On the Ground: Xu Jiang's Paper Works Collection

Author: Xu Jiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Looking at Mr. Xu Jiang's works in Earth, you feel as if you've stepped onto a living branch, a withered tree, a vine, or a patch of snow, embraced by a vitality. Every stroke seems like a single line, every piece like a single scene, the vitality of the earth pulsing there. This vitality extends from the center of the entire composition to the farthest reaches of the viewer's gaze, within the structures formed by horizontal, straight, and oblique lines—resembling circles, pillars, or cones—that blend the misty allure of snow and soil with the free passage of the mind. Here, we can perceive how Xu Jiang uses painting as the trace of his thoughts, guiding them to the depths of his soul where these thoughts find their dwelling. With unwavering dedication, he meticulously cultivates his spiritual homeland, which beats in rhythm with the seasons and the pulse of his heart.
Strolling into the Frozen Snowland series, the faint sunlight seems to melt the snow, giving rise to a gentle haze mixed with the earthy scent of smoke rising slowly. In this artistic language, there lingers the vigor of the northern landscape. His vigorous brushwork continuously traces the lucid clarity of his inner feelings. This sense of clarity shifts freely between observation and creation. This act of seeing and painting not only makes the objects themselves visible but also nourishes them with the ceaseless, flowing spring of the heart, constantly moving between the structures of time and space and the opening and closing of the mind, awakening the sources of life in every detail. Such a spring of the soul is a continuation of the sweetness of creation and the heart's origin. Only those who have a profound understanding of life can savor this spring. Only when the mind and matter are one can this spring ripple with the waves of creation. Just as in Ingres' The Spring, we see no source of the spring or its flow from the canvas, only its subtle presence on the rocks. It is akin to the realm suggested by the line, "The water's heart reflects the shadow, the sound of the spring comes quietly from the forest." This "spring" flows endlessly, welcoming the birth, death, prosperity, and decline of all living things in the world. It does not stagnate in wind, frost, rain, or snow but instead becomes even richer because of them.
The Frozen Snowland series exudes a special atmosphere of tranquility and emptiness. The fields, like snow and soil, the cold forests, like trees and wind—all are immersed in this icy bleakness and serenity, embodying a unique vitality, a stillness on the verge of movement, a desolation on the brink of revival. This is the true essence of vitality and life, the very meaning of Chinese philosophy of life. As Ouyang Xiu once said in a treatise on painting, "A desolate and (dànbó) beauty is the hardest to capture in painting. While the painter may achieve it, the viewer may not recognize it. Things that are easily seen are often shallow, but a serene and profound spirit is difficult to express." Mr. Xu Jiang, in his study of the philosophy of "from one to ten thousand, and back to one," deeply understands these expressive images and this state of forgetfulness between object and self.
The imagery in the Water Shadows series is so elusive yet subtly forms itself in the midst of its drift. What are these objects in the water whispering? What traces of joy or melancholy do they leave behind? Is it an autumn shrouded in endless rain, or a summer after a storm? Which world—above or below the water—is more real? In immersion and bathing, where does one go? To flow or to stay? When Xu Jiang passes through this shallow pool, opening the doors of nature and listening to the sounds of rain and wind, it is as if he is "leaving the water shadows to listen to the sound of rain." Ah! To drift and explore in the water, where the clear yet indistinct agitation beneath the shadows lingers, preserving the world on the verge of departure.
From nature, Xu Jiang does not merely draw inspiration from nature itself. The artistic language he uses in the Water Shadows series confronts us with a series of imagined mirrors, starting points of self-discovery and openness. The shimmering water reflections evoke a gentle, pervasive warmth. The inversion and interplay of color, composition, and form break free from everyday emotional experiences, granting us a new realm of freedom. Through dialogue with nature, Xu Jiang fuses observation and creation, converging them at a single point and radiating them in all directions. His paintings always carry a depth, drenched in the misty humidity of water, drifting upon the viewer's heart. We wonder—when Mr. Xu Jiang is filled with longing for his spiritual homeland, what visions of water shadows fill his vision and mind?
Here, what guides him is no longer the philosophy of nature's appearance, as Heidegger once said, "It is not always necessary to reveal the truth. If the truth is subtly pervasive and produces harmonious effects, if it resonates like a solemn yet intimate bell in the air, that is enough." It is this "water shadow" that fills his heart with a pool of emerald water, light as clouds. In scenes that are both melancholic and lively, his unique brushwork and style, imbued with the spirit of nature's spontaneity, reflect a self-awareness and maturity of the "shadow of the heart." It is within this "water shadow" that Xu Jiang finds the most suitable path for his artistic expression, where his inner self meets the form and traces of his brushwork. The "shadow of the heart" and the "shadow of the water" overlap, forming an ever-shifting, yet expansive world of imagery. The waterlogged paintings create a soothing, distant perspective, yet in conjunction with the brush's touch and nature, they achieve a special effect that is both attainable and elusive.
Here, in this enigmatic expression, the layers of traces subtly reflect another creation, another sign of the unity of matter and mind. In the world of Water Shadows, the blue-black ink is washed by rain and soaked by the heart's essence, transforming into clear traces. Beneath these myriad traces, the souls of all things in the world are absorbed, revealing a special tranquility—a transcendence of self and other, a self-sufficient fulfillment.
These artistic expressions that overflow from the heart have become a spiritual realm infused with the insights of life.