展言
语言是个体组成集体过程中，最基本的一个条件。个体之间的“沟通/交流”，往往由一组组的“问题”和“答案”，堆砌而成。简单的线性思维去理解的话，基本上就是问题在前，答案在后。其实我们人自幼时，在掌握说话能力的初期，便就学会了问问题。逐渐打磨问问题的能力，实践问问题的自由，即使在可能没有答案的情况下我们也会去问问题。
提问会带来新发现，提问会带来新发明，提问会带来新的答案，提问会促发新的途径。若是我们不去提问，这将意味着人类社会在进步之路上的停滞。
在欧洲，现代主义之前，艺术用于宗教与价值观的宣传。现代主义之下，艺术被赋予观察与记录的责任，同时，如何记录眼前的“现实”也成了新的议题。而后现代艺术之后，艺术从“表现”迈向了“提问”。至此过去50-60年的当代艺术，本身成为了一种问问题的工具。西方当代艺术理论中所提倡的“提问”和“推翻”，随着西方艺术的影响力与话语权，被中国当代艺术的土壤吸收。
《把问题留在今天》李正新个展，是散步时刻画廊Champochic Gallery开幕以来的第三个艺术家个展。在《魏，你最近怎么样？》和《吸气吐气》这两个较为个体视角和轻松的展览之后，本次的展览希望能够开启当代艺术作为提问工具的议题，还有艺术家作为提问者的一些思考。李正新，1981年出生于河南，目前生活于北京郊外的青年艺术家。他的工作方向和他艺术追求所依据的原则，更多在探索艺术家个人对于“集体”的观察和诠释。人性、社会、集体结构是他主要的关注点。他的作品或许可以用硬派、甚至有点愤世嫉俗来形容，艺术家充满了对自我以及当下社会的反思，用艺术在提问。
李正新是艺术创作里的一位“行者”。在至今起起伏伏、辗转波折的人生履历中，他把传统绘画的路统统走了一遍。多年的创作里，他的作品媒介涉及素描、水墨、丙烯、油画、数码绘画等，以及近年正在进行的木刻版画和铜版画。绘画只是技术与工具，观念与自身信仰的实践才是他作品的内核。
此次个展《把问题留在今天》，观众将走入一个艺术家的“心脏”：由李正新的作品所构建的内心世界。木刻版画作品将是这次展览里的主旋律。黑白版画的力量感，锋利的画面构图，特别的叙事性，还有作品原作有复数性的特征，作为提问与传播的工具，是一种特别恰当的媒介。在画廊空间里也将展出艺术家的部分雕刻原版，让大家感受艺术家创作过程中的锋利感与能量。
同时，此次还将展出艺术家的布面丙烯、素描、独版纸本等作品，为观众完整呈现李正新作为一位艺术家的艺术轮廓。这些作品继承立体主义和抽象表现主义的手法去解构和呈现欲望、价值、时间、潜意识等的一些原始概念，将艺术家对于时间变化与人性真理的思考尽情展现，从这些议题上获取启示并寻找潜藏于背后的真相。
如果“提问”是艺术的目的，作品即是艺术的结果。艺术家在创作的过程中，一步步实践自己对于艺术的信仰。观众看着艺术家的作品，试图进入他这一轮的“提问”。在当下，我们要一起把“土壤”里的问题留在今日去思辨，而不是将它遗忘在遥远的、推给别人去负责的未来。散步时刻画廊Champochic Gallery诚挚地邀请大家于3月16号至5月5号，来我们的画廊一同观展，一同提问。x`
Prologue
Language is a fundamental part of the process in which individual entities form a societal collective. Exchanges flow between entities often in endless sets of “questions” and “answers”.From a linear perspective, the question comes first, then maybe the answers follow.As children, when we begin to grasp the ability to speak, quickly we learn to question. Overtime, we hone our abilities to formulate effective questions, to exercise our liberty to question, and to question even when there may be no answer.Questions lead to discoveries, questions lead to inventions. Questions lead to new answers, and questions eventually lead to new pathways. To not question would imply the stalemate of human societal advancement.
The function of art before Modernism was to preach religion and values. Modernism gave art the role to observe and record, and eventually question “how” artists could depict reality, or should they depict reality at all? During Post-Modernism, art shifted from expressionism to “raising questions”. In the past 50-60 years of contemporary art, art itself became a tool for questioning. And eventually the ideals of “questioning” and “break-through” embodied by Western art philosophy and methodology, were adopted by contemporary artists in China.
《QUESTION & ANSWERS》LI ZHENG XIN SOLO EXHIBITION is the third artist solo exhibit since Champochic Gallery opened its doors last year. Following our first two exhibitions《Murmur》，《Take a deep breath》which took on more personal perspectives and relaxed attitudes towards contemporary art, our next exhibition hopes to explore the issue on “art as a tool for questioning”.
Li Zheng Xin(1981) born in Henang, currently lives in the outskirts of Beijing. His work focuses on the observation and interpretation of the societal collective. Humanity, society, collective structure are his primary subjects. His style is rather hard-lined and cynical, yet through his work, one can sense the artist’s strong obligation and closeness to people and society.In Li’s journey as an artist, through ups and downs, twist and turns, he explores varying mediums ranging from sketch, Chinese ink, acrylic, oil paint, digital art as well as the current ongoing exploration of wood-block printing and etchings.Yet, painting to an artist is tools and technique, the inner core of one’s work eventually lies in the concepts behind the art and a sense of “faith” in the creative process and execution.
During the current exhibition, the audience will enter an “inner-world”, with wood-block print being the main chord. The power of black and white printmaking, precise visual composition and an unique narrative, these elements combined with the “multi-edition” format of printmaking, is what makes this medium particularly fitting for dissemination and expressing strong views. Within the current exhibit, some of the artist’s original woodcut blocks will also be on display, allowing the viewer to experience the sharpness and exciting energy of the print-making process.
On this occasion, other works of Li, including oil paint, sketches and single prints will also be shown, offering a holistic overview of his artistic pursuit. These pieces implying influences from cubism, abstract expressionism, seek to deconstruct and reflect upon concepts such as desire, value, time and the subconscious. Beneath the flowing hourglass and the surface of the human facade, the artist seeks to uncover the real truth that’s hidden away.
If the purpose of art is to question, then contemporary artists must question.
Contemporary art grows within the context of its local “environment”. If Li is putting forth his work, inviting us to question, then let us question today, let us question the present. There is urgency to ponder now, rather than to neglect and leave such responsibilities for someone else in the distant future.
Thus, it is with great sincerity, Champochic Gallery invites everyone to come to our gallery from March 16th to May 5th to observe, and to question together.
厦门市思明区民族路37号之1海祥大厦7楼
Level 7, Hai Xiang Building, 37-1 Min Zu Road, Siming District, Xiamen
Level 7, Hai Xiang Building, 37-1 Min Zu Road, Siming District, Xiamen
