自古以來，竹作為生活工具，可以說是無所不能；作為文化符號，文人雅士愛其謙謙君子之性。除了我們在街上看到的裝修竹棚、飲茶時用到的蒸籠、每天吃飯用的筷子等，原來竹也是藝術創作的媒介。法國竹藝家Laurent Martin “Lo”就利用竹勾勒出和諧的曲線，懸掛空中的作品宛如中國書法中優雅的筆觸。10 號贊善里畫廊為他舉辦了個展《穿越虛空》，並同時在今年巴塞爾藝術博覽會“Spotlight”上展出他的作品。

Since ancient times, bamboo has been a ubiquitous part of our daily life. A multi-faceted cultural symbol, the humble bamboo also represents endurance and longevity. Other than the bamboo scaffolds we see on streets and the bamboo steamers used to hold dim sums, bamboo is also a medium for art creation. The gravity-defying bamboo sculptures by Laurent Martin “Lo” swing in the air, drawing curves of harmony like the gracious strokes of Chinese calligraphy. His solo exhibition, Crossing the Void, is being held at the 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, whose works will be presented at Art Basel Spotlight art fair as well.

我探索竹子。
竹的平衡，輕盈和靈活
竹的結構，詩性和人性
還有輕風和光影陪伴我。
–Laurent Martin “Lo”

I explore bamboo.
Its balance, lightness and flexibility
Its mathematics, poetry and sensuality.
I also work with the air and the light.
–Laurent Martin “Lo”

 “Lo”邀請我們進入竹的天地。他的大型竹雕塑隨風抒情般移動，仿若懸於空中的畫作，而他的靜止雕塑則是力量的融合，並擁有微妙的平衡。 風的力量賦予“Lo”的作品生命，在光影中劃下優美的舞姿。

Laurent Martin “Lo” invites us into the world of bamboo. His lyrical mobile sculptures are like paintings in the air and his standing works are a concurrence of forces that create an impossibly delicate equilibrium. The forces of the wind sway the works to and fro and create shadows that dance upon the walls.

這次《穿越虛空》展覽將展示“Lo”的十二件新作，其中七件為移動作品，五件為靜止作品。作品“竹魂”長達3.8 米，如一道秀潤的圓畫廊的負責人弧形墨於空中。另一件作品“煙霧”長約2 米，如暗香縷縷醉雲天。而同名作品“穿越虛空”由雙橢圓組成，它們彼此牽連，彷若柳絳輕釣月。畫廊總監戴天利（Katie de Tilly）提到：「“Lo”讓自己與作品融為一體，並讓直覺引領他的雙手。“Lo”是位虔誠的藝術家，他在本能和技藝的驅動下成為竹前所未有的的深度。我們通過此次展覽將了解他是如何將傳統手工藝運用到當代藝術的創作中。讓我們沉浸於他的作品中，去深切感受他澎湃的創作才華。」

In this exhibition the gallery will present twelve new works, 7 mobiles and 5 standing works. The large Bamboo Soul hangs at 380 cm like a single stroke of curved simplicity. Another hanging work Smoke is a 2-meter swirl of wistful waves and curls funneling up into the sky. Crossing the Void, stands as a double elliptical window seesawing back and forth as if casting a fishing line. Gallery director Katie de Tilly states, “ “Lo”’s work embraces the essence of all life as one. We experience his works through feeling rather than thinking. He is a truly committed artist who explores the depths of the natural material of bamboo with a skill that is both intuitive and mastered. Throughout the world craftsman work wonders with bamboo and “Lo” has elevated it to a contemporary art form of the highest distinction. And we feel his passion.”

通過多年的觀察和研究，“Lo” 的創作建立在竹子的物理性和感官美之上：竹子擁有復雜的有機結構，並兼具能量和靈性。 “Lo” 與竹子建立了的親密的關系，在過往三十年的實踐中，“Lo”的竹雕塑兼具柔韌、穩定、精密，輕盈，數學美和詩意。 作品更是運動和平衡，張力和壓力的結合。他的作品往往隨風輕輕擺動，帶來和諧、空靈的幾何之美，同時又提供足夠的空間供觀者想象和體會。

Through years of observation and studying of this amazing plant, he has come to understand its multitude of possibilities. His creativity is thus born out of his learned skills and understanding of his material. His artistic palette is within the physical and sensorial virtues of bamboo: its very sophisticated organic structure, but also its energy and spirituality. Establishing an intimate dialogue with bamboo, “Lo” experiments with its flexibility, resistance, density, lightness, mathematics and poetry, a language that allows him to combine both tension and compression, creating sculptures based on movement and balance. His work seems to defy gravity and levitate. His structures swing, drawing curves and harmony in the air. Compositions that take over the space and establish a dialogue, where the space around the piece also becomes another defining element of the piece itself, pieces with a thousand different point of views.

“Lo”通過自己的作品揭示了一種微妙的平衡：柔和力，實與虛，光與影，動與靜。我們可以在他的作品中尋求平靜，安詳和自然之美。

With his subtle, yet strong gestures, tensions and counterweights, the artist tells about a fragile harmony that is achieved using opposites: flexibility and strength, fullness and void, light and shadow, movement and quietness, “Lo” invites the spectators to begin a personal dialogue with themselves looking for calm, serenity and the balance in nature.

“Lo”對此次“穿越虛空”展覽評估道：「“我非常開心能有這次機會在香港展示我的作品。香港曾是我探索東亞竹之旅的核心區域。我熱愛香港，它充滿活力和靈感。香港更是自由和堅韌的，富有耐性，能量，詩意和技巧，並像竹子一樣始終保持平衡，這令香港如此特別。我希望觀者能在此次展覽中意識到我雕塑中的張力，彈性，對抗，空間，運動和光影。我渴望追求平衡與和諧，並希望觀眾也能從中認知。”」

“Lo” comments about Hong Kong solo exhibition：”What a joy it is to have the opportunity to exhibit my work in Hong Kong! Hong Kong is in the very heart of the bamboo lands that I have had the chance to travel to. I love Hong Kong for its energy and free inspiration. Hong Kong is flexible and strong, patient and spirited, poetic and technological and is, like bamboo, always in balance. This is what makes its magic. In each of the sculptures exhibited, through tension, flexion, counterweights, space, movement and light, I pursue this same quest for balance and harmony. I hope the viewers will feel this sensation.”

“Lo”1955 年出生於法國，現於西班牙居住和工作。他畢業於巴黎國立裝飾藝術學院。自2014年以來，“Lo”是英國皇家雕刻家學會（RBS）的成員。“Lo”對竹子“一見鍾情”，從2004 年開始，“Lo”前往東南亞開啟自己的竹之旅。他前往泰國、老撾、越南和某些地方的偏遠地區，並與當地的匠人一起生活和學習，去了解並探索竹的古老製作工藝，傳統和用途，從中和竹子建立了緊密的聯繫。最重要的是，“Lo”將自己的感情，創造力和建築思維融合在竹子的創作中，摸索傳統技藝與當代藝術的統一。

Laurent Martin “Lo”was born in France in 1955 and trained as a visual artist and worked as a creative director in advertising and fashion. “Lo’s” first encounter with bamboo was completely circumstantial, but as he recalls, “it was love at first sight”. Bamboo became his obsession and passion that set him on a journey of discovery, which he refers to as his Bamboo Routes. Since 2004, he has travelled to India, Southeast Asia and East Asia, as well as Latin America learning the mastery of bamboo as well as its spiritual potency. “Lo” spends his time between his house-workshop in the Alt Empordà (Girona, Spain) and traveling to countries rich in bamboo. His workshop is an old factory which the artist himself has restored, and adapted to develop his art. Inside, against the walls, over the beams, one can see the different pieces of bamboo, together with those weirdly shaped tools, laid orderly near his “operating table”. Laurent Martin “Lo” is member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors and currently lives and works in Spain.

Laurent Martin “ Lo”《穿越虛空》Crossing the Void ​
Date: 2020.11.6 – 2021.1.15​
Time: Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 18:00; Saturday 12:00 – 17:00 ​
Venue: 10 號贊善里畫廊​
香港中環贊善里10號地舖​
10 Chancery Lane Gallery​
G/F, 10 Chancery Lane, SoHo, Central, Hong Kong