经过极简主义和抽象表现主义，抽象艺术的可能性似乎业已穷尽，因为有序和无序这两个极端都已被触及，极简和极多（借用高名潞的术语）都已被探索。在这两个极端之外，包括艺术在内的一切，都不再可能。这么说来，抽象艺术早在上世纪五十年代，就已经寿终正寝。接下来的这半个世纪，尽管有不少艺术家仍然在抽象领域中耕耘，但他们的作品已经不再令人震惊，因为它们都是处在无序与有序之间，都再极简与极多的涵盖之中，它们都不再新鲜。法国戏剧家雅思米娜·雷扎的话剧《艺术》中的焦点，是一幅尺幅大约为1.6mx1.2m的白色油画。其实它只是一块什么也没有画的白色画布，出自著名画家安特里奥斯之手。当抽象艺术从艺术界进入公众领域之后，它所遭遇的尴尬就被无限放大了。雷扎让抽象艺术所遭遇的困境，变得家喻户晓。
After minimalism and abstract expressionism, the possibility of abstract art seems have exhausted. Both the two extremes of order and disorder have already been touched, while minimalism and maximalism (terminology from Gao Minglu) been explored. Out of the two extremes, everything including art turns impossible. From this perspective, abstract art has died in the 50s of last century. In the following half century, even though there are still artists ploughing and weeding in this field, their works are not surprising any more since all their works are in the between of order and disorder, minimalism and maximalism. They are no longer fresh. In the play called Art wrote by the French playwright Yasmina Reza, the focus of this play is a 1.6m x 1.2m white oil painting. In fact, it is merely a blank canvas with nothing on it. It is from the famous artist Antrios. When abstract art enters the public from the art world, the embarrassment it encountered has been maximized. Reza made this embarrassing situation of abstract art a widely known fact.
然而，李向明却在抽象艺术领域中默默耕耘。在他身上，我们既看不到“影响的焦虑”（借用美国文学批评家哈罗德·布鲁姆的术语），也看不到尴尬的困扰。究竟是什么原因导致李向明如此坚定地走抽象艺术道路？难道他在这两极之间，还能发现什么新的领域可供开垦？
However, Li Xiangming is tilling in abstract art field quietly. We can neither see The Anxiety of Influence (terminology from American literary critic Harold Bloom), nor the disturbance of embarrassment. What are the reasons which make Li Xiangming firmly walks on the road of abstract art? Did he explore any new space to cultivate between the extremes?
事实上，李向明并不是一开始就画抽象。他最早是在部队学习绘画和从事写实绘画的创作，后来又在中央美院和天津美院接受更加系统的写实训练。直到今天，他也会偶尔从事一些写实油画的主题创作。李向明的抽象绘画，是从写实绘画一步步演变过来的。毋庸讳言，西方抽象大师的影响，对于李向明走上抽象之路至关重要。在90年代，李向明几乎将各种形式的西方现代抽象艺术研习了一遍。从结构、表现到材料，李向明都做了非常深入的探索。最终，借助现成品的利用，李向明终于找到了完全属于自己的抽象之路。这是一种适度的抽象之路，可以超越极简和极多的困扰。换句话说，李向明转变了抽象艺术的探索路径，由对绝对或者极限的追求，转向了温和的人文关切。将抽象艺术由上天入地，拽回人间烟火。李向明的探索，为我们摆脱包括抽象在内的当代艺术的困境，提供了启示。
In fact, Li Xiangming did not start with abstract paintings at the beginning. At the earliest time, he learnt painting during his military service and started with realistic painting. He then received systematic training of realistic painting at China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts. Till now, he still does realistic paintings occasionally. Li Xiangming’s abstract painting is evolved from realistic painting step by step. Needless to say, the influence of western abstract masters is crucial for Li Xiangming to lead himself to abstract art. In 1990s, Li Xiangming had studied almost all different forms of western contemporary abstract art. From the structure and presentation to material, Li Xiangming had done profound research on them. By utilizing the ready-mades, Li Xiangming finds his own way eventually. It is the way of moderate abstract which overrides the disturbance of minimalism and maximalism. In another word, Li Xiangming changed the exploring approach of abstract art from the pursuit of absoluteness or extreme to gentle human care. His approach drags the abstract art from the ultimate bound back to the mortal world. Li Xiangming’s exploration gives enlightenment for us to react from the dilemma of contemporary art including abstract art.
从现代艺术的历史上来看，抽象艺术的兴起，是对绝对和极限的追求的表现。在李向明送给我的《通向绝对之路》（Paths to the Absolute），作者戈尔丁（John Golding）从哲学、艺术学、社会学等角度，对20世纪上半期的西方抽象运动做了全面深入的分析。根据戈尔丁的研究，抽象绘画的先驱蒙德里安、康定斯基、马列维奇等人，曾经都是布拉瓦茨基夫人(Madam Blavatsky)创立的神智论（Theosophy）的狂热追随者。神智论是一种宗教哲学和宗教团体，主张有一种绝对的超越性存在，哲学、科学和艺术等等可以让人接近那个绝对存在。比如，蒙德里就认为，神智论和抽象绘画是相同的精神运动的不同表达形式，它们都是我们借以认识宇宙奥秘的工具。正是出于对绝对存在的追求，蒙德里安发展了他的纯粹抽象。蒙德里安等人的这种探索，在贝尔（Clive Bell）的艺术理论中得到了及时的反应。在贝尔看来，艺术与宗教一样，都在追求形而上的绝对、终极存在、物自体。对形而上的世界的追求，构成蒙德里安等人的抽象艺术的精神基础。
Based on the history of contemporary art, rise of abstract art is the result in pursuit of absoluteness and extremes. In the book Paths to the Absolute given to me by Li Xiangming, the writer John Golding has done in-depth analysis about western abstract movement in the first half of 20 century from philosophical, artistic and sociological perspectives. According to Golding’s study, the pioneers of abstract painting including Mondrian, Kandinsky and Malevich are all fanatical adherents of Theosophy founded by Madam Blavatsky. Theosophy is a kind of religious philosophy and establishment which advocates absolute transcendental existence. Philosophy, science and art can help people to approach the absolute existence. For example, Mondrian believes that Theosophy and abstract painting both are different forms of expression of the same mental activities. They are the tools for us to learn the secrets of the universe. Because of his pursuit of absolute existence, Mondrian developed pure abstract. Mondrian’s exploration is reflected in Clive Bell’s art theory timely. For Bell, art is as same as religion which is to pursue the metaphysical absoluteness, ultimate existence and thing-in-itself. The pursuit of metaphysical world becomes the spiritual foundation of abstract art for those like Mondrian.
进入90年代以后，李向明曾经十分迷恋蒙德里安，创作了一批明显受到蒙德里安影响的抽象作品。但是，李向明并没有向蒙德里安那样走向绝对。可以毫不夸张地说，任何在中国文化中成长起来的画家，都不可能像蒙德里安那样绝对和纯粹，因为中国文化中的形而上世界本身就不够绝对和纯粹。李向明借用蒙德里安，更多地出于对写实语言的改造。换句话说，李向明对蒙德里安的借鉴，更多的是出于美学目的，而不是宗教目的。像蒙德里安这样的纯粹抽象，没有宗教信念在背后做支撑，是很难坚持下来的。然而，我们今天对蒙德里安的解读，多半停留在美学上，即多半按照形式美的规律来解读。尽管美学解读会不可避免地损失蒙德里安作品中的某些精神内涵，尤其是与宗教经验相关的精神内涵，但是它的好处也是显而易见的，那就是通过减少宗教意义上的绝对性，而将抽象绘画维持在艺术的领域之内。李向明之所以没有像蒙德里安那样追求纯粹和绝对，一个重要的原因是，他希望将他的绘画留在艺术的范围之内，不想因为追求极限而越出艺术的边界。从这种意义上说，李向明艺术中的超越是一种适度的超越，而非绝对的超越。他在走向绝对的时候，又做了一定程度的折回。我们可以将这种折回称之为还原。有了这种折回或者还原，蒙德里安的纯粹形式就被改造成了符号或象征，被用来表达某些观念内容。从这种意义上来说，李向明的抽象似乎不够彻底，具有明显的象征主义色彩。
Since 1990s, Li Xiangming used to be infatuated with Mondrian and created a number of abstract works influenced by Mondrian. Nevertheless, Li Xiangming did not go to the extreme as Mondrian. It is no exaggeration to say that any artist who was brought up in Chinese culture would not as absolute and pure as Mondrian because the metaphysical world in Chinese culture is not absolute and pure enough. To learn from Mondrian, Li Xiangming aims to reform the language of objective paintings. In another word, Li Xiangming’s borrowing from Mondrian is for aesthetical purpose rather than religious purpose. Without the religious believes as the support, it could be difficult for Mondrian to carry on such pure abstract. However, our interpretation of Mondrian today is mostly from aesthetic perspective – that is to interpret on the base of the principles of beauty in form. Even though the aesthetic interpretation would unavoidably result in some loss of spiritual connotation in Mondrian’s works, especially those which is connected with religious experiences, its advantage is obvious – that is to let abstract art remain in the scope of art by reducing its absoluteness in the religious sense. One of the most important reasons for Li Xiangming not to pursue the absoluteness and purity as Mondrian did is because he wants to let his paintings stay in the scope of art instead of pursuing the extremes and going beyond the boundary of art. In this sense the transcendence in Li Xiangming’s art is moderate rather than absolute. At the time he was walking towards absoluteness, he turned back at certain degree. We can call it restoration. With this turn-back or restoration, Mondrian’s pure form is adapted as symbols or implications which are to express certain conceptual contents. In this sense, Li Xiangming’s abstractness seems not absolute and possesses apparent symbolism flavor.
在波洛克的抽象表现主义那里，我们可以看到更加彻底的还原。如果说蒙德里安的超越是向形而上的超越，向充满光明的精神高地挺进，波洛克则走了另一条全然不同的抽象之路，他在摸索着进入混沌无序、晦暗不明的潜意识领域。根据戈尔丁的研究，尽管波洛克仍然从神智论中获得启示，但支持他的抽象创作的理论基础不是作为宗教的神智论，而是作为哲学或者心理学的精神分析，尤其是荣格的集体无意识理论。波洛克是个典型的荣格主义者，他的绘画可以被视为无意识尤其是集体无意识流露的踪迹。与形而上的“绝对”、“物自体”或者“终极实在”相比，无意识或者集体无意识触及人的欲望和本能，显得过于“形而下”了。但是，它们有一个共同的特点，那就是都是对日常状态的超越，神智论是向上超越，精神分析是向下超越。这种向下超越就是还原。
In Pollock’s abstract expressionism, we can see more absolute restoration. If say Mondrian’s transcendence was metaphysical and marched forward to bright spiritual plateau, Pollock had gone a completely different road of abstractness. He was exploring the confusing and unknown subconscious domain. According to Golding’s research, even though Pollock gained inspiration from Theosophy, the theoretical foundation for his abstract paintings is not Theosophy as religion, but the spiritual analysis as philosophy or psychology especially Jung’s collective unconsciousness theory. Pollock is a typical Jungianist. His paintings can be seen as the trace of unconsciousness especially collective unconsciousness. Comparing with metaphysical absoluteness, thing-in-itself or ultimate existence, unconsciousness or collective unconsciousness touches people’s desires and instincts, thus, seems too under-metaphysical. However, they share a common characteristic – they all transcend daily status. Theosophy is upward transcendence while spiritual analysis is opposite. This downward transcendence is restoration.
李向明在他的抽象探索中也遭遇过抽象表现主义，但是他并没有像某些抽象表现主义画家那样，走进无意识的泥潭而不能自拔。在李向明的抽象实践中，始终保持着理性的控制。对于在中国文化传统中成长起来的艺术家来说，佛洛依德的无意识理论是不可思议的。尽管中国传统美学也推崇自然，但是这种自然并不是无序，而是更高级别的有序。最终的“见山只是山，见水只是水”，与最初的“见山是山，见水是水”不同，前者蕴含了“见山不是山，见水不是水”的理性控制，后者则没有这种控制。因此，如同在向上超越的时候所有折回一样，李向明在向下还原的时候也有所收敛。由于有了这种收敛，从图像的形态上来说，李向明的绘画与其说是抽象，不如说更接近意象。对于抽象表现主义，李向明再一次做了美学上的解读，而不是像某些西方批评家喜欢从政治上来解读，将它们视为个人自由和解放的表现，进而从政治上将它们与社会主义现实主义对立起来。
Li Xiangming also encountered abstract expressionism during his exploration of abstract. But he did not entangle himself in the mire of unconsciousness like the other abstract expressionism artists. In Li Xiangming’s practice of abstract, he has been always remaining rational. For artists who grow up in Chinese cultural traditions, Freud’s Theory of Unconscious is inconceivable. Even Chinese traditional aesthetics also values nature, nature does not represent disorder but higher state of order. The eventual stage of seeing mountains as mere mountains and water as mere water is different with its initial seeing mountains as mountains and water as water. The former stage reveals its rational control while this is absent in the latter stage. Therefore, as the retreat during the upward transcendence, Li Xiangming restrained himself in the downward restoration. For this restraint, Li Xiangming’s paintings are more imagery than abstract in terms of the image of the paintings. About abstract expressionism, Li Xiangming made aesthetic interpretation once again. He did not interpret it from political angle as some western critic favors and regard them as the expression of individual freedom and liberty through which it comes into opposition with socialist realism.
李向明对以蒙德里安和波洛克为代表的西方抽象艺术的借鉴，更多的是停留在艺术语言和审美形式上，他并没有深究它们背后的宗教、政治、社会内涵。抽象艺术在李向明这里被当成了为我所用的工具，他之所以一点都不担心他的抽象语言不够纯粹、不够极端、不够新异，原因在于他关于的焦点并不在艺术语言本身，而在艺术语言所表达的内容和所承载的关怀上。
Li Xiangming’s learning of the western abstract art represented by Mondrian and Pollock is more about its artistic language and aesthetic form. He did not delve deeply into the religious, political and social connotation behind. Abstract art is regarded as tool by Li Xiangming. The reason that he does not worry about his abstract language, which is not pure, absolute and extraneous enough is because his focus is not the artistic language itself but the contents expressed and the solicitude carried by.
从现代美术的历史上来看，综合材料和现成品的介入，对于视觉艺术的发展起了极大的推动作用。抽象艺术也不例外。德国的新表现主义、法国的抒情抽象、日本和中国的岩彩抽象等等，发掘了许多新的绘画材料。尤其是现成品的直接入画，大大地拓展了绘画的表现力。李向明参加了1987年在中央美院举办的宾卡斯绘画材料与技法讲习班。尽管宾卡斯主要讲的是油画的材料和技法，但宾卡斯鼓励中国艺术家探索绘画材料，鼓励中国艺术家打破传统油画材料的限制，将油画发展为绘画，甚至更一般的视觉艺术，这对李向明后来在绘画材料的探索方面产生了重要的影响。李向明尝试了各种各样的材料。2005年李向明在创作“回望乡村系列”作品时，有意识地在画面上大量拼贴从河北农村收集的旧布，最终形成了自己独特的抽象语言，或者说最终为自己的抽象语言找到了合适的表达内容。
According to the history of contemporary art, the intervention of synthetic material and ready-made articles has played great impetus to the development of visual arts. Abstract art is no exception either. German new-expressionism, French lyrical expressionism and Japanese and Chinese rock color abstraction all developed various new painting materials. Especially to use the ready-made articles in paintings directly has greatly expanded the expressiveness of paintings. In 1987, Li Xiangming attended the program of painting materials and skills lectured by Pincas in CAFA. Though Pincas mostly talked about the materials and skills of oil painting, he encouraged Chinese artists to explore painting materials. He also encouraged Chinese artists to break through the limit of traditional oil painting materials and develop oil painting as general visual art. This experience brought crucial impact on Li Xiangming’s later exploration of painting materials. Li Xiangming tried various materials. In 2005, at the time Li Xiangming was creating the series named Looking Back the Villages, he consciously pasted a great amount of rags collected from Hebei rural areas on the paintings. Eventually he has formed his unique abstract language. Or it is can be said that he has found appropriate expressive contents for his own abstract language.
当我们说蒙德里安和波洛克将有序和无序推向极端时，我们注重的只是绘画的视觉效果。后来的抽象艺术家广泛运用来自自然和化学合成的材料时，他们注重的依然是视觉效果。但是，李向明对旧布的运用，显然不囿于视觉效果的考虑。如果仅从视觉效果上来讲，用旧的破布可能不如未用的新布。旧布与新布之间的区别，成了我们思考李向明抽象艺术的独特特征的关键。
When we say Mondrian and Pollock have pushed order and disorder to the extremes, we only pay attention to the visual effects of paintings. The abstract artists afterwards broadly use synthetic natural and chemical materials. Yet what they emphasize is still visual effects. However, it is obvious that Li Xiangming’s usage of rags is not limited in consideration of visual effects. If to consider the visual effects only, using rags may not be any better than using new cloths. The differences between rags and new cloths become the key for us to think of the unique characteristics of Li Xiangming’s abstract art.
也许有人会说，旧布比新布更有古拙的意味，而古拙又是中国传统美学推崇的一种独特趣味，李向明运用旧布而不是新布，是出于对中国传统审美趣味的继承。我非常赞赏这种解读。但是，由于中国传统审美趣味与文人雅士密切相关，从农村收集的旧布实在有些不够文雅，因而很难与传统文人的审美趣味发生关系。即使它们与传统的审美趣味有关，这种纯美学上的解读也有可能掩盖了某些更加重要的信息。
Some people would say that rags have unsophisticated look comparing with new cloths. Unsophistication is a kind of unique taste, which is highly thought of by traditional Chinese aesthetics. It is to inherit traditional Chinese aesthetic taste for Li Xiangming to uses rags instead of new cloths. I appreciate this interpretation very much. However, traditional Chinese aesthetic taste is closely connected with literati. The rags collected from villages can hardly be connected with the aesthetic interests of traditional literati since they are not elegant indeed. Even they are connected with traditional aesthetic taste, the pure aesthetic interpretation possibly have covered some more important information.
我们前面在解读李向明对西方抽象艺术的借鉴时，强调他只是从美学上来借鉴，而不深究其背后的宗教、政治和社会根源。如果李向明不赋予他所借鉴的抽象语言以灵魂，他的抽象绘画就与单纯的装饰没有区别。如果没有从宗教、哲学、政治等等那里获得的强大支撑，20世纪的抽象艺术实践就会黯然失色，更何况李向明是在社会学转向后的当代语境中进行创作，他的作品很难做到不打上时代的印记。
When we talked about Li Xiangming’s learning of western abstract art in the preceding context, we emphasized that he only borrows its aesthetic meaning and does not delve deeply into its religious, political and social roots. If Li Xiangming did not endow the abstract language he borrowed with soul, his abstract paintings would have no difference with decoration. If there was no the strong support generated from religion, philosophy and politics, the practice of abstract art in 20 century would be in eclipse. Moreover, Li Xiangming is creating in contemporary context after sociology has changed its direction. Therefore, it is unavoidable for his works to have a mark of times.
也许有人会说，旧布比新布更有符号价值，尤其是在突出“中国性”方面更是如此。由于后现代推崇文化多样性和文化身份，挪用具有标志性的文化符号成为当代艺术家的一个重要策略。从文化身份的角度来说，“旧”比“新”更有标志性。在今天这个全球化时代，任何地区的新文化都不可避免地受到外来文化的影响，原生态的文化或者具有标志性的文化符号只有从旧文化中去寻找。一些在国际上获得成功的当代中国艺术家，就明显受惠于这种策略的运用。汉字、火药、灯笼、水墨等具有中国特征的文化符号，成为国际艺术界的中国标志。李向明对旧布的挪用，也可以被归结为这种策略的体现。但是，与那些具有悠久历史的文化符号相比，李向明收购的旧布所体现的中国性显然还不够典型。用旧布作为中国性的标志，既非李向明的初衷，也不具备实际的效果。
Some people would say that old cloths possess more value as symbol than new cloths especially in stressing Chinese features. Since post-modernism advocates cultural diversity and cultural identity, to use representative cultural symbols becomes one of the most important strategy for contemporary artists. From the perspective of cultural identity, “old” is more symbolic than “new”. In the times of globalization, new culture in any area is unavoidably influenced by foreign culture. Original ecological culture and cultural symbols can only be found in old culture. Some of Chinese contemporary artists who have won international success benefit from this strategy obviously. The cultural symbols with Chinese characteristics such as Chinese characters, gunpowder, lantern and water ink become the icons of China in international art world. Li Xiangming’s usage of old cloths can also be regarded as part of it. Nevertheless, comparing with those historical cultural symbols, Chinese feature presented by the old cloths purchased by Li Xiangming is not typical. To use old cloths as the symbol of China neither is Li Xiangming’s original intention, nor has practical effect.
当然，如果从当代艺术的角度来看，李向明选用旧布而不是新布，可以被视为社会批判意识的体现。比如，这些来自床单、衣裳、口袋等日常用具的旧布，可以被视为是对中国社会的贫穷落后的讽刺。将这些下里巴人的旧布贴到阳春白雪的抽象绘画中，也可以被视为对艺术本身的调侃。我不否认在李向明的作品中能够读到这些批判意识，无论是针对社会的批判还是针对艺术自身的批判。但是，这种批判意识至少不构成李向明抽象艺术的主要部分。因为李向明的抽象艺术，从总体上来看是正面的、积极的，不能与政治波普混为一谈。
Certainly, from the contemporary art perspective, Li Xiangming’s choice of old cloths instead of new cloths reveals his consciousness of social critique. For example, the rags from daily goods such as bed sheet, clothes and pockets can be regarded as satire to the poverty and backwardness of Chinese society. To paste these rustic old clothes on the spring-snow-like abstract paintings is also a scoff to art itself. I do not deny that we can learn the consciousness of critique in Li Xiangming’s works, the critique both to the society and art itself. However, the consciousness of critique is not the main part of Li Xiangming’s abstract art. In general, Li Xiangming’s abstract art is positive and should not be mixed with political pop.
我最看重的是，李向明所挪用的现成品中所携带的信息，以及透过这些信息所传达的人文关怀。
What I value most is the messages carried by the ready-made articles used by Li Xiangming and the human care revealed by these messages.
让我先从对当代观念艺术的质疑谈起。2009年10月16日，《纽约时报》发表新西兰美学家丹尼斯·达通（Denis Duton）的文章，题为“观念艺术越过鲨鱼缸了吗？”（Has Conceptual Art Jumped the Shark Tank?）达通对当代艺术界中盛行的观念艺术展开的直率的批判，在国际当代艺术界引起了不小的震动。其中，观念艺术的非亲手制作性或者借用古德曼（Nelson Goodman）的术语来说非“亲笔的”(autographic)，成了达通批评的焦点。根据古德曼的分析，像绘画之类的视觉艺术，是典型的亲笔艺术，而音乐之类的听觉艺术，是典型的代笔（allographic）艺术。当代艺术界中普遍存在的由艺术家出观念由助手去制作的现象，违背了视觉艺术的亲笔性本质。达通的批评建立在他的人类学立场上。他从人类学的角度来看，好的艺术总是跟艺术家的高超技艺有关。当代观念艺术则只与艺术家的想法有关，与技艺毫无关系，因此不能纳入艺术的范围。我所看重的是，亲笔艺术通过身体接触所携带与艺术家身份密切相关的信息。只有一件作品是艺术家亲自制作的，与艺术家有直接的接触关系，这件作品才能称得上是艺术作品，或者是该艺术家的作品。我们今天不太重视这种接触关系，以及通过这种关系所传递的信息，一个重要原因是我们尚无法凭借直觉或者仪器识别这种信息。一旦将来我们发展出识别这种信息的能力，原作与赝品之间的区别就昭然若揭。
I’d like to start with my doubts about contemporary concept art. On Oct. 16, 2009, New York Times published the article by New Zealand aesthete Denis Duton named Has Conceptual Art Jumped the Shark Tank. Duton’s forthright criticism towards the prevailing concept art caused great commotion in today’s international art world. Its non-autographic feature, a terminology borrowed from Nelson Goodman, is the focal point of Duton’s criticism. According to Goodman’s analysis, visual art as paintings is typical autographic art. And auditory art like music is typical allographic art. The popular phenomenon that the artists provide ideas and the assistants complete the works is against the autographic substance of visual arts. Duton’s criticism is based on his anthropological stand. From the anthropological perspective, he thinks that good art is always related with the artists’ exemplary skills. But concept art is only relevant to the ideas of artists and has nothing to do with their skills. Therefore, it cannot be categorized as art. What I value most is that autographic art carries information closely related to the identity of artists through body contacts. Only when a work is made by artist himself/herself and has direct contact with the artist, the work can be called an artwork or a work of the artist. Today, we do not pay attention to this kind of contact and the messages revealed by this contact. One of the most important reasons is that we still cannot distinguish the messages through instinct or instrument. Once we gained the ability to distinguish the messages in the future, the differences between the original works and the imitations would be clearer than ever.
艺术家与他们的作品之间的接触所传递信息，一般人与他们的用具之间的接触也会传递信息。李向明挪用被农民用旧的破布，其意义既不在它们具有独特的视觉效果，也不在于它们所代表的特别的审美趣味，还不在于它们所体现的批判精神，而在于它们所携带的使用者的信息。睹物思人，这些旧布让我们见证了在贫瘠的大地上顽强生存的芸芸众生。他们与无语的大地一道，构成中国的沉默的背景。从这种意义上来说，李向明的抽象艺术触及中国人的“无意识”。这种“无意识”不是桀骜不驯的欲望，而是默默无闻的大众。李向明将这种“无意识”嵌入他的作品中，借助抽象特有的超越特性让它们进入澄明之境。与西方抽象艺术所体现的个人主义不同，李向明的抽象艺术表达的更多的是对生命的受难和卑微的关怀。
The contact between the artists and their works conveys messages. So does the contact between common people and the things they use. The significance for Li Xiangming to use the rags used by farmers is neither its unique visual effect, nor its special aesthetic taste and critical spirit, but the information of the users carried by. These rags allow us to witness the ordinary people who are vigorously surviving on the infertile land. They form the silent background of China together with the wordless land. In this sense, Li Xiangming’s abstract art touches the ‘Unconsciousness’ of Chinese people. This ‘Unconsciousness’ is not intractable desires but the silent people. Li Xiangming integrates this ‘Unconsciousness’ into his works and let them enter the Acme of Good through the special transcendental significance of abstract. Different with the individualism conveyed by western abstract art, Li Xiangming’s abstract art expresses his care on the sufferings and humbleness of life.
在2009年创作的大型装置《公粮》和《种子》中，李向明的这种人文关怀得到了更加清晰的表达。
Large-scale art installation Public Grain and Seeds created by Li Xiangming in 2009 expressed his human care explicitly.
《公粮》和《种子》由作者从农村收集的口袋组合而成。这些口袋曾经是中国底层百姓用来装运公粮的工具，是中国农民特定历史阶段的生存状况的标记。在这些口袋组成的装置中，让我们读到了海德格尔在梵高的《农鞋》中读到的感受。这种感受触及生命的底层，在我心中激起强烈的回响。但是，让人震惊的是，作者并没有因此做过度阐释或者做激烈批判，而是一如既往地维持他的质朴和适度姿态，让我们从中既看到心酸，也看到甜美。当《公粮》像丰碑一样矗立起来的时候，我想每个中国人都会对它肃然起敬。作者将另一件作品命名为《种子》，表明作者更看重其中所包含的正面价值。正如作者在创作手记中写到的那样，“我给另一件作品起名叫‘种子’，不仅仅是这口袋里可能就装着种子，重要的是，在这满是补丁的口袋上，我看到了劳动者的一种特有的意志与能量，这是一种品质，是在贫穷与艰难中磨砺出来的珍贵品质；同时，也是对‘美’的一种全新诠释。这种美是生发在生命内核的，是撼动心灵的，虽然带着原始而野性的气息，但是蕴藏着理想而崇高的精神，它应该成为我们精神的种子洒向每个人的心田。”
Public Grain and Seeds consists of pockets collected from the villages by the artist. These pockets used to be the tools for Chinese grass root to load the public grain. It is the testimony of Chinese farmers’ living conditions in particular historical stage. In the art installation consisted of pockets, we can experience the feeling which Heidegger felt when he saw Van Gogh’s Peasant’s Shoes. This feeling touches the bottom of life and awakens strong echo in me. However, what is shocking is that the artist did not over interpret it or make intense critique. He maintained his plain and moderate attitude which enables us to feel grieved, at the same time, sweet. When Public Grain was erected as monument, I believe every Chinese would pay their respect to it. The artist named his other work Seeds. It showed that the artist cares more about its positive value. As what the artist wrote in his notebook: “I named the other work Seeds. It is not merely because the pockets possibly carried seeds before. More importantly, in the patched pockets, I saw the particular volition and energy possessed by laborers. This is a kind of precious quality which is gained in the sufferings of poverty and difficulties. At the same time, it is a new interpretation of beauty. This kind of beauty grows in the core of life. It shakes our soul. It has the primitive and wild smell. At the same time, it contains ideal and noble spirit which should be the spiritual seeds for every heart. ”
在推崇批判性、观念性的当代艺术界中，李向明的适度抽象以它所蕴含的人文关怀和审美诉求而独树一帜。随着艺术向人文和审美的回归，李向明追求适度抽象的价值将得到更多的认可。
In the art world where the nature of critique and concept are spoken highly, Li Xiangming’s moderate abstraction is inimitable for its human care and aesthetic pursuit. Along with the return of art to humanity and aesthetics, the value for Li Xiangming in pursuit of moderate abstraction will receive more recognition.
2011年11月3日于北京大学蔚秀园
Weixiu Garden
Peking University
November 3, 2011 | 
李向明
