Contemplation, Conviction, and Natural History: On Chen Duxi’s Life Form Series
Cong Tao
Cong Tao
During my first visit to Chen Duxi’s studio, I was captivated by the array of crab, mollusk, and sea urchin specimens alongside fossils. Surprisingly, the place was a treasure trove brimming with natural wonders. Chen eagerly told me the names of these exotic organisms, flipping through an atlas of mullusks with intimate familiarity. These specimens are not merely collectibles but also subjects for his artworks. His paintings of minerals, marine life, and flora, showcased in the 2024 solo exhibition Rumbling Valley, impressed me deeply. I was attracted to their novel themes and supernormal visual explorations, yet ultimately moved by an eternal formal beauty distilled from living entities - at that moment a faith-like resonance lingers around the pieces and the gallery.
Chen's life form series naturally evokes the tradition of natural history illustrations. In the medieval era, whether in the West, Central Asia, or China, the "rare, esoteric paintings" were tied to specialized knowledge, thereby serving as extensions of power. With the decline of aristocratic rule, knowledge democratized, and figures like Wen Shu (Ming dynasty painter, known for her refined flower-and-bird paintings), Nie Huang (Qing dynasty naturalist and painter, best known for Haicuo Tu, a richly illustrated manuscript of fantastical marine animals), and Zhao Zhiqian (Qing dynasty calligrapher, seal carver, and painter who laid the foundation for modern Chinese seal carving) began illustrating natural history. By the late 19th century, artists such as Huang Shiling (Qing dynasty seal carver artist and calligrapher, prominent in the Zhejiang School of seal carving), Cai Shou (Qing dynasty painter and illustrator who contributed to later editions of Haicuo Tu), and Feng Chengru (Qing dynasty editor and publisher known for his annotations and printed editions of Haicuo Tu), influenced by Western natural history studies, began creating more scientifically informed varieties. Scientism forms the cornerstone of modern civilization, particularly for modern China, where "Mr. Science" carried unique ideological weight. While 19th-century illustrations undeniably unfolded under this premise. However, if we view these works solely through the lens of natural science, especially the imaginative ancient types, we leave questions unanswered: what defines the value of such illustrations? Does the study of natural history hold relevance today?
In conversations, Chen frequently referred to taste and aesthetics, and his answers are markedly distinct from today's superficial talks about "lifestyle aesthetics". The American horticulturist Andrew Jackson Downing claims that "individual taste, even national taste, will proportionally align with the delicacy of one's sensitivity to appreciating natural beauty". Modern education focuses on knowledge accumulation and wealth, yet neglects cultivating taste and evades faith. In contrast, the American educator Paul Ansel Chadbourne's Lectures on Natural Theology explores the relationship between natural history, taste, and conviction. The concept of "natural theology" aptly describes Chen's paintings, where the unity of taste and conviction breeds a sense of the sublime, a quality shared by the art of ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia, and the Chinese Warring States-Han periods. This may well be a modern pathway to "aesthetic education as a substitute for religion". Chen’s encounter with the ethos of early civilizations arises through his naturalist contemplation, and the natural theology merges with cultural recognition through painting. The monumental lily buds in his Rumbling Valley exhibition emanate the same solemnity and mystique as the statue of Akhenaten. This sensibility transcends mere simplistic nostalgia; it constitutes an understanding of the dynamics between humanity and external world, individual and faith, matter and spirit.
After visiting Chen Duxi's studio, I also bought online a ribbed harp (sea snail). Apart from often marveling at the formal beauty of its textures, I also use it to remind me that beyond modern scientism and rationalism lies a far older humanistic tradition and a vast natural world. In recent years, I've seen many more stalls selling specimens and fossils in newer markets, and friends around me are increasingly passionate about collecting insect and plant specimens in the field or creating natural history illustrations. I believe that their primary motivation is no longer about gathering more natural science facts; rather, modern civilization must continuously interrogate and reflect on the relationship between individuals and nature, individuals and tradition. And art must do the same. In this way, Chen Duxi's life form series is profoundly contemporary.
凝视、信仰与博物学
文/丛涛
Chen's life form series naturally evokes the tradition of natural history illustrations. In the medieval era, whether in the West, Central Asia, or China, the "rare, esoteric paintings" were tied to specialized knowledge, thereby serving as extensions of power. With the decline of aristocratic rule, knowledge democratized, and figures like Wen Shu (Ming dynasty painter, known for her refined flower-and-bird paintings), Nie Huang (Qing dynasty naturalist and painter, best known for Haicuo Tu, a richly illustrated manuscript of fantastical marine animals), and Zhao Zhiqian (Qing dynasty calligrapher, seal carver, and painter who laid the foundation for modern Chinese seal carving) began illustrating natural history. By the late 19th century, artists such as Huang Shiling (Qing dynasty seal carver artist and calligrapher, prominent in the Zhejiang School of seal carving), Cai Shou (Qing dynasty painter and illustrator who contributed to later editions of Haicuo Tu), and Feng Chengru (Qing dynasty editor and publisher known for his annotations and printed editions of Haicuo Tu), influenced by Western natural history studies, began creating more scientifically informed varieties. Scientism forms the cornerstone of modern civilization, particularly for modern China, where "Mr. Science" carried unique ideological weight. While 19th-century illustrations undeniably unfolded under this premise. However, if we view these works solely through the lens of natural science, especially the imaginative ancient types, we leave questions unanswered: what defines the value of such illustrations? Does the study of natural history hold relevance today?
In conversations, Chen frequently referred to taste and aesthetics, and his answers are markedly distinct from today's superficial talks about "lifestyle aesthetics". The American horticulturist Andrew Jackson Downing claims that "individual taste, even national taste, will proportionally align with the delicacy of one's sensitivity to appreciating natural beauty". Modern education focuses on knowledge accumulation and wealth, yet neglects cultivating taste and evades faith. In contrast, the American educator Paul Ansel Chadbourne's Lectures on Natural Theology explores the relationship between natural history, taste, and conviction. The concept of "natural theology" aptly describes Chen's paintings, where the unity of taste and conviction breeds a sense of the sublime, a quality shared by the art of ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia, and the Chinese Warring States-Han periods. This may well be a modern pathway to "aesthetic education as a substitute for religion". Chen’s encounter with the ethos of early civilizations arises through his naturalist contemplation, and the natural theology merges with cultural recognition through painting. The monumental lily buds in his Rumbling Valley exhibition emanate the same solemnity and mystique as the statue of Akhenaten. This sensibility transcends mere simplistic nostalgia; it constitutes an understanding of the dynamics between humanity and external world, individual and faith, matter and spirit.
After visiting Chen Duxi's studio, I also bought online a ribbed harp (sea snail). Apart from often marveling at the formal beauty of its textures, I also use it to remind me that beyond modern scientism and rationalism lies a far older humanistic tradition and a vast natural world. In recent years, I've seen many more stalls selling specimens and fossils in newer markets, and friends around me are increasingly passionate about collecting insect and plant specimens in the field or creating natural history illustrations. I believe that their primary motivation is no longer about gathering more natural science facts; rather, modern civilization must continuously interrogate and reflect on the relationship between individuals and nature, individuals and tradition. And art must do the same. In this way, Chen Duxi's life form series is profoundly contemporary.
凝视、信仰与博物学
文/丛涛
第一次拜访陈督兮的工作室，我就被陈列的各种蟹类、贝类、海胆的标本和古生物化石所吸引，充满了博物的惊喜。陈督兮不厌其烦地给我介绍这些稀奇生物的名字，对着一本贝类图鉴如数家珍，这些标本不仅是他的收藏爱好，也是他的绘画题材。那些描绘矿石、海洋生物、植物的作品在2024年的个展“谷响”上给我留下了深刻印象，既被题材的新奇和非比寻常的视觉尺度所吸引，更被一种从生命个体中提炼出来的永恒的形式美感所打动，在作品前、展厅中，甚至弥漫着一种信仰的精神氛围。
陈督兮的生物系列，自然让我联想到博物画的传统。在中古时代，不论是西方、中亚还是中国，那些“秘画珍图”都与特定的知识相关，进而成为权力的延申。随着贵族统治的结束，知识下沉，像文俶、聂璜、赵之谦这些人也开始参与博物画的创作，直到19世纪晚期，黄士陵、蔡守、冯澄如等人则在西方博物学的影响下开始创作更具科学意识的博物画。科学主义是现代文明的重要特征，尤其对于近代中国而言，“赛先生”更是具有特殊的意识形态意义，19世纪以来的博物画当然是以此为前提展开的，但如果我们只用自然科学的眼光看待这些绘画，尤其是面对那些充满想象力的古代博物画，不禁要困惑，博物画的价值究竟是什么？博物学在今天还有意义么？
知识并不是博物的终点，博物与艺术在今天拥有共同的命题，即“反思科学主义以及与之相黏着的意识形态”。在AI时代，知识的获得太过容易，但被知识包裹的人看似强大，实则比以往任何时候都脆弱，因为所有的知识和观念都是以快餐的方式摆在面前，任意择取。真正的知识和观念应该是内生的，是我们遭遇、触摸这个世界的过程中产生的，是在我和这个世界相互凝视的过程中印证而来的，是有呼吸和温度并最终指向一种生命质感，这就是博物学在今天这个社会的意义。博物学曾经是自然知识积累的手段，但随着二十世纪科学主义对知识的重新定义，博物学在自然科学之外的意义得以凸显，它培养一种凝视自然的习惯，通过回归到知识与观念产生的田野现场，在接续人与自然的关系中获得真实的生命体验与精神安顿，以此让博物学在科学主义、算法、虚拟时代绽放出浪漫的光彩。博物学者的一大贡献是对自然展开真诚的观察和精彩的描述，historia naturalis在西方有着悠久的历史，historia在古希腊意味着探究、记录与描述，比如亚里士多德的《动物志》。陈督兮的画是以长时间凝视对象为前提的，凝视、触摸、印证，他的描绘充满对对象的迷恋和时间的质感，富有博物学气质，而他在文化和审美上又迷恋古希腊，二者的统一并非偶然。席勒说：“智者的理智所不能看到的，有童心的人会简单做到。”童心指的是悬置经验和意识形态的判断，通过凝视构建自我与对象的关系。现代社会的知识体系是趋同的，但在博物学的凝视中所形成知识，恰恰是一次次个体与自然的不可复制的邂逅。陈督兮的绘画在这个意义上获得了真正的个体性与创造性，同时也在与人文传统和自然的对话中获得了依赖于理性阐释的观念所不具备的文化感与神秘感。
在与陈督兮交谈时，他经常提到品味和美学，这显然与当代泛滥的生活美学不同。美国园艺家唐宁（Andrew Jackson Downing）说：“个体品味以至于民族品味都将与其鉴赏自然美景的精微敏感度成正比。”现代教育盯着知识积累和财富，却无暇品味，回避信仰，美国教育家查德伯恩（Paul Ansel Chadbourne）有一本名著叫《自然神学十二讲》，讨论的就是博物学与品味、信仰的关系。自然神学的说法很适合描述陈督兮的画，品味与信仰的统一孕育了崇高感，这是古埃及、古希腊、古波斯、战汉时期艺术的共同特质，恐怕也是现代意义上“美育代宗教”的实现路径。陈督兮是在博物的凝视中与早期文明的精神不期而遇，自然神学通过绘画的方式与文明的体认融汇，“谷响”展览上巨大的百合花苞呈现出与埃赫那吞雕像一样的庄重与神秘感。这种品味显然不是简单的复古主义，而是对一种人与外在世界、个体与信仰、物质与精神关系的理解。
拜访陈督兮的工作室后，我也从网上购买了一枚杨桃螺，时常惊叹它纹理的形式美，也提醒自己在现代的科学主义和理性主义之外，还有更悠久的人文传统和广阔的自然世界。而且我察觉，最近几年兴起的市集中，经常能看到售卖各种生物标本、化石的摊位，身边的朋友也有人热衷于到山野中采集昆虫和植物标本、描绘博物图鉴。我相信，获取自然科学知识已经不是他们的主要动机，现代文明要通过不断追问和反思个体与自然、个体与传统的关系获得修正，艺术也如是，陈督兮的生物系列因此具有深刻的当代意义。