze towards the sky, and his long hair is violently thrown towards the sky in the opposite direction in an instant.  The picture has changed from its former splendour, as if it is the grey, white and deep black left behind, bleak and profound after the lie is broken. In his later creations, Mingjian Liu never showed the strong and clear emotional power as in this piece of work.

        In the first year of creation after returning to China, Mingjian Liu regained his realistic skills and created a batchof large-scale oil paintings with animals as the main body, with "The Kind Morpheus", "The Quiet Kraken", "The Life Is Not the First Choice", and "Smiles from Cats I-III " as the representatives of this period. In these large-scale oil paintings, the male image is represented by a lion and the female image is represented by a cat. They are highly personified. In this series of works, the lions and cats as the protagonists, have no emotions. They are placed in a fictional scene like props, and everything around them is described extremely carefully. The understanding of Mingjian Liu's "maximum doctrine" painting tendency may come from the anxiety after returning to China. He was not ready to face the change of environment and life again and again, just like the protagonist in the picture, dressed gorgeously, in a corner of the building, longing for a shelter, and longing for flowers and birds outside the window.

        To give a space structure with patterns and windows, this kind of treatment first appeared in a 2012 oil painting on canvas titled "Undead of the First Love". This year, Mingjian Liu graduated from university. People always experience a catastrophic farewell at this moment in their life. In this painting, Mingjian Liu established a four-layer composition: the person in the foreground is next to a sparse crystal tree; the close-up window is still the magical colour connected to the ground and the wall; the middle ground outside the window is another person looking forward, but he can no longer reach the present through the colourful fence; the last view is a brown mountain. When Mingjian Liu assembled these repeatedly practiced painting elements for the first time, the painting became a mystery due to the variety of contents. In the later "The Kind Morpheus", "The Quiet Kraken", and "Non-First Choice Life", which are the same size as this one, no human face can be seen anymore. This is the reality of trying to escape but being deadly fixed at a certain point. When the emotion disappears, there is powerless silence. This kind of silent and indifferent animal faces appear even more ruthless in later works.

Colours, patterns, lens

        Apart from the main body portrayed with realistic techniques, colours, patterns and lenses are the key elements in Mingjian Liu's works. He discussed Eastern and Western mural art in his graduate thesis, as well as the performance of Eastern and Western arts in Klimt’s paintings. At the same time, he was also influenced by Decorativeism and the Viennese Secession. He tended to create the picture of rich decorative sense. After Mingjian Liu mastered the abstract expression method of splashing ink on handmade paper, he made the gorgeous ink fragments into lamp cubes and small diamond-shaped installation works. This kind of small diamond-shaped installation works ("Handmade Paper-Cube Series" 2016) echoes the shape of crystals that has always appeared in his paintings. Although these cubes are small, they have different faces; and the hue carried by the different faces forms a new relationship between colour and space with the adjacent blocks, like an elongated Rubik's Cube. No matter from which direction it is viewed, the subtle and flowing colours all form an opening in front of the eyes. They are like wormholes in the universe, subtly connecting time and space.

        For those colours rendered on large areas, Mingjian Liu is always accustomed to imagining them as the sea of ​​stars. Perhaps the dazzling stars cannot be seen in tiny space, so he made a lot of these images, like an aurora, infinitely changing. The dark line of painting is time. While satisfying his own spiritual needs, the artist also uses his works to describe the scars of time. The texture of the crystal echoes the feeling of glimmering starlight to some extent. It is crystal clear, seemingly simple, but in fact it is profound, making it impossible to be penetrated.

        Crystals first appeared in the indoor space of "Undead of the First Love", entangled with the undercurrents on the surface of the ground, and finally gave birth to a fragile crystal tree. If this painting is a summary of Mingjian Liu's emotions at an important stage in his life, then after he has finished his studies in Italy, he is trying to find a continuity on "Undead of the First Love" in his works. This continuation is not only the return of painting themes and painting techniques, but also a remembrance and metaphor of unfinished personal emotional experience. In the works related to animals in 2019, the original complex background content was simplified to only a combination of windows and crystal balls. The animals stood in front of the magical background, and their gorgeous costumes and hair were portrayed in great details, letting the picture give birth to an indifferent sense of division—in the space of self-imprisonment, the gaze at each other becomes a kind of deliberate reservation that is hard to give up.

        If the gaze can be understood as a kind of light, as Mingjian Liu expressed in his early painting "Tell Me What I Should Do", then the eyeball can be regarded as a visual extension of the lens. In his painting creation in 2017, Mingjian Liu focused on the eyeball, an object that can cause discomfort. He named this series "The Evil Eye of All-Knowing". From "The Evil Eye of All-Knowing" to "The Eye of Horus[4]", Mingjian Liu is eager to gain a kind of insight subconsciously, able to break through the puzzles of life, and be repaired and blessed. However, the exit of the labyrinth is still a labyrinth, and the depiction of the Almighty Eye cannot find any answers to real life. Sustenance is only a sustenance.

        In the creation of the papermaking workshop while studying in Italy, Mingjian Liu produced a series of "Love Letters". Combined with his research on Klimt, he extracted decorative patterns as the content of the "Love Letters". The paper-making works were made into lighting installations. Under the projection of the light source, different colour combinations show different colour temperatures, like body temperatures that are near and far away in an uncertain relationship. Later, these patterns have become an important decorative language in his works.

        There is a kind of feminine melancholy in Mingjian Liu's works, which seems to keep many secrets. He does not leave much psychological space for the viewer, even though his spatial composition is multiple. Occasionally, he will let people see the fragility of the soul, but soon, the only trace of clues is also covered by the complicated painting techniques, and everything is expressed extremely specifically, except for emotions.

Forbearance, maybe there will be no ending

        Loneliness is an unsolvable problem for everyone in the world. It is difficult to see clear emotions in Mingjian Liu's works, which does not mean that his mind is numb. Waiting in silence, the inner aspirations that artists carry in their lives will always be brought into their works unconsciously. Several works depicting animals were named "Ideal Type" by Mingjian Liu. These protagonists have a humble and exquisite appearance, dressed in high-class costumes, and have gentle eyes. This is a vision of the artist. Mingjian Liu expresses his intentions cautiously, not daring to cross the boundary, but also has concerns in his heart. Such worries came from the controversies brought to him by real life. On the one hand, he could not abandon himself, and at the same time he could not satisfy everyone—he did not know how to present himself. The cats that he has never tired of portraying repeatedly are in fact the eternal prisoners under the passing of time. The only child born in the 1980s has a heart that cannot be said. They have no brothers or sisters and face the society alone. In this blood relationship, happiness and pain are tied together. Therefore, the battle of this generation has turned into rebellion in the eyes of others.

        When Mingjian Liu returned to China in 2016, in his own words, it was like "the headless fly fell out of the ivory tower." His chief professor once clearly warned Chinese students: "If you want to be an artist, you should return to your country to develop." Because in Europe, the art ecology is very complete, and artists, critics and galleries are a three-party stable iron triangle relationship. It is difficult for external newcomers to break into their world. In contrast, in the eyes of the chief professor Gaetano Grillo, the Chinese return to China may rise faster. However, for those who "fall out of the ivory tower," Mingjian Liu felt the only strong thing was chaos. On the one hand, he has been separated from his original teachers and classmates for a long time; on the other hand, he has no idea about the current situation in China-what are everyone doing? What to paint? What are the rules to follow in the domestic art circle? In this year, on the Guardian's spring and autumn auctions of “Special Session of ‘85 New Wave Art Movement”, a total of 19 lots were launched, with a total turnover of RMB64.113 million[5]. Among them, Jianyi Geng’s[6] graduation work "Two Men under the Light" created at Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts in 1985 was sold for RMB18.4 million. Looking at the back of the first generation of Chinese contemporary art pathfinders, the people who fell out of the ivory tower have been completely without the historical opportunities and passions of the fathers, which are replaced by increasingly fierce competition in the industry. The path of a "professional artist" seems to be traceable within the ambiguous industry rules.

        In the autumn of the second year of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty (675), Bo Wang went to Jiaozhi to visit his father[7]. When passing by Nanchang, at the celebration banquet for Nanchang Governor Boyu Yan to rebuild the Tengwang Pavilion, the 26-year-old Bo Wang wrote the famous "Preface to the Tengwang Pavilion" and insinuated himself that his talent was not met. "Guanshan Mountain is difficult to overcome, and who care those have lost their way; those meet by the water are all guests from other countries." There are too many geniuses in the world, such as Schiller, Wilde, Schubert, passing the world with dazzling splendour. Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety have been difficult to achieve at the same time. This grand contradiction has occurred truly and seriously in the post-80s generation.

        Compared with the previous generation, the successive political movements are far away from this generation. People born in the 1980s grew up in the advancing China. They have not experienced the turn of the times again and again, and their lives are calm. However, even in such a calm time year after year, they have been polished by time to be silent. Through generational gaps, cryptic youth, and moments of isolation and helplessness, they are embarrassed on all sides, endure the pain, and see no blood. In the end, they took off the mask carrying expectations, living in the real world in extreme grief, like ten thousand arrows piercing the heart.

        You said that our journey is the sea of ​​stars.

[1] 刘明鉴的父母是湖北沙市人。
[1] Mingjian Liu's parents are from Shashi, Hubei.

[2] 著名写实画派艺术家，1955年出生。1982年毕业于上海戏剧学院舞台美术系。现任广州美术学院油画系教授，国家画院油画院常务副院长，中国美术家协会理事。
[2] A well-known realist artist, born in 1955. He graduated from the Stage Art Department of Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1982. The current professor of the Oil Painting Department of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, the executive vice president of the Oil Painting Academy of the National Academy of Painting, and the director of the Chinese Artists Association.

[3] Arti Visive indirizzo Pittura

[4] 荷鲁斯，Horus，鹰头神。天空之神和神权的象征。在埃及神话传说中，当奥西里斯死后，赛特和荷鲁斯开始争夺王位，谁知赛特挖去了荷鲁斯的左眼。荷鲁斯的眼睛是由女神哈索尔和托特恢复（还可能为荷鲁斯之眼提供了魔法）。随着荷鲁斯之眼的康复，他的父亲奥西里斯活下去的勇气和希望也被恢复了。因此，荷鲁斯之眼经常被用来象征牺牲、愈合、恢复和保护。
[4] Horus, the eagle head god. The god of the sky and the symbol of theocracy. In Egyptian myths and legends, when Osiris died, Set and Horus began to fight for the throne, who would have known that Set removed Horus's left eye. The eyes of Horus were restored by the goddesses Hathor and Thoth (may also provide magic for the eyes of Horus). With the recovery of the Eye of Horus, the courage and hope of his father Osiris to survive was also restored. Therefore, the Eye of Horus is often used to symbolize sacrifice, healing, restoration and protection.

[5] 《中国嘉德2016“二十世纪及当代艺术综述”》 http://www.360doc.com/content/17/0205/11/7872436_626637489.shtml
[5] China Guardian 2016 "Summary of the 20th Century and Contemporary arts"

[6] 耿建翌（1962年—2017），1962年出生于河南郑州，是中国早期先锋艺术家之一。1985年毕业于杭州浙江美术学院艺术系油画专业（现在的中国美术学院）是中国当代艺术的重要代表人物之一。
[6] Jianyi Geng (1962-2017), born in Zhengzhou, Henan Province in 1962, is one of the early pioneer artists in China. In 1985, he graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou, majoring in oil painting (now the China Academy of Art). He is one of the important representatives of contemporary Chinese art.

[7] 大约在上元三年（676年）春夏，王勃已至交趾王福畴处，见到了他生活窘困的父亲。不久后，王勃便踏上归途。当时正值夏季，南海风急浪高，王勃不幸溺水而亡。
[7] In the transition of the spring and summer in the third year of Shangyuan of Tang Dynasty (676), Bo Wang had arrived at Jiaozhi, and met his father, Fuchou Wang who was in a difficult life. Soon after, Bo Wang set off on his way home. It was summer. He encountered high winds and waves on the South China Sea. He unfortunately drowned and died.

• 杨小彦 / Xiaoyan Yang

        尽管处于青春的晚期，迄今为止，刘明鉴却显然无法忘怀少年时所持有的念想与执着，对他而言，那似乎是一场无始无终而又惊心动魄的虚拟游戏，其中的主角始终是身着各类艳装的猛狮浪猫，它们是梦魇的典范，只在孤寂无人之时若隐若现，不时让观者毫无缘由地分泌出无拘无束的莫名兴奋！它们出入于水晶宫堆砌的浩瀚宇宙之中，晶体因它们的出场而化身为巨大的单个细胞，活脱脱像透明的基因那样，在天与地的狂喜中互相对峙，既拒绝交配，又互为镜像，用以揭示对方实存的秘密。然后，同样没有缘由，暗红色的大章鱼现身了，柔软的触须长着滥情的吸盘正在缓慢地张开着，伸向了蔚蓝色的虚无。恍惚间，天眼从时间的深处走了过来，牢固地占据着远远超出十维的天体，让空间在纠缠与折叠中没心没肺地自我繁衍。

        我拒绝任何可能的追问，静静地观赏着刘明鉴多年来创作的系列作品，任由思绪自由地飞奔，好彻底检验一下可能滋长的内心感受。要知道，我与他属于两代人，属于隔代交割而又彼此陌生的实存。有意思的是，正是在这样的对峙情境之中，我的感受居然如前述那样，具有诗一般的透明与放肆。我不禁好奇，并在好奇中寻找可能的答案。我好奇的是，刘明鉴的创作意图究竟指向哪里？作品背后发散出来的强烈而精致的感悟，是他内心难以割舍的往事，还是耿耿于怀的对未来的执意？显然，他的作品是叙事的，有一种修辞的逻辑统领着画面中重复出现的形象；此外，他的作品又是反叙事的，因为出现在画面中的形象，像符号那般不断地出现，提示着与此相关的背影，比如，流行的游戏角色，以及由游戏创作者所重新组装的、因而再次陌生化的远古传说。刘明鉴的作品告诉我，他所痴迷的是一种心理现实：对于曾经的无忧，他真心如斯！身处日常成长，他发疯似地体验，然后将之表现在画作的构成之中，好让各色奇特的形象如情思般丝丝入扣地涌过来，其中，有夜魔惨淡的笑声，有血色真爱的泣诉，有嗜血另类的偏执，以及水晶球在暗中的膨胀，独眼在历史中不间断地挣扎。

        眼是一个重要的征象，更是一种具有意义的有效隐喻，直指人心且不留情面。2017年，刘明鉴创作了一幅名为《荷鲁斯之眼》的油画，画面形象是一只闪耀着异光的眼，四周的触须既是意指光芒四射，同时又是章鱼可能的喻示。其实，在游戏与传说之中，章鱼本身就具有传奇的力量。《静谧的克拉肯》把这一传奇具象化了，红色的巨触穿越罗马拱门像光芒一般伸向四周，让狮子的昂奋变得低调而含蓄。“克拉肯”（Kraken）是北欧传说中的海怪，是原始时代对于不时闪现的拥有巨大体型的章鱼的神话式定义，它来源于工业化之前渔人与大海搏斗的难忘经历，当可怜的鱼舟在波谷浪峰中艰难前行之时，突然之间，一条可怕的触须像粗壮的麻绳那样纠缠过来，深渊般的吸盘贪婪地吮吸着鲜活的血水，现场那种惊恐，如果真的能够置身于这现场时，就一定会在绝望中转化为凄美的预言。我这样的描述可能并不是笔者的虚构，刘明鉴内心就一直渴望着能够亲临这可能的现场，好让预言成真。

        怪不得一直有艺术家对“克拉肯”做美得让人窒息的观察。我想起小时候阅读凡尔纳著名的《海底两万里》时的那种突发的颤抖，因为几条巨大到不可思议的章鱼柔软的触须紧紧纠缠着神秘的潜水艇并试图把它拖向深渊时，我第一次强烈感受到了窒息，并第一次意识到肉身被控制的疼痛。

        我之所言并非虚妄，刘明鉴的《三方的窥视》提供了精彩的答案。画面中有狮子人，有滋长不已的水晶，有荷鲁斯之眼，有光芒般扭动的触须。“三方”本身就是意指三种品格，其一是审查者，其二是表演者，其三是窥视者，三者合一，恰好喻示了人生的全部：人生如戏，人人都是表演者，只是，在台上时，你是角色，或者进入某类角色，表演给谁看？给审查者，他们正端坐在台下，一丝不苟地在挑刺。两者之外则是无休无止的窥视，像暗夜中的不可见的紫外光，直逼脆弱的人心。窥视有三个层次，分别为逼视、盯视和凝视。其实，这三种窥视表情都是一样的，如果观者是麻木的话，一定看不出其中的差别。差别只取决于审查者的判断！当你觉得你获得了情爱时，你发现的是凝视；当你收获到对峙时，你面对的是盯视；如果你不愿意屈服，那么，同样的眼神就变成了凶猛的逼视。当我这样描述的时候，我发现无意中已经提示了《三方的窥视》的主题，那就是，只有审查者是实存的，它既有能力剥夺窥视，更有能力定义窥视。也就是说，眼睛的意义来自被窥视者的感受，来自对方，而不是来自自身。肉身的处境在这里暴露无遗，肉身其实是孤独的，无力的，因为肉身总是被定义的，被审查者，被窥视者，被表演者。

        这样，我想我们就可以从容的进入刘明鉴的艺术世界了。刘明鉴的作品中总是这样几种形象：狮子人、猫人、水晶球、流浪之眼，以及，章鱼的触须，柔软而狰狞。有趣的是，刘明鉴笔下的狮子人和猫人，性别是有所犹疑的。总的来说，狮子人属于男性，猫人属于女性。但是，有时，似乎没有什么特别的逻辑上的理由，狮子人变成了女性，而猫人多少有点雄性的因子存在。装饰狮子和猫的是迷人的时装，这一点绝对应该是刘明鉴的私人定制。为什么？这一点值得让观赏者自己去思考，刘明鉴其实没有单一的解释。

        从描绘风格上看，刘明鉴的作品近乎冷然，尽管是油画，但手法却有工笔的意味，造型清晰，所有转折的细节均一丝不苟地呈现出来，衣纹、图案、不同面向的结构，甚至包括水晶体，所有块面都有交代，用绘画通常的用语来说，就是很硬边，没有通常所谓的虚化。这让我不期然地想起了沃尔夫林，他针对十七世纪的巴洛克艺术，曾经作出一个著名的形式主义的风格总结，用“图绘性”形容那个年代以鲁本斯为典型的风格，而把十五世纪丢勒的画法概括为“线描”。沃尔夫林的结论不一定经受得起艺术史的严格检验，但却对此后的艺术家以极大的启发，让他们在“图绘”和“线描”两方面有更为大胆的创新。准确来说，刘明鉴的画面风格并不是严格意义上的“线描”，相反，在表面的线性硬边的处理之中，却包括了他对“图绘”式的场面转折的深度理解。作品的空间正是借助于这样一种结合两者的处理而获得了极好的效果。当然，刘明鉴这样的处理，更多的不是所谓形式主义的策略，而是对画作主旨的一种视觉定义。

        坦率的说，刘明鉴的艺术才刚刚起步，未来，他在处理风格上一定还会有更加让人喜悦的延伸。我之所以乐于做这样的判断，是因为在他现存的创作中，已经表现出一种独特的风度，这风度足以让他能够更为从容地行走在人类精神的世界中。我期望着，并希望将来还有机会讨论他的作品。

                                                                                                                                     2019年8月9日草于温哥华

        Although in his late youth, Mingjian Liu has obviously been unable to forget the thoughts and obsessions he had when he was a teenager. To him, it seemed to be a thrilling virtual game with no beginning and no end, in which the protagonist is always the strong lions and wandering cats in all kinds of colorful costumes. They are the models of nightmares, only looming when they are lonely, and let the viewers secrete unrestrained inexplicable excitement from time to time for no reason! They enter and exit the vast universe stacked in the Crystal Palace. The crystals are transformed into huge single cells because of their appearance. They are alive and free like transparent genes, facing each other in the ecstasy of heaven and earth. Although they refuse to mate, they mirror each other to reveal the secrets of the other party's existence. Then, again without any reasons, the big dark red octopus appeared, and the soft tentacles with debauching suckers were slowly opening, reaching out to the azure nothingness. In a daze, the Sky Eye walked over from the depths of time, firmly occupying a celestial body far more than ten dimensions, allowing the space to multiply unconsciously in the entanglement and folding.

        I refused any possible questionings. I quietly watched the series of works created by Mingjian Liu over the years, allowing my thoughts to fly freely to thoroughly examine the inner feelings that may grow. You know, he and I belong to two generations. We belong to the real existences that are separated by generations and are strange to each other. What is interesting is that it is in such a confrontational situation that my feelings are as transparent and presumptuous as in the poetry, which I forementioned. I cannot help being curious and have been looking for possible answers in curiosity. What I am curious about is, where does Mingjian Liu's creative intention point? Is the strong and exquisite sentiment emanating from behind the works a past that he cannot let go of in his heart, or is it a persistent obsession with the future? Obviously, his works are narrative, and there is a rhetorical logic that governs the repeated images in the pictures. In addition, his works are anti-narrative, because the images appearing in the pictures constantly appear like symbols. It reminds the back figures related to the images, such as popular game characters, and ancient legends that have been reassembled by game creators and thus defamiliarized again. Mingjian Liu’s works tell me that what he is obsessed with is a kind of psychological reality: he is so sincere about the worry-free once he has cherished! In the daily growth, he experienced it crazily, and then expressed it in the composition of the paintings, so that all kinds of peculiar images flowed in with meticulous care like emotions. Among them, there are the bleak laughter of the night demon, and the weeping complaints of the true bloody love. There is the alternative paranoia of the bloodthirsty, as well as the expansion of the crystal ball in the dark, and one-eyed struggles uninterruptedly in history.

        The eye is an important sign, and it is also a meaningful and effective metaphor that directly points to the heart and does not show mercy. In 2017, Mingjian Liu created an oil painting titled "Eye of Horus". The image of the picture is an eye shining with extraordinary light. The tentacles around it are both radiant and a possible metaphor for an octopus. In fact, in games and legends, octopus itself has legendary power. "Quiet Kraken" embodies this legend. The giant red tentacle passes through the Roman arches and stretches out like rays of light, making the lion's excitement low-key and subtle. "Kraken" (Kraken) is a sea monster in Nordic legend. It is the mythical definition of the octopus with huge size that flashes from time to time in the primitive age. It comes from the unforgettable experience of fishermen fighting with the sea before industrialization. When a poor fish boat was struggling in the troughs and peaks, suddenly, a terrible tentacle entangled like a thick twine, and the abyss-like sucker greedily sucked the fresh blood. If you can really be in this panic scene, you will surely transform it into a poignant prophecy in despair. My description may not be my fiction. Mingjian Liu's heart has always been eager to be able to visit this possible scene in person, so that the prediction can come true.

        No wonder there have always been artists who have made breathtakingly beautiful observations of "Kraken". I think of the sudden tremor when I was reading Verne’s famous "Twenty Thousand Miles Under the Sea" when I was a child, because the soft tentacles of several incredibly huge octopuses entangled the mysterious submarine tightly and tried to drag it into the abyss. I felt suffocated strongly for the first time, and for the first time realized the pain of being controlled by the physical body.

        What I said is not false, Mingjian Liu's "Tripartite Peeping" provides a wonderful answer. There are lion people, crystals that grow endlessly, the eyes of Horus, and tentacles that twist like rays of light. "Tripartite" itself means three kinds of character: one is the censor, the other is the performer, and the third is the peeper. When the three are combined in one, it indicates the whole life. Life is like a play, and everyone is the performer. When you are on stage, you are a role, or enter a certain type of role. To whom will you show? To the reviewers. They are sitting upright down the stage, meticulously prickling. Outside of the two, there is endless peeping, like the invisible ultraviolet light in the dark night, reaching the fragile heart. There are three levels of peeping, namely: looking closely, staring fixedly, and gazing. In fact, these three peeping expressions are all the same. If the viewer is numb, there must be no difference. The difference depends only on the judgment of the reviewers! When you feel that you have gained love, what you find is gazing; when you find confrontation, what you face is staring; if you are unwilling to give in, then the same look becomes a fierce stare. When I described it in this way, I found that the theme of "Tripartite Peeping" was inadvertently prompted: that is, only the censor is real, and it has the ability to deprive peeping and more capable of defining peeping. In other words, the meaning of the eyes comes from the feelings of the peeped person, from the other party, not from oneself. The situation of the physical body is completely exposed here. Actually, the physical body is lonely and powerless, for it is always defined by the censored, the peeped, and the performed.

        In this way, I think we can enter the art world of Mingjian Liu calmly. There are always several images in Mingjian Liu's works: the lion man, the cat man, the crystal ball, the wandering eye, and the octopus' tentacles, which are soft and hideous. What's interesting is that in Mingjian Liu's works of lion man and cat man, the genders are somewhat hard to distinguish. In general, the Lions are males, and the Cats are females. However, sometimes, it seems that there is no special logical reason why the lion man has become a female, and the cat man has a somewhat male factor. The lions and cats are in glamorous fashions, which should definitely be customized by Mingjian Liu. Why? This point is worth letting the viewers think about it themselves. In fact, Mingjian Liu does not have a single explanation.

        From the perspective of the depiction style, Mingjian Liu’s works are almost cold. Although they are oil paintings, the technique has the meaning of fine brushwork: the shape is clear, and all the turning details are meticulously presented; the clothes lines, patterns, different aspects of the structure, and even including crystals; all blocks and surfaces have explanations. In the usual terms of painting, it is hard edge, without the usual so-called blur. This reminds me unexpectedly of Wolfflin. He once made a well-known formalist style summary of Baroque art in the seventeenth century, using "graphics" to describe that era with Rubens as a typical example, and summed up Dürer’s painting in the fifteenth century as "line drawing." Wolfflin's conclusions may not withstand the rigorous test of art history, but they have greatly inspired subsequent artists to make bolder innovations in both "graphic drawing" and "line drawing". To be precise, Mingjian Liu's painting style is not strictly a "line drawing"; on the contrary, in the treatment of the linear hard edges on the surface, it includes his in-depth understanding of the "graphic drawing" style of scene transitions. The space of the work has achieved excellent results by means of such a combination of the two treatments. Of course, Mingjian Liu's treatment is more not a so-called formalist strategy, but a visual definition of the subject of the painting.

        Frankly speaking, Mingjian Liu's art has just started, and in the future, his handling style will surely have a more pleasing extension. The reason why I am willing to make such a judgment is because he has shown a unique demeanor in his existing creations, which is enough to enable him to walk in the world of human spirit more calmly. I look forward to it and hope that in the future there will still be opportunities to discuss his works.

                                                                                                        Completed in Vancouver on August 9, 2019