Qu Guangci 瞿广慈
THE POWER
aura gallery hongkong

April 8 – May 8, 2008
opening reception April 8, 5 – 8 p.m.

view works	view exhibition

Gotterdammerung Time

I. Imagery

At first glance of Qu Guangci's Knife Gang II (2008), the European myth Gotterdammerung emerged in my mind. In the bloody fight by fate, the gangsters are circling in the clouds, ledding their hands to kill, and their sophisticated facial features are showing the entanglement of nervousness, indifference and distraction. Their expressions are drawn taut by rigid muscles.

In Gotterdammerung, the entire world is supported by the Yggdrasil Tree. There is a serpent of despair called Nidhogg under the tree gnawing the roots. When the roots are eventually snapped, it is time of Gotterdammerung. In Gotterdammerung, the kingdom of the gods will be captured by evil and all the resistance of the gods is doomed to failure.

Myths reflect the human mind through the vague and abstract philosophy, and express the connection between them by the obscure imagery. Qu Guangci's works are tinged with the ambiance of fatalism in northern European myth. Many art critics have pointed out that Qu has successfully transformed western artistic elements into the text of Chinese history and social conditions, but if we see his works from the perspective of the authority and the observer of the authorization, we'd find the allegory is very insightful. Firstly, the characters in uniforms imply the assembly, the order, the position, the legal authority, or even the legal violence. However, Qu puts these authorities in the stage being watched. All the movements are monitored by a superior audience and become the passive ceremony.

Moreover, in Qu's sculptures, every figure, either in a group or alienated from a group, shows his fatigue and helplessness. This expression not only reveals the passivity of the authority, but also breaks the admiration of immortal heroes. Qu shows the G?tterd?mmerung moment by the subtle imagery His works describe the natural human desire to terminate something, or be terminated by something. Behind the turmoil and violence are the fears and vulnerability of the hierarchies.

II. Forms

Bonzes excavated from Yunnan can be a good comparison to Qu's recent sculptures. As offering of utensils, the cylinder or cone-shaped bronze with ornamental lines provides the public with a most direct way to understand Tien Culture. With a comparable aesthetics, the theatrical presentation of Qu's sculptures carries out a similar narrative logic to these bronzes. In his individual figures, Qu presents the solitude found in the bronzes from the Warring States, such as Bronze Parasol Decorated with a Standing Bull and Bronze Cylindrical Sewing Case Decorated with a Standing Deer Standing appears the same visual impacts with Qu’s Beloved Motherland (2005) and The Invincible Eastern Warrior (2007). Other works such as Giant series distinguishable for their long sharp shape are also similar to the awl in the bronze. And his group figures such as Knife Gang II give an amusing feel reminiscent of Bronze Cowrie-Container Decorated With a Battle Scene on its Cover found from the mid-Han Dynasty. The circles further emphasize the dramatic movements and the fatal tension, it captures a moment of extreme excitement.

In Qu’s sculptures, the contrast between the lanky trees and heavy figures, as well as the contract between the huge figures and the unproportionate becomes the irony of the the authorization. Especially the Giant series, his latest works, intimates the standard pose of Hitler, but the hand and the feet are anomalous small, by which Qu pigmies the icons of authoritarian.

Knife Gang series is among the most mature art works of Qu's artwork. The story of Knife Gang (2007) has been changed from fighting together against a rat, to fighting each other in Knife Gang II. By this change, the artist has outlined his definition of rivalry and his motif of social situation. With smart visual arrangement, the tension between the six figures is well demonstrated by their special relationships as well as their frozen movements, their expressionless round faces and their hollow, inane eyes.

III. Nonsense

Looking closely to the facial expression of Knife Gang II, one might associate them with the ladies from the cave paintings of the T'ang Dynasty. There is a common hedonism in these two ages. In terms of forms and themes, Qu's works respond to the pop culture, especially to western pop culture selected by the mass media. Qu transforms our cognition of pop culture by badinage, and reserves the artistic elements into entertainments. All these transformation finally achieve a sense of nonsence.

Walter Benjamin thinks, the real comprehension of history comes form the melancholy, as well as “ the wish for peacefulness, also know as the empathy from laziness”. Qu’s art creation realizes the two incompatible processes precisely. The entertaining elements in his works should be esteemed as the reflection of hedonism in China now. However, it is not the same as the western entertainments. Though Qu’s deep observation of society, he narrates the nonsense and the inanity of hedonism, which is his real melancholy comprehension of history.

Discus Thrower is a special work by Qu. Based on Myron's classic sculpture of the same title, Qu converted the muscular male body usually demonstrated in museums or for educational programs into a fleshy, even feminine or obese figure. The imperfection created by the artist concerns the viewer, one can't help but notice the destroyed beauty and the derision which are the artist's attempt to deconstruct the sacredness of icons. It is a regretful nonsense of paradox. Moreover, the collapse of perfect body suggests the metaphor of anti-totalitarian. Totalitarian countries always emphasize the perfect body to consolidate their mores and orders by formalizing the body into militarism. The reversal of Discus Thrower should be a significant statement of his political ideology.

As to the theme and the motivation of this work, it is worthy to make another comparison with The Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin. With a similar theatrical premise and sense of excitement, these two works show comparable forms, affection and plots; the difference being that in Qu Guangci's work, the subversive logic of survival developed by Chinese people in their deplorable reality is represented through his irony.

Qu Guangci was born in 1969. He studied in Central Academy of Fine Arts and graduated from the MA sculpture program in 1997. Qu has been invited to exhibit in China, German, France, and USA. Important group shows include “Witness——Sculpture of Xiang Jing and Guangci”, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China in 2004, “Sculpture a Century”, Shanghai Sculpture Space in 2005, “Fiction @ Love”, Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai in 2006, “Soliloquy: China-Indonesia contemporary sculpture exhibition”, National Art Museum, Jakarta, Indonesia in 2006. Important solo shows include “collectivism-Guangci work 2005-2007”, Zendai Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai and “Last Supper—solo exhibition by Qu Guangci”, Aura Gallery Hong Kong in 2007.

诸神的黄昏的时刻

一　
意象

初看瞿广慈的菜刀帮Ⅱ（2008） ，北欧神话「诸神的黄昏」浮现在脑中。厮杀中严肃地飞于云端的瞿广慈的菜刀帮们，彷佛被命运牵引着端出那只砍杀的手，细小的五官间平淡地充满着无奈感，紧绷却又涣散的肌肉让表情深刻。

神话中说明了整个世界是被世界之树所支撑，在树底有一条名叫绝望（Nidhogg）的蛇，不停地咬断树根，直到有天当牠咬断这株树，诸神的黄昏就会来临。 在诸神的黄昏，神的国度将会被邪恶攻陷，神们的战斗都是注定失败的。

神话制作心智以及抽象哲学，并以意象表达这层关系，而瞿广慈的作品便在意象上宁静地感染了北欧式的宿命感。至今对于瞿广慈作品的叙述多指出其将西方艺术史的元素转换成叙述中国历史和社会现实的文本，但若从权力者及观看权力者的视角出发，更可发现作品所发展出的寓意极为有趣。首先，身着制服的人物暗示了团体、秩序、身分、能力、合法权力、甚或合法使用暴力，但是这些被赋予权力、行使暴力的权力者却被置于一种被观看的舞台之上，似乎臣服于一位超级观众的凝视下，令全部的动作成为一种被动的仪式。

其次，瞿广慈的作品中，无论是身处于集体中的个人或是孤立于集体外的个人，其表情和姿态都似乎逞强地遮掩极尽憔悴的无助，这一方面连结了权力者的被动性，一方面打破了具有「不朽」意涵的英雄式崇拜；瞿广慈意象性地以诸神的黄昏的时刻，传达了某种介于即将终结和被终结之间的等待；乍看之下极其暴力的喧闹，隐藏着权力者的脆弱和畏惧。

二
造型

云南的青铜器可为瞿广慈近来作品的对照。青铜器以祭祀器具存在，鼓或锥的型态在其表面装饰图样，成为后世了解滇族文化的渠道。瞿广慈作品中的舞台特色可对应于铜器的叙事系统，且在造形上显示出相通的美感；在「单」的表现上，可惊讶发现瞿广慈雕塑中呈现的「孤」的氛围和战国时候表现相通，如立牛伞盖、立鹿针细筒，和大好河山（2005）、东方不败（2007）等作品极似,，而高人系列的拉长造型，则和此时期青铜器的锥形特征相类。在「众」的表现上，瞿广慈的菜刀帮Ⅱ和前汉中期的战争场储贝器呈现有趣的对照，戏剧性的夸张动作，以环状结构极大化各个体间的紧张关系，强调了激烈的瞬间。

瞿广慈的雕塑造型，经常以拉长的树木、支架作为和浑厚人体的对照，这类的对比性也同样出现在角色和器具（缩小的菜刀、不成比例的沙发、略显娇小的马）之间，显现出权力者的「重」（亦或笨重）。高人系列是此类作品的代表，尤其高人Ｉ中瞿广慈以居高临下的造型隐涉希特勒的集权动作，却将角色的手和脚极度缩小， 侏儒化了权力的象征，是最为直接的表现之一。

菜刀帮系列\则是瞿广慈最成熟的作品之一。这件作品经过菜刀帮（2007）们集体对抗一只小老鼠，到现在菜刀帮Ⅱ彼此因内哄的互相厮杀，清楚地勾勒出艺术家对于敌人的定义和所隐藏的社会动机。菜刀帮Ⅱ这件作品在视觉上，经过艺术家的巧妙安排，六个人物彼此先以空间显示出紧张的拉距，紧接着是被准确冻结的动作，最后细看到那肥庸无表情的面孔，看似若无的眼球显出无比的空洞。

三
胡语

再观察菜刀帮Ⅱ的各个面孔，联想起唐时仕女壁画的女性面容和集体性，在某种娱乐性审视的框架下可察觉两个时代相通的享乐主义。瞿广慈的作品是统整大众文化的，在造型和主题的发展上（如三个阔人），则更将西方艺术中经过大众媒体筛选的视觉经验捡取，这些认知最后经由瞿广慈揶揄手法的转换，再次将艺术性反转回娱乐性，达到胡语（nonsense）般的叙事效果。

班雅明曾认为，对历史的真实理解，一方面是由忧郁而来，一方面是「一种贪图安逸享乐之心，也就是懒散所萌发的移情过程」，瞿广慈准确地实现了这两种矛盾的面向。瞿广慈所呈现的娱乐性确实应被视为中国当下的安逸享乐的反射，但瞿广慈的「娱乐性」并非如西方固有的「娱乐性」般欢乐－瞿广慈经过自我深度、社会深度的理解和观察，将享乐主义后不可摆脱的空虚感「揶揄」的叙事口吻道出，是艺术家对于历史的真实理解的忧郁。

掷铁饼者（2005）是瞿广慈较为特殊的作品，但却表现了其在将作品反转、胡语化的深度。掷铁饼者以米隆雕塑为原本，这一捡选举动立即让人为之一笑，带有「博物馆」、「教材性」的结实男性肌肉人体，被瞿广慈转变为肉感、甚或带有女性特征、但却又极度不完美的臃肿人体，这一个转换让我们注意艺术家在形体反转上的动机，一方面将人体美破除、赋予角色娱乐性，一方面再度将肖像里的神圣性解构，以达到前文所述的基于矛盾的忧郁胡语。再者，瞿广慈将掷铁饼者的完美人体破除，同时应更有反极权体制的喻意；极权主义国家为号召理想的道德观和美学注重大型体育活动、强调无瑕疵的体、将象征洁净、凝聚、如军事般准确的肉体形式化，掷铁饼者的反转可说是艺术家的一份重要声明。

最后，基于主题性和动机性，罗丹的加莱义民可作为菜刀帮Ⅱ的另一层对照，同样以戏剧性舞台排列呈现故事的「前序性」和「紧张性」，加莱义民和菜刀帮Ⅱ的造型对比、情感对比、情节对比，使我们更确切地体会瞿广慈希望在作品中让观众咀嚼的讽刺，以及中国当下的社会环境实际造就出的一套颠覆且可悲的生存逻辑。


瞿广慈生于1969年，毕业于中央美院雕塑系研究所，1999年起便获邀于中国、德国、法国、美国等重要城市展览，重要群展包括2004年深圳·何香凝美术馆目光所及—向京广慈雕塑展、2005年上海城市雕塑艺术中心雕塑百年、2006年印度尼西亚·雅加达·国家美术馆独白：中国印度尼西亚当代雕塑展，重要个展则有2007年香港亦安画廊最后的晚餐、2007年上海证大现代艺术馆集体主义-广慈作品2005-2007 。现居住并工作于上海。