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拍品專文
The contradiction between time and space seems to be easy to solve in these old dramas, just as Picasso sometimes solved the problem by folding objects on a plane. My own method is that after seeing an old Chinese opera, with their different characters in scene after scene, I take those characters one by one and fold them into the picture space. My goal is not the feeling of volume in the figures; what I seek instead is an overall sense of continuity. —Lin Fengmian
Reflecting on Lin Fengmian's works from the 1950s, his distinctive creative techniques, balanced compositions, and integration of core Eastern and Western elements vividly demonstrate his artistic maturity. In his opera figure series, Lin adopted cubist techniques, which presented unique challenges in terms of visual harmony when merging different stylistic approaches. However, Lin's engagement with Western art was not simply a matter of adopting its theories and aesthetics. Rather, he sought a distinct artistic language, blending traditional methods with Western forms to establish a personal and original perspective—an approach evident in his opera figure series. By 1951, Lin Fengmian had left teaching and moved to Shanghai, immersing himself in his work and nurturing a growing fascination with Chinese opera. Opera characters became a recurring theme in his art; he would carry a sketchbook to the theater, eventually succeeding in fusing cubism with the forms of these figures. Lin once remarked, “I enjoy watching movies and all kinds of dramas, whether good or bad. As long as there are images, action, and change, they captivate me.” These performances offered Lin alternative concepts of time and space, which he could relate to the segmented structure of plays, deepening his understanding of Cubist time-space manipulation. Observing stage images, he crafted his own dramatic compositions by fragmenting figures into blocks, simplifying shapes, and using bold, straight lines with sharp contrasts of red and black. To capture specific characters, he experimented with geometric structures and studied shadow plays composed of individual planes. His opera series recalls the forms in Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, yet by deconstructing and reconstructing the actors’ movements, Lin also absorbed the sequential energy characteristic of Futurist work. His depiction of space was deliberately flattened, yet his segmented compositions conveyed a sense of continuous time and motion—a synthesis of Cubist principles and Futurist temporal concepts akin to Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase. As he once told his student Pan Qiliu, “My aim is not to capture a sense of volume, but rather an overall continuity.” Lin's color choices reflect traditional folk art, often substituting modern Western pigments with natural minerals such as ochre, azurite, and ink, which impart a timeless, earthy quality. This combination brought out a deeply Chinese aesthetic in his work. In composition, Lin favored unique square formats, creating diverse arrangements within them. His opera character series, in particular, employs symmetrical compositions with paired figures placed closely, reducing spatial context to focus on their interaction. This unconventional, collage-like approach drew inspiration from his years of studying Han Dynasty portrait bricks, underscoring his commitment to synthesizing ancient and modern, Eastern and Western influences. Lin believed that, whether in the East or West, the creative use of line and color could form a universal language of art. His opera character series exemplifies his ability to unite seemingly opposing elements into a compelling, harmonious whole.
Reflecting on Lin Fengmian's works from the 1950s, his distinctive creative techniques, balanced compositions, and integration of core Eastern and Western elements vividly demonstrate his artistic maturity. In his opera figure series, Lin adopted cubist techniques, which presented unique challenges in terms of visual harmony when merging different stylistic approaches. However, Lin's engagement with Western art was not simply a matter of adopting its theories and aesthetics. Rather, he sought a distinct artistic language, blending traditional methods with Western forms to establish a personal and original perspective—an approach evident in his opera figure series. By 1951, Lin Fengmian had left teaching and moved to Shanghai, immersing himself in his work and nurturing a growing fascination with Chinese opera. Opera characters became a recurring theme in his art; he would carry a sketchbook to the theater, eventually succeeding in fusing cubism with the forms of these figures. Lin once remarked, “I enjoy watching movies and all kinds of dramas, whether good or bad. As long as there are images, action, and change, they captivate me.” These performances offered Lin alternative concepts of time and space, which he could relate to the segmented structure of plays, deepening his understanding of Cubist time-space manipulation. Observing stage images, he crafted his own dramatic compositions by fragmenting figures into blocks, simplifying shapes, and using bold, straight lines with sharp contrasts of red and black. To capture specific characters, he experimented with geometric structures and studied shadow plays composed of individual planes. His opera series recalls the forms in Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, yet by deconstructing and reconstructing the actors’ movements, Lin also absorbed the sequential energy characteristic of Futurist work. His depiction of space was deliberately flattened, yet his segmented compositions conveyed a sense of continuous time and motion—a synthesis of Cubist principles and Futurist temporal concepts akin to Duchamp’s Nude Descending a Staircase. As he once told his student Pan Qiliu, “My aim is not to capture a sense of volume, but rather an overall continuity.” Lin's color choices reflect traditional folk art, often substituting modern Western pigments with natural minerals such as ochre, azurite, and ink, which impart a timeless, earthy quality. This combination brought out a deeply Chinese aesthetic in his work. In composition, Lin favored unique square formats, creating diverse arrangements within them. His opera character series, in particular, employs symmetrical compositions with paired figures placed closely, reducing spatial context to focus on their interaction. This unconventional, collage-like approach drew inspiration from his years of studying Han Dynasty portrait bricks, underscoring his commitment to synthesizing ancient and modern, Eastern and Western influences. Lin believed that, whether in the East or West, the creative use of line and color could form a universal language of art. His opera character series exemplifies his ability to unite seemingly opposing elements into a compelling, harmonious whole.