認識郭燕是最近幾年的事情了，好像是在2006年上海雙年展期間在一個叫原弓的私營美術(shù)館舉辦的全是年輕人的群展上碰到的，因為她形象氣質(zhì)出眾所以很容易引人注目，當(dāng)時專門去看了她參展的作品，只是那次她參展的作品并不十分理想，倒是她那種孤傲安靜的氣質(zhì)給我留下頗深的印象，隱約中能感覺到她安詳靜謐淡若止水的容顏之下可能隱藏著某種巨大的憂患、情感與能量，后來因為又與批評家陳默合作精選了那個展覽中的一些參展藝術(shù)家的新作品到北京巡展，因為展期適逢宋莊藝術(shù)節(jié)，郭燕又來了北京到宋莊壹號的壹美術(shù)館來看了那個巡展，也就慢慢熟了起來，去年去成都參加何多苓老師的生日慶典，剛好也有一家成都本地的畫廊助興辦了一個何多苓推薦挑選的女藝術(shù)家的聯(lián)展再次見到郭燕和她的作品，作品有了很大的進步，畫面都是紫色的調(diào)子，有種難言的迷幻和憂傷的氣質(zhì)，混合著神秘、浪漫與凄美的情緒，畫面中總有兩個睡夢中的情侶漂浮在或都市或荒野的背景之下，作品給我留下了很深的印象。那天參展的都是來自幾個城市的女性藝術(shù)家，展覽現(xiàn)場花團錦簇美女如云，晚上何多苓老師的生日晚宴上更是高朋滿座賓主盡歡，只是在那般噪雜熱鬧的環(huán)境中郭燕始終是沉靜而若有所思的，偶爾聊起來也大多是問別人創(chuàng)作方面的經(jīng)驗以及對她作品的看法和感受，席間聽何老師開玩笑說起才知道郭燕的丈夫就是成都最著名的品牌餐飲的掌門人，她生活優(yōu)越卻在藝術(shù)上執(zhí)著追求勤奮創(chuàng)作，原本何老師以為她不過是畫著玩玩，卻越來越發(fā)現(xiàn)這個女孩對于藝術(shù)近乎癡迷的熱愛，畫起畫來非常投入，天天在畫室里一呆就是7、8個小時，和別人一見面就談藝術(shù)談創(chuàng)作。成都是一個安逸閑適的城市，很多定居在成都的職業(yè)藝術(shù)家往往都沒有郭燕那么勤奮和努力，這不由得讓我產(chǎn)生了強烈的興趣想去了解和探究是什么樣的渴求和力量讓這樣一個各方面都很優(yōu)越的女孩子一意孤行地踏上漫無邊際的藝術(shù)苦旅。
在隨后的見面中我接受了郭燕的邀請去到她在市區(qū)中一間狹小的畫室看她的作品，畫室很小但很整潔，到處掛滿了大小不同的油畫作品，地上堆放著剛準(zhǔn)備好的畫框，隨著她一張張翻開不同的油畫，那種熟悉的憂傷、凄美和迷幻的氣息撲鼻而來，我從未在別人的畫中看到如此漂亮、脆弱的紫色，她幾乎所有的作品都是紫色調(diào)子的，早期的“紫色印象系列”中多是都市的男女情侶或結(jié)伴而行或沉靜擁座，畫面中總是透出淡淡的憂郁和傷感，好似那些畫中人總是在懷念逝去的青春、期盼久違的愛情或是憂慮遙遠的未來，之后的“飄系列”中總是會出現(xiàn)漂浮在都市或是荒野的空中的睡夢中的情侶或是家人，畫面的張力明顯變大，灰紫色的天空、云團、地平線和城市天際線似乎蘊藏著危險的末世征兆，你能明顯地在畫面中感覺到涌動的沖突、矛盾、焦慮和孤獨，似乎那些凄美艷麗的紫色就是一團團熾烈的燃料隨時準(zhǔn)備釋放毀滅一切的能量，是什么讓一個嬌小美麗的女孩畫出如此恢宏而有力量作品，到底在她平靜冷淡的外表之下有著一顆怎樣渴求與承擔(dān)的內(nèi)心呢？
我一直信奉一個真誠的藝術(shù)家的作品就應(yīng)該像是一生中不斷給自己繪制的自畫像，表達的一切都會與自身的生存體驗和精神磨礪有關(guān)，而隨著對郭燕的進一步了解，并且成為了可以更多交流的好朋友，了解了她成長的經(jīng)歷和藝術(shù)方面的歷程，我的問題逐漸的有了清晰的答案。
郭燕出生在陜南一座小縣城的一個平和的普通家庭，自小在父母和姐姐哥哥的呵護下長大，那些時光緩慢的日子和溫暖的家庭給了她一個安靜的性格和浪漫的心。當(dāng)4歲時的郭燕畫出了第一幅畫時可能已經(jīng)在冥冥中注定了她一生的走向，那是一副彩色鉛筆畫的蘋果樹，一個蘋果掉下來剛好落在樹下一個人的嘴里，媽媽看到后很高興便在左鄰右舍間到處炫耀夸贊孩子的繪畫天賦，這給了郭燕人生中最早的自信感覺。她坦言那種得到大人們肯定而信以為真的感覺對于自己以后的一切非常重要，盡管之后畫畫仍舊僅是一種興趣，比較隨意而并未專門學(xué)習(xí)。
初中時一位名叫任學(xué)軍的美術(shù)老師可以算是郭燕在藝術(shù)方面的啟蒙老師，任老師并非科班出身但卻熱情善良多才多藝，一直鼓勵郭燕在繪畫方面有所發(fā)展，還任命她做美術(shù)活動小組的組長，也常常參加各種校內(nèi)校外的美術(shù)比賽。因為郭燕在家中最小雖然大家都很寵她，但往往更容易被忽視，家里什么都不需要她做，誰也不重視她的意見，同在一個中學(xué)的姐姐又很優(yōu)秀總是給學(xué)習(xí)不太好的郭燕很大的壓力，那時候她有些孤僻，雖然有時很任性但還不是很自信，當(dāng)時郭燕已經(jīng)非常明確地想要考上美院，不斷地在西安參加各種各樣的美術(shù)班包括西安藝考學(xué)生們都熟悉的“小寨俱樂部”，郭燕從高二就開始連續(xù)考了兩年西安美院終于得償所愿進入油畫系。
但是四年的美院生活卻令郭燕有些失望，沒什么對自己特別有影響力的老師，年齡又小也貪玩不用功就像放羊似的混了四年，當(dāng)時還沒有做職業(yè)藝術(shù)家的想法，畢業(yè)前就在陜西電視臺找了份工作，只是覺得上學(xué)給家庭帶來很多經(jīng)濟上的負擔(dān)希望盡快自己工作獲取收入。那時媽媽也病倒了，不久后因癌癥去世，幾年后父親也同樣因癌癥離世，雙親的逝去對郭燕的打擊很大，那種刻骨銘心的疼痛讓她很久難以擺脫，從此死亡的陰影始終籠罩著她，我們甚至在郭燕現(xiàn)在的畫中都能感覺到那種無處不在的宿命悲觀和末世情緒。
大學(xué)時期的戀愛對于郭燕而言是昏暗而疲憊的，天生麗質(zhì)成了她生命中不能承受之輕，愛情沒有帶給她美好的憧憬反而成了一種負擔(dān)。感情被過度的警惕與理智所壓制卻無從宣泄，整個人便收縮起來，她渴望逃離與擺脫，而那種渴望精神自由的逃逸幻想也就成為郭燕作品中貫穿始終的氣質(zhì)。在再也無法忍受那種令人窒息的感情時，她只身來到舉目無親的成都。朋友李蓉的幫助下才讓她在成都安頓下來，幾年來輾轉(zhuǎn)多個廣告公司和營銷公司。后來遇到現(xiàn)在的丈夫一位在成都頗有名氣的成功企業(yè)家，寬厚大度的丈夫給了她無微不至的照顧和衣食無憂的生活，似乎此時的郭燕應(yīng)該不會再缺什么了，然而她仍然想畫畫，即便是在公司打工時也一直在家中畫一些小油畫。藝術(shù)家邱光平一次偶然看到郭燕畫的幾張小油畫非常震驚，就告訴郭燕她要是放棄繪畫將會非?？上В窆馄綄⑺龓肓顺啥嫉乃囆g(shù)圈，先后結(jié)識了何多苓、周春芽等居在成都的藝術(shù)大家們。2004年10月，碰巧旅居美國十多年的楊千回國定居，楊千與郭燕的丈夫是自小一起長大的伙伴，于是那年楊千領(lǐng)著郭燕參觀了位于北京東郊費家村、索家村幾乎所有川籍藝術(shù)家的工作室，看到那些在北京奮斗著的職業(yè)藝術(shù)家們的狀態(tài)，郭燕內(nèi)心那沉睡了多年的藝術(shù)之夢猛然間又被喚醒了，從此她開始在繪畫上花費更多的精力于時間，早在八十年代初就已經(jīng)蜚聲全國的“傷痕美術(shù)”的代表性藝術(shù)家何多苓老師可以說是郭燕的偶像，然而真正有機會近距離接觸何老師時，何老師卻對她的創(chuàng)作不以為然，何多苓認為一個家境富裕衣食無憂的美女大可不必以畫畫為生，可能不過是畫著玩玩而已，并不會把繪畫當(dāng)作多大的事情來對待，何老師的態(tài)度卻極大的刺激了郭燕，她盡管外表平和內(nèi)心卻很執(zhí)拗倔強，何老師越是這樣看越是加大了郭燕在藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作上的執(zhí)著與決心，之后幾年每當(dāng)在繪畫上有了一點小小的進步或是成績時她都會專門跑到何老師那里炫耀一番，無形中何老師的調(diào)侃反而給了郭燕更多心靈的磨礪和支撐，當(dāng)然何老師在技法與創(chuàng)作理念上也不斷地給予郭燕真誠深刻的指導(dǎo)。
也正是從2004年底開始，郭燕邁入了完全獨立創(chuàng)作的狀態(tài)，開始還是比較輕松的，那時候主觀上還不是很清楚自己到底想畫什么，沒有感覺到什么壓力，但隨著時間真正想畫出點什么時，壓力就來了，畫畫不再是風(fēng)花雪月的歡愉而變成了一次次巨大的冒險之旅，她不斷地做著各種各樣的嘗試，有時候也會感到迷茫，不知道前路在何方，更無法確定一切努力的意義，那是一種痛并快樂著的感覺，是一場無法逃離的淪陷。
2005年郭燕賣掉了一件作品《紫色印象系列3號》，這是有生以來第一次有人買自己的作品，她非常高興，重要的不是作品換來的金錢而是那種自己的藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作得到來自社會的認可，這成為了郭燕轉(zhuǎn)變成為職業(yè)藝術(shù)家的標(biāo)志性事件，2006年因為參加上海原弓美術(shù)館的青年藝術(shù)家群展而有機會與原弓的掌門人有過一些深入的接觸，在這些接觸中使郭燕很清楚自己內(nèi)心巨大的能量和創(chuàng)作的潛力遠遠不是一個狹隘的身份定位所能承載的，她不喜歡去為一種性別角色花費精力與時間去抗?fàn)?，她知道自己在繪畫上還有很多潛能沒有挖掘出來，還遠遠沒有達到一種理想的狀態(tài)，她知道自己可以在繪畫上面走很遠，為此她義無反顧繼續(xù)按著自己認定的方向前行。
郭燕坦承很幸運遇到現(xiàn)在的愛人，已是成功企業(yè)家的丈夫悉心呵護著她，不給她任何壓力和要求，給了她很大的自我空間，丈夫事業(yè)的成功也使她完全不需要考慮生活的后顧之憂而安心進行藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作，他們還有一個可愛的女兒，然而郭燕自小就是是一個敏感細膩很在意別人感受的人，特別重感情，這些難以割舍的愛情、親情和友情往往更讓她難以瀟灑面對，所以一直以來只能用刻意的并非本質(zhì)的理性約束著自己身上危險的能量，而創(chuàng)作正成為這些能量與困惑宣泄的出口。那些無條件也無所求的幸福對于郭燕來講更加成為了一種生命中不能承受之輕，同時也成為了一種現(xiàn)實的牽絆，這些牽絆給她無法取代的幸福感覺也帶給她永無停歇的牽掛，而畫畫就成了她逃離現(xiàn)實的通道。
郭燕幾乎天天都去畫室，即使不畫畫，也喜歡在畫室窩著不想出來，不想見人，也不想和別人交流，她迷戀那種沉入畫中的忘我與幸福，她用畫筆構(gòu)筑的那個烏托邦的世界就是一個她自己的天堂，在那里她是不食人間煙火的仙女，那個世界里可以容納她釋放的所有關(guān)于命運、悲憫、情感、憂患、思辨的巨大能量，帶給她終極的平靜與安寧，而現(xiàn)實的幸福與牽掛又會讓她不斷地返回這個具體而溫暖的人間，成為一個為獲得而要付出和承擔(dān)更多的女人，這種感覺在她今年的新作品“浮系列”中有了更加深刻的體現(xiàn)，畫面中的人物不再是自己的家人或朋友，而是變成了抽象的眾生，迷失掙扎在似夢似真的世界當(dāng)中。每一張畫都不只是某個場景和情節(jié)的描述而更像是一部訴求命運與真理的啟示錄，宏大、沉重而強烈。至此我終于理解了為什么郭燕可以畫出那樣的作品，那是記錄了她不斷穿梭的兩個世界映射圖像的疊加和交織的載體，匯聚了兩個世界的矛盾、沖突、困惑和調(diào)和，揭示了夢想與現(xiàn)實、過去與未來的分裂，呈現(xiàn)了心靈與肉體、宿命與無常、情感與理智的博弈，創(chuàng)作這樣的作品無疑是真誠而透支的，當(dāng)然也就毋庸置疑地可以打動和震撼每一個觀者。
天道酬勤，郭燕的努力也很快得到了藝術(shù)界很多朋友的認可，她從去年開始有機會受邀參加很多國內(nèi)外重要的群展，并且有兩幅作品還被中國美術(shù)館購藏，這給了郭燕更大的自信和決心。從去年年底我開始產(chǎn)生為郭燕在北京舉辦個展的想法，對于在北京最重要的798藝術(shù)區(qū)里做平生第一次個展，郭燕也感覺到很大的壓力，她租了更大的畫室，在創(chuàng)作上由投入了更大的熱情和精力，每次我出差去成都總能在她的畫室驚喜地看到高質(zhì)量的新作品，這也反過來給了我更大的壓力，郭燕是個不希望給別人增加負擔(dān)的人，她自己把涉及個展的資料、圖片、文章等整理的井井有條早早地就提供給畫廊的工作人員，盡可能多地承擔(dān)了很多畫展籌備的工作，雖然我策劃操作過很多藝術(shù)展覽，但是面對勤奮如斯、執(zhí)著如此的郭燕我卻前所未有的惶恐，生怕我的能力不足以完美地幫她展現(xiàn)她所透支身心構(gòu)筑的那個紫色的神秘、浪漫、凄迷、完美的烏托邦世界。
梁克剛于北京
2008年10月20日
I met Guo Yan a couple of years ago at the Shanghai Biennale in 2006. Her work was presented in a young artists’ group exhibition shown by a private museum named Yuangong. Guo Yan catches easily others’ attention with her beauty and good manners. I specially went to this exhibition to see her paintings. Even though they were not totally accomplished Guo Yan’s personality had an effect on me at that time. I could feel the hidden emotions behind her peaceful paintings. Later, the art critic Chen Mo helped me to select some of this exhibition’s works and to bring them in Beijing. It was the time of Songzhuang Art Festival. Guo Yan came to visit TS1 Art Museum and we got to know each other better. Last year I attended He Duoling’s birthday party and at that time there was an exhibition of women artists selected by him. I met Guo Yan again. Her works changed a lot but the main color she used remained the purple one. It symbolizes mystery, romance and sadness. On the canvas there was a sleeping couple that floated above the wasteland. In this exhibition most of the visitors were women artists. The exhibition site was full of flowers and beauties. We celebrated He Duoling’s birthday in the evening. Among the crowd Guo Yan remained quiet and lost in her thoughts. She just questioned others on their experience of creation and asked for suggestions on her paintings. She had at that time a very comfortable life but was still willing to work hard on art creation. Mr. He used to think that painting was just a hobby for her. He later discovered her infatuated love for art. She enthusiastically dedicated herself to painting and spent seven to eight hours a day in her studio. She always talks about art creation when she meets her friends. Chengdu is a city of ease. Most of the artists living in Chengdu are not as diligent as Guo Yan. It was very interesting to me to discover what kind of motivation could make this women work so hard on her art.
Later on, she invited me to visit her small studio downtown. It was tiny but tidy. There were paintings of different sizes hanging on the wall. Frames ready to be painted were lying on the ground. I had never seen the purple color being used that way by other people. All her works were in a purple tone. Her early series “Purple Impression” are about couples walking in the city. They are always sad and worried. It seems that all these people are yearning the past youth, expecting love or worrying about the uncertain future. In her later series “Waft”, one can see sleeping couple or family members floating above the city or the wasteland. Her paintings became stronger. This beautiful and sad purple color is like a fire that destroys everything. What made this women create such powerful works? What kind of heart she has under her quiet and peaceful appearance?
I believe that the art of deep artists is like a portrait which takes a whole life to be created. What the artist tries to express is related to her life experience. As I became good friend with Guo Yan and knew more about her life and her art, my questions gradually found clear answers.
Guo Yan was born in an ordinary family in a small city in Shangxi Province. Her parents, brother and sister took good care of her as she grew up. Her warm family gave her a quiet personality and a romantic heart. She did her first painting when she was four. It gave her life its direction. The painting was colorful and showed a man standing under an apple tree. Suddenly an apple falls into his mouth. Guo Yan’s mother was very happy when she saw her daughter’s talent and went to the neighbors to show them the painting. It was the first time Guo Yan had felt so confident in herself. She confessed that the feeling of being admired by elders was important for her. Still, after that event, drawing remained just a hobby for her. Later, however, she chose art as part of her professional training.
At school, Guo Yan had an art teacher named Ren Xuejun. Mr. Ren taught her all the basics about art. He did not major in art but he was totally passionate about it. He encouraged Guo Yan to carry on painting. He appointed her as the leader of art activity group and encouraged her to participate in various art competitions, both at school and outside. Guo Yan is the youngest child in her family and every family member has always doted on her. But she was always the one being ignored, as no one cared about her opinions. She was studying in the same middle school as her sister who was an outstanding student. Guo Yan was thus under pressure. Sometimes a bit lonely, willful and unconfident, she finally decided to enter the art academy. She frequented art classes including “Xiaozhai Club”, which was famous among all art students of that period. Guo Yan began to take exams for college when she was in the second grade of high school. Two years later, she entered Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts with a major in oil painting.
The four years of college life disappointed Guo Yan. She did not meet a teacher who would really take care of her and who would influence her work. At that time, like most young people, she wanted to enjoy herself and have fun. During those four years, she did not work hard and never thought about becoming a professional artist. She took a job in Shangxi TV before graduation because she did not want to be a financial burden to her family anymore. This was the time where both her parents died of cancer. The death of her mother and father was a heavy blow for Guo Yan. It took her a long time before she got free from the pain. The darkness of death experienced then is also to be seen in her paintings.
During her colllege years, Guo Yan’s love life was quite complicated. Love brought her suffering instead of happiness. Her emotions and intellect were as if on leash and could not get released. She became withdrawn and distrustful. This desire for freedom is always present in her paintings. After college, Guo Yan moved to Chengdu, alone. The friend Li Rong whom she met in the TV station helped her to organize her life in Chengdu. In the following years, she worked for several different advertising and marketing firms.Then she met her husband, who is a successful entrepreneur in Chengdu. Guo Yan’s kind and generous husband gave her all the care she needed and it seemed that she was entirely satisfied with her life. However, she still wanted to paint. Even when she was working in the companies, she kept on painting at home. On one occasion, the artist Qiu Guangping saw her works and he was shocked. He told her that it would be a pity if she gave up painting and so he introduced her to the art circle in Chengdu. She met famous artists such as He Duoling and Zhou Chunya. In October 2004, Yang Qian, an artist who lived in America for many years, moved back to China. Yang Qian was a friend of Guo Yan’s husband when they were kids. He brought Guo Yan to many Sichuan Artists’ studios in Beijing’s Feijiacun and Suojiacun. After she saw these professional artists struggling in the capital, her artistic dreams were suddenly awake and she began to spend more energy and time on her artistic work. He Duoling had been the head artist of the “trauma art” trend since early 80’s. He became Guo Yan’s idol. But he did not appreciate her paintings at all. He thought she grew up in a rich family and since she did not need to live on painting, it was just fun for her and she could never treat it seriously. The attitude of He Duoling only provoked Guo Yan. She looked calm, but inside she was deeply moved. His opinions increased her perseverance and determination. In the following years, every time she achieved a little success, she would go and show it to He Duoling. At the same time, he also gave her advice concerning technique as well as the subject matter of the paintings.
Guo Yan began to be a professional artist at the end of 2004. At first, it was all easy and relaxed, since she felt no pressure. Later on, however, it became more difficult as she kept trying to find her very own way of expressing herself. She experienced the feelings of pain and happiness at the same time. By that time, she was totally into art.
In 2005 Guo Yan sold her Purple Impression No.3. It was the first time that someone bought her work. She felt happy not only about the money but also for the recognition she received. She had after that the chance to meet the curator of the Yuangong Museum in Shanghai during a group exhibition in 2006 which her work was part of. Yuangong suggested her to use more her identity of a woman artist. She strongly believed that she had more potential which still needed to be discovered. She did not want to limit her talent to her identity. It was not at all the situation she expected. For these reasons, she gave up the cooperation and followed her way.
Guo Yan herself thinks that she is very lucky to have met her husband. This successful entrepreneur takes good care of her and never put any pressure on her. This situation makes her totally free. She does not have to worry about daily life and can concentrate on her creation. They also have a lovely daughter together. Guo Yan is a sensitive person and always cares about others’ feelings. Love, family and friendship obviously affect her. She tries to control the strength inside her. Drawing and painting help her to release this power. This happiness became an unbearable lightness as well as fetters of reality. Painting became the way for her to escape from a certain kind of tiredness.
Guo Yan goes to her studio almost every day. And even if she does not paint she likes to stay there alone and quiet. The “Utopia” images she creates represent her paradise. That is how she finds peace and quietness. But troubles of life always bring her back from her paradise and make her a responsible woman. This kind of feeling can be found in her “Floating series”. The characters she paints are not family or friends anymore but abstract creatures. They fight in this imaginary world. Every piece is not just a description of a scene but seems also to be a search for destiny and truth. I finally understood that Guo Yan’s paintings are tracks which record her coming and going between her two worlds. Her paintings compromise the confusion inside her. They release the conflict between dream and reality, past and future. They represent the fight between spirit and body, fate and changes, feelings and ratio. This creation is exhausting. It will for sure impress and shock the audience.
Guo Yan has begun to be admitted by the art field. Since last year she is invited to participate in important exhibitions, both in China and abroad. Two pieces have been collected by the National Art Museum of China. It gave Guo Yan confidence and determination. Last year I had the idea of giving her a solo exhibition in Beijing. Her first solo exhibition in 798 art district was a lot of work. She rent a bigger studio and dedicated herself to art. Every time I went to Chengdu I was surprised by her high quality work. Guo Yan has done as much as she could to help us while organizing this exhibition. Although I have curated many exhibitions, I have never felt under so much pressure to present in the best way I could Guo Yan’s utopia in which she put all her energy.
Liang Kegang in Beijing
20 October 2008
【編輯：霍春?！?/p>
