展名/ Title :古往今来 - 李真个展
学术主持/ Academic Director : 徐天进 Xu Tianjin
艺术家/ Artist :李真 Li Chen主办单位/ Host：震旦博物馆 Aurora Museum协办单位/ Co-host：亚洲艺术中心 Asia Art Center
展览时间/ Date :
2018.11.3 (Sat.) - 2019.1.27 (Sun.)
开幕式/ Opening Ceremony : 2018.11.3 (Sat.) 3:30pm
展览地点/ Venue :震旦博物馆 Aurora Museum
上海市浦东新区富城路99号
No. 99 Fucheng Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
古往今来 - 李真个展
震旦博物馆携手艺术家李真，与亚洲艺术中心合作举办“古往今来 - 李真个展”，这是李真在上海举办的首次个展，也是第一次尝试与古代佛教造像对话，回溯李真一路以来，从早期传统佛像到最新雕塑作品的创作历程，开启一项跨越时空的展览。
震旦博物馆六楼佛教造像展厅
Buddhist Sculpture Exhibition Hall, level 6, Aurora Museum
佛教造像随佛教由古印度传入中国，早期受印度犍陀罗、西域地区影响，此后逐渐与本土传统融合，衍生出具有鲜明时代地域风格与中国文化艺术内涵的中国佛教造像，成为中国佛教艺术的重要一环。
震旦博物馆收藏的佛教造像，主要为佛教艺术初期的犍陀罗造像与北魏、隋唐等时期的本土化造像，清晰勾勒出中国佛教造像在本土化进程中所展现出的不同风格特征与美学观点。
Seated Bodhisattva in pensive pose Northern Qi dynasty (550-551CE)
右 Right：李真作品 Li Chen's work - 水月观音 Water-Moon Avalokitesvara
铜雕 Bronze 75x36x128cm 1992
艺术家李真生于1963年，创作生涯始于传统佛像，在研究儒、道、佛等经典的基础上，将当代感知融入其中，创造出兼融东方气韵与西方雕塑语汇的独特风格，同时关切当下社会百态与对人性的思考，作品细腻温润，举重若轻又具磅薄气势。
神之弃物·云簪 Forsaken Relic．Hairpin
铜雕 Bronze 71x20.5x123cm 2018
神之弃物系列
Forsaken Relic Series
本次展览展出李真较早期的创作系列【空灵之美】、【虚空中的能量】，具代表性的【大气神游】以及最新作品《神之弃物》(【青烟】系列作品)，从展出作品《水月观音》(1992)到《神之弃物》(2018)，清楚勾勒出李真由佛教造像走向当代艺术，犹如升华后的蜕变。震旦博物馆馆藏佛教造像也成为解读李真作品的重要线索，二者共生形成对话场域，这种“共生”体现在两个层面: 与佛教造像一脉相承而又自出新裁。
烟花 Ephemeral Beauty
铜雕 Bronze 49x50x148cm 2013
佛教造像开启了李真走向艺术道路的大门，掌握佛教造像的仪轨之后，李真经历了一段时期的思索。对比馆藏佛教造像，我们可以看到李真对佛像进行了简化造型，同时注入世俗生活的情感，使其作品在具有古典气韵的同时兼有现代性。从早期《水月观音》端庄秀美的宋之遗风，到《涅槃》、《无量寿》体态丰腴的唐代气韵，直追六朝高古之风的《未来佛》、《接引》，李真在潜心研究传统的同时，将传统意象运用当代视觉语汇进行创造性表达，与震旦博物馆长期推动“料、工、形、纹”的古器物学研究方法亦能相互辉映。
浮光 Flickering Moonlight
铜雕 Bronze 120x59x128cm 2009
展览以李真最具代表性的创作系列【大气神游】揭开序幕。进入博物馆前，观众已被矗立于挑高连廊的大型作品《黄金雨》吸引，感受李真作品令人温暖微笑的魅力 ; 观赏二楼汉唐陶俑展的观众，意外发现李真作品《烟花》在展厅的尽头散发光芒，绽放岁月静好 ; 随着《天阙轻舟》的指引登上博物馆内的旋梯，在三楼历代玉器展厅遇见李真2018年新作 ; 在四楼青花瓷展厅邂逅《清风云露》，于五楼咖啡厅与《飞行乐土》、《浮光》共览黄浦江景风光无限，而后来到六楼的佛教造像展厅，体会李真与古为徒的创作之蜕。
倒叙般的展陈脉络，以【大气神游】系列贯穿上下四方。李真自2001年开始创作、绵延至今的【大气神游】系列作品，是李真从传统佛像另辟新局，在儒、释、道哲学与诗词滋养下的创作，分布在博物馆二至六楼各层，串连三楼的李真2018年新作【青烟】系列《神之弃物》，与六楼主展区的早期系列【空灵之美】、【虚空中的能量】，对比之下，更能看出拉长时间轴之后，人生阅历淬练出的李真艺术风格演变。
关于学术主持
徐天进，1958年出生于新疆乌鲁木齐。现任北京大学考古文博学院教授（博士生导师），教育部人文社会科学重点研究基地 - 北京大学中国考古学研究中心主任。主要从事田野考古、商周考古的教学和科研工作。曾先后策划“吉金铸国史 - 周原出土西周青铜器精粹”、“花舞大唐春 - 何家村遗宝精粹”、“权力与信仰 - 良渚遗址群考古特展”、“鼎盛中华 - 中国鼎文化”等展览。
关于艺术家
李真，1963年生于云林，目前创作于台中、上海两地，以其兼融东方气韵及西方美学的雕塑作品，获得国际关注。
李真早期涉猎佛学道家等，在自由创作的精神中融入自我摄心之情感，吸收东方传统与西方雕塑、及原始非洲大洋洲等艺术养分，更结合当代思维，作品不受单一传统束缚，呈现既重又轻、浑然天成的效果。李真透过艺术进行个人的“精神疗伤”，在俗世中寻找乐土，在作品中创造灵性空间，用幽默诙谐的方式暗喻世事，希望欣赏者能察觉其中的精神元素。
1999年于台北举办首次个展，之后并作为首位在威尼斯双年展举办个展的华人艺术家。其作品相继于中国美术馆（北京）、新加坡美术馆（新加坡）、中正纪念堂（台北）、弗莱伊美术馆（西雅图）、旺多姆广场（巴黎）、台北当代艺术馆（台北）进行展出。
关于震旦博物馆
震旦博物馆馆内藏品以佛教造像、玉器、陶器及青花瓷器为主，分常设展览与专题特展两部分陈列，并专门设立古器物学研究中心，在充分展现中国古代文化艺术成就的同时，从古器物学的角度对藏品进行解析研究，多角度、多侧面向观众揭示历史文物丰富的文化内涵。
震旦博物馆自2013年10月对公众正式开放以来，秉承“保护．传承．奉献”的理念，专注于传扬中华传统文化的同时，进行一系列当代艺术领域的尝试，包括：“宝格丽 - 125年意大利经典设计艺术展”、“邱志杰：独角兽与龙 - 威尼斯双年展”、“蜕变的舞步 - 郭衷忠n+n Corsino新媒体艺术展”、2014年上海双年展平行展“在创造 - 当代艺术在震旦”、2015年“画影之间 - 张恩利×杜可风”、2016年“时间之光 - 胡介鸣．记忆的拼图”等项目。
2018年，震旦博物馆迈向第五周年，开展历史文物更多维度的交会与对话。震旦博物馆展出中的“玉见设计 - 中国古玉形纹设计特展”，从现代的“设计思考”切入，剖析中国古代玉器工匠的智慧，从传统提取文创设计的养分; 刚于10月初结束的特展“仙人的树林 - 邬建安×汪天稳”，尝试在传统与当代艺术的对话中，加入非遗传承的元素，体现更丰富多元的对话与视野。新推出的“古往今来 - 李真个展”，则通过当代雕塑创作与古代佛教造像的古今对话，开启一项跨越时空的展览。
Through the Ages - Li Chen Solo Exhibition
In collaboration with Asia Art Center, Aurora Museum is honored to present Through the Ages - Li Chen Solo Exhibition, which would be Li Chen’s first solo exhibition in Shanghai and also his first attempt to build a dialogue with ancient Buddhist statues. Traditional Buddhist statues from his earlier work and his latest sculptural works would be on display at the same time, showing a timeline of development and changes in Li Chen’s practice, leading viewers to experience the beauty beyond the time and space.
The tradition of making Buddhist statue was introduced into China from ancient India. At first it was dominated by the influence of Gandhara and the Western Regions; and gradually it began to be integrated with Chinese tradition, which gave rise to Buddhist statue featuring both regional style and the profundity of Chinese culture and art. From this point on, the making of Buddhist statue became an important signature of Chinese Buddhist art.
The collection of Buddhist statues at Aurora Museum features both Gandhara-style statues and statues with local cultural characteristics made during Northern Wei, Sui and Tang dynasties. A timeline demonstrating the different styles and aesthetics visions during the development of Buddhist statue making in China could be clearly perceived.
Born in 1963, Li Chen’s artistic practice started from making traditional Buddhist statue. During the process, on the one hand he keeps studying classics of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism; and on the other hand, he manages to imbue contemporary perception into his practice, leading to asignature style that incorporates both eastern charisma and western sculptural language. Heavy and yet subtle, his work demonstrates the artist’s concern of the current social situation and his reflection upon humanity.
天阙轻舟 Floating Heavenly Palace
铜雕 Bronze 107x82x224cm 2007
The Beauty of EmptinessandEnergy of Emptiness, two of his earlier series,Spiritual Journey through the Great Ether, one of his most signature series, andForsaken Relic(from the Ethereal Cloudseries), one of his latest works, are all put on show at the exhibition. FromWater-Moon Avalokitesvara(1992) toForsaken Relic(2018), a metamorphosis in Li’s journey in the art world from traditional statue-making to contemporary sculptural practicecould be perceived. Aurora’s collection of Buddhist statues offers reference to interpret Li Chen’s work. Collectively, they form a field of dialogue, giving out a sense of “symbiosis”. Such “symbiosis” can be seen in two aspects: inheritance and innovation.
The making of Buddhist statue opened up Li Chen’s journey in the world of art. The mastery of traditional skills and patters pushed him to ponder further upon the possibilities of statue making. If we make a comparison between Li Chen’s work and those in Aurora’s collection, we’d see that Li Chen has simplified the image of Buddhist statues. And in the meantime, he has also imbued the emotionsof the mundane life into them. As a result, the statues he presents radiate classic charisma as well as a sense of contemporaneity. From Water-Moon Avalokitesvara, which gives outs a sense of elegance that reminds viewers of the style of Song Dynasty, toNirvanaandAmitayus, which feature plumpness, a signature of Tang Dynasty, and then to Maitreyaand Amitābha, which highlights the unadorned style of the Six Dynasties, we’d see Li Chen’s efforts to integrate traditional imagery with contemporary visual language. In nature, it shares something in similar with the research methodology Aurora Museum has consistently advocated and that places an emphasis on “material, technique, form and pattern”.
黄金雨 Golden Rain
铜雕 Bronze 142x141.5x256.5cm 2005
Spiritual Journey through the Great Ether, one of Li Chen’s signature works, is the first thing viewers would see when they step into the museum. And before they enter the museum, they’d already be intrigued by the smiling charm ofGolden Rain, a large installation on view at the corridor connecting to the museum. Viewers seeing the exhibition of pottery figurines on the second floor, to their surprise, would encounter the brilliance radiated fromEphemeral Beautyat the end of the gallery. Following the instruction ofFloating Heavenly Palace, on the third floor, in the gallery of jade ware, viewers would find some of Li Chen’s latest works. And on the fourth and fifth floors, viewers would findSoothing Breezes Floating Clouds, Float to SukhavatiandFlickering Moonlightrespectively. Last but not least, in the Buddhist statue gallery on the six floor, the ancient statutes form an ingenious backdrop to perceive the inheritance and metamorphosis of Li Chen’s practice.
涅槃 Nirvana
铜雕 Bronze 63x21x37cm 1998
While the timeline of the exhibition is curated in a somewhat reverse manner, Spiritual Journe through the Great Etherplaysthe role as a hub.Spiritual Journey through the Great Etheris an ongoing series that Li Chen started to work on in 2001. It demonstrates Li’s efforts to draw inspiration from Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and classic poems and his vision and bravery to breakthrough the confines of traditional statue making. Placed at the second to the sixth floors,Spiritual Journey through the Great Etherconnects Li’s latest workEthereal Cloudand his earlier worksThe Beauty of EmptinessandEnergy of Emptiness. With a somewhat stretched and elongated timeline, the evolution of Li’s artistic style, life experience and visioncould be seen more clearly.
About the Academic Director
Xu Tianjin was born in 1958. He graduated from Programme of Archaeology, History Department in Northwest University in 1982 and got his master degree from the Department of Archaeology, Peking University in 1985. He has served as a teaching assistant and lecturer of Department of Archaeology, Peking University, and professor (PhD tutor) of Peking University Archaeologyand Museology College. He is currently work as the director of the China Archaeological Research Center of Peking University, which is the core researchbase of the humanities and social sciences of the Ministry of Education. He is also the vice chairman of the Shanxi Museum Council. He mainly engages in research and educational work about archaeology include field of investigation as well as history in Shang and Zhou Dynasties. He has participated in and presided over the archaeological excavation and research work of important sites such as Tianma-Qu village of Shanxi province; Jin Marquis' Cemetery; Beijing Fangshan Liuli River; Zhouyuan and Zhougong Temple of Shaanxi and so on. He also participates in and in charge of major research projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology, such as: "Xia Shang Zhou Chronology Project ", "Chinese Civilization Exploration Project" and the core research project of Humanities and Social Sciencesfor Ministry of Education.
About the Artist
Li Chen was born in 1963, and currently works in Taichung and Shanghai.
Li Chen accomplished a style which has fully liberated itself from the confines of tradition by incorporating feelings of self-mindfulness and interpretations of Chinese classics from the Buddhist and Taoist traditions, blended with contemporary thought, evincing a remarkably refreshing and natural effect of appearing both heavyand light. The underlying aesthetic principles in Li’s sculpture are based not only on a “dual composition” of Eastern traditions and Western sculptural language but also on an ongoing dialogue with the spiritual and material cultures of Africa and Oceania. Furthermore, Li Chen ’s art work aspires to a spiritual arts therapy, uncovering a wealth of joy amidst the simple life’s pleasures, innovating a spiritual space through the pieces, ashumor embellishes a metaphorical engagement with the world.
Since his works first appeared to the public in 1999 in Taipei, Li Chen has been an active figure both domestic and abroad. Li participated in the 52nd Venice Biennale, the first artist of Chinese descent to be invited as an individual to arrange asolo exhibition in the event. Li Chen haspresented solo exhibitions at National Art Museum of China (Beijing), Singapore Art Museum, National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Frye Art Museum (Seattle), Place Vendôme (Paris), Taipei MoCA; and his works have been widely exhibition all around the world including New York, Chicago, Jerusalem, Copenhagen, Miami, Paris, London, Beijing, Shanghai, Geneva, Singapore and Seoul.
About Aurora Museum
The collection of Aurora Museum can be divided into Buddhist Sculptures, Ancient Jade, Ancient Pottery Figures, and Blue-and-White Porcelains. The collection also includes permanent exhibitions and special exhibitions. The museum also set up the research center of study of ancient artifacts, which fully demonstrates the achievements of ancient Chinese culture and art, while analyzes the collections from the perspective of ancient artifacts and reveals the cultural connotations of historical relics to audience from multi-angle and multi-lateral aspects.
Aurora Museum is the first private art museum in the Lujiazui area of Pudon, Shanghai, which was designed by the internationally renowned architect Tadao Ando and was officially opened in October 2013. The museum collection can be divided into Buddhist Sculptures, Ancient Jade, Ancient Pottery Figures, and Blue-and-White Porcelains. Adhering to Chinese culture of “protection, inheritance, and dedication”, the museum promotes the study of ancient artifacts with the core of “material, technique, form and pattern” and is tempting to createthe dialogue between the tradition and the modernity.
Through out the years, Aurora Museumhas hosted many contemporary art exhibitions such as BVLGARI at Aurora Museum: 125 Years of Italian Magnificence (2012), There Unicorn and the Dragon: A Map of the Collections of Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice and Aurora Museum, Shanghai (2013), Signs, Surface and the Instant: An Encounter by n + n Corsino and Aurora Museum (2014), The Making of A Museum: In Partnership with 10th Shanghai Biennale (2014-2015), Nobody Knows Where: Zhang Enli x Christopher Doyle (2015) and Lights of Time: Solo Exhibition of Hu Jieming (2016). Towards the sixth year, Aurora Museum carried out more dimensional dialogues in 2018. Chinese Jade Pattern Design Exhibition analyzed the ancient Chinese jadecarving through the systematic idea of design thinking. In the Mythical Forest: Wu Jia’an and Wang Tianwen blended the ancient mythology, the historical relics and intangible cultural heritage with the contemporaryart, showing a lively energy behind the tradition. Through the Ages - Li Chen Solo Exhibition attempts to build a dialogue between Li Chen’s artworks and the ancient Buddhist Statues of the collection of Aurora Museum, leading viewers to experience an exhibition beyond the time and space.