北极熊画廊（北京）荣幸的宣布将于2024年8月4日推出艺术家万克胜个展「静谧之域」。展览由韩雅俐策展。此次展览是艺术家在北京的首次个展。万克胜的作品则试图在古典与现代之间去寻找一种平衡，通过细腻的线条和色彩运用，将日常生活中的物体与自身进行融合，画面中的人物与动物、植物等元素的结合，形成了一种奇幻而又真实的画面。展览将呈现艺术家近些年创作的多种媒介的艺术臻品20余幅，期待您的莅临！
Polar Bear Gallery (Beijing) is pleased to announce the release of artist Wan Kesheng's solo exhibition "Silent Land" on August 4, 2024. The exhibition is curated by Han Yali. This exhibition is the artist's first solo exhibition in Beijing. Wan Kesheng's works attempt to find a balance between classical and modern, blending everyday objects with themselves through delicate lines and color applications. The combination of characters, animals, plants, and other elements in the picture creates a fantastic and realistic image. The exhibition will present over 20 exquisite artworks created by artists in various media in recent years. We look forward to your visit!
White Night-No.10
布面油画 Oil on canvas
80x100cmx2
2024
万克胜是一个不善言辞的人，他从不主动介绍/阐释自己作品的主观意图，而是通过绘画语言进行多样的表说。从他的绘画中，我们不仅能感受到一种视觉语言的生动性，还能触及到语言表义的丰富性。这些作品正是他内心深处最直接的有声发言，是他活动、思想、感知生活的呈现，是形象、概念具像化的再现。在这个过程中，他尝试建构一种超现实的场域：闲游者、山石、云海、溪水、树木、屋舍……他将昂昂自若之态融入到这些可能存在的场域之中，并通过奇幻的色彩与之发生关系，生成一个人造的理想世界。这里的“世界”不是那种形而上学意义上被使用的世界，不是世俗所见的自然宇宙、星空长河，也不是神学意义上的上帝之物。这里的世界，就是一个人、一片山、一丛林、一汪泉，一抹光，无昼无夜，尽享静谧之域。
Wang Kesheng is a person of few words; he never actively introduces or explains the subjective intentions of his works but expresses himself through the language of painting. From his paintings, we can feel not only the vividness of a visual language but also the richness of its connotations. These works are the most direct audible expressions from deep within him, presenting his activities, thoughts, and perceptions of life, and materializing the representation of images and concepts. In this process, he attempts to construct a surreal realm: wanderers, mountains, clouds, streams, trees, houses... He infuses a sense of serenity into these potentially existing realms and connects with them through fantastical colors, creating an idealized world. This "world" is not the metaphysical world commonly referenced, nor the natural universe or starry sky seen by the secular, nor is it the divine realm of theology. This world is one person, a mountain, a forest, a spring, a ray of light, without day or night, enjoying a realm of tranquility.
失乐园 10 Paradise lost 10
布面油画 Oil on canvas
120x150cm
2024
这种静谧感尤其表现在他最新创作的《不眠之夜》系列（White Night-No.11/12/13/14）。从视觉语言来看，艺术家并没有一味地去追寻西方超现实主义图示，反而面向中国绘画山水的自有传统，直追魏晋造群峰之势，一改人大于山，水不容犯的稚拙，将人物表现的异常渺小，在错落的人与自然的关系中开启一种对于人之本质的寻觅。此时，画中“一人”如同一个渺小的符号，或是望向深渊、或是立于山巅、或是举步为艰、或是怡然自得。“一人”看似渺小，却有着一种无声的威严。他像是参与整个理想世界的建造者，并真切地掌管着真实、精神、物质之间的秩序关系。这种无声的威严带着些许静默的沉重，既不需要诉说也不需要倾听，只是沉静其中，沉静在浅绛的色调中，游离于哀而不伤，宁静致远的气氛中。
his sense of tranquility is particularly evident in his latest series,White Night (White Night-No.11/12/13/14). From the perspective of visual language, the artist does not blindly pursue Western surrealist imagery but instead draws from the traditions of Chinese landscape painting, directly following the momentum of mountains from the Wei and Jin dynasties. He shifts away from the naive portrayal of people larger than mountains and water that cannot be contained, depicting figures as exceptionally small. This creates a search for the essence of humanity within the layered relationships between people and nature. At this time, the "one person" in the painting becomes a small symbol, either gazing into the abyss, standing on a mountain peak, struggling to take a step, or enjoying a serene moment. This "one person," though seemingly insignificant, carries a silent dignity. He appears as a participant in the construction of the entire ideal world, genuinely managing the relationships between reality, spirit, and matter. This silent dignity carries a quiet weight, needing neither explanation nor listening, simply existing in tranquility, immersed in pale ochre tones, lingering in an atmosphere of sorrow without grief, achieving peace through distance.
White Night-No.12
布面油画 Oil on canvas
80x100cm
2024
画面的气息与艺术家的气质保持了高度的一致。万克胜将自己的创作沉入到生活、生命的深渊之中，揭示着私密的内心独白。那是关于童年、孤独与自我观照的体验：打他还没记事起，父亲就生了特殊的病，便由母亲一人将他姐弟二人带大。自小懂事，不去给家中平添负担，常常独处靠绘画调剂生活。在绘画的世界中，没有对错、没有烦恼、不用解释、不必打扰，可以简单地发泄情绪，书写喜乐。这种对绘画天然的热爱，就像父亲留下的一颗种子，一直伴随着他的成长，治愈着那些不愉快的时光。时过境迁，绘画不在是童年陪伴成长的游戏，而成为他一生坚定选择的职业，如今在不断的摸索中，迎来他的“粉红时代”。
The atmosphere of the painting aligns closely with the artist's temperament. Wang Kesheng immerses his creations into the depths of life and existence, revealing an intimate inner monologue. This monologue reflects his experiences of childhood, solitude, and self-reflection: from a young age, Wang's father fell ill with a unique disease, leaving his mother to raise him and his sibling alone. Understanding not to add more burden to his family, Wang often turned to painting for solace. In the world of painting, there was no right or wrong, no worries, no need for explanation or disturbance, just a simple way to vent emotions and express joy. This natural love for painting, like a seed left by his father, accompanied his growth and healed the unhappy times. Over time, painting evolved from a childhood pastime into a steadfast career choice, and now, through continuous exploration, he has entered his "Pink Era."
失乐园 7 Paradise lost 7
布面油画 Oil on canvas
120x150cm
2023
“粉色时代”正是万克胜在《失乐园》（6、7）中一次大胆的突破——第一次使用了“芭比粉”去描绘蓝天、白云、土地、河流——在略带暧昧的粉红色的烘托下，失乐园更像是一座没有夏娃的伊甸园。画面中的人物形象与《不眠之夜》中的不同，他们带着一种莫名的失落，那是一种异乡人的足音，在寻觅相似的同类——或是独自一人坐在草垛上吹着泡泡（《失乐园-6》）眺望远方，等一人身影，期待在粉红色的火海中婆娑起舞；或是携单管演奏一曲（《失乐园-7》），寻伯牙子期之交；或是站在稀薄的冰面上，精致的房舍就在脚下（《失乐园-5》），但庞大的身躯与其相差甚远，可谓是有家难奔……种种情景都指向了那个再也回不去的伊甸园。
The "Pink Era" represents a bold breakthrough for Wang Kesheng, as seen in his seriesParadise Lost (6, 7), where he used "Barbie pink" to depict blue skies, white clouds, land, and rivers. Under the ambiguous hue of pink, Paradise Lost resembles an Eden without Eve. The characters in these paintings differ from those in White Night; they carry a sense of inexplicable loss, akin to the footsteps of a foreigner searching for like-minded individuals. Whether sitting alone on a haystack blowing bubbles (Paradise Lost-6), looking into the distance, waiting for a figure to appear and dance in the pink flames, or playing a tune with a single pipe (Paradise Lost-7), seeking the companionship of a kindred spirit, or standing on thin ice with exquisite houses beneath them (Paradise Lost-5), yet finding their massive bodies mismatched with the surroundings—these scenes all point to an Eden that can never be returned to.
失乐园 6 Paradise lost 6
布面油画 Oil on canvas
120x150cm
2023
失落么？或许是有的，那是源于期待。万克胜笔下的人物，总是很漠然，带着一种闲游之态，却没有古典主义的田园牧歌；在背景的营造上很恬淡，带着一种华丽的静穆之感，却没有唯美主义的矫揉造作；虽常常是孤身一人，屹立于山水之间，但这种处境绝不是为了宣扬某种伟大的冒险雄心，相反更多的是一种悲天悯人的情怀。
Is there a sense of loss? Perhaps, and it stems from expectation. The figures in Wang Kesheng's paintings always appear indifferent, with a wandering demeanor, yet lacking the pastoral idyll of classicism; the backgrounds are serenely constructed with a sense of luxurious tranquility, devoid of the affectation of aestheticism; often standing alone amidst nature, these figures are not proclaiming a grand adventurous ambition but rather embodying a deep compassion for the world.
失乐园 3 Paradise lost 3
布面油画 Oil on canvas
120x150cm
2022
在《逝去之歌》（Lost Song）系列中，是四下无人的街，是素昧平生的风，是无处停留的目光，还有璀璨的夜空下，只有月亮经过的密林……那是并不邀请我们进入的现实世界。《告别春天》系列与《夏日余晖》系列同样如此，它们更多的是侧重于对生活的现实写照。在那些似曾相识的场景/人物当中，万克胜以冷静的方式将其分解——一部分为具象，一部分为抽象——以便疏离于日常感官下的清晰图景。那些转瞬即逝、微不足道的瞬间被他记录下来，带着些许“留春不住，费尽莺儿语”的伤怀。这就是一个艺术家以自我的方式穿梭于生活与日常之中的感悟，正如苏格拉底所说：“未经审视的生活是没有价值的生活。”对于万克胜来说大概也是如此。
In theLost Song series, the settings include deserted streets, unfamiliar winds, wandering gazes, and a dense forest under a starry night with only the moon passing through... This represents a reality that does not invite us in. The Farewell to Spring and Summer Twilight series are similar, focusing more on realistic depictions of life. In these familiar scenes and figures, Wang Kesheng dissects them in a calm manner—partly figurative, partly abstract—to distance them from the clear images under everyday perception. These fleeting, insignificant moments are recorded with a sense of melancholy, like "spring cannot be retained, despite the songbird's efforts." This is an artist's way of traversing life and the everyday, as Socrates said: "The unexamined life is not worth living." For Wang Kesheng, this sentiment seems to resonate.
告别春天 2 Farewell to Spring 2
布面油画 Oil on canvas
80x60cm
2022
尽管展览甄选的五个系列中的十五件作品并不能充分呈现万克胜艺术创作的全部，但足以从中窥探出其创作的意图，他的绘画图示首先是一种表达：将某种抽象化的观念/感知具像化，或者是表达内在自我的状态；其次是一场活动：以绘画的方式，与他人进行一种诉说/对话；同时也是一次再现：将个体对现实和理想之间的矛盾呈现出来。三个层次，三种维度，看似在描述，实则在创作，以自我的方式独善其身，畅游于静谧之域。
Although the fifteen works selected from five series in the exhibition cannot fully represent Wang Kesheng's entire artistic creation, they are sufficient to glimpse his creative intentions. His paintings first serve as an expression: to materialize an abstract concept or perception, or to express an inner state; secondly, as an activity: a form of communication or dialogue with others through painting; and thirdly, as a reproduction: to present the conflict between reality and ideals. These three levels, three dimensions, appear to describe but actually create, pursuing personal integrity and wandering through the realm of tranquility.
文｜韩雅俐 Han Yali
万克胜生于云南，傣族，毕业于楚雄师范学院艺术系，现居深圳。曾参加破冰艺术计划五周年特展、交互的未来——深港澳青年艺术家作品展（深圳罗湖美术馆）、旅行者计划（深圳旭生美术馆）、青年视界｜深圳青年美术大展、（深圳红立方龙岗区公共艺术馆）、得一青年艺术家成长计划（沈阳得一美术馆）、黄盒子开放展（青岛黄盒子美术馆）、第四届圆体艺术春季展「万物可期」（苏州金谷里艺术馆）、“立象以尽意”中外优秀美术作品展（苏州昆山艺术宫）等。
韩雅俐，1991年出生，策展人、艺术评论者，现任职于当代唐人艺术中心展览部。2017年毕业于天津美术学院，主要从事艺术展览策划及当代艺术家个案研究。发表当代艺术实践评论文章包括：《被误解的禅与被解救的灵——艺术与战争》（2022年 刊载于《艺术市场》）、《潮流艺术能否成为主声浪》（2021年 刊载于《艺术市场》）、《疫情危局，艺术机构如何软着陆》（2020年 刊载于《艺品》）、《当代水墨40年的新探索》（2019年 刊载于《艺术商业》）、《“启航”以艺术的名义践行青年立场》（2018年 刊载于《北方美术》、《“重启的虚拟”展览打造混合空间》（2016年 刊载于《北方美术》）等。策划的展览包括：分形之维：由金个展（2023年）、她者变奏曲（2022年）、孤独之上：任俊峰个展（2021年）、格木致知：肖立个展（2021年）、云自在书：张强个展（2021年）等。
