Jaffa Lam Laam Collaborative: Weaver
林嵐合作社﹣織織復織織
19/1-7/2/2013
4-5/F, Pao Galleries, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Habour Road, Hong Kong
藝術家自述
兩年前，有幸獲香港藝術中心的邀請，於包 氏畫廊舉辦「個展」，這是我自二零零三年 「喃喃自語」後首次再於大型場地辦展覽， 機會不可多得。恰巧在二零一三年，我又剛 好執教十三載，在天時地利人和的配合下， 我與學生、裁縫、箱板老闆和各方好友以 「合作社」形式一同創作，把握機會繼續發 展「微觀經濟」計劃，透過「轉化」藝術產 生過程中的資源（人力／金錢），引領觀者 反思都市中生產與棄置的因果關係，並探索 公眾可以如何參與那「遙不可及的東西」– 藝術。
展覽中每一個環都互相緊扣。入門的《一片 天，一片海》呼應著最後一件作品《半天吊 的月亮》，兩者都是以藍調敍說個人面對藝 術時的忐忑心情。內廳裡，天窗、《橋》和 《光圈》將藝術人性化，展現出對人性的渴 慕。中段的雨粉和《四分之一亭》標誌著我 創作旅程的過渡期，微弱的水聲亦呼應著後 來的飄流期中的滂沱大雨。至於看似可以出 售的「藝術商品」系列則與其他看似非賣品 的作品形成強烈的對比，讓我們重新思考藝 術和社會的接觸點，以及純藝術與藝術商品 ／藝術市場的平衡。這個議題，留待將來的 展覽再探討。
其中一件最大型的作品《橋》就是在香港做 創作的寫照。
香港自開埠以來一直都是一個移民城市。 本來同一個面孔的中國人，但因為先後到 達，基於利益衝突亦會互相歧視，更何況 其他來自世界各地不同的種族？要達至社會 和睦共處，談何容易。我多年前的新移民生 活，以及近年和工友們閒談中看到、聽到和 親身體會到的不公義一直深烙在我心中。以 藝術之力吶喊會有作用嗎？一個人又能成事 嗎？知其不可而為之，因為我相信奇蹟。 十八位朋友和我在七個月內利用工餘時間將 二千八百七十五個中文繁體字刻好，本身已 是一個奇蹟。
近年，每個居住在香港的人都無法避免討論 政治和社會議題，就像家事一樣。我們到底 是關心社會還是關心個人呢﹖身為其中一份子，我無可避免要面對這些問題。偶然翻閱 《世界人權宣言》¹，發現它很中性地概括 出很多紛爭歸根究柢是因為每個人都只站在 自己的位置看事物，卻缺乏對其他人的包容和尊重。另一件有趣的事是，那本書的中文 版本用的是簡體字，作品展示的繁體版本是 在香港人權監察網妝頁中找到的 ²。我無力 抵抗簡體字的狂瀾，只想在傳統的氣息裡尋 覓那反叛、執著的快感。包容和反叛，尊重 和執著，像是一對歡喜冤家，從沒有分開， 相互照應著。
宣言的文字以宋體字打印出來，經人手抄印 及改良，再由不同的人用不同的方法雕刻在 木板上。由於是分工合作，加上人手製作和 工具不一，所以出現了不同的風格，使作品 充滿人性。木箱老板製作具釘箱風格的木櫈 橋墩正好為作品添加了另一層社會意義。偶 爾見到小字簽名，也分不清那是製作者還是 捐獻者的名字。觀眾的反應，是踏上去，坐 上去還是站在一旁看；是順著筆劃撫摸著， 還是馬上掏出鉛筆拓印下來﹖放眼所及，都 是關於人人平等和互相尊重的議題。
香港是個彈丸之地，但大型的創作往往需要 寬敞的製作、展出及存藏空間。《橋》使我 重新思考藝術與買賣、收藏等問題。
有 不 少 人 問《橋》的木板賣不賣，我說 「賣」，但是「賣」的形式和正常的不一樣。 為此，我設立了一個捐款計劃，每個人拿出 港幣五佰元或以上可以「買」到我為他在木 上刻字的服務和橋上的空間。將來重展時， 買家和製作者都會出現在同一個平台上，顯 示出「人人有權自由參加社會的文化生活和 享受藝術」³ 的精神。而且，這不佔用物理 空間的另類收藏解決了香港人因「沒地方安 置」而不購藏藝術品的問題。買家更會收到 刻有其名字的木條的相片，以及將來有關這 件作品的展覽消息，但完全不須騰出家居空 間。這應該是很方便的辦法。
接著想的是，既然這篇宣言有 403 種譯本 ， 如果這件中文作品可以加上多種外語（捐獻 者名字），並在世界各地展出，應該能將「世 界」、「人」和「共融」的概念拓展得更廣 闊一些。暫時希望透過朋友網絡把這項目散 播到不同國家的藝術館、基金會，看看這個 夢想會不會成真，讓合作社的概念再走遠一 點。
雖然完整的宣言不下二千字，但相信能讓觀 眾停步細看的，也只有那幾個和自身有關的 字句。我接下來做的傳統拓印本只選段製 作，迎合了現代都市人「快的節奏」。這也 許是住在香港久了，所沾染的「變通」吧！
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am honoured to be invited by the Hong Kong Arts Centre to hold a “solo exhibition” in Pao Galleries two years ago. This was my first solo exhibition at a large exhibition venue since “Murmur”, which was held in 2003, so it was a precious opportunity. It happens that this year is also the thirteenth year of my teaching career. Making full use of the “right time, right place and right people”, I cooperated in the form of a “collaborative” with students, seamstresses, crate shop owner and friends to join in art creation and continued my “Micro Economy” project. Through the “transformation” of resources (manpower/ capital) in the process of art creation, I hope the audience could reflect upon the causal relations between urban production and discard, while at the same time explore how the public may participate in the “untouchable” – art.
Everything in the exhibition closely linked to each other. Blue Heaven at the entrance echoed with the last piece Hanging Moon – using a blue tone to illustrate the uncertainty one can feel for art. The skylight, Bridge and Halo in the exhibition hall humanized the art and demonstrated my aspiration for humanity. Between the two floors, the drizzle and A Quarter of Pavilion represented the transitional period of my artistic career, the faint sound of water also contrasted the drench of rain in the drifting period that came after. “Art for Sale” series – a set of works that are for sale – posed a stark difference when compared with the rest of the artworks, which do not seem to be sellable. It allowed us to contemplate on another contact point between art and the society: the real balance between art and art market. This will be further discussed in future exhibitions.
One of the largest works, Bridge, showed what it’s like to do art in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is an immigrant city ever since its early development. Yet, discrimination is commonplace among us as we fight for resources. This happens not just with people of a different ethnicities but with fellow Chinese, too. It is never easy to have harmony in the society. I had been a new immigrant in my early life. In recent years, I encountered many workers and heard firsthand stories of the injustice they experienced as Hong Kong immigrants, which deeply imprinted my heart. I wondered if it could make an impact if I raise a hue and cry through art. Can I succeed with one man’s hands? Knowing that it might end up in vain, I was still willing to do it because I believe in miracles. With the involvement of eighteen friends, we inscribed 2,875 Chinese characters in seven months. This was already the miracle.
In recent years, every Hong Kong resident unavoidably discusses politics and social affairs like domestic issues. Is it because we are concerned about the society or, instead, concerned about ourselves? Being a Hong Kong resident, I cannot ignore these questions. I came across the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights¹ incidentally and discovered that it sums up concisely and objectively the major reasons behind many conflicts. And that is people judge from their own perspectives without being respectful and tolerant to others. Another interesting finding was that the official Chinese version was only available in simplified Chinese. The version used in my artwork was found in the website of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor (HKHRM)². I cannot resist the raging waves of simplified Chinese and only attempted to seek rebel and persistence in tradition. Tolerance and rebellion, respect and persistence, the pairs are like quarrelsome lovers that never part from and always complement each other. The content of the Declaration was printed in Sung-styled font, copied and modified by hand, then carved on the wooden planks by different people using different methods. Since it was a collaborative and hand-made work and the tools used differed from one another, the completed artwork had a variety of styles which made it very humane. As the base of the bridge, the wooden benches produced by crate shop owner in a crate-making style enriched the content with its social meaning. There are signatures and small engravings on the planks that confuse the identity of carver and donor. Did the audience respond to the artwork by stepping or sitting on it, or standing next to it as a spectator and reader? Did they feel the carvings by touching the characters stroke by stroke, or doing an inscription rubbing with pencil and papers? These were all related to equality and mutual respect.
Hong Kong has very limited space, but large-scale artworks require large space for production, exhibition and storage. Bridge prompted me to ponder over the question about artwork purchase and storage.
Many people asked whether Bridge was for sale. I said yes, but the “selling” was a bit extraordinary. For this, I established a donation scheme. Anyone who pays HK$500 or above, can “buy” the carving service and a “space” on the bridge. So when the artwork is exhibited again, the buyers and carvers will be presented on the same platform, manifesting the spirit that “everyone has the right and freedom to participate in cultural activities and enjoy art in the society”³. It also solves the problem commonly faced by Hong Kong people, which is the lack of space for artwork storage. What’s more, buyers will receive photos of their inscribed planks and news on future exhibitions of this artwork. This space- saving artwork storage should be a convenient solution to art collection in Hong Kong.
My other thought was, knowing that the Declaration has 403 translated versions, inscribing foreign languages (donors’ names) on this Chinese artwork and showcasing it in different countries will further develop and broaden the concept of “world”, “human” and “inclusiveness”. Presently, news about this project is spread via network of friends to museums and foundations worldwide. See if this dream will come true so that the idea of the collaborative can be further publicized and popularized.
Although the complete Declaration has more than two thousand words, what really caught one’s attention would be the few sentences that concern them. From here onwards, I would do inscription rubbing of selected sections to cater modern city dwellers’ “fast pace” culture. This is probably a kind of “expedience” I learnt after living in Hong Kong for quite some time.
