Liu Kun

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Recent Works: Paintings

《双人舞》

四十年前，在中国出现了八个所谓‘样板戏’。这八个包含改革意义的精雕细凿的戏并不难看。但是它们成了四人帮的愚民工具就十分地面目可憎。笔者的亲友中有被投入牢狱之中的，其罪之一便是批评了‘样板戏’。

刘锟的双人系列不少以样板戏为题材。画面都不算小，居中的人物却是小小的。画家从构图上给予看者心理准备去观察和体验小人物的生存状态与心态。与此同时，画家心甘情愿地把自己放入画中，表达了憨厚，忠诚，倔强又有活力的人物性格。站在画外往里看的观众感受到画家的自嘲，会心地笑了；看到被嘲的样板人物，过瘾地笑了。当年中国的八亿人被这八个戏嘲弄了十年之久，现在我们可以拿它们开开心，这要感谢我们的画家——刘锟先生。

方毓仁

二零零五年秋

"Shall We Dance?"

Forty years ago in China there were eight yang ban xi (exemplary stage performances). These original set pieces were not bad; they were convincingly produced with a pioneering, revolutionary message. However, later they were misused as means to delude the people and they became intolerable. Some of my relatives were sent to jail because they criticized the yang ban xi.

In his recent works Liu Kun has taken the yang ban xi as his main subject matter. The paintings themselves are quite large, although the figures within are small. The artist uses psychology to convey the frail state of mind and meager living conditions of the ordinary people of that era. The artist voluntarily depicts himself in his own paintings, expressing the people's feelings of loyalty, honesty, endurance and endeavour. The viewer can appreciate the self-mockery. We can now laugh openly at the ridiculed characters from the yang ban xi, although during that era 800 million Chinese people were fooled by them for as long as ten years. Thankfully we can now freely make fun of them without being criticized for it - for this we are grateful to our artist Liu Kun.

Fong Yuk Yan

November 2005

《隐秘的力量》

刘锟的作品一贯着重表现人内心深处的复杂和独特的瞬间心理片段。由一些特有文化符号构成的形象所流露出的象征、暗示和隐喻，都透露出一种东方式的神秘、幽默和调侃；而作品中的人物通过懒散甚至有些奇怪的姿态，去引发出观者的想象空间。

对比以前展览中的作品，此次刘锟的作品显得更加成熟和风格化。这一系列作品中都存在着一个平整、空旷的大背景，颜色多为其个人化的绿色、蓝色和灰色；沉稳、隐秘及内向：人物处在这样一个背景之中，显得尴尬而饶有趣味——呈现出一种“模棱两可”的生存状态，既非梦境、也非现实。

正是这种“模棱两可”的不确定性，拓展了作品的多种触觉，使之具有了无限的可能，让其作品呈现出更为丰富的感觉；更为贴切地反映出当代人内在精神的多重性。

打动我们的还有其作品人物刻画上拧动的，跳跃的笔触，对比之平整的背景处理，构成了其绘画作品特有的韵味，也就是所谓的个人绘画语言。画面形象的大小对比、用笔繁复与简略的取舍、细节与整体的协调：由于这些关系构成的节奏变换，形成刘锟作品特有的技法与构图，渲染出一种独特的气质，微妙抽象的隐秘感和真实的力量之间，充满哲理的冲突与协调。

刘锟的作品，是对生存感觉的诠释，诉说着人与世界、时间与空间的纠缠和舒解。

在人生中我们经历了太多，时而充满希望，时而失落彷徨。刘锟作品中的人物或站立冥思或跳跃扭动……看到的是他们，想到的是自己？

方毓仁

2004年10月

"The Power of Mystery"

Liu Kun’s subject matter focuses on man’s innermost complexities; he captures fleeting moments of an emotional state of being. Using images, which are culturally specific, he expresses an oriental style of mystery and humour. The figures portrayed in his works seem relaxed, even idle, some adopting strange poses, causing the viewer to speculate on their intensions.

Compared to his previous work, Liu Kun's recent paintings reveal a more mature, personalized style. Many of the works feature a vast, vacant background in shades of green, blue or grey. The tone is reserved, mysterious and yet intimate. Set against this open background are figures, who seem ill at ease, almost comical, uncertain of their own place in society, hovering between dream and reality.

It is this sense of uncertainty conveyed in his paintings that gives the viewer greater scope for reflection. At the same time it defines the complexities and intimate thoughts of modern day society. We are moved by the vibrant, lively brushstrokes creating the figures, contrasting greatly against the stark vacant background. This creates a sense of rhythm in the paintings and emphasizes the artist’s personal style. Moreover the comparisons between large and small, between complex and simple brushstrokes and the balance between small details and the overall effect are further expressions of Liu Kun’s style. He uses these effects to express the conflict and compromise between the mystery of abstraction and the power of realism.

Liu Kun works are an interpretation of a way of life, a life depicting the relationship between man and his environment in space and time. Our lives are made up of many experiences, sometimes we are full of hope, sometimes we feel disappointed. Twisting, jumping or just standing around contemplating life, Liu Kun’s figures are intriguing and make us look inside our own hearts and contemplate our own lives.

Fong Yuk Yan

October 2004