文章 Article｜张军：普洛花园 The Protean Garden

关于尖刺、记忆与之间

On Thorns, Memory, and the In-Between

展期适逢圣诞节前后，张军来杭州的那天傍晚，画廊订购的圣诞松树几乎和他一同到达。我们望着巨大的树干面面相觑，凌乱粗糙的枝条和坚利的松针让人无从下手，张军利落地撕开外包装，将松干拖至阳台开始移栽。头一回碰到艺术家来画廊栽树。我想，他对植物或许早已形成了独属于他们的默契，才能以如此轻快的节奏在一个陌生的场域迅速建立触觉和链接。张军提到自己不太爱出门，与其在外社交，不如自己花时间琢磨一件感兴趣的事。如果画人，其实很难把一个人真实的状态表达出来，如何保持外表与内心的统一性？植物或许更加单纯，也更诚实。

Zhang Jun's exhibition coincided with the Christmas season. On the evening he arrived in Hangzhou, the Christmas pine tree ordered by the gallery arrived almost simultaneously. We stared at the massive trunk, bewildered by its wildly chaotic branches and sharp needles, unsure where to begin. Zhang Jun deftly tore open the packaging, dragged the pine to the balcony, rolled up his sleeves, lit a cigarette, and began repotting it. It was the first time I'd seen an artist plant a tree in the gallery. I thought to myself that Zhang Jun must have long developed a unique, unspoken understanding with plants, enabling him to so swiftly establish a tactile connection in an unfamiliar space with such brisk efficiency. Zhang Jun mentioned he doesn't go out much; rather than socializing, he prefers spending time pondering something that interests him. If painting people, it's difficult to truly express a person's real state—how to maintain the unity between exterior and interior? Plants are perhaps simpler, and more honest.

距离

Distance

布面油画

Oil on canvas

120 × 120cm 2025

从结构上看，画⾯中的尖刺也许是⼀种⼼理防御机制的外化形式。然⽽，当它们在视线中渐渐⽣⻓出⽑绒质感与钝化的轮廓时，我们得以察觉这些尖刺实则真诚且并⾮坚硬。这并不是意在带去伤害的尖刺，⽽是试图保护⾃⼰却也渴望触碰，最终落得以⼀种张扬却柔软的姿态探向对⽅。我们⾝上或许，都带有这些尖刺。

Structurally, the thorns in the paintings might be an externalization of a psychological defense mechanism. However, as they gradually grow a fuzzy texture and softened contours in our vision, we come to realize these thorns are actually sincere and not truly hard. They are not thorns meant to inflict harm, but ones that try to protect yet also yearn to touch, ultimately reaching out towards the other in a flamboyant yet tender posture. Perhaps we all carry such thorns within us.

张军今年习惯于思索⼈际关系的细枝末节处，将相处时细碎的情意与苦恼呈现在⼀⽅画布上。《甜筒 · 痕迹》以融化时分隐喻热恋的短暂与浓度，《百褶裙的童年》指向⽗⺟与孩⼦之间永恒的命题，《礼物》包裹着夫妻⻓久的相处之道。这些关系组成了我们。⻢丁·布伯曾将相遇的本质描述为⼀种“之间的领域”——我们所触及的⼀切关系其意义不在于“你”，也不在于“我”，⽽是存在于两者交汇所创造出的动态的、恒变的、⽆法估量的空间，⽽我们唯有全⾝⼼地投⼊其中，才能触及其中真意。艺术家则以⾃⼰的⽅式诉说着这⽚“之间的领域”。 

This year, Zhang Jun has habitually contemplated the minutiae of human relationships, presenting the subtle affections and vexations of companionship on canvas. Ice Cream Cone* Trace uses the moment of melting to metaphorize the brevity and intensity of passion; The Childhood with Pleated Skirts points to the eternal dynamic between parents and children; Gift wraps within it the enduring way of companionship between spouses. These relationships constitute who we are. Martin Buber once described the essence of encounter as a "sphere of the between"—the meaning of all relationships we touch lies not in the "you," nor in the "me," but in the dynamic, ever-changing, immeasurable space created by their intersection. We can only touch its true meaning by immersing ourselves wholly within it. Zhang Jun, in his own way, speaks of this "sphere of the between."

甜筒*痕迹

Ice Cream Cone * Trace

布面油画

Oil on canvas

90 × 130cm 2025

然而，这一主题的呈现并⾮⼀蹴⽽就，需追溯于他⻓期基于植物所展开的思索与实践。他将植物作为创作主体已有⼆⼗余年时间，⽽这段经历的源头可追溯到霍尔巴赫的《⾃然的体系》。书中描绘的唯物主义⾃然观——万物皆是由物质发⽣运动后⽣⻓出来的样⼦，其中不乏对于“形体结构”的论述——物质（包括植物）通过遵循⾃然规律构建出动态的⽣命形式，深刻影响着张军。由此，他开始通过画笔研究植物如何通过⽣物规律构建其内在的⽣命形式，以及其所携带的独特⽣命韵律。

However, the presentation of this theme did not happen overnight; it traces back to his long-term contemplation and practice centered on plants. He has taken plants as his primary creative subject for over twenty years, a journey originating from his encounter with Holbach's Système de la nature. The materialist view of nature depicted in the book—that all things are forms grown from matter in motion, including discussions on "physical structure"—that matter (including plants) constructs dynamic life forms by following natural laws, deeply influenced Zhang Jun. Thus, he began using his brush to study how plants construct their intrinsic life forms through biological laws and the unique life rhythms they carry.  

为此，张军曾历时⼋个⽉在户外⼤量写⽣，并在此基础上形成⼀套独特的创作程序。该程序分为三个阶段：第⼀阶段，他以单纯线描的形式刻画⼀盆太阳花；在第⼆阶段，他凭借记忆将这盆花进⾏重新绘制，⽽由于记忆所携带的模糊性与代谢性，太阳花的某些结构特征开始模糊，继⽽进⼊似像⾮像之间；直到第三阶段，记忆进⼀步消退，这⼀步导致花朵发⽣形变——花头简化为⼀个球体，花茎拉⻓为矩形，⽽叶⼦则属于三⻆形的范畴。艺术家笔下的植物形态通过这⼀路径，逐渐演变为以基础⼏何组合⽽成的全新形态。⽽为了延续植物本⾝的⽣命动势，他在探索⼏何的过程中有意将花茎加粗加壮，以及⽤了相当⼀部分曲形进⾏叙述。作品在⼀⽅⾯遵循其⽅法论的理性推演，另⼀⽅⾯呈现了他对于⽣命势能的感性思索。

To this end, Zhang Jun once spent eight months sketching extensively outdoors, subsequently developing a unique creative procedure. This procedure is divided into three stages: In the first stage, he depicts a pot of sunflowers in pure line drawing. In the second stage, he repaints the pot of flowers from memory. Due to the inherent fuzziness and transience of memory, certain structural features of the sunflowers begin to blur, entering a state between likeness and unlikeness. By the third stage, memory further recedes, causing the flowers to morph—the flower heads simplify into spheres, the stems elongate into rectangles, and the leaves fall into the realm of triangles. Through this path, the plant forms under Zhang Jun's brush gradually evolve into entirely new shapes composed of basic geometries. To sustain the inherent life momentum of the plants, Zhang Jun intentionally thickened and strengthened the stems during his geometric exploration and employed a considerable use of curved forms. The works thus present, on one hand, a rational deduction following his methodology, and on the other, Zhang Jun's intuitive contemplation of life's potential energy.

疫情时，张军曾经历三年的停笔时期，在此期间，他全然专注于养护植物。他回忆起从⼭中移栽⼀些⽆根系树根的经历，从⼭上挖下来再重新将它种活，需消耗⼀年的时间，唯有到了次年春天将⼟刨开才能知晓其是否存活。他将⼤量纯粹的等待与耐⼼倾注于⼀株植物，与植物、时间的共处，在某种程度上造就了其稳定且平和的创作⼼态。这也进⼀步塑造了张军近期的创作⼿法，他将植物的形体持续简化，将原本所追求的运动感内化为⼀种更为沉稳的视觉语⾔。例如，相较于此前的创作，他可能运⽤两个弯度去呈现植物的⼀条茎，从⽽强化它的运动感，⽽今年的这批创作往往只保留了⼀道/⼀道半的弯度。通过这样的节制处理，画⾯拥有更为强烈的稳定性与沉寂感。 

During the pandemic, Zhang Jun experienced a three-year period of not painting, during which he focused entirely on caring for plants. He recalls transplanting some rootless tree roots from the mountains; it took a year from digging them up to successfully replanting them, only knowing if they survived by uncovering the soil the following spring. He poured vast amounts of pure waiting and patience into a single plant. Coexisting with plants and time, in a way, forged Zhang Jun's stable and serene creative mindset. This further shaped his recent creative approach: he continuously simplified the plant forms, internalizing the previously pursued sense of motion into a more steady and calm visual language. For example, compared to earlier works where he might use two curves to render a single stem to emphasize its movement, this year's creations often retain only one or one-and-a-half curves. Through such restrained treatment, the pictorial plane gains a stronger sense of stability and stillness.

粉红天际

The Pink Horizon

布面油画

Oil on canvas

150 × 160cm 2025

疫情期间趋于简化的⽣活模式在整体上创造了⼀个独特的社会⼼理场域，在此背景下，张军展开了⼤量关于⽣活与⾃我的思索。他观察到⼀种现象：⽣活在城市中的⼈们在某种特定时机下出现⼤量“出⾛”现场，集体涌⼊⾃然，短暂的从⽇常秩序中被解放出来，褪去社交⽣活中的重重装饰，重新寻找⾃我与世界之间的本真连结。这种“出⾛“不⽌于地理迁徙，更近于⼀种精神远足。 

The simplified lifestyle during the pandemic created a unique socio-psychological field overall. Against this backdrop, Zhang Jun engaged in extensive reflection on life and the self. He observed a phenomenon: people living in cities, at specific moments, engaged in mass "exoduses" into nature, briefly liberated from daily routines, shedding the multiple layers of social decoration, seeking to rediscover an authentic connection between self and the world. This "exodus" was not merely geographical but closer to a spiritual excursion.

艺术家摄于日本熊野古道

The artist photographed on the Kumano Kodo in Japan

由此，张军⼀⽅⾯思索这些现象背后的原因，另⼀⽅⾯也将⽬光投向城市中惯常的社交模式以及⼈与⼈之间潜藏的压⼒与威胁——当这⼀思考逐渐渗透到画布之上，他笔下的植物形态⽣⻓出更为明晰的尖刺结构。这些尖刺既烘托出内在的⽣命张⼒，也隐喻了在现实中穿⾏的种种危险。

Thus, on one hand, Zhang Jun contemplated the reasons behind these phenomena; on the other, he turned his gaze to the habitual social patterns in cities and the latent pressures and threats between people. As these thoughts gradually permeated the canvas, the plant forms under his brush grew more distinct thorny structures. These thorns both highlight an internal life tension and metaphorize the various dangers traversing reality.

百褶裙的童年（局部）

The Childhood with Pleated Skirts（locality）

布面油画

Oil on canvas

在作品《怒放》中，即将枯萎的花苞在重获滋润后全然舒展；然⽽在《百褶裙的童年》中，裙摆上的花边被赋予芒刺般的形状，这源于画⾯中⼀位⾝穿百褶裙，被⽗⺟意志笼罩，失去本真童年的⼥孩形象，尖刺在此时象征了⼀种⽆声的警示。此外，尖刺的存在同样影射着艺术家对于⽣存现状的诘问：《迷境》描绘了他在⽇本熊野古道独⾏⾄岔路⼝，⾯临未知危机的抉择时分；《此时此刻》中与植物相伴的剪影，则是他短暂离开城市、⾝处远郊时独⾃思索的境况。这⼀剪影在此时具有普遍性，也许我们对此有着同样的思索。每个沉浸⾃我的瞬间，亦或是当某些思索与他⼈的思绪交汇且共通的瞬间，即是永恒的当下。

In the work Bloom Vigorously, a withering bud unfurls completely after being nourished anew. However, in The Childhood with Pleated Skirts, the frills on the skirt are given thorn-like shapes, stemming from the image in the painting of a girl in a pleated skirt, overshadowed by parental will, who loses her authentic childhood. Here, the thorns symbolize a silent warning. Furthermore, the presence of thorns also reflects Zhang Jun's questioning of the current state of existence. Maze depicts a moment of facing an unknown crisis at a fork in the road while he was walking alone on Japan's Kumano Kodo trail. The silhouette accompanying the plant in At This Moment is his state of solitary contemplation when briefly leaving the city for the remote outskirts. This silhouette here possesses universality; perhaps we share similar reflections. Every moment immersed in the self, or when certain thoughts intersect and resonate with others' streams of consciousness, is the eternal present.

此时此刻

At This Moment

布面油画

Oil on canvas

90 × 130cm 2025

随着艺术家⼼境的流动，尖刺所呈现的状态随之发⽣细微的转变。如展览标题“普洛透斯”所流露的——在歌德的⾃然哲学中，普洛透斯作为⼀位海洋先知⽼⼈，以不断变形之躯咏叹：“作为永恒变化者，我崇敬海洋……”，这使其成为了“之间”领域的⼀种⽣动隐喻——世界的本质从来不固化于某⼀形态，⽽在于流动与变形本⾝。境随⼼变，⼼随境流转，意义与真理从来不落脚于静⽌的客体，⽽是诞⽣于动态的“关系“。如果我们试图捕获真知，意图窥⻅普洛透斯的真⾯⽬，唯⼀⽅法便是亲⾃淌⼊脚下的河流，允许⾃⼰成为流⽔的⼀部分。

As the artist's inner world flows, the state presented by the thorns undergoes subtle transformations. As hinted by the exhibition title "Proteus"—in Goethe's natural philosophy, Proteus, as an ancient sea prophet, sings with his ever-changing form: "As the eternal changer, I revere the ocean..."—making him a vivid metaphor for the "sphere of the between." The essence of the world never solidifies into a fixed form but lies in flux and transformation itself. The inner state changes with the external scene, and the external scene flows with the inner state. Meaning and truth never reside in static objects but are born within dynamic "relationships." If we attempt to capture true understanding, to glimpse Proteus's true face, the only way is to wade into the river at our feet ourselves, allowing ourselves to become part of the flowing water.

关于画⾯中独特的类似胶⽚噪点的磨砂/⽑茸质感……

张军曾研习过⼀段时间的湿壁画。湿壁画以沙⼦为基底，⽤矿物颜料层层渗透、固化，最终呈现出朦胧的灰调，⼲燥后沉淀为⼀种暗淡⽽温和的氛围，并且保留了沙砾粗粝的质感。而他早前学习古典油画，强调层层罩染。现在结合湿壁画的逻辑，保留多层叠加的结构，却不再依赖优化的流动与光泽。这种技法实则⾮常废笔，需要⽤⼲笔蘸取极少的颜料，在画布上轻轻蹭染，层层覆盖。在反复的蹭擦中间，底⾊渐渐透出，最终形成细腻⽽丰富的⾊点。

此外，张军偏爱胶片相机的颗粒质感，而在画布上呈现相似的肌理属于情理之中的选择。不过于他而言，画布始终承载着更为强烈的真实感——也许因为他从十三岁开始学习画画，自此画布始终拥有其不变的重量。他回忆道，对画画的喜爱大概是父亲留给他的。父亲年轻时颇有绘画天赋，只是那个年代，这份天赋是无用的，所以父亲的笔便搁下了。如今老家斑驳的墙壁上，还停留着一只父亲画的喜鹊，颜色暗淡了，姿态却还鲜活。

艺术家父亲所绘喜鹊

Regarding the Unique Grainy/Fuzzy Texture Resembling Film Noise in the Paintings...

Zhang Jun once studied fresco for a period. Fresco uses sand as a base, with mineral pigments seeping through and solidifying layer by layer, ultimately presenting a hazy grey tone. Upon drying, it settles into a dim yet gentle atmosphere, retaining the coarse texture of the sand granules.

Zhang Jun previously studied classical oil painting, emphasizing glazing layer upon layer. Now, combining the logic of fresco, he retains the structure of multiple layers but no longer relies on the fluidity and gloss of oils. This technique is actually very brush-intensive, requiring the use of a dry brush dipped in minute amounts of pigment, lightly rubbing and staining the canvas, layer upon layer. Through repeated rubbing and friction, the underpainting gradually shows through, finally forming delicate and rich dots of color.

Furthermore, Zhang Jun favors the granular quality of film cameras, so presenting a similar texture on canvas was a natural choice. However, for him, the canvas always carries a more intense sense of reality—perhaps because he started learning to paint at thirteen, and since then, the canvas has always retained its immutable weight for him. He recalls that his fondness for painting likely came from his father. In his youth, his father had considerable artistic talent, but in that era, such talent was deemed useless, so his father's brush was laid to rest. Today, on the mottled wall of their old home, a magpie painted by his father still remains, its colors faded, yet its posture vivid.

展览现场

Installation View

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展览现场Installation View

这次展览，我们在展厅中央加入一把来自法国的中古长椅，长椅上缱绻的木质肌理与张军所创造的植物仿佛共享生命的一呼一吸。二者皆非纯粹自然，却因不同的创造力而延展相似的生命轨迹——我们由此打造了一个小型的共享空间，通过空间的并置，让某种始终存在却隐于深处的链接变得人为可见。

At the heart of the gallery, we have placed a vintage long bench from France. The sinuous grain of its wood seems to share the very breath of life with the plants created by Zhang Jun. Both are not purely natural, yet they extend along similar lifelines through different acts of creativity. We have thus crafted a small shared space, making a connection that has always existed yet remained deeply hidden become artificially visible through spatial juxtaposition.

——撰文 Yiwen

个展

2025 普洛花园，ARR Gallery，杭州

2024 消音，PIN，北京

群展

2025 西岸艺术与设计博览会，ARR Gallery，上海

2025 刷新，ARR Gallery，杭州

2025 茁，托芘雅画廊，青岛

2025 北京当代艺术博览会，ARR Gallery，北京

2024 西岸艺术与设计博览会，仚東堂，上海

2024 拂晓之音，石美术馆，郑州

2024 作品集，ARR GALLERY，杭州

2024 G级玄鸟广告牌，仚東堂，郑州

2024 舍勒绿，仚東堂，北京

2023 生之韵律，IESA，巴黎

2023 AMIS，Centre Brancion，巴黎