文 / 國立臺灣師範大學美術學系教授 莊連東
文學與藝術關係密切，尤其中國水墨畫與文學更是互爲一體，文人繪畫將詩、書、畫、印在藝術表現合一爲整體，是文人水墨追求的最高境界，稱之為「四絕」，而無論從詩文意境導入藝術創作，亦或是透過水墨表述文學的內涵，都是水墨繪畫精神重要的一環，並歷經長期水墨探索而積累了豐厚的成果，同時完滿成穩固的體系，自成獨特的中國美學品味。但也因而發展出程式化的表達模式，浸淫日久，相對窄化創作者個人意識的介入，甚至，日益成爲僵化而制式的藝術思考習性。
從深耕文學創作並享有高度聲名的江心靜，自然對水墨繪畫的內涵有深刻的認知，當她決定進入陌生的水墨藝術國度，探索未知領域的創作可能之初，先備知識的啟示讓她充分的覺察問題的核心。如何避免掉入文學與藝術結合的既定模式中；如何跳脫文學框架尋求個人藝術表達的言說空間。
江心靜採取的初步策略是以顛覆逆反的思考方式進行水墨畫的學習，從主題的思考、形式的處理、媒材的選擇、技法的運用到意境的營造，她刻意的忘卻文學與藝術相通的層面，留給自己創作之際獨立思考的自由。於是彷若在歸零的空白頁面，她冀求迅速而精準的進入水墨藝術的系統中，透過遍訪名師名家、博閱書籍文章、飽覽藝術作品，她意圖廣納水墨創作的精華。然後攫取合於個人喜好與能力的創作面向具體實踐。
圖1： 源起 2019 97 x 179 cm
Figure 1: Chiang Hsin-Ching’s iNetwork Series - Origin, 2019, 97 x 179 cm
歷經探索的過程，也在名師的引領之下，江心靜選擇以抽象的形式做為個人水墨語彙建構的初步，並且已然獲得良好的成效。因爲抽象表現，她得以審視水墨本質的精神性層面，並暫時避開對造形掌握的弱項，先直指藝術形式與媒材技法探討的範疇，對畫面視覺效果經營的技巧多所著墨。於是，在她的作品中，多元性藝術元素的並置與融合成爲重要的表徵：媒材技法的開拓，累積了經驗，也豐富了畫面，透過主題意義的討論與轉換，從媒材主體的彰顯到對應技法產生多重樣貌，隨著她運用線條的張力、質理的層疊、結構的量能、墨韻的流轉、色彩的凝鍊，（圖1）屬於江心靜的水墨情調，用純粹與感性訴說水墨的風采！
顯然，從文學跨向藝術的江心靜，走出了屬於她自己的水墨創作之路，並且在短短數年之間，博得一片佳績！這似乎印證她逆反顛覆策略的成功，因爲刻意隱藏自身文學的涵養，完全投入新領域的探索，放空的情境得以大量吸收，相對的必然能夠獲得高度的效率！然而，即便是盡量的迴避，深植於內在的文學根柢，無形中也會對她在水墨作品的表現產生影響。從她的抽象作品中，可以覺察到文學與藝術之間屬於江心靜獨特視野的關係。
一、精純語彙的表述
文學創作對於文字的運用力求精準，由字而詞，成句為文，訊息的傳達與背後意涵的鋪陳，都必須巧心斟酌。同時，文字本身是極為單一的形式符號，卻蘊含豐富而動人的內容，所以，受過嚴格文字運用訓練的江心靜，自然對於藝術內在內容與外在形式比重的權衡，傾向選擇簡潔的視覺力量傳遞精彩的內涵作做為創作的型態，抽象符號是圖像最本質的純粹表現，透過精簡的藝術元素表達最深刻的意念，正如文章在單純文字形式的背後傳遞明確訊息。江心靜的抽象水墨繪畫，運用墨韻與色彩的流動變幻、線條交織的結構力量，表述個人內心源源不絕的情思與綿密柔軟的感受。（圖2）
圖2：冰晶流轉 2020 179 x 96 cm
Figure 2: Chiang Hsin-Ching’s iNetwork Series - Flowing Ice Crystals, 2020, 179 x 96 cm
二、多元視點的觀照
文章的內容總依主題的發展而綿延開展，表現的形式時而平舖直敘、時而隱諱暗喻；傳達的內容或淒涼悲壯、或開懷高歌；一篇文章總是帶領閱讀者經歷高峰與低谷的心情激盪。因此，多樣與豐富是重要的特質。在江心靜的作品中，依然可以領略相同概念，即使少了形象造形變化的抽象構成，她透過學習「現代水墨」各種半自動性技法的掌握，又是潑、灑、印、拓；又是刷、染、疊、畫，巧妙的將多樣技法效果既融合又並置的共構於畫幅之中，讓看似單一的視覺感知充滿多元的語彙言說視點。（圖3）
圖3：秋水秋水 2020 275 x 161 cm
Figure 3: Chiang Hsin-Ching’s iNetwork Series - Autumnal Floods, 2020, 275 x 161 cm
三、宏大結構的鋪排
熱愛古典文學的江心靜，曾經對中國各大名著潛心研究，對於宏大敘述的文章巨型架構，所產生的磅礴氣勢與強大張力，不但滿心喜愛，並能深入瞭解。自然而然在轉換為水墨創作之際，偏好以巨幅畫面表現抽象墨彩的奔放氣韻。面積寬闊得以任由畫家自由揮灑，卻也是創作者經營畫面的一大挑戰。江心靜幸得巨型文章架構的啟發，充分運用起、承、轉、合的原則，成就畫幅中氣勢流轉的鋪排，並且讓無象的畫面增添敘事的情節。（圖4）
圖4：記憶維度 2020 720 x 143 cm
Figure 4: Chiang Hsin-Ching’s iNetwork Series - Dimension of Memory, 2020, Ink on paper, 720 x 143 cm
不沉湎於過往的成就，不躁進於未來的追求，內心沉靜，虛懷面對，讓江心靜從文學家轉換為水墨藝術創作者的生命歷程，令人充滿驚奇！因爲刻意拋開文學的牽絆，放空面對新事物的學習，凝聚了所有包容的力量，她得以迅速窺探他領域堂奧；因爲曾經用心獲取的養分，無形之中連結新領域的核心精神，讓她的水墨創作與眾不同，並在極為短暫的時間內，建構出屬於她的江式抽象水墨語彙。而深信以她凡事鍥而不捨的追求態度，當前的成績只是開端，未來，我們將能目睹她更迷人的水墨藝術風采！
關鍵字：捨得、文學與藝術、多元視點、宏大結構、抽象水墨
---特別感謝莊連東教授，轉載自「記憶維度－2021江心靜當代水墨創作展」畫冊
—-更多江心靜最新精彩作品，請看 DIMENTION OF MEMORY 記憶維度 — 2021 江心靜當代水墨創作展
Give and Take: The Literary Spirit Within Chiang Hsin-Ching’s Ink Painting
By: Chuang Lien-tung, Professor in Department of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University
Literature is strongly linked to art, and even more so to Chinese ink painting. Chinese literati paintings marry the “four perfections” of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving—the highest levels of achievement in ink paintings— into one complete artistic expression. Whether it be artistic creation inspired by scenes from poetry or the use of ink painting to express literature, both are vital aspects that embody the spirit of ink painting. The centuries spent exploring ink painting have produced remarkable results, and established a robust system with a unique Chinese aesthetic. However, time has also engendered formulaic patterns of expression that, when immersed in for some time, leave artists with little room for personal awareness. After a while, the artists’ ways of thinking have even become rigid and uninspired.
As a highly-reputable writer with a strong background in literature, Hsin-Ching keenly understands the heart and soul of ink painting. When she first decided to delve into the unfamiliar realm of ink painting and explore the possibilities of creative work within it, her prior knowledge helped her become aware of the core challenges she would face in ink paintings. That is to say, how to avoid conventional methods of blending literature and art, as well as how to break free from a literary framework to search for the discursive space that allows for personal artistic expression. Chiang Hsin-Ching’s initial strategy to address these issues was to adopt a subversive, rebellious way of thinking in her ink painting studies. She considered theme, form, medium, technique, and mood, deliberately ignoring the aspects linking literature and art so that, in the moment of creation, her thoughts could flow unimpeded. She started as if with a blank slate in her quest for an expedited and precise means of entering the ink painting system. She set out to absorb the very essence of ink painting by visiting famous artists, reading extensively on the subject, and browsing all relevant art work. She then selected the aspects of creative work that matched her preferences and abilities so she could put them into practice.
After some time probing, Chiang Hsin-Ching followed her teacher‘s advice to begin creating an abstract terminology for ink painting, which has already seen remarkable results. Due to the abstract nature of these words, she was able to examine ink painting spirituality and avoid her relatively weaker mastery of figurative art. She first set the categories of her exploration into art forms, mediums, and methods, and spent more ink and paint on the techniques that produced the visual effects she desired. Thus, a diversity of artistic elements are contrasted and blended to become her signature trademark. She became experienced in breaking new ground on mediums and techniques, which lended more variety to her paintings. Also, by examining and transforming the theme’s significance, Chiang Hsin-Ching highlighted her core mediums and the corresponding techniques. The tension in the contours, textured layers, powerful structure, charming ink flows, and precise colors, all presented a painting style entirely her own (Figure 1) that relied on purity and emotion to convey a story about the gracefulness of ink painting.
Having taken the leap from literature to art, Hsin-Ching has clearly embarked on her own ink painting journey, which achieved great results in just a few short years. This is testament of her strategy to be subversive and rebellious in her art. By deliberately concealing her own literary aptitude to not let it dominate her art, she was able to fully immerse herself in the exploration of a new domain and absorb knowledge more efficiently with an open and emptied mind. However, despite her best efforts to avoid literature, her firmly-rooted literary foundation did have an imperceptible influence on her ink paintings. From her abstract painting, we can sense that Chiang Hsin-Ching’s unique view on the world comes from a place situated between the realms of literature and art.
1. A Pure and Precise Terminology
Literature strives to achieve absolute lexical precision. Characters become words and form sentences in literary works. The transmission of information and the elaboration of connotation both require careful deliberation. Words themselves are simple, yet have the potential to convey a rich, provocative content. Thus, when balancing the ratio of internal content to external form, Chiang Hsin-Ching, having undergone rigorous linguistic training, is naturally inclined to choose a simple visual power to transmit meaningful content and shape her artwork. Abstract symbols are the most intrinsic, purest way to express an image. Much like a piece of writing that transmits a clear message using the most basic words, one must often simplify the artistic elements in order to express the most profound notions. Chiang Hsin-Ching’s abstract ink paintings use the protean allure of ink and color, and the structural power of interweaving contours, to express the endless flow of her internal thoughts and her intricate, delicate emotions. (Figure 2)
2. Multiple Outlooks
The content of a written piece can be sobering and tragic or wild and flamboyant, but always develops and unfolds according to its theme. Sometimes this is done in a plain and unadorned manner. Other times, it manifests in metaphorical innuendos. For writing, a wealth and diversity of content is key, as it must guide the readers in experiencing a wide range of emotions. There is a discernible idea of abundance in Chiang Hsin-Ching’s abstract paintings, even though they lack any abstract composition for formal elements. Splashing, spraying, stamping, rubbing, brushing, dyeing, layering, and painting, she exhibits a mastery of semi-automatic techniques seen in modern ink painting. These diverse techniques cleverly blend and juxtapose in a shared structure, enriching a seemingly singular visual perception with a vocabulary capable of voicing multiple points of view. (Figure 3)
3. Arrangement of a Grand Structure
Hsin-Ching has a passion for classical literature. She once earnestly devoted herself to the study of the great classical Chinese novel. Not only does she genuinely appreciate the large framework of a grand narrative—and the resulting overwhelming force and powerful tension—she also understands it on a more profound level. Thus, when she transitioned to ink painting, it was only a matter of course that she gave life to the unrestrained spirit of abstract ink painting using large-scale painting surfaces. A large surface gives the artist free rein to fully employ the four elements which describe traditional Chinese narrative structure; namely, beginning, handling, turning point, and conclusion. This results in an arrangement where one can feel a dynamic flow of momentum within the paintings, as well as an added narrative plot in a landscape scene.
Chiang Hsin-Ching does not bask in her past achievements, nor does she rush blindly forward in her pursuit of the future. She instead maintains a receptive, composed state of mind. Hsin-Ching’s life story as she transitioned from writer to ink painter is truly astonishing. She broke free from the fetters of literature and emptied her mind to learn something new, taking in all the energy contained within. Thanks to this, she was able to get a glimpse of the marvels of another discipline in a relatively short time. She was also able to connect to the core spirit of a new domain thanks to what she learned from outside the field of art. This set her ink paintings apart from the rest, and she quickly constructed her own Chiang-style abstract lexicon. I believe strongly in her unbending will in everything she does, and it is evident that her current success is merely the beginning. We will certainly see even more captivating ink paintings from her.
Keywords: “Give and Take”, literature and art, multiple outlooks, grand structure, abstract ink painting
See more about Artist Chiang Hsin-Ching More art work : DIMENTION OF MEMORY