細節
魏樂唐
抽象
油彩 畫布
1991年作
簽名:John Way
來源:
亞洲 私人收藏
出版:
2001年《魏樂唐八十回顧》上海美術館 上海 中國 (圖版,第149頁)

抽象藝術成了20世紀藝術發展的一大美學脈絡,1950-60年代,抽象藝術的浪潮席捲全球,從事抽象創作的西方藝術家固然甚眾,中國第二代油畫家群中,專以抽象創作著名也有趙無極、朱德群、魏樂唐和陳蔭羆等四位。與其他三位藝術家比較,魏樂唐的抽象藝術受中國書法、篆刻的影響最深,藝術表現上包含有強烈的書寫性、表現性的線條元素。《抽象》(Lot 1369)可以充份表現這個創作特色。在畫面佈置上,橫空出世一道筆墨,如草書飛揚遒勁的線條態勢,黑色線條以一種迅捷有力的氣勢衝破明淨柔和的背景色彩,動與靜、剛與柔的對比,充滿視覺張力,在畫面上營造出一種大刀闊斧的氣勢。畫面特別突出線條的舞動和揮灑動感,藉著線條的長短粗細、強弱濃淡、疾徐舒揚來表達一種音樂、書法的美感。作品的線條好像構成一個又一個的草書字樣,只是去除字義,而仍保留氣韻生動的精神,於色彩之間躍動,構成一個個新鮮、瀟灑秀逸的視覺形象。畫面設色濃烈、原色濃淡交錯,體現魏碑金石書法的精神,開創出魏樂唐式的「書法抽象」繪畫語言,深化了抽象表現藝術的內涵。


魏樂唐50-60年代的作品較多濃重的色塊和堆疊,70年代以後則多採用水墨的藝術技巧。《抽象》(Lot 1370)則充分表現了魏樂唐水墨揮灑、渲染、潑染、皴擦等圓熟技法。他採用的是油畫顏料,先以溶劑稀釋油彩,再以薄油彩揮灑、潑落於畫面,使油畫在畫面上呈現擴散、滴落、流動和暈染的痕跡,營造了水墨畫淋漓、氤氳的視覺效果,表現東方藝術一貫的空靈、冥思境界。而魏樂唐的滴墨、潑灑技法,和50年代盛行於紐約的「自動性 / 行動性繪畫」的波洛克 (Jackson Pollock, 1912- 1962)也有相近之處,同樣在作品中呈現一種瀚墨淋漓、潑放流麗的感覺和氣勢恢宏的空間感,也記錄了藝術家創作時的激切投入和回環往覆的心情起伏。在選色方面,魏樂唐作品多採用紅黃藍等鮮活、強烈的原色,這一點似受漢唐壁畫和唐三彩豔麗的色彩組合所啟發。畫家醉心於琺瑯藝術,舊日在家設有小型工作室,用來燒製琺瑯器物,釉彩千變萬化的色彩表現,也被畫家帶到畫布上。
來源
Private Collection, Asia
出版
Shanghai Art Museum, John Way, Shanghai, China, 2001 (illustrated, p. 149).

榮譽呈獻

Felix Yip
Felix Yip

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Abstract art has become a main aesthetic component in the development of art in the 20th Century. Since the works of Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) at the start of the century, abstract art has overthrown the predominant trend of the Impressionist masters and their pursuit of capturing specific light conditions. Abstract artists abandoned traditional compositions of distinguishable objects and forms executed in the one-point perspective, in favor of an inward exploration in a freewheeling universe of sheer visual color and force. The 1950s and 1960s saw a global surge of artists experimenting in the abstract genre. In China, the pioneers included Zao Wou-ki, Chu Teh-chun, and George Chann. Compared to these three artists, John Way drew the most inspirations from Chinese calligraphy and seal cutting, revealing in his brushwork a true understanding of these Chinese art forms.

Abstraction (Lot 1369) displays the artistic creativity characteristic of John Way. In this painting, the black ink flows freely on the canvas with the movement of lines reminiscent of the Chinese cursive script. The quick brushstrokes forcefully brush against the harmonious color background, capturing both vitality and tranquility. By controlling the length, thickness and intensity of these lines, John Way presents the kind of rhythm and aesthetics often seen in Chinese calligraphy. Executed in the manner of cursive script, these lines remind one of characters despite their lack of any literal meaning, conveying a sense of vitality and a visual effect of freshness and simplicity.

John Way's works in the 1950 and 1960s are characterized by the use of intense and bold colors layered on top of each other. From the 1970s onward, traditional Chinese painting techniques became more apparent in his works as he began manipulating his brush like an ink painting. Abstraction (Lot 1370) is a fine example of John Way's mastery over the ink painting techniques such as dripping, splashing, bleeding, and cun rubbing of the ink. He used diluted oil paints to pour over the canvas, let the paint to run across freely on the surface, creating the visual effect of free movement and expansion, and reflecting the realm of emptiness and boundless space often found in Oriental art.


John Way's ink dripping and pouring techniques were similar to the "action painting" style adopted by Jackson Pollock (1912-1962) popular in New York in the 1950s. Both their paintings impart an overwhelming sense of boundless space, a mirror into the soul and feelings of both artists during the creative process. Way often used vivid colors such as reds, yellows and blues, likely to have been influenced and inspired by Han and Tang dynasties frescos and tri-colored pottery glazes. His love for overglaze enamels was apparent in that he had a small studio in his home for firing ceramics and also manifested through the use of vibrant colours in his paintings.

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