對話付斌：「木板綜合材料」是一種版畫語言的探索 Interview with Fu Bin: “Mixed media on wood board is an exploration of prin
時間：2017年8月16日
地點：清華大學美術學院版畫工作室
人物：石冠哲（以下簡稱「石」）、付斌（以下簡稱「付」）
石：首先祝賀你年底將在香港舉辦首個個展。我注意到，你當前的藝術創作和早期有一些不同，這種創作面貌是如何形成的？這種面貌和你早期的創作有什麼內在聯繫？
付: 謝謝！在中央美術學院攻讀研究生期間，我的研究方向是「版畫的應用性研究」。通過研究版畫的歷史我發現版畫具有非常前衛的基因，它總是跟最先進的複製技術同步發展，與當時的宗教、文化、政治需求緊密關聯。另一方面，版畫在歷史的每個階段又跟藝術家的需求緊密相關，藝術家根據自身的需要對版畫的技術和材料加以利用並進行改造。例如埃德加•德加創作了大量的獨幅版畫（Monotype），安迪•沃霍爾也用絲網版在不同的材料上創作了一批藝術史經典的波普圖像。所以我也試圖要在作品中打破一些版畫規則的限制，根據創作的需要來進行傳統版畫特點的取捨。
從我早期的作品來看，大多是傳統的石版畫。當時比較專注純粹的版畫創作，想在版畫本體語言上嫁接當代藝術，利用最傳統的藝術形式來對當下生活進行思考和表達。雖然現在的作品在手法和表現題材上有了較為顯著的轉變，但創作的核心都是圍繞對人與社會、文化、環境，以及人的生存狀態的思考，在創作的形式上也是一直以版畫為原點進行拓展實踐。
石： 你覺得這種創作是否還在版畫的定義範疇之內？相較於傳統版畫，你所追求的突破之處在哪裡？
付： 我認為應該算是廣義上的版畫。因為它具有典型的版畫造型語言和製作方法，以及包含的版畫思維。其實我覺得屬於版畫還是別的什麼並不重要，藝術學科劃分地太清晰的話也會給創作帶來限制。
我把我的作品定義為木板綜合材料（Mixed media on wood board），是介於木刻和架上繪畫之間，結合了這兩種媒介的特點。對比傳統版畫，我的作品只有製版沒有印刷，捨棄了版畫的「複數」，這也就是我在剛才說的「根據創作的需要來進行傳統版畫特點的取捨」，從而直接將版畫的「版」呈現了出來，突出了木刻造型語言的特點和刀痕的豐富肌理。通過凸顯「版」的唯一性，強調版畫學科自身的獨立性。
石： 我在近年來的策展實踐和藝術評論工作中也越來越多地感覺到版畫藝術正在進行一種當代轉型。這種轉型的趨勢在青年藝術家中尤為明顯，你的「木板綜合材料」作品就是一個很好的案例。從你的角度來看，你覺得促使這一「轉型」的動力是什麼？
付： 這種轉型有兩方面的原因。一方面是在當代藝術市場環境下，版畫長期受到市場的冷落。同時版畫創作還受到各種創作條件的限制，在沒有版畫工坊的支持下很難長期從事版畫創作。另一方面，版畫創作的經歷，使藝術家形成了相對理性的思維和創作方法，能夠面對問題找到轉換的方式。這兩方面的原因促使學習版畫的藝術家更注重學術思考和實驗性，立足創作的核心來拓展版畫的維度，將版畫從單純的創作方式轉化為一種新的表達，甚至是參與和介入的媒介。
石： 看你的作品，尤其是你現在創作的「木板綜合材料」作品，基本都專注於城市建築的描繪。為什麼關注於此？
付： 城市道路和建築景觀構成了典型的現代都市生活場景，在這樣的人造景觀中，人物形象乃至於城市天空都可以省略。林立的高樓成為現代人都市生活的一種縮影，一種精神狀態，也是一種無法逃脫的矛盾心態，從而營造了都市人群陌生與疏離的內心感受。對於這種感受的把握成為我這一系列作品中最想表達的情感體驗，城市建築在我看來就是這種情感體驗的最佳承載。
石： 這次將要在香港展覽的一系列作品是如何形成的，這些城市風景在挑選上有什麼講究？
付： 這一系列作品的素材來自於我幾次在香港的旅行。我發現香港滿足了我對超級都市的想象，就像是電影《銀翼殺手》中垂直發展的未來城市，高樓林立，狹窄擁擠。極端發達的、熱鬧的都市空間和破舊的、寂寞的城市角落擠壓在一起，形成了巨大的反差。這種反差更加強化了身處其中的人的疏離感，讓我自然產生一種創作的衝動，從而促使自己拿起相機深入到這個城市的街頭巷尾去尋找創作素材。我在取景上主要考慮了兩個方面的因素：一是環境本身所具有的氛圍是否契合我的創作所要體現的景觀特點。所以這些環境都是截取式的，看上去是一些很平常的，不會引人矚目的城市一角，足以傳達出我想要在作品中體現的情感訴求。二是這些環境是否達到了「入畫」的標準。即建築結構的線條和表面偶然形成的構圖要具有非常獨特的形式感，符合藝術創作的基本審美要求。滿足了上述兩點要求的城市景觀，我才有可能將其納入到創作的考慮中來。
石： 對於未來的創作方向，你有哪些計劃？
付： 我的創作到目前為止都是持續性的，只不過在不同的階段各有側重。這種持續性的核心都是在探索版畫語言發展的可能性。我雖然是從傳統的紙上版畫進入到木板綜合材料的領域，但在創作木板綜合材料繪畫的同時也在持續創作紙上版畫作品，並且還在嘗試用傳統的版畫製作媒介來進行實驗性創作。未來的作品我希望能與我的個人經驗更加契合，持續探索新的表達形式和材料，不只是局限在創作具象的、平面的作品，希望能在當下創作語言和面貌的基礎上有進一步的突破。
Time: August 16, 2017
Place: Printmaking studio of Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University
Interviewer: Shi Guanzhe (Shi)
Interviewee: Fu Bin (Fu)
Shi:
First of all, congratulations! Your first solo exhibition would be in Hong Kong at the end of this year. I have noticed that your current artistic creations are different from your earlier ones. What leads to the current creation features and is there any internal connection with your earlier creations?
Fu:
Thank you! When I was a postgraduate in China Central Academy of Fine Arts, my research direction was “applied research of printmaking”. By studying the history of printmaking, I found that the print carries some genes that are quite avant-garde, for it always develops at the same pace with that of the most advanced replica techniques of the time and also has strong connections with the religions, cultures and politics then. On the other hand, printmaking in each historical phase is closely related to the demands of artists, for they apply and transform the printing techniques as well as materials according to their own needs. For instance, Edgar Degas produced a large number of monotypes and Andy Warhol used screen printing to create classic pop images on different materials, which is of great significance in the history of art. Hence, I try to break some rules in my works and make choices among the characteristics of traditional printmaking according to the need of the work.
Most of my early works are traditional lithographs. At that period I kept my focus on pure creation of printmaking. I intended to engraft the contemporary art upon the unique language of printmaking, and express my reflections on the present life by the most traditional form of art. Although my current works have undergone significant transformations in techniques and expressive subject matters, the core of the creations is still about my thoughts about human and society, culture, environment and people’s living state. Also, my creations have always been developed from the printmaking, as the origin in form.
Shi:
Do you think this type of creations is still within the definition of printmaking? Compared to the traditional printmaking, what is the breakthrough that you have been pursuing?
Fu:
For me it is, in a broad sense, because it involves the traditional modeling language and techniques of printmaking, as well as its mindset. In fact I don’t think it matters whether it belongs to printmaking or something else. A definite classification of art subjects might bring limitations to the creation.
I define my works as Mixed Media on Wood Board, combining the characteristics of both woodcut and easel painting. Compared to traditional printmaking, my works only include platemaking instead of printing. Such abandoning the complexity of printmaking is just what I said making “choices among the characteristics of traditional printmaking according to the need of the work,” which helps demonstrate directly of the “print” in “printmaking”, highlighting the characteristics of woodcut modelling language and the rich texture of cutting traces. Emphasizing the uniqueness of the “print” could help the independent identity of printmaking as an art subject stand out.
Shi:
I have increasingly felt in my curations and my art reviews in recent years that the printmaking is undergoing a contemporary transformation. Such trend is presented especially among young artists, and your works of Mixed Media on Wood Board is exactly a good case of it. From your point of view, what is the driving force behind the transformation?
Fu:
There are two reasons. One is that printmaking has long been given the cold shoulder in the current art market climate. Also, print creations are restricted by various conditions. Without the support of print workshops, it’s difficult to insist printmaking for a long period of time. On the other hand, the experience of printmaking gives artists a rather rational mindset and techniques, enabling them to change different perspectives when facing problems. Both of the reasons help printmakers pay more attentions to the artistic and experimental reflections, expand the dimensions of printmaking based on the core of creation, and turn the prints into a new way of expression, sometimes even a participant medium, instead of just a mode of creation.
Shi:
Throughout your works, especially the current mixed media on wood board, most of them are depictions of urban architecture. What makes it the focus of your creation?
Fu:
Urban roads and construction landscape make up typical scenes of modern city life. Images of figures, even the urban sky, could be ignored in this case. Skyscrapers become an epitome, of modern people’s city life and reflect their spiritual state, an ambivalent altitude that one can never escape. Holding such inner feeling of isolation and indifference is what I want to express the most in this series of works. For me urban architecture is the best medium to convey this emotional experience.
Shi:
How did the series displayed in this Hong Kong exhibition take shape? How did you select these city landscapes?
Fu:
The materials of this series of works came from my several trips in Hong Kong. I found that Hong Kong managed to meet all my imaginations of a “super city”, just like the fictional city in Blade Runner (1982) which fully exploits the vertical space, a crammed city full of skyscrapers. Highly developed urban space is contrasted with shabby and abandoned urban corners. Such contrast intensifies the sense of alienation of those who live in the city, which brings out a strong impulse to create. So I picked up my camera and went into the crowds throughout the city to search for materials. There are two criteria when I chose the scenes: one is whether the atmosphere carried by the environment itself contains the characteristics that fit my creations. Hence, all the environments are intercepted. Seemed to be trivial corners throughout the city, they are enough to express my emotional appeals in these works. The second criterion is whether the environment is suitable in the final presentation. I mean that the outlines of construction structure and the composition of the picture which takes shape spontaneously need to have a unique sense of ritual, meeting the basic aesthetic requirements of an artistic creation. Only meeting these two criteria would it be taken into consideration of my further creations.
Shi:
Do you have any plan for your future creation?
Fu:
So far my creations have been a continuous process, though they have different emphasize in different period of time. The core of such continuity lies in the exploration of more possibilities of the development of printmaking language. Although I turned from traditional printmaking on paper to the field of mixed media on wood board, I never abandon the former one, and still keep creating in traditional way. I also try to carry through experimental creation by traditional means. In the future I hope the works could better tally with my personal experience. I would keep exploring new materials and means of expression, not confined to make concrete and flat works. I expect a step forward on basis of current printmaking language and features.
