創作筆記

文 / LUPA

花燁系列有別於以往我在處理肌理時帶有高繪畫性的細節質地，而是ㄧ種用鮮明色塊處理對物體的強烈印象，類似將更抽象的體驗具象化為變形實物，那種虛實感，很接近凝視光源閉眼後產生的視覺暫留後產物。

視覺的形成帶有主觀的記憶，藉由識別和分析將色彩和結構成形。圖文集是文學與繪畫的浪漫對話，而帶有東方或異國色彩的文字是我很重要的靈感及養分。如縱向畫作四張春夏秋冬我採用二十四節氣的意象命名並延伸書寫，以及以東洋文化的古色彩的名稱去做聯想和對照。但更多的是在平日累積的生活意識流筆記裡挖寶。

先有文字或是先有圖像？以作品標題來說，一般是先有圖像的，但我平常也會筆記寫下許多的單詞作為一個畫面的誕生詞，而後再根據我對文字的感受構圖。以短句或詩詞來說，幾乎都是在畫面近乎完成後我當下觀望的自我反饋，有點像看著一道風景，很直覺地說出來的話，他可能與風景本身的意義無關，而是風景裡的氛圍帶給你的內心狀態。又或，更像看著鏡子裡，直覺地說出自己對今日的些微領悟。

此過程可視為ㄧ種具實驗性的創作中繼站，在發設點和最終接收點的彈性裡，因好奇所產生的翻外篇。我總是習慣以更抽離的角度分析自己的直覺，為什麼此刻使用這樣的操作模式，如此一來可以讓行為的動機更清晰。

延續我在構圖中習慣融入有機形體的變動性，畫面乾淨利落如電腦輸出般順暢，然而工法是有別以往的作法，但同樣費時細緻，用偏向圖象設計的思維去執行理性的繪畫，但色彩搭配是嚴謹範圍中帶有隨性的。我想下一步自然會是統整融合更多自我面向的視覺體系。

出現在畫面中的永恆少年，是ㄧ個自我意識的初始化角色，既是與現實社會的格格不入並脫節，也是一種對成長的掙扎。他是探索的象徵，時而以金箔或顏料代表他存在狀態的不確定性。他可以是ㄧ種閃過腦海的記憶，在你的童真和青春間，對世界開始疑惑、解讀、感受力最敏感之建立世界觀的懞懂時期，如金箔般，薄得脆弱且濃得珍貴。

Behind the Scenes

A Note from LUPA

The Blaze of Flowers series marks a departure from how I dealt with texture. Instead of including highly painterly details as found in my previous works, I attempted to create a strong impression of objects with blocks of distinct colours to turn abstract experience into physical representations, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. The sensation is comparable to the afterimages one sees when she closes her eyes after staring at a light source in close proximity for a while.

Visual images were composed of subjective memories through identifying and analysing colours and structures.

This collection of paintings and poems is a romantic conversation between literature and art. I drew inspiration from texts with an Eastern or exotic flavour. For the four vertical paintings of the seasons, I referenced the imagery of the 24 solar terms, producing words filled with classic Eastern colours through association and comparison. However, more often than not, these words are a culmination of my daily thoughts.

Which comes first, the text or the picture? In most cases, I first have an image in mind and then give it a title later. Still, there are instances where I would write down a few words in my notes as the conception phrase and begin composing the image based on my feelings towards those words.

As for short proses and poems, they are mostly my own response to viewing the image that I’ve just created. It is a bit like looking at a stretch of scenery and expressing how I feel instinctively. The words may have nothing to do with the actual scenery itself, but they represent the inner state of my mind and the atmosphere created by the scenery. It is also like looking into the mirror and uttering, without giving it much thought, the newfound appreciations I have for the day.

The process for making this collection can be seen as a turning point for my own experimental creations, a side adventure driven by curiosity, which allows me to explore freely between the starting point and the destination of this imaginative journey. In order to clarify the motivations for my behaviour, I formed the habit of analysing my instincts through dissociation to understand why I do certain things at certain times.

In keeping with my composition style, I infused the fluidity of organic shapes into these artworks, creating smooth visuals with a striking resemblance to computer-generated graphics. I approached these images from the perspective of a graphic designer and painted in a methodical and rational manner. Although the workflow was different, it was no less time-consuming and detail-oriented. In terms of the matching of colours, I began by following a strict set of rules but later allowed for slight, organic deviations. I think the natural next step for me is to establish a cohesive visual system by integrating more aspects of my identity into my art.

The character that appears in the images is the Puella Aeterna/ Puer aeternus , a primitive representation of self-consciousness. She/he symbolizes detachment from society and reality as well as the struggles of growth. She/he is an embodiment of explorations, appearing sometimes in gold foil and other times in paint, casting doubt over her/his state of existence. Maybe she/he is just a piece memory flashing through your mind—a memory of your childhood and your youth, a time back when you have begun to build your own world view by doubting, decoding, and understanding your surroundings. It was the best of times, and like the gold foil, it’s delicately thin yet immensely valuable.

‭ ‬