通明  

When All At Once I Turn My Head, I Find Her There Where Lantern Light Is Brightly Shed. 
2022.10.21 - 2022.11.22

南京艺术学院美术馆，南京，中国

NO.2 & 5 Hall, Art Museum of Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China

蓦然回首   那人却在  灯火通明处

在某种程度上，艺术首先总是关于某种形象的，哪怕它可能仅仅呈现为一种极其抽象的面貌。首先，在作品中，总是存在和变换着一种形象。无论这些形象是迷乱的人和物，还是他们在其中游荡的荒诞风景或者幽闭空间，也无论这些形象是从艺术、历史或者个人和集体记忆中出走来的人、物、事件或者作品，还是身边自生自灭的日常狂欢或者无聊，或者某种经由艺术家介入后的人造景观及异常情境：一种形象及其行动总是在涌现。然而，在纷繁杂多的形象背后存在着某种共通性。从纯粹媒介物质化的层面来看，它们可能是绘画的色料、被演绎的人声，或者旷野的空气振动，或者是一种通识性文本，或者是喧嚣的朋友圈内外的消息流。

当然还有艺术家的身心，因而也总是由此带出艺术家自身的形象。无论这个“艺术家”是“兢兢业业”还是“冥顽不化”；是在家庭、体制和机构，在传道、授业，或是在职场、业界甚至是Meta世界，也无论这个“艺术家”在其行动的重重场景中是分身乏力还是游刃有余；无论这个“艺术家”迎来的是父母、朋友还是客户，或者四海之内皆姐妹……艺术及其作品总是涌现、闪耀、彩排、养成、革新和创作着艺术家自身的形象。

形象再生产着形象，由此在世界的现实条件下再生产着世界。最近的这几年，我们第一次真正接受了一次行星级别的自我身心管理，一场关于我们一己之身的潜能和能耐的考验。传统上，艺术家以一己之身的能耐及其传奇，通常成为关于人的潜能之传奇的顶峰之一。然而，在传统的和新的数字管理的叠加之下，一个人以一己之身还能有什么样的能耐？在今天，在大众浪奔浪涌的情感工作、普遍的平凡工作之日益主导下，在“躺平”和“内卷”的挣扎纠结下，如何将关于行动之潜能的思考，将以艺术作为志业的具体而职业的圈内问题，放在更加广泛的社会基础上，重新以一个普遍性的志业问题提出来？这是一个终极形象问题。这是一种普世形象及其行动的涌现、苦闷、幻灭、追寻、重燃和开创的问题。

但是她们又要具体落实在每一个人活生生的志业、工作和产出上，落实在那些承载着形象的，艺术或者非艺术的，共通的色料、声音、交往上，落实在个体化苦苦追寻的行动上。而蓦然回首，那个形象却在灯火通明之处。《通明》，这一从展览出发的系列项目的第一回，想要从具体的艺术家的工作案例出发，追寻和触及一种逐渐宽广的，编织在集体和个体社会纽带中的，艺术之承续和交往的普遍情境和境界，以启发应对我们当前的普遍处境。

王亚敏

When All At Once I Turn My Head, I Find Her There Where Lantern Light Is Brightly Shed. 
To some extent, art is first always about an image, even if it only presents an extremely abstract and self-referential one. There is always a kind of image with its transformation. Whether it’s a cast of bewildering figures and objects and the absurd landscapes in which they wander, a claustrophobic space; whether it's from art or history, including people, events, and works from individual and collective memory; whether it's the short-lived daily revelries surrounding us or boredom or some kind of artist-intervened artificial landscape or abnormal situation; an image and its transformation are always emerging. There is a commonality behind the multitude of images. On the level of pure media quality, they could be the colors of a painting, the human voice being performed, the vibrations of the open air. It could be a general text on how to create contemporary art or a message flow between friends that breaks through and crosses borders.
Of course, there’s also the artist's body and soul, and thus, the artist’s own image which is brought out. Whether it’s "cautious and conscientious " or "impenetrable"; in the setting of a family, a system or organization; in the process of delivering a sermon or lesson in work or industry; or in the Metaverse; perhaps in the fray of multitasking or in razor-sharp focus; whether it's a parent, a friend, a client, or sisters from around the world... What emerges, shines, rehearses, nurtures, innovates and creates is the image of the artist himself.
Image produces image, and according to the conditions of reality, thus the world is produced. We have truly embraced a planetary level of self-administration for the first time, conducting a campaign about the test and measurement of the potential and ability of our bodies. Traditionally, the artist uses the ability and self-mythology of their body to become a pinnacle story of human potential. And yet, in the pervasive overlay of traditional and new administration, what ability is left to explore in one’s own body? Today, within a broader environment where vocational and labor issues have given rise to "quiet quitting” and productivity loss, can those in the art field put forward thoughts on the potential of action that address commonplace vocational issues as well as their own industry-specific problems?
This is the ultimate image problem. It is the emergence, anguish, disillusionment and recreation of a universal image and its transformation.
But they must be embodied in the living work and output of each individual, in that which carries the image, artistic or non-artistic, in common colors, sounds and communication, the implementation of individualized, hard to pursue action. But looking back, the image appears in bright lights.
"When All At Once I Turn My Head, I Find Her There Where Lantern Light Is Brightly Shed.” is a series of projects starting with this exhibition, taking specific cases from artists’ works to pursue and touch upon a gradual broadening woven into the fabric of collective and individual social bonds, the universal situation and state of artistic continuity and exchange, to inspire a response to our prevailing situation.
Wang YaminAMNUA