假如妳是一位藝術愛好者，並有意到上海西岸藝術中心的話，我會極力推薦你先到Yuz Museum 余德耀美术馆欣賞艾迪·馬丁内斯的個展，然後往西岸藝術區域前進。單看作品，或許妳會誤以為是尚‧米榭‧巴斯奇亞的晚期作品。然而，當妳站在一幅19米寬的作品前，妳必定會對藝術家肅然起敬，並且明白余德耀美術館為何看重這位年輕藝術家。
從2019年11月7日至2020年1月12日期間，余德耀美術館很榮幸能夠展出美國布鲁克林藝術家艾迪·馬丁内斯的作品。「游宴」乃是藝術家在中國的首次展覽。能夠在頂尖的美術館展出，藝術家特意從美術館內尋找靈感，並於二零一九年完成兩幅鉅作，名為《游宴》和《空中曼陀羅》，為藝術家目前最大幅作品。《游宴》達3米高，19米長。這幅宏偉傑作淋漓盡致的展露藝術家細膩筆觸，突顯各種媒體在畫布上的融合。另外，後者《空中曼陀羅》為一幅圓形帆布作品，筆觸豪邁。作品圓周達5米寬，背後有藝術家簽名，並吊掛在美術館咖啡廳中央位置， 巧奪天工！
描述至此，我需解釋自己並不是艾迪·馬丁内斯的頭號粉絲，並不瞭解為何藝術界對他的作品如此厚愛。可是，當我開始專注於媒體運用及效果時，我便能夠與觀賞者暢談作品的獨特之處。
一般而言，我們可以從豔麗色彩和粗獷線條去辨認馬丁內斯的作品。他是一位善用多媒體物料為創作根基的藝術家。《游宴》包含畫布油彩，噴漆，油畫棒，丙烯酸塗料，三福記號筆，帆布拼貼，及圖釘。這些媒體豎立在平坦的畫布上，深深吸引賞者矚目，引導他們觸摸。同時，藝術家動人姿態的筆觸成功塑造了一系列扣人心弦的人物。
多年來，藝術家堅持不懈地創作，為的就是要特破傳統藝術表達的模式。馬丁內斯的作品都是以帆布為主，可是，他勇於以不同媒體突破帆布的平面限制來表達多維度觀念，甚至無限視覺效果。自四十年代起，畢加索和眾抽象派大師早已紛紛探索如何在帆布上展示多維視覺效果。然而，《游宴》的出現更讓我聯想到空間運動的先鋒，尤其是封塔納的〈割破〉系列1。
凝望《遊宴》，妳會留意到每一處筆觸都是注滿大師的影子。其中，作品結構上與列奧納多.達.芬奇的傳奇之作《最後的晚餐》較為相似。側面的輪廓和扭曲面孔的確讓人聯想到巴斯奎特和畢加索之前衛風格。因展覽的靈感取自余德耀美術館的關係，作品燦爛的色調可視為祝賀余德耀美術館與洛杉磯郡藝術博物館及卡達國家博物館的嶄新合作，預言傑作的誕生。
與《遊宴》共處數天，我領悟到重要的一課：欣賞藝術品不單是了解內容，同時是解構作品的精髓和靈感。《遊宴》的背後其實帶有一系列繪畫小品。作品雖小，卻是表達《遊宴》的重要研究，讓觀賞者窺探藝術家的思考領域。
無可置疑，《遊宴》充分體現出艾迪·馬丁内斯的才華和潛能，讓更多觀眾熟悉藝術家的創作手法，實現至眾所周知的名銜。
WILL YUZ JOIN OUR FEAST? | by JASMINE CHAU
It is that time of the year! And no, I am not talking about Christmas.
The past week was the annual opening of West Bund Art and Design Fair in Shanghai, China. Indeed, this year’s ritual remained the same. People still lined up, hoping to get a glimpse of a Zao Wou-ki for their Instagram post. Now, if you want something fresh, you can walk a few doors down and be captivated by Yuz Museum’s latest exhibition, a solo show by Eddie Martinez. It also happens to be the artist’s first exhibition in China!
From November 7, 2019 – January 12, 2020, Yuz Museum is proud to present Open Feast, a solo exhibition by Brooklyn based artist Eddie Martinez. The exhibition is inspired by Yuz Museum and comprise of two centerpieces, Open Feast and Mandala in the Sky. Both remains as the largest artworks the artist has ever created. Measure at 3-meter by 19-meter in total, Open Feast wholly represents Martinez oeuvre. Another magnificent piece, Mandala in the Sky, presents in a circular canvas, measuring at 5-meter wide, with the artist’s signature on the back. It hangs beautifully across the Yuz cafe. Now, I have to be honest. I am not the biggest fan of Martinez’ work; I do understand the hype, nor did I feel connected with his work. However, as I was installing the exhibition with the team, I had to examine the work in close proximity. After days with the painting, I still feel emotionally distant. Yet, I noticed a change within myself – an openness to understand the artistic expression beyond its visual content.
Martinez is known for his demonstration of vibrant colours and the use of line. In his creative process, he utilizes a variety of materials to show his artistic expressions. In particular, spray paint, oil paint, acrylic paint, oil bar, collage, linen, sharpie and push-pins are used to compose Open Feast. Alone with the painting, one can observe voluminous paint and materials rising from the surface. Engulfed by the volume of the canvas, viewers can trace expressive gestures and brushstrokes cascading all over the wide surface. The artist is dedicated in exploring the notion of the maximum within a minimal and contained space. As early as the 1940’s, similar concepts have been explored by Picasso and other abstract expressionist artists. The interrelated relationship of painting, a traditional method of expression, and a flat surface has always intrigued artists in deconstructing conventional means of portraying spatial depth. In particular, Martinez’ contemporary expression and exploration instantly reminds me of the Spatialise movement, especially Lucio Fontana’s tagil (cut) series, which questions the possibility of infinity beyond the restraints of a two-dimensional canvas.
While Martinez encourages open interpretation, Open Feast demonstrates structural similarity with Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Figures of side profiles and distorted faces shares stylistic similarity with Basquiat and Picasso. Note of the artist’s influence of Yuz Museum, I would interpret Open Feast as a celebration of Yuz’ partnership with LACMA and Qatar Museums, as well as future collaborations to come.
As the exhibition has officially launched, it reminds me of the following: to understand a painting is to also observe the inspiration that shaped the completed work. Hanging across Open Feast are a number of drawing studies that attributes to the magnificent painting. The contrast in size certainly engages viewers to observe his quiet process.
As a collective, this exhibition is a complete representation of Eddie Martinez’ talent and potential. Open Feast certainly introduces the artist’s modus operandi that will surely be remembered from now onwards.
Open Feast:
a solo exhibition by Eddie Martinez
Date: 2019.11.7 – 2020.1.12
Venue: Yuz Museum, West Bund, Shanghai
#西岸 #余德耀美術館 #馬丁内斯 #巴斯奇亞 #游宴 #ContemporaryArt #ArtExhibition #WestBund #EddieMartinez #OpenFeast #YuzMuseum #abstractexpressionist
