文/郑乃铭
熊宇，是在他的作品里头长大的。
2006年，熊宇有一件名为〈林中的肖像-2〉作品，这幅画鲜少被评论拿出来谈，可是，这件作品在熊宇【安静的流逝】那个时期创作中，应该具备两种不同的象征性：第一、类似水墨的韵染技法(这个技法在2009年新作中，更被他找到一个更融入古典主义风格的表现)；第二、它可以视为熊宇的青春美少年时期的经典款代表。熊宇在画面前景的白色繁花与背景植物的剪影处理上，都可以看到水墨的点、捺、洗的方式，使得空间不会因为植物枝枝干干的推移，显出一股无端躁动。尤其，他在对于画中人物的描写，清澈无垢的眼神，象征着少年对于生命的毫无重力负担与对未来的全然无虑。熊宇的这幅作品，彻底把生命根本毫无碰触社会的经验，经由人物的眼神与场景的章法布局，轻快演绎出来。
2009年，在一件名为〈工作者〉作品，熊宇则已经不再让外界找到或嗅着过去那股飘逸梦幻的生命氛围。熊宇在这幅〈工作者〉的油画里，首先；色彩的铺陈已经不再有着昔日单纯的黑白主调，他让画面主角的衣服有了不同颜色，同时也把空间做了改变。主角走出以前习惯沉溺的树林、水湄，置身在工厂的某个室内空间中，环境很明显看出有一种局促性的压迫感，主角手中握着一只铁锹，衣服的高领拉到盖住口鼻，低垂的大盘面，让主角的脸只露出一双眼睛。如果注意看的话，则会看出熊宇不再赋予画中人物那无垢的眼神，取而代之是一双略含忧郁、欲语还休的双眸。
我尝试把这两件作品放在一起阅读，发现熊宇从〈林中的肖像-2〉到〈工作者〉，就好像是走出了踏在云端、毫无所谓的理直气壮位置；双脚结结实实踩在土地上，开始感受着的生活所带来各式起起落落。
尽管如此，我倒不认为说，熊宇在2009年的新作系列，已经让画中人物饱尝沧桑，充满着社会的爱欲纠葛。我却觉得，在这次的新作里面，熊宇已经在自己的创作思想领域中，逐渐加入自己对于社会的心理体认与责任投射，这份体认表现得隐讳而不是浮夸；相对就出现一股细腻的身段虚虚实实对映着，感觉较诸于昔日他的创作，近期的作品有了比较浓郁戏剧情节，而不再只让画面参透出宁静的气韵。
这种缓续性的转变，其实是有着相当基础的脉络可察觉。熊宇在【安静的流逝】阶段，他的创作建立在自我的想象延伸。那个时期的作品，多数的人会把他的创作拿来置入一个通泛的70后动漫风格大帽底下。这个说法，我曾经大表不以为然。原因在于，文化与生活的惯性，当然是可以拿来作为多数社会行为的参考值，但却不能全然概括。熊宇，显然就是属于这个例子。熊宇在那个时期的创作，触击的是个人生活的一种反射与映照。他的生活与工作都在成都，他的家庭本来就单纯而和暖，对他而言，生活；或者扩充一点来说，生命；合该就像一条安逸的河流。而且，是一条隐匿于重重森林中的细水流。因此，他架构出他艺术主轴中的人物定调，也就是大家所看到有双翅膀的天使。在传统定义里，天使，总是无尘无垢、总是静谧沉宁。祂们的脸上，不会反映出太多的情欲与贪嗔。至于，那双始终没有收起来的翅膀，则意味着人对于自由渴望的宿命心理。因此，我把【安静的流逝】这个时间段的创作，定阶在年轻男生对于青春的梦幻与对美好的憧憬，情愫隐约而清淡，翅膀，则被拿来视为少年不愿意过度被束缚；随时都能退离现场的自我本位，而这个系列也是熊宇艺术创作的首阶代表。
2007年的【塔罗】系列，则是被我拿来归纳出跨出成长另一个阶段性表征。【塔罗】可以被拿来视为熊宇对现境一种不确定的观视态度。当生命从一个懵懵懂懂阶段踏入一个比较实际的场域里，很自然就会对于摆在面前的选择，有着过多的迟疑与徨惑；甚或至对未来感到畏惧。在我的观感中，熊宇透过【塔罗】这个主题创作，其实也就在于爬梳自己内心对于现实的观察，就好像真实的生活中，当一个人遭遇难以抉择的情况时，往往会寄托于算命或问卜。而事实上，塔罗牌是在剖析一个人对于现境的思与念，进而为当事人建构自信。所以，我将熊宇这个阶段的【塔罗】主题创作，定阶在自我发掘的延伸，也等于是为熊宇下个阶段的创作，埋下基础的铺垫工作。
从自我想象的延伸到自我发掘，2009年，熊宇的创作出现了比较大的改变。我将这个时期熊宇的创作，定位在生活意识抬头的阶段。熊宇让画面的人物，第一、不再有着过去趋向梦幻的神情，熊宇开始让人物加入所谓社会角色的辨识符号；他让人物的穿著与其它小配件的加衬，牵引出人物的工作(或生活)的身分。第二、性别已经愈见鲜明，不再像过去多数是以中性模样来作表现。第三、熊宇把他的人物带离了传统郁郁树林或河流，现实环境的工作空间或生活场所成为这些人物主要驻留场域。假设，过去熊宇所赋予人物塑料般的黑衣、水林的空间，是他所建构出来的保护色。那么，近作所呈现出来的情境，则完全脱除这些保护色彩。熊宇，还是眷恋着他作品中的天使角色，只是，天使已经在这个城市，挺身触击生活的纷纷扰扰，不再闪躲在安逸的环境里、不再害怕洁白的翅膀会被弄脏。
熊宇在创作表现上的尝试，当然与这些年在工作与生活所逐渐累聚的经验、感受有关。2008年四川大地震，最明显是改变四川人对待生活、对待自己的态度。原本安静的生活，因为一阵天摇地动，把所有已经实现、即将实现，甚至是还处于筑梦阶段的梦想，彻底推向地表，化成尘土飞扬。熊宇看着环境本来的常规，突然都变形、扭曲，而生命脆弱到毫无反抗与招架余地。来自大环境不可预期的变动、家人健康出现警讯，这些提醒了熊宇；生命与生活不可能永远一成不变。再者，这几年随着不同地区展览活动，熊宇的视野因此拓宽，心；自然也跟着打开。而在学校的工作，从一开始的百废待举到后来学生的加入，熊宇从单纯的艺术创作者到艺术管理与组织者，人际的广度是拉开，同时也让他有机会见解到人际深度的层次与多变，这些在生活中照理是极为清浅的内容，但对熊宇来讲都是一段过程；一段不同于他昔日沉静生活的经验。
生活里点点滴滴的改变，再加上，熊宇在近一年来，也同时尝试不同于架上绘画的创作型态，就好像手中抓稳了一条宽厚的主线，往前丢洒出去，则会出现疾速往前飞窜出去的不同支线，这些多元化的创作型态切换，一如熊宇着迷于电玩，在速度与不同游戏内容里面，这位70后的艺术家展现新世代年轻人充分融入不同体制与环境的塑性。可是，我个人觉得，熊宇这段经验的转折，让他有个机会去审思自己在架上绘画表现的新可能空间，使得他即便还是选择人物来作为表达体裁，在近作的整体氛围陈述上，他已经把自己从过去的创作体质上做了调变，同时也从古典绘画精神框架里，赋予更有思辩空间的当代能量。
熊宇在新作的表现中，充分展现两个特点，一、古典气韵，但却不陷入古典绘画的僵硬格局。二、他延续过去就曾经尝试过的舞台情境氛围，但却让剧情的视觉洋溢了呼吸感。
天使的形象，依然是熊宇创作的主线，而他让天使来到这个城市生活，照理讲，这个的故事裁切点着实不是新鲜，尤其如果选择的表达方式稍有误差，很有可能走入传统的中国写实绘画模式；例如，那些描述民工的人物样板化，往往只能彰显写实绘画功夫的透彻，未必能够跳脱成为一个新视野。熊宇掐准了对于人物的新解释点，同时也不愿意让作品陷入矫情，所以，他把视觉关注的焦点调回到古典绘画的肖像画精神范畴，并且以自己擅长的人物书写语体，重新解剖了古典绘画的惯性，让新作一方面能保留古典绘画的精致氛围，但却更突显了当代艺术对于环境真实的情感记录，把时间与空间经由错弄迭置，教回忆在画面里潺潺流动，成就出天使尽管经历过生活锤炼，却仍然能怀抱着沉静的优雅。
在〈工匠〉与〈炼钢者〉两件作品中，熊宇让天使成为俗世里的劳动者，衣服的样式，成为在社会被认定的一种身分，只是，熊宇一点也不留恋在过去中国传统写实绘画对于劳动者的歌颂情境中，在这两件作品的画面上，劳动者被赋予一种绝对精准的细腻与雅逸。也就是说，熊宇一方面让印象中不食人间烟火的天使，来到现实环境成为生活者，可是他仍紧紧守住对于天使与人；所应该持有的距离性。熊宇让画面的精细笔触与柔软的色泽，铺陈出一份就好像我们在欣赏古典人物画作，从画面的时空中感受到现实被拉开与记忆缓缓被启动。熟悉熊宇艺术的人，应该都很清楚他相当擅长把画中人物与现实空间做区隔，展现一种能够超越现境的想象力。这样的特质，在新世代艺术家里是寻常的表述。因为，计算机、动漫，都提供了这样的快捷方式。只是，熊宇大量运用自己最为喜欢的绘画表达，在笔触的处理，细致凌驾了昔日作品当中的繁琐性，你在看他的近作时，画面所散发出来的紧密度，不再需要过度环境的铺陈与雕琢，很直接就能看出了不同于人物画作的新古典气韵。
再来看〈镜中的女子〉与〈暗夜前的女子〉这两件作品，熊宇过去很少直接描述〈镜中的女子〉这种非常超现实式画面主题，蛋型的镜子，出现了这么一位眼神略带忧郁的女天使，熊宇以一种轻细到看不出笔触走动方向的作法，让整张画进入一个似乎让人不敢在画前大力呼吸的情境空间中，咖啡色系的温暖调子，柔柔舒散开来，就彷佛电影《似曾相识Sometime in Love》里面的女主角，根本不存在现实时空中，但男主角却因为从租借来的衣服口袋；摸出了一枚古钱币，进而跌入女主角的时空中，与她发生了一段穿越时间与空间的情感。熊宇没有特意要把这件作品处里得过于古典，严格讲应该是他让自己画中的天使，真确感受到在现实里已走远的感情、已远离的梦想，使得画面合该自然地进入一个现实与过去相迭在镜里的跨度。对比〈镜中的女子〉泛发着记忆悠悠气味，〈暗夜前的女子〉则较吻合我前述所提到舞台戏剧性。画面中的女子，洁白的服饰，有着缎面森冷的质感及纱裙的飘逸，泄露出这位女子在生活上的富足。只是，注意看则会发现她双臂被细细白线牵绑而漂浮在半空，就好像是悬丝魁儡，逃不掉背后被牵制的命运。问题是，熊宇一方面指涉现实生活中；女性所遭遇到无力脱除束缚的无力，尤其让女主角置身在一个背景有着细细描花图案贵气家庭里，强化画面所渗透的无奈，更点出处境上的两极拔河力道在纠结。但另一方面，熊宇让画面右上方射出一道白光，藉此点破了女子对于外面世界的渴求心理，同时也把画面推向具有舞台张力的剧场性格。熊宇把剧场性带到新作里，还有一件作品极为经典，也就是〈想飞的翅膀〉。熊宇过去很少在作品中出现像这幅画里的小女孩，她站在可收缩的白色折迭上，黑色翅膀有点羽毛未丰的青涩，右手指轻轻触打着脸颊，满脸不解的在思索着该如何向前飞。这幅画让我想到舞台的独角戏，肢体的运动与脸部表情，直接、简单；纯粹的把故事说得极尽具体，一点也见不着雕工琢磨。这样的表达，熊宇还有很多的尝试主题，它们都有着一个共通性，画面都相当干净，情绪很少，感情却很厚、很实，是我个人相当喜欢的一组系列作品。
熊宇自己所塑造出来的古典新韵，也深切把水墨的洗染做了若干转换。以〈光的索引者〉这件作品来举例，苍瘦、纤细的少年，赤着上身跪倒在林间搜寻着，熊宇以带着灰蓝的病态白色来作主色调，地面的落叶，被处理成为就好像一点也不具有重量感的羽毛，形状已经被粗粗细细笔意爬梳得失去原有模样，熊宇在这件作品里，没有出现过去创作对景的繁琐铺陈，他透过更为精熟的技巧，把情境画得更进去，在洗与染的双重交置，空间就在单色的光与温度互融下，展现远远近近的层次感，空气的呼吸节奏感，清清楚楚地触动着人。
熊宇在09年的创作，脱除了以前作品倾近于梦幻的青春唯美，在我认为，青春或许无敌，但能让无敌不朽的；唯有深度。因此，他安排画里的天使，贴近人间且成为现实中的生活者，一样遭遇到困厄与错逆、一样有着沮丧与清喜、一样会无力与仓惶。而熊宇甚至在作品中，大力书写着理想与现实在面临较劲的时候，那股为坚持来力拼到底的执着。以近作中，出现了「马」这个元素来说，熊宇将马视为一种理想的化身，在几件大幅的画作里，骑师或多或少不一而足，经常会出现缰绳被拉扯的紧绷情形，画面很清晰展现两极拉力彼此相互对立的紧张，熊宇透过这样的方式来传达理想在尚未成真之前，往往都会经过一段与现实角力与磨合的过程。熊宇把马当作是理想的象征，但或许熊宇自己并不知道，马在心理学的潜意识里头，同时也意味着多情(马的双眼)、温驯(静如处子)、自由与疾速(动如脱兔)，这似乎也近似熊宇喜欢画天使；喜欢翅膀所意味可以随时飞翔的象征性。只是，翅膀在某种意义上，也意味着一种可以逃避的潜意识。这种当角色有了调整，角色背后所挟带着象征性，也跟着被赋予新的解读，熊宇很谨慎掌握着自己在现实中的角色，并且让自己在作品中，一路记载着心境的变化与调适，我们也彷佛看到画里的天使，渐渐有了改变….。
从一个真实的情境来讲，我们或许都不那么真确知道天使到底长怎么样。只是，画天使，可以视为一种谋生的技巧，相信天使，则是一种信仰。熊宇把天使这个角色放到生活里，我想，那是因为现实环境给过他失望，但他也从来没有因此对人失望过、对自己松懈了坚持。所以，天使会有牵制、会疲累、会…，只是，我们毕竟也看到了熊宇的天使，并没有逃离这个城市。而且，彻头彻尾始终沉静地迎击着环境的喧嚣。
熊宇，在画这城市的天使；熊宇，也是在话自己，不是吗？
Article/Zheng Naiming
Xiong Yu grows up in his works.
In 2006, Xiong Yu accomplished the work named “Portrait in the Woods-No. 2”, which was rarely commented. However, it should have two different kinds of symbols in the creating period of “Running on Tranquilly”. First, dyeing techniques similar with ink (In his new work in 2009, he found a representation to make this technique more syncretic with classical style). Second, it can be regarded as classic representation in Xiong Yu’s youth. The method of pointing, pressing and washing can be seen in the silhouette treatment of white flowers on the foreground and plants on the background. Therefore, space will not show a kind of unprovoked agitation with the motives of branches of the plants. Especially, the description of Character in the painting and clear expression in their eyes symbolize that there is no burden of gravity to life for youth and complete inconsideration of future. In this work, it is deduced briskly that lives absolutely have no experience of community, by the expression of character’s eyes and layout of the scene.
In 2009, in a work named “worker”, Xiong Yu no longer lets outside to fide or sniff the life atmosphere of elegant fantasy of the past. In this work of Xiong Yu, firstly, the expatiation of color is no longer a simple black and white melody as before. He let protagonist's clothes on the painting have a different color. Space is also changed——protagonist steps out of the woods and waterscape where he used to indulge in, exposes in interior space of a factory. Oppressive and embarrassing feelings are obvious in the atmosphere. Protagonist holds a shovel in the hands, the high collar of the clothes was pulled to cover nose and mouth. The large plate is drooped that, on the faces of the protagonist, only eyes are exposed. If you watch carefully, it should be found that Xiong Yu no longer endue character in painting with pure and clear expression in their eyes, instead, with a pair of slightly depressed eyes can’t say a word although with wishing.
From self-imagined extendity to self-identity, in 2009, there has been big change in Xiong Yu’s creation. I would position the creation of Xiong Yu at a period of development of live consciousness. Firstly, Xiong Yu let characters in the painting no longer have the expression of yearning dream as in his former works. Xiong Yu started to add the so-called social role identification symbols to the characters. He let character dress and other small accessories implicate character’s identity in work (or life). Secondly, gender has become more and more clear, no longer appears neutral mostly like the past. Thirdly, Xiong Yu takes his characters away from the traditional luxuriant woods or river. The working space in reality and living place become the character’s main presence field. If the plastic like black dress and water forest space deduced by Xiong Yu in the past is the protection color he constructed, the scene presented in the latest works completely removes these protective colors. Xiong Yu still emotionally attached to the role of angels in his works. Just that, angel has been in this city, strike to confront a turbulent life, no longer dodge in the comfortable environment, and no longer afraid that white wings will be dirtied.
Xiong Yu's attempts at creative expression are, of course, related to the experiences and feelings accumulated in work and life in these years. The earthquake in 2008 most apparently changed the attitude to live and oneself of people in Sichuan province. Dreams that have been realized, or about to realize, or in constructing status were completely pushed to the earth surface from peaceful life, and turned into flying dust, by a burst of shaking. Xiong Yu saw the original convention of environment was suddenly deformed and twisted, but life was so fragile that there was no resistance and parry at all. Unexpected changes in the large environment and warning sign of family health reminded Xiong Yu that life and living can not remain unchanged forever. Moreover, in recent years with exhibitions in different regions, Xiong Yu's vision was thereby broadened, and following that, heart was naturally open. In school work, from the beginning of anything-undone to joining of students later, Xiong Yu changed from pure artist to art manager and organizer. The breadth of interpersonal relationships had been widening. At the same time he had the opportunity to realize the levels and ever-changing of depth of interpersonal relationships. These very simple contents of life were indeed a process for Xiong Yu, an experience unlike his former quite life.
There are two characteristics fully demonstrated in Xiong Yu’s new works. First, classical rhythm doesn’t fall into the rigid structure of classical paintings. Second, he makes the dramatic vision flow with breathing by continuing the stage context atmosphere he had ever attempted in the past.
In the works of “Craftsman” and “ Steel-making Man”, Xiong Yu lets the angels be the workers in the secular world and the pattern of clothes is regarded as a way to identify identities. However, Xiong Yu doesn’t have any nostalgia for the situations in which traditional Chinese realistic painting pays a tribute to the workers. Workers in the paintings of these two works are given an absolutely accurate exquisite and elegance. That is to say, on the one hand, Xiong Yu lets the other-worldly angel be the living man in the real environment, but he also keeps the distance between angel and human tightly. Xiong Yu lays out a painting which looks like we appreciate the classical characters through the fine brushwork and soft color and lustre, and we can feel the reality is pushed away and memory is activated from the space of painting. People who are familiar with Xiong Yu’s art should know clearly that he is good at separating the characters in the painting and the real space, showing a surreal imagination. This idiosyncrasy is a common narration among the new generation artists. Computer and cartoon supply such shortcuts. However, Xiong Yu particularity outstrips the triviality of his past works in the aspect of brushwork disposal through handling his most favorite painting expression. When you appreciate his recent works, you will find the neo- classical flavor different from other character paintings through the compactness throws off in the painting, no expatiation and refinement of the environment.
Now we turn to see his two works “ Woman in the Mirror” and “ A Woman before Night”. Xiong Yu seldom paints this kind of surreal painting theme directly such like “ Woman in Mirror”. There is a female angel with gloomy eyes appeared in the oval mirror. Xiong Yu uses a kind of brushwork in which we can not see the clear moving directions of his painting to get the whole painting into a context space where people dare not to breathe before painting: Warm tone in brown series disperses softly, just like the actress in the movie of “Sometime in Love” who doesn’t exist in the reality. But for an ancient coin found in the pocket of hired clothes by the actor, the actor dropped into the space of actress and then occurred a emotion with the actress through time and space. Xiong Yu doesn’t paint this angel so classical deliberately, strictly speaking, he makes the angel in his painting have the authentic feelings and dreams that emotions have gone away in the reality, making the painting should turn naturally into a span in which present and past are superposed in the mirror. Compared with “Woman in the Mirror”, which exudes leisure scent of memory, “Woman before the Night” is of stage histrionics I have mentioned before. Pure white finery with silky textures wore by the woman in the painting shows her rich life. However, if you look carefully, you will find her arms are bond and floating in the sky just like a puppet with thread couldn’t get away from the destiny controlled behind her back. The problems are: in one hand, Xiong Yu refers to female’s impotence of casting off the bondage encountered in the reality. He sets the actress into a noble family with flower scenery, strengthening the penetrative helpless of painting, also pointing out the strength entanglement of the tug of war of the two poles in this circumstance. On the other hand, Xiong Yu exposes woman’s psychological desire to the outside world depending on the beam of white light set out in the right upper side of the painting; meanwhile, he also makes the painting have dramatic characters with stage tension. Xiong Yu brings “dramatic” in his works, and another work named “Fly wings” is quite classical. This kind of girl in this work has seldom appeared in Xing Yu’s past works. The girl with fledgeless black wings, who is standing in the shrinking white folding chair with her right hand beating her cheek lightly, are considering how to fly forward. I am associated with the stage Monologue from this painting, direct and simple body movement and facial expressions, purely describing the tales in detail and no contemplation. Xiong Yu has many themes to attempt like this expression. They have the common point that painting is quite clear, with little emotion, but full of feelings, so I like this series very much.
The new classical flavor created by Xiong Yu himself also makes a several conversions of dyeing of ink. Taking “Index Man of Light” as an example, pale and thin youth kneels in the woods searching with upper part of his body naked. Xiong Yu uses sick white with grey and blue as the main hue, the leaves on the ground are processed like feathers without a feeling of weight, and shape of the original appearance is lost under his rough-thin painting. In this work, Xiong Yu doesn’t use trivial expatiation which he often uses in his past creations, but uses more accurate and proficient techniques to paint scene and environment more harmoniously. In the double cross-set of washing and dyeing, the space presents the levels of far and near senses and air-breathing rhythm in the fusion of monochromatic light and temperature, touching people clearly.
The creations, painted by Xing Yu in 2009, cast off the fantastic youth aestheticism which his previous works get close to. I think maybe youth is invincible, but only profundity could make eternal invincibility. And hence, the angel s in his paintings get close to the human world and become the living man in the reality. They experience the same hardships, frustrations, adversities and have the same depression, surprise and delight. They also have inabilities and anxieties. Furthermore, Xing Yu expresses his insistence in his works when there is a contradiction between ideality and reality. Xiong Yu regards “horse” which appears in his recent works as an embodiment of the ideality. In some of his big works, the rider is ordinarily not single, a tight situation of dragging halters is always presented and we can clearly see the opposite intensity of pulls in the two poles. Xiong Yu uses this way to express a wrestling and grinding process with the reality before ideality becomes true. Xiong Yu regards horses as symbols of ideality, maybe he doesn’t know horses also means emotional (eyes of horse), tame (still like virgins), free and running rapidly (like a rabbit). It seems that these are the reasons why Xiong Yu likes painting angels—wings symbolize flying at any time. However, Wing means a potential evasive consciousness. Symbol held behind role is also given a new interpretation when role is adjusted. Xiong Yu holds his own role in the real world cautiously and records the change and adjustment of his mind in his works. It seems like that the angels in the paintings changes gradually.
We probably really do not know how an angel likes exactly in terms of a real situation and environment. However, painting angels can be regarded as a technique for making a living, believing in angels is a sort of belief. I think the reason why Xiong Yu puts the role of angel into the living life just because he is so disappointed with the reality, but he has never been disappointed with people and given up himself. Therefore, angels will be contained, exhausted, tired and ……However, after all we see Xiong Yu’s angels are still staying in this city. Furthermore, they are facing the hurly-burly environment quietly from the beginning to the end.
Xiong Yu is painting angels in this city. Xiong Yu is also expressing himself, isn’t he?
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