管郁達(dá)
2008年由美國(guó)華爾街呼嘯而來(lái)的全球金融風(fēng)暴不但重創(chuàng)了藝術(shù)資本主義的市場(chǎng)體系和展覽制度，也給剛剛走出意識(shí)形態(tài)牢籠、在追求現(xiàn)代性道路上步履踉蹌的中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)，提出了許多亟待反思和檢討、而且是不可回避的尖銳問(wèn)題。中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)目前正處在一個(gè)特殊的充滿挑戰(zhàn)的文化轉(zhuǎn)型時(shí)期：一個(gè)雜語(yǔ)并存與“眾聲喧嘩”(heteroglossia)的時(shí)代。所有古已有之和從西方舶來(lái)的現(xiàn)成的時(shí)髦的理論方法都無(wú)法對(duì)今天紛繁復(fù)雜的藝術(shù)現(xiàn)象給出有效合理的解釋，那種指望靠一把手術(shù)刀一勞永逸地解決中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)問(wèn)題的想法，已經(jīng)被證明是一種一元論的烏托邦。中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)的發(fā)展必須與當(dāng)下現(xiàn)實(shí)的身體實(shí)踐和學(xué)術(shù)建設(shè)同步，尋求新的突破和可能性。今年六月份在云南麗江召開的“領(lǐng)升藝術(shù)論壇：修正與重寫—首屆中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)學(xué)術(shù)研討會(huì)”和即將在北京舉辦的“領(lǐng)升•2009中國(guó)美術(shù)批評(píng)家提名展”，正是在這樣一種“山雨欲來(lái)風(fēng)滿樓”的形勢(shì)下應(yīng)運(yùn)而生的。它所背負(fù)的文化理想主義情懷和積極推進(jìn)中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)學(xué)術(shù)性建設(shè)的姿態(tài)不言而喻。
如果把當(dāng)代藝術(shù)視為一種雙向的“言詞” 活動(dòng)的話，我們就會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)這種“言詞”活動(dòng)必須受到“言詞”本身和“言詞”的接受者的雙方?jīng)Q定。作為“言詞”，藝術(shù)好比就是說(shuō)者與聽者、講話人與接受者之間相互關(guān)系的產(chǎn)品。所以，藝術(shù)創(chuàng)造不是一種象牙塔里的自言自語(yǔ)的精英式獨(dú)白和黑社會(huì)老大的“行話”，而是自我與他人之間溝通與交流的橋梁，是說(shuō)話者與接受者共同分享的領(lǐng)地。因?yàn)?“向某人說(shuō)話，這可能就是聽見(jiàn)自己說(shuō)話，被自我聽見(jiàn)，但同時(shí)，如果人們被別人聽見(jiàn)，也就是使得別人對(duì)我造成了‘被聽見(jiàn)—說(shuō)話’的關(guān)系，也就是不求助于任何外在性而再產(chǎn)生純粹的自我影響。”（巴赫金〈M.M. Bakhtin〉《陀思妥耶夫斯基詩(shī)學(xué)問(wèn)題》）所以我以為，對(duì)正在淪為藝術(shù)資本主義專制牢籠的中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)而言，走出那種單語(yǔ)獨(dú)白式的、自命為新權(quán)威的“行話”言詞活動(dòng)，重新回到精神獨(dú)立和人的心靈自由這一啟蒙主義原點(diǎn)，的確是至關(guān)重要的本質(zhì)問(wèn)題。
“眾聲喧嘩” （heteroglossia）是前蘇聯(lián)文學(xué)批評(píng)家巴赫金（M.M. Bakhtin）發(fā)明的批評(píng)觀念。上個(gè)世紀(jì)三、四十年代，在蘇聯(lián)斯大林的強(qiáng)權(quán)高壓統(tǒng)治下，巴赫金（M.M. Bakhtin）隱姓埋名，“動(dòng)心忍性，空乏其身”，潛心學(xué)術(shù)。雖未受到當(dāng)時(shí)批評(píng)界的關(guān)注，但卻在困苦中獨(dú)自成就了許多對(duì)文學(xué)藝術(shù)的真知灼見(jiàn)，成為一家之言。“眾聲喧嘩” (heteroglossia)意為各種不同聲音的交錯(cuò)、對(duì)話關(guān)系。所以這個(gè)詞可以說(shuō)是人與人之間相互溝通，運(yùn)用藝術(shù)這種“語(yǔ)言”傳達(dá)意見(jiàn)、彼此交流時(shí)所產(chǎn)生的一種現(xiàn)象。人是生而自由的，但又無(wú)時(shí)不在各種牢籠當(dāng)中。所以，人們像需要吃喝并享有安全和行動(dòng)的自由一樣需要?dú)w屬某一個(gè)群體，人們?nèi)绻粍儕Z這種歸屬感就會(huì)感到孤單、與世隔絕，就會(huì)變得不愉快，仿佛自己因此而渺小。赫爾德（Herder, Johann Gottfried von）也說(shuō)，在所有痛苦中，懷鄉(xiāng)是最為高尚的。因?yàn)槌蔀槿祟惖囊环葑右馕吨軌蛟谀硞€(gè)地方感到像在家一樣自在，那里有自己的族類。因此，當(dāng)我們運(yùn)用藝術(shù)這種“語(yǔ)言”表達(dá)意見(jiàn)時(shí)，總預(yù)期有“聽眾”與自己互動(dòng)，也就是預(yù)設(shè)了一個(gè)最小范圍的社會(huì)表意、交互溝通的前提。所以即便是那些最強(qiáng)調(diào)個(gè)性的藝術(shù)創(chuàng)造，它們其實(shí)也是社會(huì)約定俗成的表達(dá)意義的符號(hào)，在人與人溝通時(shí)產(chǎn)生的一種功能。一個(gè)健康的自由的民主的社會(huì)要維持其活力就必須承認(rèn)并接受“眾聲喧嘩” 的必然性與必要性，在“眾聲喧嘩”之下，各種符號(hào)繁殖、演變，進(jìn)而產(chǎn)生始料未及的意義擴(kuò)散的結(jié)果，而這正是促進(jìn)社會(huì)意義衍生的要素。也是中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)走出象牙塔和江湖行會(huì)共同體，重建公共空間、回歸日常生活的必由之路。
巴赫金（M.M. Bakhtin）認(rèn)為，“眾聲喧嘩”一方面是社會(huì)實(shí)踐的必然現(xiàn)象，也是人我溝通時(shí)必然操作的本能。然而社會(huì)卻不完全總是容忍所謂“眾聲喧嘩”的可能性，于是乎這中間便產(chǎn)生許多張力。在政治高壓的社會(huì)里，“眾聲喧嘩”變成不可企及的烏托邦構(gòu)想，但也正因這烏托邦構(gòu)想的存在，才能讓我們的社會(huì)即使在最暗淡的歲月也仍然保持最基本的生命活力。上個(gè)世紀(jì)八十年代以來(lái)中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)由一元論話語(yǔ)獨(dú)斷論向“眾聲喧嘩” 的多元論轉(zhuǎn)變最終釀成“思想解放”的話語(yǔ)氣候，已經(jīng)向我們證明了這一點(diǎn)。
金融風(fēng)暴登陸中國(guó)迄今尚未消停，且有摧枯拉朽、重新洗牌之勢(shì)。中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)的發(fā)展也由此情勢(shì)的變化顯現(xiàn)出一種蓄勢(shì)待發(fā)的不安和躁動(dòng)，那么藝術(shù)批評(píng)、藝術(shù)史寫作和相關(guān)的藝術(shù)制度建設(shè)與討論是否也在呼應(yīng)這樣的氣氛呢？作為矢志推進(jìn)中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)學(xué)術(shù)建設(shè)的“領(lǐng)升藝術(shù)論壇”的重要批評(píng)實(shí)踐活動(dòng)，參與這次“領(lǐng)升•2009中國(guó)美術(shù)批評(píng)家提名展”的十六位提名批評(píng)家、學(xué)者和三十五位參展藝術(shù)家，期望通過(guò)搭建這樣一個(gè)批評(píng)與創(chuàng)作良性互動(dòng)的學(xué)術(shù)平臺(tái)，特立獨(dú)行，自求真趣，作出各自的思考和行動(dòng)。我們并不指望通過(guò)這樣的思考和行動(dòng)去建立一個(gè)通向不朽天庭的、人人都只使用一種語(yǔ)言如巴別塔（Tower of Babel）一樣的宏大話語(yǔ)體系。因?yàn)?，自由和體系是反義詞，每個(gè)人、每個(gè)藝術(shù)家都只能成為他自己。所以這個(gè)展覽雖然由我們領(lǐng)銜組織，卻并非一個(gè)由策展人構(gòu)想規(guī)劃的命題作文，也不是要對(duì)中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)的發(fā)展作出理論預(yù)測(cè)。而是當(dāng)下中國(guó)當(dāng)代藝術(shù)生態(tài)和創(chuàng)作“眾聲喧嘩” 的一種客觀的問(wèn)題呈現(xiàn)，它沒(méi)有主題、沒(méi)有中心，也沒(méi)有體系，其本身的“雜語(yǔ)”和多元狀態(tài)就構(gòu)成了對(duì)體系和中心這種自以為是的一元論宏大“言詞” 的反駁。它推崇的是思想的無(wú)礙和心靈的自由交流，正如英國(guó)文人以賽亞•柏林(Isaiah Berlin)所崇敬的那位“偉大的外行”、十九世紀(jì)俄國(guó)思想家赫爾岑（Herzen，Aleksandr）在他的自傳《往事與隨想》里所說(shuō)：“生活的終極目的就是生活本身。時(shí)光自己結(jié)束，不是通向另一天或另一種體驗(yàn)的方式……藝術(shù)與個(gè)人幸福的夏日閃電：這是我們僅有的兩樣好東西”。
2009年10月18日于昆明
“Heteroglossia” and Free-talk
Preface of “Lead Up” Exhibition of the Chinese Fine Arts Critics’ Nominations 2009
Guan Yuda
The global financial crisis started from the Wall Street in 2008 not only inflicted heavy losses on the capitalistic system of art marketing and exhibition, but also posed many sharp questions to the Chinese contemporary art which had just broken the bonds of the ideology and started for the modernity, however, unavoidable to reconsideration. It is in a special period of cultural transition full of challenges that the Chinese contemporary art has been; the coexistence of miscellaneous languages and “heteroglossia”. Neither the Chinese traditional theories nor the Western existing methods can provide sufficient explanations to the complex situation of the Chinese contemporary art at present. It has been proved to be a monistic Utopia that the idea of a single cut would solve all the problems forever. Chinese contemporary art should develop with the present physical practice and academic construction for the new breakthroughs and possibilities. “Lead Up” Art Forum (Lijiang): Amending and Rewriting-The First Academic Seminar on Chinese Contemporary art held at Lijiang in June this year, as well as the “Lead Up” Exhibition of the Chinese Fine Arts Critics’ Nominations 2009 to be held in Beijing soon, are to satisfy the current requirements, which have been self-evident to take on the cultural idealism and promotion of the academic construction of the Chinese contemporary art.
If we look the contemporary art as a round-way activity of “words”, we will find such activity has to be decided by both the “words” and the recipient. As the “words”, art is like the product by the interaction between the speaker and the listener. Thus, artistic creativity would rather to be like a bridge for the communication between self and others, speaker and listener, than the monologue of the elite in the ivory tower, or the jargons used by the head of underworld. “When talking to others, one can hear what he himself is saying and heard by self. In the meanwhile, if people are heard by others, the “heard-talking” relation has been achieved on oneself by others, which is the pure self-influence without any externalities.” (M. M. Bakhtin Dostoevsky's Poetics) It is the reason why I suggest that the essence of the Chinese contemporary art, which is becoming the capture of the art capitalism, should give up the monological and authoritarian “jargons”, and return to the initial point of the Enlightenment being independent spirit and free mind.
“Heteroglossia” is the concept initiated by M. M. Bakhtin, the literary critic from Former Soviet Union. In the last thirties and forties, Bakhtin concealed identity and dived into the academic research against the might by Stalin. Even not being paid much attention to, he still became the leader by the achievements he got during the hard times alone. “Heteroglossia” means the mix and dialogue of the different voices, which describes the phenomenon when people are communicating and exchanging ideas by using art as the “language”. Human are born to freedom, however, being captured easily. So, they need a group to belong to, while they enjoy the food, beverage, security, and freedom of action. They would feel lonely, isolated, and unhappy if deprived of such sense of belonging, looking down on them. Herder, Johann Gottfried von said that nostalgia should be the most distinguished of all kinds of pains. Being human means having a home and partners of his kind. Therefore, when we use art as the “language”, we are expecting the “audience” will join the action, and a minimum scope for social expression and communication. Even the most individual artistic creation is still produced to be conventional to the society and relations. If a healthy, free, and democratic society wants to maintain its energy, it has to accept the inevitability and necessity of the “heteroglossia” which contributes to the reproduction and evolution of various symbols till the unexpected significance of social meanings. That’s the road the Chinese contemporary art must follow to go out of the ivory tower and guild for public space and daily life.
Bakhtin thought that “heteroglossia” was not only the inevitable outcome of social practice, but also instinctive behavior when communicating. However, since all the society does not accept the so-called “heteroglossia”, it will cause the tensions. In a society of coercion policy, “heteroglossia” would just be a dream untouchable. But, without such a dream, the society might not survive from the darkness. And it has been proved by the transformation of the Chinese contemporary art from last eighties when the monistic dogmatism of language changed to the pluralism “heteroglossia”, and finally turned out to be the “emancipation of mind”.
The financial crisis in China has not been to a stop, and it will continue to destroy and reshuffle the present system. However, the Chinese contemporary art has been ready to change along the situation. So, can the art criticism, art history literature, and relevant system respond to the atmosphere? “Lead Up” Art Forum is committed to promote the academic construction of Chinese contemporary art. All the participants to the “Lead Up” Exhibition of the Chinese Fine Arts Critics’ Nominations 2009, including sixteen critics and thirty five artists, are expecting such a stage for the criticism and creativity where they can seeking for the individuality and true delight by independent thought and action. We would not like to build an immortal magnificent language system like Tower of Babel, because freedom and system are the opposites; every single person, or artist, will only be himself. Although we organized the exhibition, it would not like to be a controlled composition writing planned by the curator, nor prediction it will be. It is the objective presentation of the “heteroglossia” to the current art status and creativity. Without subject, focus, or system, the “mix of the language” and the multiplicity disproved the monistic magnificent “words” from system and the center by valuing the free talk from heart and spirit. Just as the Herzen, Aleksandr, a Russian thinker in 19th century revered by British literator as a “great amateur”, said in his autobiography My Past and Thoughts: “The final aim of life is life itself. Times will end by itself rather than being the way to another day or experience……Art and the summer lightning of personal happiness are the only good things we have.”
Kunming, 2009.10.18
【編輯：鄭紅】
