《和光同塵》馮君藍攝影個展
馮君藍
首展日期|2016/06/01 – 2016/08/28
首展地點|學學白色空間
入圍理由
在此次相當完整的個展中,馮君藍牧師以其各系列攝影作品細緻而又渾然天成地表現出被攝影者靈性;其主要的系列具有基督宗教的圖像學脈絡,也展現出台灣特有的文化及自然,並且透達出具有普世性的人文氣質。其以不同膚色及性別人物手部構成的攝影系列,創造出簡潔而又動人的雙人舞,不見五官卻充滿表情,在寧靜中呈見出作者對人間的關懷和攝影功力。展場中和教友們合作的纖維裝置,也恰當地指引出參觀經驗中的節點,含蓄中帶有優雅。(主筆/林志明)
關於《和光同塵》馮君藍攝影個展
攝影創作曾被前輩阮義忠讚譽為華人世界最有深度的作品之一的馮君藍,自言以攝影作品表達信仰的關照,或者更精確地說,是透過攝影作品尋求理解人類對於世界的觀看的限制與逾越,而循此顯證基督精神的「道」在這個世界的生成與顯現。 馮君藍在本次展覽中特別引述老子道德經:「道沖,而用之或不盈。淵兮,似萬物之宗;挫其銳,解其紛,和其光,同其塵。湛兮,似或存。吾不知誰之子,象帝之先。」當我們能與所在的世界「和其光,同其塵」時,世界所能對我們的意識所開展的,是那個如「象帝之先」,只能意會而不可勝數道盡的道的原初。因此,馮君藍「和光同塵」個展不僅可視為一個教會神職人員為證道而做的宗教論述,更應被看做一個當代完熟的哲學心靈以攝影為媒材、以人間世為觀照與對象的範疇而留下的藝術書寫。
關於人物
馮君藍以攝影表達對宗教信仰的關照,透過攝影理解人的限制與超越,並循此顯證基督精神的「道」在此世界的生成與顯現。馮君藍與學學文創志業合作的《和光同塵》攝影展,不僅是一位教會神職人員以攝影為媒材、為證道而做的宗教論述,更是凝視關照人間萬物,探討人性本質的藝術書寫。
馮君藍本職是牧師,攝影是他傳道工作的延伸,在語言文字之外,分享信仰的媒介物。他認為幾乎所有原始的藝術形式,本意都是為了傳達宗教信仰,從建築、戲劇、舞蹈到音樂,皆是引向人們對神祇與超越的信仰;特別是「在這個去神聖的、世俗化的世界裏,人們普遍拋棄了宗教信仰,藝術更被視為人類靈性向度的表達」。馮君藍認為藝術應當是指向神的手指,現今人們卻把它看作是神來膜拜,對宗教則採取抨擊態度,以至於「有些教會同仁覺得我創作藝術是偶像膜拜」,他反擊道:「不是的,我是在還原藝術的原始意義,做為指向神的手指」。
出生於香港,自幼隨宣教士父親來台灣,於協和高商美工科畢業的馮君藍,退伍後便投身職場,從事十幾年的設計工作。二十四歲那年去中國邊疆旅行。他向友人借相機紀錄沿途見聞,看過照片的人都覺得他拍得好,但因當時工作繁忙,很難認真投入。三十五歲那年,父親過世前向馮君藍提起小時候立志做傳道人的承諾,問他何時兌現?原來他小時候曾經歷神蹟,當時便向上帝嚴肅許諾未來要獻身神職。父親過世兩年後,馮君藍結束設計工作室,進入神學院,期間,經常受派到原住民部落的教會服務,看到部落生態被都市擠壓到邊陲,只剩老幼遺居的生活窘境,繼因阮義忠的啓發,拿起相機拍攝部落,紀錄被人們遺忘的生命軌跡。
馮君藍在四十二歲從神學院畢業,開始牧師神職,一位在藝廊工作的教友因已排定展覽檔期的藝術家無法開展,央求他辦展救援,結果展覽頗受好評,邀展次數越來越多。於是,他開始思考自己想藉由攝影彰顯什麼?包括他的神職與攝影的關聯。基於基督教是入世信仰,辦展也是入世方法,馮君藍把親訪展場與解說,當作是他分享信仰的溝通模式。依善造萬物,世界是其來有自,這是基督徒對神的信仰,其真實存在可被認識,也應被認識,而「攝影」是認識世界的管道之一。他認為,「比起個體的神魂超拔,基督教更關心倫理課題,包括人與神、人與人、人與自然萬物的關係;且按照聖經說法,人類全體互為肢體,人與自然萬物也是肢體。」他想藉由作品表達「人按著天命,理當作為自然的園丁,對大地,對其它物種承載了道德義務,絕不能以個體私利、以人類為中心做考量」。
馮君藍如此自許其攝影創作:「我並非專業藝術家,就某部分來說,我其實有點心虛,我的攝影工藝真到達某個標準嗎?我做藝術展覽夠格嗎?但或許我的優勢,正是我並非為藝術而藝術,而是為了服務我為之生與為之死的信仰。」他眼見社會的血腥暴力與負面新聞頻傳,深感人性危機。因使命感所驅,他用相機說聖經故事,表達聖經的人性觀,批判現行教育制度的設計,只提供工商社會所需的工人,缺乏對婚姻、家庭和人際課題的討論;公民教育徒具法條知識,欠缺生命教育與人文思辨。而國際戰事與資本競爭造就的階級對立,人類靈性與精神的衰敗是馮君藍所關注的,他認為現代人表面上重視自由,但自由應當是對必然性的體認,誤解的自由只會造成放縱終至毀滅。人類整體精神的異化,理想性的喪失,導致社會案件的加害人本身也是被荼毒者。
馮君藍認為,「人作為『位格性』地存有,所以有非常強烈的自我意識,有獨立的思想、意志跟情感,有強烈自我超越或自我完成的欲求。但若我們沒有意識到『我』必須在與『他者』的關係中才能成立,這是最可怕的。」他援引耶穌的話說:「凡為自己要得到生命的人最終會失去生命,但若因著愛而願為他者而犧牲,反會成全自己與他者的生命。」馮君藍在創作上關心的課題是:「我們如何看待自己身為『人』,身為『愛者』這件事。」
馮君藍
1961年出生於香港,自幼時隨著宣教士父親來到台灣,開拓衛理公會在嘉義的第一間教會。少年時參與教會少年團契,信仰得啟蒙,領受堅振禮成為基督徒。後就讀協和工商美工科,受教於恩師董振平先生 。後於1982年受攝影家阮義忠兩次攝影展《北埔》及《八尺門》啟發,開始從事攝影相關創作。1996年入臺灣神學院修習基督教社會工作,2003年完成神學院道學碩士學業後,開始擔任傳道職,2008年受按立牧師職後,目前擔任士林「有福堂」駐堂牧師。
作品相關評論
馮君藍:探索人性的精神本質─中國攝影雜誌2016.6月號
馮君藍 何光同塵─典藏今藝術雜誌2016.7月號
製作團隊
藝術家|馮君藍
紅果子群英會會長|余湘
藝境文化藝術有限公司:執行長|許文智 、藝術總監|林慧貞
學學團隊:董事長|徐莉玲、執行長|鄭章鉅、藝術顧問|林育世、展覽長|楊涵宇、展覽協理|吳亦真、展覽專員|甘填、數位行銷長|石善瑩、設計協理|萬鈺涵、公關特助|陳晏瑱、平面設計師|蔡季青
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Soften the Light Hidden in the Dust— Stanley Fung Solo Exhibition
Stanley Fung
Comments from Nomination Committee
In this complete solo exhibition, Pastor Stanley FUNG has captured the spirituality of the photographed subject in his various photographic series in a delicate yet natural way. The main series could be read through the lens of Christian iconography, but also demonstrates the unique Taiwanese culture and nature, conveying a kind of humanistic characteristic that is universal.
Another series that features the hands of people of different colors and sexes creates a rather simple yet moving pas de deux that is full of emotions without showing people's faces, tranquilly expressing the photographer's care for the world as well as his artistic caliber.The fiber installations in the exhibition co-created by FUNG and his church members also appropriately choreograph the route of viewing the exhibition in a subtle yet elegant manner. (Commentator: LIN Chi-Ming)
About the Artwork
Stanley FUNG's photographic work has been praised to be one of the most profound works in the Chinese-speaking world by photographer RUAN Yi-Zhong. FUNG says that his photography conveys the attention to faith, or to be more precise, it is a quest to understand how human beings are limited and transgress in terms of perceiving the world. Such examination reveals how the "Tao" that testifies to the spirit of Christ is formed and manifested in this world.
In this exhibition, FUNG especially quotes Laozi's Tao Te Ching, which states "Tao is a hollow vessel, and its use is inexhaustible! Fathomless! Like the fountain head of all things; its sharp edges rounded off, its tangles untied, its light tempered, its turmoil submerged. Yet dark like deep water it seems to remain. I do not know whose Son it is, an image of what existed before God." When we can become tempered with the light and submerged with the turmoil of the world we inhabit, the world unfolds in a way to show the "image of what existed before God," or the origin of Tao, which can only be sensed and cannot be explained. For this reason, FUNG's Soften the Light Hidden in the Dust is not only a religious testament of a clergyman but also an artistic writing on the secular world by a mature, philosophical mind in the contemporary era.
About the Artist
Born in Hong Kong in 1961, Stanley FUNG moved to Taiwan as a child with his missionary father, who established the first Methodist Church in Chiayi. As a teenager, he joined the Church's teenage fellowship, where he was bestowed the gift of faith, and later, received confirmation and became a Christian. He studied at Fu-Hsin Trade and Arts School, where he learned immensely from Mr. TUNG Chen-Ping. In 1982, he was inspired by RUAN Yi-Zhong's solo exhibitions, Beipu and Bachimen, and started his photographic creation. In 1996, he entered Taiwan Theological College and Seminary to study and train in Christian social work, and completed the MA program in 2003, and started preaching. He was ordained as a pastor in 2008, and now serves at Blessedness Church in Shilin.