李振明畫作中的自然與精神 ｜文/ 阮 圓 Aida Yuen Wong

 李振明畫作中的自然與精神

阮 圓   Aida Yuen Wong

美國布蘭戴斯大學講座教授   Nathan Cummings and Robert B. and Beatrice C. Mayer Professor Brandeis University, U.S.A.

一面紋理豐富的石牆，似乎守護著某種神秘的力量，幻化為昆蟲、水禽、鳥巢、一排蛋，或是一尊佛像等符號。裂縫與石面上的斑駁痕跡猶如軌跡般蔓延，有時遵循著幾何分割的隱約秩序；然則，像那些如天然地質構造的紋理，顯然有其自身生命。這些元素正是李振明畫作的核心圖像。儘管畫中人影稀疏，難得一見，藝術家的存在卻透過印章、書法題詞，以及偶爾不具敘事性的瀟灑筆觸隱約浮現。幾十年來，李振明精鍊出一種視覺語言，將精神、塵世與動物世界相互交織。他的作品沒有明確的故事線，但充滿了可辨識的意象。李振明的藝術世界在概念上抽象，形式上具象，充滿著象徵意義。

李振明多年任教於臺灣師範大學美術系，致力培養水墨畫專才。「水墨畫」的概念極為流動，一方面強調傳統媒材的運用，彰顯了台灣受中國美學影響的悠久歷史；另一方面，又刻意避開「中國畫」的標籤。李教授的作品結合水墨、彩墨、及鄉土主義多重脈絡。早期他於台灣師範大學受訓，師承著名藝術家林玉山 （1907-2004），林氏以自然主義與水墨彩繪的結合著稱。林玉山擅長描繪鳥禽、植物及動物題材，成功弭平了國畫派藝術家偏好古典皴法與傳統構圖的手法與寫生畫法之間的隔閡。李振明亦遊走於這兩者之間，從中創新，運用豐富的水墨技法如皴法、點染、留白等，卻又不失栩栩如生的寫實內涵。此外，他融入了當代的設計元素，如透過空間的編排來凸顯畫面的平面性，有時運用雙邊對稱、鮮明的水平與垂直線條，這些在傳統中並不多見。

為了挑戰繪畫中的幻象效果，李振明有時會在畫面中點綴一抹金色或極細的線條，讓某些元素從畫面中跳脫而出。他還喜歡將互不相關的主題——石頭、鳥、海貝、印章——排列在同一條軸線上，建立非邏輯性關聯。這些刻意的構成手法彰顯了藝術家創造自己宇宙的自由。早在1990年代，當李振明開始將鳥禽浮於山形之上，並在畫面中疊加網格、環繞著色彩光暈時，已經可以看出他對於非現實比例與非理性佈局的傾向。這些生物超越了透視法則，彷彿成為大地上的圖騰或守護神, 靜靜俯瞰著所創造的世界，象徵著自然與靈性之間的深層聯繫。

李振明的成熟期畫作摒棄全景或遠景，偏愛特寫。地質紋理的放大鼓勵觀者以不同的方式解讀這些生物。儘管鳥類和昆蟲色彩鮮豔，細節生動，但它們也令人聯想到化石，彷彿被壓印在石面上。或許李氏在暗示死亡與衰敗的必然性，同時也反映現代人對考古的著迷。他的一些畫作塗得極度密集，以至產生壓縮感。即使我們所知的世界可能會消失，這些生命形態仍會留下不可磨滅的痕跡，待後人重新發掘。觀賞他的作品時，我們能感受到一種紀錄者的追求，渴望捕捉時間的流逝與存在的痕跡。這種渴望讓人思考生命的脆弱與持久，並引發對於未來的反思與希望。每一幅畫作都像是對自然與時間的對話，無聲地記錄著那些瞬息萬變的美好與哀愁，讓觀者在欣賞的同時，亦感受到生命的深刻意義。李振明以其獨特的視角，鼓勵我們重新審視周遭的世界，並珍視那些往往被忽略的細微之處。

另一個促使李振明採用岩石特寫的因素，或許是他長期對禪畫的興趣，這也是他碩士論文的研究主題。據說禪宗祖師達摩曾在洞穴內望壁九年，終而悟道。在李振明的作品中，嵌入的佛像或菩薩形象，暗示了石壁在某種境界中逐漸顯露出來，為觀者帶來精神的撫慰。有時這些神聖形象是全身顯現，有時僅為頭部或上半身。然而，無論何種呈現，佛教神祇的色調總是與周圍的岩石和諧相融，彷彿自岩壁中緩緩浮現。在佛教藝術中，石窟的傳統已有兩千多年的歷史，最早可追溯到印度，不僅為僧侶和朝聖者提供庇護，亦是雕刻與繪畫的靈性表現之所。李振明巧妙地將這一深厚傳統融入自己的作品中。他對紋理的精緻處理和強烈的明暗對比，傳達出一種精神的潛能，與其他藝術元素結合，形成獨特的藝術語言。有時，神祇的頭頂上生出樹木，取代了傳統的火焰光環；亦有時，佛像與菩薩的形象被一條魚的頭部或一具女性裸像所替代。

在當今這個地球暖化危機的時代，生態主題顯得格外應時。然而，從這次七十週年展覽中我們可以看出，李振明並非只是隨波逐流。早在1980年代和1990年代，他的畫作標題中就已明確提到「生態」。他早期的一幅作品中，還有一段題跋描述了他在歐洲旅行時，當地河流旁的水鳥如何深深吸引了他。無論是偶然邂逅，還是專程造訪台灣的保護區，李振明始終在尋找這些謙卑而美麗的生靈。他細緻地描繪它們的羽毛與靜臥或站立的姿態，彷彿用畫筆輕撫它們的身影。這些題材顯然讓人聯想到宋代以及中國後世工筆畫中對毛羽題材的細緻描繪。過去，花鳥和毛羽題材常與吉祥寓意相連。這些藝術史的回響為李氏的作品再添上一絲情感聯繫。然而，他對動植物的選擇則緊密貼合當代，特別是台灣的自然環境。

不難注意到李振明作品中反覆出現的台灣形狀的甜薯圖像。它大多懸浮於空中，伴隨著新葉的萌發，有時如同佛像的頭部一樣，成為凝聚目光的焦點，傳達出藝術家深厚的鄉土情懷。這種情懷在中南部出生的藝術家中特別強烈，他們與土地和在地文化之間有著深刻的共鳴。不起眼的根莖植物富含營養。李振明將它置於畫作中的重要位置，意在對抗日益充斥於日常生活中的消費主義與多餘文化。甜薯也充滿了生命力和賦予生命的潛能。它的簡單形態引人進入冥想般的靜思狀態，彷彿提醒我們回歸樸素、簡單的生活方式。這種植物根植於大地，同時也象徵著台灣文化的堅韌與不屈，將物質世界之外的精神層面呈現於畫面上。

生命的脈絡如絲線纏繞，昆蟲翩翩，水禽低吟，一枚枚蛋如夢般懸浮，佛像在岩壁中輕輕顯現，傳遞著無聲的祝福。李振明以他的筆觸，捕捉了自然的細微與靈性。在每一幅畫作中，我們看見韌性與柔情，甜薯的形狀如台灣之心，根植於土地，卻不屈不撓。時光的流逝在他的畫中凝聚，如同隱秘的對話，在無聲中敘述著自然與存在的悸動。在這藝術的世界裡，我們感受到自然與精神的深刻意義。讓我們在李振明的創作中，重溫那些被忽略的細節。細膩而堅韌的力量恍若在召喚我們，去珍視這片土地的靈魂，與時間共舞，探索那神秘的天地之源。

 

阮圓

美國 布蘭戴斯大學 講座教授

2024年10月

 

 

Nature and Spirit in Jimmy Lee’s Paintings

 

A richly textured stone wall seems to hold the key to a mysterious force that manifests as insects, waterfowl, a bird's nest, a row of eggs, or a Buddha. Cracks and facets running across the surface delineate tracks that occasionally appear to follow an order suggested by geometric divisions. Yet, the textures, reminiscent of natural geological formations, clearly possess a life of their own. These motifs are central to Jimmy Lee’s paintings. While human figures only make rare appearances, the artist’s presence is felt through seals, calligraphic inscriptions, and the occasional brushstrokes devoid of clear narrative meaning. Over the decades, Lee has refined his pictorial language, intertwining the spiritual, terrestrial, and living worlds. Abstract in concept and concrete in representation, Lee’s work is filled with symbolic significance.

Jimmy Lee has dedicated many years to teaching in the Department of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University, cultivating countless talents in ink painting. The concept of "ink painting" (shuimohua) is fluid; it emphasizes the use of traditional mediums while acknowledging the long-standing influence of Chinese aesthetics in Taiwan. However, Lee intentionally avoids labeling his work as "Chinese" painting. His oeuvre clearly reflects a combination of shuimo, caimo (color-ink painting), and nativist influences. During his early training also at NTNU, he studied under Lin Yu-shan (1907-2004), a prominent artist known for synthesizing naturalism with ink-and-color painting. Lin’s portrayal of avian, botanical, and animal subjects helped bridge the gap between guohua (Chinese-style) painters, who favored classical techniques, and those who painted from life. Lee has adeptly innovated from these styles, employing a wealth of ink techniques such as laying and dotting while maintaining a realistic flair. Additionally, Lee introduces contemporary design elements that draw attention to the picture plane by organizing space through such idioms as bilateral symmetry and stark horizontals and verticals, techniques that are absent in earlier traditions.

To challenge the illusionism of picture-making, Lee sometimes adds pops of gold or thread-thin lines that make certain motifs stand out. He also likes to arrange disparate subjects—a rock, a bird, a seashell, a seal impression—in a single line without any logical relationship. These deliberate artistic choices celebrate the freedom of the artist to create a unique vision. As early as the 1990s, he began to float images of birds and fowl above mountain forms and surround these creatures with colorful auras, indicating a shift towards unrealistic scale and non-rational placement. These life forms transcend the rules of perspective, almost becoming totems or guardian spirits of the earth, quietly overlooking the world they inhabit, symbolizing the deep connection between nature and spirituality.

In his mature work, Lee eschews panoramic or distant views in favor of close-ups. By amplifying geological textures, he encourages a different interpretation of the creatures depicted. Although the birds and insects are vibrant and intricately detailed, they also evoke fossils, as if pressed into the stone face. Perhaps Lee suggests the inevitability of death and decay while acknowledging our fascination with archaeology. Some of his paintings are so densely layered that the primary sensation is one of compression. Even if the world as we know it may vanish, the life forms depicted will leave indelible marks, waiting to be rediscovered by future generations. In engaging with his works, we sense an aspiration toward documentation.

 

Another factor influencing Lee’s focus on close-ups is his long-standing interest in Chan (Zen) painting, the subject of his MA thesis. The founder of this faith, Daruma, is said to have achieved enlightenment after gazing at a stone wall inside a cave for nine years. Lee’s embedding of Buddha or Bodhisattva figures within rock formations suggests a wall opening up to offer spiritual succor to the viewer. Sometimes these figures are depicted in full, while at other times only their heads or upper bodies are visible. In every instance, the color scheme of the Buddhist deities harmonizes with their surrounding rocks, making them appear to emerge organically from the background. Rock-cut caves in Buddhist art boast a tradition that extends back more than two thousand years to India, providing shelter for monks and pilgrims while serving as surfaces for devotional carving and painting. Lee’s paintings adeptly incorporate this rich tradition, with his expert handling of textures and pronounced chiaroscuro conveying a spiritual potential that blends with other artistic concerns. Occasionally, trees sprout from the heads of deities, replacing traditional flaming halos, while at other times, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are substituted with a fish head or a female nude.

In this age of planetary crisis, ecological themes are particularly relevant. His 70th anniversary exhibition reveals that Lee is not merely following trends. The terms “ecology” and already appeared explicitly in the titles of his paintings dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. One of his early works features an inscription recounting his travels in Europe and how the local waterfowl captivated him. Whether by chance or during deliberate visits to conservation zones in Taiwan, Lee has consistently sought out these humble and beautiful creatures. He lovingly renders their plumage and resting or standing poses, as if caressing them with his paintbrush. His work clearly references the fur-and-feather subjects explored in Song dynasty painting and later Chinese gongbi (fine brush) techniques, which exemplify detailed studies of nature. Historically, the genres of bird-and-flower and fur-and-feather have been closely tied to auspiciousness, and these echoes of art history resonate with the sentiments found in Lee’s work. However, his choice of flora and fauna is firmly rooted in the contemporary environment, particularly in Taiwan.

One recurring motif in Lee's work is the sweet potato, shaped like Taiwan itself. It is often depicted suspended with sprouting leaves, anchoring the viewer's gaze much like the Buddha's head, serving as a focal point that conveys the artist’s deep-rooted sentiments for his homeland. This sentiment is especially pronounced among artists from central and southern Taiwan, where the connection to land and local culture is profound. The unassuming root vegetable symbolizes resilience and nourishment. Lee’s emphasis on the sweet potato counters the consumerist and superfluous culture saturating everyday life. It invites meditative contemplation and the return to a humble, simple way of living. Closely tied to the earth, the sweet potato also represents the enduring spirit of Taiwanese culture, presenting a spiritual dimension beyond the material world.

The threads of life intertwine like silk, with insects fluttering and waterfowl murmuring, as eggs float dreamily, and Buddha figures gently emerge from the rock walls, conveying silent blessings. Through his art, Jimmy Lee captures the subtleties and spirituality of nature. In each painting, we see resilience and tenderness, with the shape of the sweet potato resembling the heart of Taiwan—rooted in the earth yet unwavering. The passage of time crystallizes in his artwork, resembling a secret dialogue that narrates the pulse of nature and existence in silence. In this artistic realm, we sense the profound meanings of nature and spirit. Let us revisit the overlooked details within Jimmy Lee's creations. The delicate yet resilient power seems to summon us to cherish the soul of the land, dancing with time as we explore the mysterious origins of heaven and earth.

 

Aida Yuen Wong

Nathan Cummings and Robert B. and Beatrice C. Mayer Professor in Fine Arts

Brandeis University, U.S.A.

October 20, 2024