严善錞的西湖铜版画：月印、墨印与心印

West Lake-Yanggong Causeway 西湖·杨公堤，2014

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

现代艺术乃是对消逝之物的记忆，记忆与铭刻相关，需要在一种诗意朦胧的灵氛中才可能有着记忆的唤醒。最为唤醒那种无意记忆的是什么呢？本雅明在机械复制时代一直试图发现光晕或灵韵，但为何西方后来走向技术复制却一直无法再次获得灵韵？这是因为：过于技术而放弃了自然的启迪，但如果无法放弃复制，如何再次获得灵韵？这需要进入“无意记忆”，而“气息”是最为唤醒无意记忆的，如同本雅明受到普鲁斯特小说中那马德莱娜蛋糕激发的回忆。因此与自然相关的气息，将最为激发无意记忆，而这正是艺术发生的机会。

对于严善錞，西湖就是他的记忆之源，但却是在近天命之年，才开始追忆这逝水的年华，或者说才找到一种无意记忆的方式，这是通过铜版的触感，如果传统水墨是把视觉还原为味觉，再把味觉还原为更为手写的触觉，最后走向难以体会的余觉，那么随着传统水墨触感的减弱：无论是宣纸的质感还是笔力的笔感，都不再能够传达古代笔墨的精妙，也许对于余觉的经验需要其他技术来协助？严善錞发现了新的铜板技艺的腐蚀法带来的触感效果，可以更好地激发这种余觉，而余觉的余味，就是触发无意记忆的机会。

West Lake-Feng Mu Wu 西湖·枫木坞，2015

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

但这是新的铜版技法，即用硫磺粉和橄榄油的腐蚀法，这种腐蚀法相对于传统的硫酸法更加自由，也比美柔汀、糖水法等其它技法更为直接。它主要是利用硫磺与铜的反应后在板面上产生的一些凹槽和渣滓来停留油墨。它也可以表现一些笔触，而且层次比较细腻。但严善錞发现，其缺点是反应很不稳定，腐蚀后的剩留物的质地较松，不耐多印，因此，他在此基础做了一些改进，采用多次腐蚀的方式，去掉剩留物，使其成为纯粹的凹版画，于是，画面便出现了一些更为丰富、更为稳定的效果。这种效果与严善錞一直迷恋的珂罗版的印刷的效果非常相似，也与他追忆中的西湖的气质非常相近，尤其是采用日本的雁皮纸印制后，如同严善錞自己所言：“更具有一种银盐摄影的光泽，使得画面更加厚重且具有一种金属感，也更接加近他自己对西湖的气质的理解：清峻、遥深、温润、古雅。”

为了回味西湖的气息，为了余留记忆中的那种美好的景色，借助于版画的制作可以达到最为具有水墨韵味的触感，这几乎在传统是不大可能想象的。我们知道，版画以其复杂的制作而成为区别于其它画种的一个重要特征，尤其是铜版画，磨版、保护、刻画、腐蚀、洗版、调墨、上墨、擦版、泡纸、上机、对位、调压、印制、凉干，都是必不可少的工序。作为创作版画，艺术家自然应当参与其间、自始至终，因为其中的每一道工序，都有其特殊的物质属性，有其特殊的视觉乃至触觉效果。因此，严善錞认为版画有一些基本的技术要求，但不能说有固定的技术要求。而且，他敏感地发现，往往是一些“错误”的技术操作，却产生了特殊的艺术效果，为创作带来了惊喜。因而，这就需要艺术家的心灵一直保持一种敏感的、开放的状态，一种与物相“应”的状态，并不断地用手去调整版面的物性与形式。假如说庄子的“得之于手而应于心”是讨论“技术”问题的话，那么，在此讨论艺术问题时，严善錞认为应该补上一句：“得于心而应于手。”这一补足，也恰好回应了成语“得心应手”。不论是对于“技”还是“艺”来说，这种心与手或心与物的互相照应，就是“道”。然而，在当今一切成为消费的时代，艺术家的“心”大都只是一个“思想”、一个念头，没有那个与自己的身体、与物性世界相应印的“心性”，版画的复制尤为具有“消费”的特征了，这也导致了版画的衰落。

West Lake-Baoshi Hill #13-15西湖·宝石山 #13-15，2016

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

严善錞充分发挥版画之为“间接艺术”的特点，使之成为一种复数艺术，在重复地劳力中，让艺术家放下心来，画面要烙印下来的是自己的心印，恢复自然的情性，让自然的光晕得以回照。

因此，我们看到铜版画画面上那些西湖的景色，无论是栖霞岭还是阮公墩，都似乎还余留着晚明张岱《西湖梦寻》所言的诗意，还可以再次回味那种“疏疏漏残月”的夜色，那墨印的清香，当然严善錞听任铜版本身反复涂擦所带来的肌理触感，让夜语中的西湖第一次隐约浮现出来，那种朦胧的诗意，一抹的心痕，幽微的呼吸，暗香的浮动，带有一种银盐摄影的光泽感，似乎它们一直在记忆中闪烁，只是这一次才被我们所看到，或者说这就是回眸中在灯火阑珊处看到的余影，但这是经过摩擦打磨，经过水影模糊过的余影，记忆中的轻岚已经薄如纸，但那清音却入了空翠，站立在这些作品面前，我们闭目就可以闻到花香，可以听到湖水的细微荡漾。

回味的自然可以拯救我们的梦想，尽管它越来越微弱，却可以回味在心印，墨印与烙印之间。

- 夏可君 博士（哲学家、策展人）

West Lake-Jinsha Harbor 西湖·金沙港，2014

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

Copperplate etching of Yan Shanchun: Print of moon, ink and heart

By. Xia Kejun

Modern art is a reminiscence of things which have not yet existed. Memoryand engraving are interconnected. To arouse a memory, there should be a poetic andfilmy atmosphere. However, what can arouse the incidental memory the mosteasily? In the era of mechanical copy, Benjamin attempted to find halo or aura,but he failed though he succeeded with technical copy. The cause behind thiswas that too much emphasis on technique was abandonment of inspirationsobtained from the nature. If copy was not given up, how could Benjamin achieveaura? Under the condition, “incidental memory” is required, and “atmosphere”can arouse the incidental memory the most easily. For example, Benjamin was onceinspired by the Madeleine cake described in the novel of Proust. Therefore, theatmosphere related to nature is the most likely to spark the incidental memory,which also creates an occasion for artistic creation. 

ToYan Shanchun, the West Lake is the source of his memories. However, it was notuntil in his fifties that he started recalling his past days or found a way torecall incidental memories by feeling the touch of the copperplate. If thetraditional Chinese ink painting is to restore vision into taste, then into thetouch of handwriting and finally into an unspeakable lingering feeling, the exquisitenessof the ancient pen and ink can no longer be fully expressed neither by thetexture of Xuan paper nor by the vigor of strokes, along with weakening touchof the traditional Chinese ink painting. Probably, the lingering feeling callsfor the assistance of some other techniques. Yan Shanchun discovered the toucheffect brought by the new copperplate technique, the etching method. The methodcan better inspire the lingering feeling, and the lingering taste of thelingering feeling creates an opportunity to spark incidental memories. 

West Lake-Jujing Garden 西湖·聚景园，2013

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

Thenew copperplate technique or the etching method realized through sulfur powderand olive oil gives creators more freedom, compared with the traditionalsulfuric acid method, and is also more direct compared with Mezzotint andleftground. The etching method discovered by Yan makes use of groves and dregsleft by the reaction between sulfur and copper to fix printing ink. It can alsoexpress some strokes, and achieve exquisite layers. However, Yan found a defectwith the etching method, that is, the reaction was unstable and the residueshad a loose texture, which was not beneficial for more printing work. Concerningthe problem, Yan made some improvements. He repeated the etching process toremove the residues, thus achieving an intaglio in a stricter sense andendowing the printing surface with richer and more stable effects. The effectswere similar to the collotype printing effects that Yan has long been obsessedwith and also reminded him of the temperament of the West Lake in his memory.Particularly, after adoption of the Japanese ganpishi paper, Yan creates prints that he describes as having “aluminous, silver-print photography effect, lending the image a heavy, metallicfeel similar to how I feel about the West Lake: clear, remote tempered andclassic”. 

West Lake-Shang Tianzhu 西湖·上天竺，2014

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

To recall and preserve the beautiful sceneries of the West Lake in thelingering memories, Yan’s print making has achieved a touch of the Chinese inkpainting. To traditional techniques, this is almost beyond imagination. Asknown to all, the print differs from other paintings with its complex makingprocess. As to copperplate etching in particular, plate grinding, protecting, engraving,etching, rinsing, ink preparation, inking, wiping, paper soaking, machine work,adjustment, press, print and drying—all these are indispensable steps. Artistsor creators of copperplate etchings are expected to involve in every link ofthe making process, because every link has unique physical attributes, specialvisual and even touch effects. Therefore, Yan thinks there are some basictechnical requirements of print making, but these technical requirements arenot fixed. Some “wrong” technical operations, he has found, can usually achievefascinating and surprising artistic effects. Therefore, artists should staysensitive and open all the time. By binding themselves with the materials,artists can continuously adjust materials and form of the print. Zhuangzi, a Chinesephilosopher, once said “what one wishes is accomplished by his hands.” By sayingthis, Zhuangzi emphasized the importance of “techniques”. When it comes to artisticissues, Yan would like to add, “what the hands should accomplish relies on one’scomprehension” to point out the importance of comprehension of an art. In fact,no matter whether the “technique” or the “art” is stressed, both are suggestingmutual correspondence between the mind and the hands or between the mind andthe object. Such mutual corresponding is the “Way” commonly discussed. However,in the modern era inundating with the consumption culture, the “mind” ofartists is confined to one “idea or concept”. It is not connected with the bodyof the artists and the “temperament” of the material world. The copy of printsis a response to increasing consumption demands, which is actually a symbol ofdecline.

West Lake-Lakeside 西湖·湖滨，2013

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

Yangives full play to the characteristic of prints as an “indirect art”, and turnsit into a plural art. He thinks artists should calm down during the repeatedlabor process. The print should imprint their emotions, reflect the nature, andecho with the halo of the nature.

Therefore, the West Lake copperplate etchings, either about Qixia Range orabout Ruan Gong Islet, by Yan can still remind audiences of the poetic sensefound with Seeking Old Days in the West Days by Zhang Dai, a poet of the Mingdynasty. Audiences can still appreciate the night scenery of “waning moon castingits light through willow twigs” and the refreshing smell of the ink print. Throughrepeated inunction of the copperplate, Yan obtains a texture touch, whichfaintly represents the night mood and the night scenery of the West Lake thefirst time. The filmy poetic sense, the trace of thoughts, the weak breath, andthe transmission of faint fragrance are endowed with the silver-printphotography effect. It seems they are flickering in memories but this time theyare discovered by the audiences. Or they are the lingering shadows found underthe waning lights by one turning back. After repeated grinding, the lingeringshadows blurred by the water shadows and the mist in the memories are soethereal, as thin as paper. Then, green grasses are introduced to revitalizethe whole print. Looking at Yan’s works, one can even, after closing eyes,smell the fragrance of flowers and hear the ripples of the lake. 

Naturecannot never be erased from our mind. It is the only way to rebuild our dream.Though nature is playing an increasingly weak role in artistic creations, thecopperplate etching artist, Yan Shanchun, recalls it in his heart, through ink,and by etching.

West Lake-Flowers 西湖·花，2017

Copper plate etching 铜板版画

 严善錞 

1957 出生于杭州，中国
1982 毕业于中国美术学院版画系，杭州，中国。现工作、生活在杭州，中国

个 展

2016 《严善錞:西湖》，前波画廊，北京，中国

2015 《严善錞:西湖》，前波画廊，纽约，美国

2007 《严善錞作品》，奥沙画廊，上海，中国

2006 《严善錞作品》，朱屺瞻美术馆，上海，中国

2005 《西湖梦寻 . 严善錞作品 2004 — 2005》，汉雅轩，香港，中国 2004 《西湖梦寻 . 严善錞 2004 纸上作品》，汉雅轩，香港，中国 

  群 展

  2016 

《艺术家与他们的中国册页》，加拿大国家图书馆，渥太华

《山水宣言》，公望美术馆，杭州，中国

《深云路 19 号—向心的斥力》，雅昌艺术中心，深圳， 中国

  2015 

《冬光园 — 闲逛的空》，汉雅轩，香港，中国 

《第三抽象》，前波画廊，北京，中国

《虚薄之境 — 对画:山水与风景》，上海明圆美术馆，上海

《湖山旦暮 — 中国当代艺术西湖之径》，三尚当代艺术馆，杭州

  2014 《超越国界的版画表现—第十七届东亚艺术家版画展》，   左喜真美术馆，日本

  2013 《气韵渺邈 — 江大海、严善錞作品展》，耿画廊，台北

  2012 《第 80 届国际版画展》，东京美术馆，日本 

《心性自然 — 朝向未来的中国绘画》，今日美术馆，北京，

   2011 

《Slipping Transmission》，奥沙画廊，香港，中国 

《中国今日的抽象画》，法兰克·施拉格画廊，德国

《象由心生 — 中国抽象艺术第四回展》，偏锋新艺术空间，北京

  2010 

《水彩作为理由》，中国美术学院，杭州，中国 

《改造历史 2000 — 2009 年的中国新艺术》，国家会议中心， 北京

《无物之阵 — 当代抽象艺术学邀请展》，湖北美术馆，武汉，     2009 

《在 — 展览在抽象画诞生一百年之际》，偏锋新艺术空间，北京

《意派 — 世纪思维》，今日美术馆，北京，中国 

《超以象外 — 梁铨、吕振光、严善錞作品展》，奥沙画廊，香港

  2008 

《梁铨、严善錞作品展》，奥沙画廊，上海，中国 

《形·意·质·韵 — 东亚当代水墨创作邀请展》，台北市立美术馆

《味象·澄怀 — 中国当代水墨邀请展》，大象艺术空间，台湾

  2007 《痕迹与气质 2007 — 实验水墨展》，红门画廊，北京

  2006 《渡 — 当代水墨方式，天津首届水墨大展》，天津美术学院美  术馆，天津，中国 

《图墨 — 当代水墨邀请展》，广东省美术馆，广州，中国 

Yan Shanchun 

1957 Born in Hangzhou, China1982 Graduated from the Printmaking Department of the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (now China Academy of Fine Arts), Hangzhou, China

Currently lives and works in Hangzhou, China 

Solo Exhibitions 

2016 Yan Shanchun: West Lake, Etchings and Paintings, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing, China 

2015 Yan Shanchun: West Lake, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA

2007 Exhibition of Yan Shanchun’s Works, Osage Gallery, Shanghai, China

2006 Exhibition of Yan Shanchun’s Works, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China 

2005 The West Lake in My Dream: Yan Shanchun’s Works 2004 – 2005, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, China

2004 The West Lake in My Dream: Yan Shanchun’s Works on Paper 2004, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, China 

Group Exhibitions 

2016 Open Books – Artists and the Chinese Folding-books, Library and Archive of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 

Shanshui, A Manifesta, Gongwang Art Museum, Hangzhou China 

19 Shenyun Road – Divided Unuty, Artron Art Center, Shenzhen China

2015 The Garden of Winter Light – A Space to Linger, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, China 

The Third Abstraction, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing,

 ChinaInner Visions: Landscape and Scenery, Shanghai Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China 

A Contemporary Historical Path by the West Lake, SanshangArt, Hangzhou, China 

2014 Printmaking Transgressing Borders Han 17th Exhibition with East Asian Artists, Sakima Art Museum, Okinawa, Japan 

2013 Towards Atmospheric Abstraction: Jiang Dahai and Yan Shanchun Joint Exhibition, Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan 

2012 International Print Exhibition Tokyo 2012, Tokyo, JapanSELF – ESSENCE NATURALISM, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China 

2011 Slipping Transmission, Osage Gallery, Hong Kong, ChinaChina Abstract Painting Now, Galerie Frank Schlag, Essen, GermanyVisible Soul – The Fourth Chinese Abstract Art Exhibition, PIFO New Art Gallery, Beijing, China 

2010 Water Color as a Reason, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, ChinaReshaping History China Art from 2000 to 2009, China National Convention Centre, Beijing, ChinaAn Array of Nothing – Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Abstract Art, Hubei Museum of Art, Wuhan, China 

2009 Where the Spirit Lives: Exhibition on Occasion of 100th Anniversary of Abstract, PIFO New Art Gallery, Beijing, ChinaYi Pai – Century Thinking, Today Art Museum, Beijing, ChinaBeyond the Image: Liang Quan, Lui Chunkwong &Yan Shanchun, Osage Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, China 

2008 Liang Quan and Yan Shanchun Group Exhibition, Osage Shanghai, Shanghai,China Form, Idea, Essence and Rhythm – New Aspects of Contemporary East Asian Ink Painting, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, TaiwanWeixiang – Chenghuai Contemporary Chinese Water and Ink Exhibition, Daxiang Art Space, Taichung, Taiwan 

2007 Traces and Temperament: Contemporary Art Exhibition, Red Gate Gallery, Beijing, China 2006 Du – Exhibitions of Contemporary Chinese Water and Ink Painting, Tianjin Museum, 

Tianjin, ChinaTu Ink – Inviting Exhibition of Contemporary Ink Painting, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China 

■ 展 讯

梵耘展讯 | 烟影 · 王公懿   严善錞   Wang Gongyi & Yan Shanchun

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