2010年9月30日 星期四

優之女品

昨晚,相約摯友參加羅乃萱師母的品格講座—優之女品。

一眾姊妹們期盼已久,雀躍地回應當女人的好處,直覺告訴我的跟大家所講沒有兩樣:當女人可以生孩子、一嚐做母親的滋味,更有老公愛錫、「洗」老公錢、自己可以置裝扮靚……。總之大家開懷地發表女人之優,原以為整晚會在歡樂笑聲中,怎料最後我釋出眼淚,打開自己那破舊的包袱。

師母以女人的世情,引入聖經,結合人生經歷,信徒見證,語重深長地勾劃了一幅女人的成長地圖。今日香港的女性正處於「內憂外患」,不論妳是那一個年紀、階段,不期然引起會場的共鳴。

她還提出了發人心省的神學問題:

-上帝為甚麼要趁阿當睡覺才造女人?

-上帝為何選用阿當的肋骨?

-阿當和夏娃的創造本質有甚麼分別?背後有啥心意呢?

末段師母帶領我們進入聖經路加福音裡的情境,一個病倒整整十八年的女人,耶穌看見,呼喚她到跟前,用雨隻手按著,她就立刻直起腰來,耶穌跟她說:「您脫離這病了!」


(說到此時,師母隨即帶領我們一同站立,模倣這女子的姿勢。)


女人乏力地垂下肩膀,腰彎得一點直不起來,抬不了頭。然後,台上一個震撼的發問:「各位姊妹,您們看見了甚麼?」

台下的每個人眼睜睜所見的——只是地上的雙腳,重擔依然堅實的壓著這瘦小的身驅。無錯,我們可以看到的就只得一雙腳和那僅有的地土。倏忽間,我的眼腔熱了,深處的傷痛湧流出來!我不就是那病懨懨的女人嗎?過去苦毒囿在內心,放不開的恨,埋藏受傷的記憶……。神啊!像我這樣的一個女子,請您憐憫我、釋放我吧!這一個月,神透過不同的人告訴我饒恕的功課,饒恕不是放過他,而是真真正正放過自己!


長長的思念

今天如常疾步駕車上班途中,一輛鑽石山的靈車駛在我線上的前面,陰鬱的藍色,好不素靜,不由自主地惦記她—玲玲……,眼腔熱了。這些日子裡,像沒有人再跟我侃侃談起她。

雅虎電郵經常不住收到教會肢體患病、彌留、安息禮拜的通報消息,有的認識,甚或完全素未謀面。
似乎玲玲的禮儀奏鳴過後,教會間再沒有甚麼值得提起,彷彿跟我們現在身處的空間絕緣。愛像王家偉的重慶森林一樣,原是有限期的!回憶也有冰封的一天,想起昔日「懇切代禱」的提醒,完全是兩齣不日上演的戲!

無論您是誰,世界少了誰,花照樣綻放;照樣凋謝,或許有些悲涼,但這是成就宇宙自然律的寫照。一直弄不明白,為什麼人到了天家,我們就是忌諱地刪去對白,是安心上帝的預備新天新地嗎?

不知從哪日開始,我不敢再開啟教會的電郵,也不想記下將被「遺忘」的名字。怕—承受不了周而復始的送別;怕—我們每星期彼此握手祝福!

這陣子,我、業和舒雅到了阡陌教會崇拜。清心地投入主日崇拜,每晚臨睡前教女女讀主禱文.....,我仍然感應主的存在,敏銳人的心。
只是,偶然我忍不住撥電玲玲,希望跟她說一聲:「您在天家好嗎?」,電話卻如常傳來「你打的電話已經停止使用」的留言,好傻吧!?

玲玲2007年8月3日癌病離開了

2009年4月17日 星期五

No Frontiers: The Art of Ding Yanyong


Ding Yanyong(1902-1978), one of the most accomplished and sophisticated artists in modern Chinese history, extended the borders of Chinese and Western Art. He was the 'Oriental Matisse' and turned a new page of Chinese art in the 20th century.

Although the subject matter of his paintings are mainly imundane objects and living creaturess , the images he created under under his splashes of brush are extraordinary. Between 1957 and 1978, he had taught art at the New Asia College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. As the former fine arts students mentioned, many outsiders came to his lecture because of the fame of Ding.

In 1902, Ding Yanyong was born in Mou-Ming, Guangdong province. He studied in Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1921 . In his early art development, he adopted the style of Fauvism and Matisse. Then, Ding emigrated to Hong Kong in 1949. Despite he experienced great hardship, he still insisted on painting continuously. I really admire his pursuit of art even the condition was poor and resources were short. From the history stated in the exhibition, I can trace the history of the past and the transformation of the artist.

What impress me most are the interplay of different media and his personality revealed in the paintings. Moreover, he showed strong determination when facing struggling situations throughout his life. In the exhibition, I find the One-stroke Cat is the most impressive and creative which simplified the image in a single stroke only! You can really feel his childlikeness and power when confronting the artwork!

2009年3月25日 星期三

Closer to the 'spectator' and 'users'

All the way we appreiciate artworks in Art Museum, there must be certain scared distance dividing viewers and the artworks. We are taught to be obedient to 'worship' the High Art with traditional sense. It seems that the basic rules in an exhibition are understood, albeit we somehow really want to approach the artworks curiously.

Last week, I gained enormous visual pleasures in the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Gallery of Hong Kong Muesum of Art -- " Exhibition of Charming Experience". Curator Grace Cheng, who previously worked in Art Center, attemtpts to introduce an extraordinary experiences of art appreciation to the public. She quoted a few lines from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: " Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.... " Both from the creative work of the artists and the scrupulous planning of the Museum open up the different sense of the audience to receive and interprete messages from the artworks. Besides the Chinese and English audio guild services, the Braille codes are also provided for blind people. The exhibition not only brings different people closer to each other, it apparently brings the audience closer to Art!

Ho Siu Kee - Visible Sound

Size variable/ Bronze, mixed media and video installation


Chow Chun Fai - Mahjong

Size variable/ Oil on wood/ 2003


With the deconstruction of the object's form, the artist has shifted the Mahfong players' attention from the game to their bodies. I doubt if it is another useless invention or writing a new rule for the games?





Otto, Li Tin Lun

Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No.5 in C minor, First Movement

Size variable/ Mixed media and video installation


Otto Li's animation and mixed media stimulates our vision and sense of hearing. He vividly interplays the physical reality and virtual space into a new form of digital units. Both ends are the pixel images showing on the screen. At the first glance, the groups of digital units hung on wall are solid and concrete. But when I was encouraged by the security staff, I felt its softness and smoothness. I do appreciate his conceptual idea of translating the computer pixel images into tangible sculpture! The mixture of high art and scientic technology strenghten its contemporaneity.


Kwok Ying- Commodity

Size variable/ Colour pencil and cement on canvas

Details

Kwok Ying's work is poetic. Her subjectivity and the intension of drawing or painting is strongly reflected from her artwork. That's the reason I long for her works. The daily motifs chosen in this series is crucial to her. She has strong sense of her surrounding. In her hands, the towels are not just commodity, but lines and colour. We are directed to form a new way of seeing! Her works are soft but confident. May not carry serious issue or academic topic but is familar and personal. I am looking forward to seeing more surprise from her new paintings!

anothermountainman- Impermanet

Size variable/ Mided media/2009






1 1/ 2 2 (Two Art)

3x3x3m/ Mixed media

This is one of the most fascinating artworks in my eyes of my students! Pak is a conceptual artist who is well know as a visual art columnist in newspaper. With the instruction and sketches given by the artist, the visitor become a 'user' and learn how to 'play' with the mixed media! They peep in from a hole, touch and feel the heat and finally leave marks on the wall. All keep trying effort to explore the meaning of incompletenss. Through the shared experience, we get more idea to communicate with the artist and another 'half '!

Without the active 'users', an exhibition can't be completed! It's worth to visit once more!

2009年2月1日 星期日

Any similarities?

On 17th Nov, teacher Helen and we fellow classmates went to visit Fotan Artists' open studios. After the group exhibiton I jointed there five years ago, I found many changes have taken place in 'the Fotan artists village' since then . For example, the infrastructure of Wah Luen industrial centre has been improved a lot. Perhaps more commercial art galleries are the main reason behind.

The Blue Lotus Gallery is the most impressive gallery I visited. Also, it aims to support the development of Hong Kong local artist. Just outside the gallery and the entrance of a local artist Stepthen's studio, I noticed two different styles of light guarding their doors. Can you match them right? These two are interesting components, aren't they?

Fontan is an energetic zone!

Wall painting



To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of my secondary school, I led my colleagues and ten students to create this great wall painting on 21st Jan. The final layout is came from three awarded sketches of form three students. Though the sunshine was very strong on that day, we concentrated and co-operated very well. We painted continually from nine to six. Thanks God! We can finish this 'master piece' in a day! It's miracle! Though we were all starving at sunset, we gained much passion and energy in the process of creation.

Now, this wall painting gives all of us a fresh scene once we step in our school as it symbolizes a bright future! Indeed, I am so proud of our team spirit!

Between the lines - Mr Lui's studio


One of the treasures in the trip of Fotanian is to meet My admirable teacher - Mr Lui Chun Kwong. He always supports and enlightens me whenever I undergo critical moments or difficulties.

His present studio is smaller than several years ago. But it comes to closer with his peaceful paintings. The horizontal and vertical lines are full of simplicity and varieties.

On that day, his early painting 'Back shadowing' is exhibited by the left entrance. It shows a great contrast to his latest oil paintings. But they all demonstate his strong sense of colours that lead us return to a state of calmness.