时代的刻痕： 评“新兴木刻与广东版画—— 广东美术馆藏版画作品陈列展”《画廊》

撰文：陈文哲 梁笑

　　引言：鲁迅先生曾在《新俄画选》小引中说：“当革命时，版画之用最广，虽极匆忙，顷刻能办。”新中国诞生前夕风云变化的土地上，各界人士都致力于寻求国家未来的出路，用文学或艺术创作宣扬进步思想不失为一个十分有效的做法，当时在解放区和国统区都活跃着一批版画创作者。他们大多年轻，从艺与爱国之心热切，跟随鲁迅先生的号召拿起刻刀利用宣传版画进行革命。创作方便和可以大量复制的特点使得版画非常适合当时革命宣传的需要，图像语言本身便于识读，感染力极强，从而让新鲜的革命思潮迅速的深入人心。

　　“新兴木刻与广东版画 ——广东美术馆藏版画作品陈列展”于2013年11月19日至2014年1月12日在广东美术馆展出。展览集结了上世纪30年代到新中国成立初时期众多优秀艺术家的作品，主题紧扣当时的时代特点，以生动高超的艺术作品呈现了彼时的政治风云与人民社会生活图景。这是一次关于当时版画创作艺术作品的回顾与再探索，透过对这些受特定历史条件激发的创作的分析与再审视，我们得以窥见一个时代对优秀艺术创作的呼召而产生的丰富成果。

　　新兴木刻版画运动不同与中国传统木刻复制版画的作坊式生产，艺术家通常独立完成创作原稿、制版与印版。鲁迅先生当年大力借欧美与俄国版画作品进入中国并筹划发起中华木刻讲习会，他深谙当时晦暗的社会状况，期望能以一种振奋人心的艺术创作形式来鼓舞革命与新思想传播。木刻版画的艺术创作是精深的，作品画面富于表现力与感染力，同时它又具有材料较易获得、传播途径广的优势，在革命之时不失为十分有效的宣传手段。当时大批艺术创作者投身新兴版画运动的潮流，广东地区的不少青年艺术家也北上学艺。他们有的直接参加了木刻研习会，有的则是后来间接获得关于新兴版画的知识，同时他们也很大程度上接受了鲁迅的文艺观，以他为精神导师。广东等沿海地区因为通商口岸的关系与外界交往频繁，此处人民的思想也较为活跃进步。所以青年艺术家们很容易就领会了新兴版画创作的要领创作出大批优秀的作品，并且形成了自身的特点，其中许多作品也被鲁迅先生珍藏。鲁迅先生曾说广东人擅制版画，许多关于新兴木刻版画运动的展览也绝对少不了广东艺术家的精品，足见广东版画的艺术成果与影响力。仔细欣赏此次在广东美术馆展出的众多作品，其中许多之前也并不为大众所熟悉，但那个时代艺术家的扎实功力以及作品传达的思考与战斗力今天依然能够打动人们。

　　展览主要展出了胡一川，李桦、黄新波、古元等艺术家的精品，其中黑白木刻占了展品的大多数，也不乏赖少其、林仰峥等人的木刻套色版画作品。木刻版画的尺寸一般不会很大，有些为报纸期刊等创作的配图就更为精巧，但这样较为局限的画面也一样能做到结构严谨内容完整。胡一川先生的代表作品《到前线去》就在这样的空间里利用透视效果营造出宏大的场面，其动态的构图和合理夸张的人物形象令画面充满张力，独特的木刻语言构建出不同于惯常视觉的图像，从而更有力地击打人心；黄新波的《卖血后》与李桦的《怒潮组画》也是有着稳扎稳打的构图与情绪化的动势处理结合的优秀作品。除了许多具有强烈感情色彩令人心潮澎湃的版画外，还有围绕人民群众生产生活而创作的作品，如力群的《帮助群众修理纺车》、古元的《减租会》等。这些创作都是木刻创作版画成熟并蓬勃发展的黄金时期的精品，一直恒久地散发着艺术感染力。
广东地区出身的版画精英有些主要活动在华南地区，如黄新波，蔡迪支，陈望等。本次展览负责人田收讲道：“青年们返回广东后，他们大都在当地从事教育工作，并在其所在学校学生中推广现代版画艺术，这也成为广东版画运动的主要特色。当时广东版画创作形成了两大中心，一部分聚首广州以李桦为核心，一部分在粤东以罗清桢为首。战后虽然李桦、赖少其等人纷纷离开，但有刘仑、梁永泰、蔡迪支等人的支撑，广州依然是新兴版画最为兴盛的地区。”新兴版画在广东的传播和发展多亏了这些热心前辈开展的教育工作，其中胡一川先生担任了中南美术专科学校即后来的广州美术学院院长，给广东地区的版画创作和教育带来了深远的影响。此次有他的代表作《到前线去》以及套色木刻作品，观者能从他深厚的艺术功力中得到不少启发。

　　除此，也有其他一些广东出身的艺术家远赴北方在当地甚至全国产生重要影响，如艺术家古元先生。他原是广东珠海人，后进入鲁艺学习。由于各种原因他留在了华北解放区继续创作，后成为中央美术学院院长。离开延安到三边体验生活是他创作成绩显著的一年，产生的作品如本次展出的《离婚诉》和《减租会》等画面张弛有度节奏鲜明，带有明显的当地生活气息。另外，如李桦先生出生于广东番禺，曾留学日本，后在广州创办了现代版画会。这是当时全国相当活跃的木刻团体。后来他辗转上海、北平，曾担任过央美的版画系主任。此次展出的他的作品《怒潮组画》构图饱满情绪激昂，也与他抗日战争时期随军流转于湘赣一带的经历有关。

　　广东艺术家之所以具有如此突出的表现，自然与他们生长的社会文化环境有很大关系。岭南地区本身独特的艺术传统给了他们良好的根基，外界传来的新鲜文化也让青年们勤于思考勇于革新。而且广东的政治气氛相对北方更为自由，这使得艺术家们能够不受表现手法与题材的限制，从个人及社会各角度出发揭露社会黑暗面，激发人的思考。当时在解放区的版画创作为了宣传需要，吸取了民间艺术的传统，有将人物面部的明暗弱化的倾向，这种手法在《减租会》等作品中得到体现，被有趣地称为“洗脸”。而在广东地区的版画创作，中西方式的明暗处理较为突出，如罗清桢的《光明的枢纽》和黄新波的《教授生涯》。另外，在题材表现上，与国统区解放区主要反映抗战和解放后人民安定生活的画作，广东版画更着重于揭露社会问题，强调传播知识与革命思想。这次“新兴木刻与广东版画 —广东美术馆藏版画作品陈列展”展览力图全面地展示全国新兴木刻运动的优秀作品，而广东地区艺术家在其中展示出了自己独特的艺术魅力。展览在广东美术馆举办，广东的观众在观看版画时也能对本地区艺术家产生更深刻的理解。

　　新兴木刻版画运动由于其时代特殊性而具有很强的革命性，作品传达出强烈的呼求社会改变的情感。当时的版画创作因为时代的局限性，大量出现概念化的图像主题，不能全面真实地反映当时的社会状态和问题。对于革命的思考也在探索之中，存在盲目和理想化的一面。然而不论什么时候，社会中的人都没有任何理由停止对当下的思考。正是在不断认识到前人的错误和提出新观点的过程中，社会不断的进步和发展着。当代的许多艺术家都以个人的方式发出高关注社会事件，关怀人的生存状态的呼召。社会的变化激发了艺术的革新，艺术活动同时又反过来推进社会的发展，而版画作为一种悠久的艺术，它的社会价值在每一个时代都可以借助适当的创作方式体现出来。现代的艺术家在学习前辈的技术和态度的同时，也当认识历史，回顾自身，思考如何在今天的社会语境下处理好个人创作与时代潮流的关系，把握自身的文化判断。

Nicks of the Age Comments on “The New Woodcut and Cantonese Printmaking: Exhibition of GDMoA’s Printmaking Collection”

By Chen Wenzhe, Liang Xiao

Introduction

Mr Lu Xun once wrote in the foreword of Paintings of the New Russia: “During the time of revolution, prints were most widely utilized. Though in a hurry, they could be ready in a moment.” Under the ever-changing situations before the People’s Republic of China was founded, people from all walks of life were engaged in seeking for the future of the country. Literary and artistic creation was an effective way to advocate progressive ideas. There was a group of active print artists in both the liberated area and the Kuomintang-controlled area at that time. Most of them were young with an artistic and patriotic enthusiasm. They were called upon by Lu to participate in the revolution through prints for publicity. Prints were suitable for revolutionary publicity at that time thanks to their convenience of creation and possibility of mass production. Graphic language is easy to read for its strong appeal so that the fresh revolutionary ideas could find wide and deep support in the country.

“The New Woodcut and Cantonese Printmaking: Exhibition of GDMoA’s Printmaking Collection” is held from November 19, 2013 to January 12, 2014 in Guangdong Museum of Art (GDMoA). This exhibition rallies the works by many outstanding artists from the 1930s to the early years after the founding of People’s Republic of China, which focuses on the characteristics of the time. The vivid and excellent artistic works presents the political situation and people’s life. This exhibition is a review and re-exploration of woodcuts at that time. Through the analysis and re-examination of these works provoked by specific historical conditions, viewers can catch a glimpse of the rich achievements resulted from the call for splendid artistic creation by the age.

The emerging woodcut movement is unlike the traditional Chinese workshop of copying woodcuts. The artists usually complete the whole process of drawing, plate/block-making and inking independently. Lu vigorously advocated bringing in prints from the Europe, the US and Russia. He planned and established the China Woodcut Institute. He knew a lot about the dark social conditions at that time and expected to encourage the revolution and to spread new ideas with an inspiring form of artistic creation. The artistic creation of woodcuts is profound. The images are expressive and appealing with an advantage of easy acquisition of material and a wide publicity. Therefore it is an effective publicity means during the time of revolution. Many artists then devoted into the trend of the emerging print-making. Lots of young artists from Guangdong went to North China to study print-making. Some of them joined in the China Woodcut Institute and the other indirectly learned about the emerging print. They accepted Lu’s outlook on literature and art to a great extent and regarded him as their spiritual mentor. Coastal regions like Guangdong had frequent exchanges with the outside world thanks to their treaty ports and people in these regions were relatively active and progressive in mind, so young artists easily grasped the main points of the emerging woodcut and created a lot of excellent woodcuts, forming their own characteristics. Many of their works were collected by Lu. Lu once pointed out that the Cantonese artists are good at making prints. The fine works made by Cantonese artists are indispensable in the exhibitions of the emerging woodcut, which demonstrate the artistic achievement and influence of Cantonese woodcuts. Many of the works exhibited in Guangdong Museum of Art were not familiar to the public before. But the proficiency of artists as well as the thoughts and effectiveness conveyed by the works can still touch the heart of the public.

This exhibition mainly displays the works by Hu Yichuan, Li Hua, Huang Xinbo, Gu Yuan, etc., among which black and white woodcuts take up the largest proportion. There are also color woodcuts by artists like Lai Shaoqi, Lin Yangzheng and so on. Generally the woodcuts are not large in size. Some made as illustrations for newspapers and periodicals may be more ingenious. Although the size is limited, the images can still be well-structured and present full contents. The representative work Going to the Front by Hu Yichuan used perspective effects to create a grand scene. Its dynamic composition and reasonably exaggerated figures are full of tension. The unique woodcut print language has structured unconventional images that are more touching. Huang Xinbo’s After Selling the Blood and Li Hua’s Angry Tide in Series are also outstanding works combining the steady composition and the emotional presentation of the figures. Besides those heart-thrilling woodcuts with a strong emotion, there are also works about people’s production and living exhibited this time, such as Li Qun’s Helping People Repair the Spinning Wheel, Gu’s Meeting on Rent Concession and so on. These works are all among the best in the golden era of the development of woodcuts, which shall permanently send out artistic appeal.

Cantonese woodcut artists like Huang, Cai Dizhi and Chen Wang mainly do their creation in South China. Tian Shou, person in charge of this exhibition said, “The young people went back to Guangdong and most of them were engaged in education. They promoted modern woodcuts among the students, which has been the predominant feature of the woodcut movement in Guangdong. At that time there were two major centers for woodcuts in Guangdong. One is in Guangzhou with Li as the representative and the others in East Guangdong with Luo Qingzhen as the representative. After the war, Li Hua and Lai Shaoqi left Guangzhou but Liu Lun, Liang Yongtai and Cai Dizhi stayed to support the center. Therefore Guangzhou was still the most prosperous region of new print-making.” The dissemination and development of the emerging woodcut in Guangdong are owed to the art education engaged by those enthusiastic predecessors. Hu Yichuan used to be the principal of South China College of Fine Arts, which afterwards became Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. He has a profound impact on the creation and education of print in Guangdong. His representative work Going to the Front and other color woodcuts are exhibited this time. The viewers can get inspiration from his deep knowledge of art.
Moreover, some other Cantonese artists like Gu Yuan have gone to North China and also have left significant impact there. He was from Zhuhai, Guangdong and went to Lu Xun College of Art for study. For a variety of reasons he stayed in the liberated area in North China to continue his artistic creation and then became the president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He made remarkable achievements when he left Yan’an to experience life in the borderlands. The Complaint of Divorce and Meeting on Rent Concession created then are exhibited this time. The well-structured image has been fused with local life. Li was born in Panyu, Guangdong and he studied abroad in Japan. Then he founded the Guangzhou Association of Modern Woodcut. This association was quite active nationwide at that time. Afterwards, he went to Shanghai and Beijing. He used to be the dean of Woodcut Department in Central Academy of Fine Arts. His work Angry Tide in Series exhibited this time is fully composited and passionate. It is about his experience in Hunan and Jiangxi with the army during the War of Resistance Against Japan.

The outstanding performance of these Cantonese artists has a lot to do with the social and cultural environment they have grown up in. The unique artistic tradition in Lingnan area has laid a sound foundation for the artists. New cultures from the outside world also have motivated them to think diligently and to innovate bravely. Besides, Guangdong has a relatively free political climate that is different from that of North China. This makes the artists free to reveal the dark side of the society and to inspire people from the personal and social perspectives without the limit of expressing techniques and subjects. In the liberated area then the woodcuts were used for publicity, which integrated the tradition of folk art and tended to weaken the light and shade contrast of the faces. This technique was applied in the Meeting on Rent Concession, which is amusingly called “washing the face”. However in Guangdong, western style of processing the light and shade contrast is prominent. Luo Qingzhen’s The Bright Hub and Huang’s Professor Career are among them. In terms of styles, works made in the Kuomintang-controlled area and the liberated area were mainly about people’s settled life after the War of Resistance Against Japan and liberation while those in Guangdong focus on revealing social problems, disseminating knowledge and revolutionary ideas. This exhibition aims to present the excellent emerging woodcut pieces across the country. And Cantonese artists can also show their own unique artistic charm. The exhibition is launched in Guangdong Museum of Art. The Cantonese viewers can have a deeper understanding of local artists while appreciating the woodcuts.

The emerging woodcut print movement has a strong revolutionary character due to its specific historical background. The works express strong emotions that yearn for social changes. Due to the limitation of the time then many works conceptualized and could not truly and comprehensively reflect the social situation and problems of the day. People were still exploring the revolution and the thoughts sometimes would be blind and idealized. Nevertheless, at all times people in the society have no reason to stop thinking about the current situation. It is in the process of recognizing mistakes made by the predecessors and coming up with new ideas that the society keeps going forward. Many contemporary artists call for attentions to social events and care for people's survival state in a personal way. Changes of the society have inspired the revolution of art. And artistic activities in turn promote social development. Print, as a time-honored art, can realize its social value with the aid of appropriate way of creation. Artists nowadays ought to draw lessons from history in retrospect while learning the skills and attitude of predecessors so as to think about how to manage the relationship between individual creation and the trend of the times in the current social context.