此中有真意 欲辯已忘言

讀郭凱的畫

文／劉素玉

   美國著名的散文作家梭羅(Henry David Thoreau)曾經說過：「人類以萬物之靈自居，以成千上萬的發明自豪，還有先人嘔心泣血的詩歌詞賦；不過只要在森林一沾春風的喜悅，就不難領悟何者才是文明進化的指標。」

梭羅的《湖邊散記》(Walden) 被公認是最偉大的自然文學經典之作，他樸素的文字，崇尚返樸歸真的精神，宛如一股清泉，注入了物慾橫流的現代社會中，一個世紀多過去了，人們不斷回到梭羅所居所詠的華爾騰湖畔，盼望能像哲人一樣，跳脫凡塵俗世，重回大自然的懷抱。

在我的感覺上，郭凱的油畫作品，不論精神與行動與梭羅有不少相似之處，都是要逃離都市文明，徜徉在自然山水之中，對生命理想的追求，更是與大自然中的萬物環環相扣，不論湖光山色、季節更迭，對他們而言，都是處處皆文章，處處皆風景。

不過，郭凱作品裡更有一種東方的意境，尤其是中國山水畫中的氣韻。當然，他筆下盡是皖南的山水風光，生於斯，長於斯的郭凱，沒有追隨安徽老祖先的慣例，出外打天下，而是沈穩自在的生活在自己的家鄉，那種安逸氣息也貫穿在繪畫當中，那麼樣的寧靜，寧靜的風景卻令人的心思可以飄到無窮盡的遠方去，古人說，寧靜致遠，真是有智慧。

 

郭凱也沒有追隨現今中國藝術家最流行的腳步，跑到一線城市去發展，也沒有一窩蜂地進駐熱門的藝術村，更有甚者，不像絕大多數的藝術家躲在畫室裡畫畫，反而經常出外寫生。他遠離都市，遠離塵囂，走到了雲霧縹緲，人煙稀少的風景裡，而景致與自然和諧相容的皖南郊野是他的最愛。踽踽獨行的他，不會有聚集在藝術村裡的藝術家在創作時相互感染的風氣，卻有走入自然風光裡的新鮮氣息，他的創作態度是獨立的，而深入山林之中，更能與天地萬物互相感應，也才能深入描繪自然山水的意境。他老老實實的用肉眼看風景，老老實實的用筆畫畫，不用照相機、投影機、電腦繪圖…，不借助任何神奇科技的協助，他畫面表現的效果是個人的視覺角度所觀測的世界，而不是通過現代科技儀器投射下的不自然變形。他實際在風景現場進行創作，那種與現實景物產生的感情與互動，絕不是閉門造車的畫家所能深入體會的。

安徽的山川景物名聞天下，自古以來文風鼎盛，而徽派建築更是集安徽山水之靈氣，融風俗文化之精華，依山就勢，構思精巧，風格獨特，充分體現了崇尚自然與和諧的人居精神。所謂「一方水土，養一方人」，生長於安徽的郭凱，長期在靈山秀水的熏染之下，養成清新脫俗的氣質，但與他個人天生秉性寧靜雅致終究息息相關，安徽如詩般的美麗風景，處處皆有詩意，處處皆可入畫，他的畫富有詩意，連畫名也有富有詩意和思古情懷。

「粉牆、黛瓦、馬頭牆」是皖南徽派建築最著名的特色，也是令人信手拈來最佳的創作背景，郭凱盡情地運用這絕佳素材，但小心奕奕地力求不流於俗套，他作品的嚴謹精神與作法，簡直與徽派建築如出一轍，講究自然得體，以及韻律美感；在增加畫面的協調感方面，他也下了許多功夫，特別是由色塊構成圖面整體的圖案，表現寫生的效果，也成為他的別具一格的風格和符號；而精確和協調的色塊組合起來產生整體的完整性，更加表達畫中寧靜的氣氛。

郭凱常在畫面中留下一、兩個小點，有黑色、粉紅色，這種具有「定位」功能的「定點」，實在具有畫龍點睛之效，能吸引觀賞者進入畫中，引導他們的視覺去探索畫面的每一個局部，借用一個定點到轉移到另一個定點時，觀賞者除了更加仔細觀察畫面的肌理之外，也更能感受到色塊和定點之間的互動性；此外，觀賞者細細探索每一個局部之後，各別局部內容會留存在腦海裡，然後再自行組合成為一個整體。一般人觀賞風景畫，都是由遠距離去欣賞，首先主要感受整體作品的氣氛，而郭凱的小定點與色塊能吸引觀賞者以近距離觀察作品，產生新的視覺效果，觀賞者對畫面也會有進一步的體驗。

郭凱十分潔身自愛，這種態度從他的生活到創作都表裡一致。他的住家與畫室都打理得整整齊齊，一塵不染；而他的繪畫，不論畫面、構圖、顏色、線條…，也都一絲不苟，連一個小點點，都不是漫不經心留下的，而是刻意精心安排的。

對於顏色的運用，郭凱也有獨到之處。他使用的主色通常很簡單，主要以單色和類似的相關色彩構圖，產生統一和寧靜的效果。雖然畫中也常出現對比色，如粉紅色、綠色等，並且不染成中間色，但是整體感覺還是協調的、不衝突的，而且對比色還有造成色塊之間的互動感的效果，色塊彼此之間的互動，增加畫面的層次感與立體感。

皖南徽派建築最有特色的黑瓦白牆，依附在青山綠水之中，原本就是完美無缺的和諧畫面，郭凱善於捕捉這種天生美景的氣氛，更細心經營舖設，例如特別重覆屋瓦的橫線條，即使是水面鏡影，也有重覆出現的橫線條，產生一種韻律感與節奏感；至於畫面的前景也刻意拉平，而並非肉眼所看出去的圓弧形，如此創造一種十分協調的感覺，並增加夢幻感。

留白與飛白的運用是郭凱的風景油畫的一個特點。西洋油畫主要靠油彩顏料的堆砌，傳統中國水墨畫卻相反，往往一筆成形，無法靠顏色堆疊修改畫面，也不使用白色線條，郭凱的油畫裡卻有留白，露出了畫布的原色，也有像是乾筆快速刷過的飛白。不論留白或飛白，都讓郭凱的繪畫作品增加了一種輕鬆寫意的氛圍，並呈現了中國傳統山水畫的超然意境。根據郭凱自述，畫面的留白是有意識的，有的白是筆觸的自然狀態下掃出來的，然後就勢整理歸納到滿意狀態，有的是沒想好留下的。總之，畫面留白是想用有意的理性經營無意的偶然。

畫作主題的選擇使得郭凱的寫生風景深具生命力，也富有傳統山水的精神，例如河川，不僅是視覺上富有吸引力，也讓人產生對生命和文明延續不斷的禮讚；樹林在郭凱作品中是最重要的主題之一，而他的樹林總是欣欣向榮，即使是秋冬的樹林，枯葉落盡，一樣昂首向天，龐然高大，堅韌力十足；高聳入雲的古塔，昂然向上，遺世獨立，也令人發思古幽情；橋樑、稻田、溪流…，點綴於山光水色之中，更令人對世外桃源心嚮往之。

郭凱風景畫中，幾乎難尋的就是人物，本次展覽唯一的一幅作品有人物是《幽潭泛舟》，畫面裡只有一位孤單的漁夫，傳統國畫的漁夫象徵脫離現實生活，追求獨立個性，郭凱是否具有這種想法未可知，或許這也是對於中國人太多的一種反抗心理吧。中國最美的風景是「風景」，與時下盛傳「台灣最美的風景是『人』」，大異其趣。梭羅說：「如果我真的對雲說話，你千萬不要見怪。」郭凱的寫生風景，正如梭羅的散文一樣，都是發自內心與大自然交流對話，陶淵明的詩句，「此中有真意，欲辯已忘言。」正是這種境界。

 

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There is Already Truth Within, I Need Not Argue More

The famous American essayist Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) once wrote:

Men say they know many things;
But lo! They have taken wings —The arts and sciences
And a thousand appliances;
The wind that blows
Is all that anybody knows

Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, or Life in the Woods is recognized as his greatest literary classic on natural living. With his use of simple and eloquent language, Thoreau advocates a spiritual return to the basics, which strikes at the very heart of the materialistic nature of modern society. Centuries later, the Walden is still celebrated by those wishing to escape the mundane matters of daily life, and to once again return to nature’s fond embrace, as a hermit or philosopher.

In my opinion, Guo Kai’s paintings, in of both spirit and form, are very similar to the thought of Henry David Thoreau. They both advocate the escape from urban living, and the return to a natural environment. In terms of their highest ideal of living, it is to be one with nature. For Guo and Thoreau, they change with the seasons and go where the river takes them, where every landscape is an inspiration for either an essay or a painting.

However, Guo Kao’s artworks also carry a sense of Eastern philosophy, much like a traditional Chinese landscape painting. Of course, Guo’s art is best represented by his iconic landscapes of Southern Anhui. Born and raised in the basin between Yangtze and Huai rivers, Guo is comfortable and content in his native land, where the luscious and tranquil atmosphere of the Southern Anhui countryside is brilliantly captured by his art. Guo’s quiet and serene landscapes genuinely invite the viewer into his seemingly distant dream world. As the ancient Chinese believe; to wander quietly afar is to have wisdom.

Unlike most contemporary Chinese artists, Guo Kai never followed the trend of migrating to major cities or painting in a popular art village. Moreover, unlike those who live and work in the studio, Guo enjoys painting from life outdoors. He leaves behind the hubbub of the city, and places himself in a sparsely populated landscape, into the serene nature of the Southern Anhui that he loves. Alone with nature, Guo is free from the influences and social pressures of artists from art villages. His sole artistic inspiration comes from the land itself; the mountains, the rivers, and the life it creates. And from the land, there on the spot, he simply sketches and paints what his eyes see, without cameras, projectors, or computer graphics, that is without any external assistance from technology. In this way, the composition on the canvas, is a direct representation of his artful observation of the world – seen through his eyes, composed by his mind, and carried out by his hands – without any unnatural angles or distortions by camera lenses. Through this interactive process, he not only develops a high familiarity, but also an emotional bold with the landscape, something a painter behind closed doors can never fully understand.

The land of Anhui is famous throughout China, known for its abundance of culture since dynastic times; the definitive, of course, is the traditional architecture of Huizhou, or modern-day Huangshan City. The so-called Hui style of architecture is an embodiment of the customs and beliefs of the people of Southern Anhui. It is unique in style, sophisticated in form, and an architectural achievement of harmony between man and building. Much like the Chinese proverb “a land supports a people,”^[1] born and raised in Southern Anhui, Guo Kai is a Southern Anhui person. Brought up among the mountains and streams, Guo has not only develop a delightful temperament toward nature, but also with his elegant intelligence and understanding of the land, he can fully appreciate the artistic and poetic qualities of the Southern Anhui landscape, where anything can be art, and anything can be poetry; often intertwined upon the composition of his canvas.

White-washed walls, black roof tiles, and horse-head walls are the iconic architectural features of the Southern Anhui style. Naturally they serve as scenic images for painters and photographers alike. Although Guo Kai is not the first in depicting this time-honored landscape, he skillfully avoids making cliches through his conscious attitude in facing the subject matter. By studying each detail of the Hui architecture, as well as the governing philosophy behind the structure, Guo develops an unique understanding of the patterns and rhythms formed by the walls and roofs, and ultimately how they interact with the surrounding landscape. In representing the this natural rhythm, Guo’s composition is created by small patches of light shades and colors, which interact with one and another, creating a rich and harmonious atmosphere, like pieces on a puzzle. In this way, Guo not only expresses the sense of life drawing from nature, but also creates an unique and distinctive style for himself as an artist.

In Guo Kai’s paintings, the intrigued viewer often finds tiny dots of black, white and pink, scattered across the composition. These dots are intentionally planted by Guo as focal points; a visual device to attract the attention of the viewer, and to guide his or her eyes from one area of the canvas to next. Thus the viewer not only carefully examines every detail of the composition, such as the pressure of the brushstrokes and texture of the paint, but also further experiences the playful interaction between the tiny dots and larger patches of color. And from the buildup of shapes and colors, the viewer’s gaze is brought back to the overall composition. Therefore, while landscape paintings are generally viewed as a whole, in terms of the larger atmosphere, Guo’s visual devices and keen attention to detail invite the viewer for a more intimate and exciting look into his artwork, which ultimately enhances the visual experience.

Those who know Guo Kai personally, all know he as a very clean and tidy person, in both appearance and persona. This attitude is translated into his life and art, starting from a tidy home and an organized studio. In his paintings, from the overall composition to the slightest line or finishing dot, each and every detail on the canvas is deliberately and carefully orchestrated. The same precision can be said about Guo’s use of color. While his images often appear monochromatic at first glance, they are in fact composed of a main color supplemented by many colors in correlation with it. By selecting contrasting supplementary colors, such as light green or pink hues juxtaposed with simple shades of bluish grey, the different patches of color interact with one and another, creating a moving dynamic effect. However, as the different shades and colors are all derived from one main color, the overall composition appears unified and peaceful.

 

The beauty of Southern Anhui’s architecture is how the whited-washed walls and black rooftops stand in unison with the surrounding landscape. Spread harmoniously across the horizon, with mountains serving as a backdrop, the curvy lines of the horse-head walls are like brushstrokes on a painting. Guo Kai captures this essence brilliantly by representing the patterns and rhythms formed by the architecture and landscape. Through repetition, he emphasizes the horizontal lines of the image, and thus creates a calming sense of rhythm. Also, his compositions are deliberately leveled and stretched by forgoing the use single-point perspective, which tricks the eyes, and further enhances the dreamlike atmosphere.

Traditional Chinese ink painting techniques of preserving negative space (liubai) and flying-white brushwork (feibai) are remarkable features of Guo Kai’s artwork. Whereas Western oil painting is generally created by accumulating and mixing multiple layers of paint, brushstrokes of traditional Chinese ink painting cannot be layered or altered. Moreover, ink painting cannot produce the color white with brushstrokes, and must instead preserve the original color of the paper or silk as white. Although Guo Kai’s medium of painting is oil paint, he nonetheless chooses to adhere to this tradition, by leaving fragments of the primed canvas visible and unadorned with paint. Moreover, Guo often paints with a dry brush, thereby leaving dry spots in the wake of the brushstroke, essentially in the same manner as the flying-white brushwork of Chinese calligraphy. Through the employment of these traditional techniques, Guo Kai has transferred the transcendental atmosphere of traditional Chinese landscape painting into the Western medium of oil painting, has ultimately demonstrated the rational deliberations behind his creative process.

From the subject matter of Guo Kai’s paintings, that is the life drawings of the Southern Anhui landscape, is an abundant sense of vitality from both nature and civilization. Mountains are depicted like standing monuments, while rivers are forged with the power of sustaining life. Trees and branches are painted as thriving and blooming. Even in winter scenes where the leaves have fallen and branches are bare, the trunks of the trees still remain tall and strong. Stone bridges and their reflections in the water are not only visually beautiful, but also inviting to the viewer, as it is easy to picture oneself walking across them. Ancient pagodas tower over the landscape, evoking glories of the past, while distant villages and rice paddies are present testaments to the continuity of traditional country life, of which Guo Kai quietly yearns for.

In Guo Kai’s landscapes, human figures are rarely shown. In this exhibition, only Sailing on a Secluded Lake of 2013 is painted with a clear human subject; a lone fisherman. In traditional Chinese painting, the motif of the fisherman symbolizes an escape and refuge from society and the pursuit of life as a hermit. Although I do not know for certain whether or not Guo Kai has this type of mentality, I can surely imagine most Chinese people relishing over this ideal. It is often said that China’s most beautiful scenery is landscape, while Taiwan’s most beautiful scenery is people, which is amusing and rather truthful. Henry David Thoreau once said “you must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds.” Guo Kai’s paintings are like Thoreau’s essays, they are both a heartfelt dialogues with nature. And as poet Tao Yuanming (365 – 427) would say, “there is already truth within, I need to argue more.”

Elaine SY Liu
Translated by Timothy Chang