Curatorial sharing of "No Instruments: Special Exhibition of Famous Jin Wen and Xu Tianjin's Calligraphy".
Lu Wenbao
1. On the origin
On May 12, 2022, three days before the reopening of the Hangzhou Linping Museum after the renovation, the exhibition work is in progress, we are very honored to invite Mr. Xu Tianjin, professor of Peking University and director of Liangzhu Museum, and Wang Mingda, researcher of Zhejiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, to guide the museum. Jijin Casting Civilization - Baoji Bronze National Treasure Exhibition".
Mr. Xu suggested that next time we can also hold an exhibition about Jinwen, so that after 20 years, we can have a more complete display of the three aspects of "shape, pattern and inscription" of bronze in our museum.
We find it very meaningful.
So there is the consideration of an original Jinwen exhibition.
Jijin Casting Civilization - Baoji Bronze National Treasure Exhibition.
Between the Complex and the Simple - Baoji Unearthed Bronze Ornament Art Exhibition.
In the process of curating the exhibition, we hope to break through the traditional exhibition mode of Chinese character art and explain the origin of Jinwen from ancient times to the present.
As a well-known archaeologist of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, Professor Xu Tianjin insisted on writing and creating the Jin inscription for decades during the field excavation, which is the best interpretation of the Jin inscription inheritance.
There is no doubt that Mr. Xu's golden calligraphy works should be included in this exhibition. That's what I brought up as well.
In fact, last year, Director Xiang Ming of the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Archaeology sent me a photo of him and Mr. Xu in front of Mr. Xu's work, and I was shocked.
That work is now in our showroom.
Everyone will definitely feel the same way.
Mr. Xu Tianjin and Director Xiang Ming of Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Archaeology.
After a year and a half of intense planning, "No Instruments - Special Exhibition of Jin Wen Masterpieces and Xu Tianjin's Calligraphy" finally met the audience on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of our museum!
2. Naming
The title of this exhibition has been revised several times. At first, it was the story of "Jinwen's story" - Jinwen's world "- story" that I felt would be misunderstood as Jinwen's content, but the "world" felt that it was too big for the exhibits to hold up. They were all rejected by Mr. Xu.
Half a year ago, after seeing most of Mr. Xu's works, my little apprentice Yan Shihan said that he had seen Mr. Xu's book called "No Instrument", so he proposed to me to use "No Instrument".
Later, on the way to Mr. Xu's "Lianglu" to discuss the exhibition, I felt that the main title was quite connotative, but this had to be agreed by Mr. Xu. When I arrived at Lianglu, I saw that the walls of Lianglu were covered with Mr. Xu's sketches, (Mr. Xu said it was an archaeological note or a memo, I don't completely agree.) I call it a sketch, this is not a sketch in the ordinary sense of the calligraphy and painting world, it contains Mr. Xu's academic thinking on these exhibits) So I secretly made up my mind to convince Mr. Xu.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I brought it up, Mr. Xu said yes.
Let's think about the subtitle again.
In fact, Mr. Xu has been thinking about how the exhibition is related to the "uncontrollable".
Of course I've been thinking about it a lot.
After discussing the design a few times, the designer started to push me!
So I proposed to use "No Instruments-Xu Tianjin and Jinwen Art Special Exhibition", and I also discussed it with Director Lu Qin and thought it was okay, but Mr. Xu rejected it.
There is no face at all.
The day of the exhibition is getting closer and closer, and Mr. Xu asked if he could use "No Instrument - Jin Wen Famous Products and Xu Tianjin's Copying Works Exhibition", and I died of laughter when I saw it!
I told Mr. Xu that you are too modest, and he said that it is not modest, but weak-hearted.
This time, I considered myself a curator and rejected Mr. Xu's proposal. Later, I made a compromise and used "No Instruments-Jin Wen Famous Products and Xu Tianjin's Books as a Special Exhibition". The title of the exhibition was thus decided.
3. About "not instruments".
For "unapparatus", the first thing that comes to our mind is Mr. Kong's "gentleman is not apparatus" that he said in the "Analects [gf]2022 [gf] Zizheng Chapter". In the Book of Changes, there is an explanation that "the metaphysical is called the instrument". "Not a device" I understand it as a multi-purpose device, "a gentleman is not a device" means that a gentleman should be multi-functional.
The golden inscription should be the inscription on the surface of the bronze ware, which is the core of the Shang and Zhou civilizations in China. It not only records many major historical events, but also condenses the etiquette life and cultural spirit of the times. It is for "not a device".
After the Qin and Han dynasties, the golden seal script was still circulated and used on the seal letter and the tablet. That's what the veils in the exhibition hall are about. In the late Qing Dynasty, Jinshi was "revived." Deng Shiru, Wu Changshuo and other famous masters took the method of Jinwen Linchi and inherited and innovated.
Xu Tianjin is a professor at Peking University and an archaeologist. Engaged in Shang and Zhou archaeology for more than 40 years, in the study of Jijin when the pursuit of ancient elegance, the teacher of Yi Ming, I called: "the right hand shovel, from the thick loess to reproduce the spirit of Jijin; Holding the pen in his left hand, he continues to write the cultural heritage in the long fragrance of ink". This can also be understood as "not instrumental".
The general secretary once said that civilizations exchange because of diversity, learn from each other because of exchanges, and develop because of mutual learning. From this, can we understand in this way that the "Great Dao is not a weapon" mentioned in the "Book of Rites"? The word "Dao", according to the explanation of "Zhou Yi", "those above the metaform are the Tao". I believe that today's exhibition is a good exchange and mutual learning of multiple civilizations, and it is also a useful attempt to promote the high-quality development of museums.
Fourth, about the main line
We've basically narrated the entire exhibition according to a timeline. Divided into four units.
The first unit is "Pictograms and Symbols", which reveals the principle of calligraphy and the aesthetic realm of inheriting nature and returning to nature at the beginning of character making.
The second unit is "Order and Rheology", which shows the characteristics of the times, regions and carriers of the development of Jin art from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Qin and Han dynasties.
The third unit is "Transmission and Writing", which presents the art of Jin calligraphy that has been revitalized under the influence of Song Dynasty and Qing Dynasty epigraphy.
The fourth unit is "Rugu Hanjin", which embodies Mr. Xu Tianjin's identity and education as an archaeologist, cross-border calligraphy art, and the "unruly" spirit of eliminating the boundary between ancient and modern.
5. About the exhibits
The exhibits in this exhibition are all selected by Mr. Xu from various museums. There are one of China's four major bronze plates, the history wall plate, the king of the Gui [gf]376c[gf]簋, the crown of the pot of the Xing pot, the treasure of the Anhui Museum, the Ejun Qijin Festival. There are also the famous Dong Gui, Qin Gong Gong, Ding and so on, all of which are bronze treasures.
There are also representative masterpieces of calligraphy in the late Qing Dynasty, such as Deng Shiru, Huang Binhong, Wu Changshuo, Luo Zhenyu, Zhang Taiyan, etc.
The last part is Mr. Xu's work. There are bronze inscriptions written in it, which fully demonstrate the artistic style of the early dignified and elegant Jinwen, the middle period containing introvertedness, and the late temple atmosphere. Those of their own creative works can be called vigorous and beautiful, and their strength is long.
Here, I would also like to say in particular that the archaeological artifacts and paintings were not only stolen by us after seeing them from Lianglu, but also the new works of Mr. Xu in Zhou Yuan, and Mrs. Xu's house in Beijing.
I don't know if you have noticed, the first picture of "I am in the south of Licun", a persimmon tree in the painting, the root system below is the name of various small places around, it can be seen that these places have existed in Mr. Xu's heart.
In the first picture after the fourth unit, the picture is two shovels, which naturally connects the archaeology together. The latter one is "Suddenly", which contains Mr. Xu's feelings about the rush of life, and is full of the deep affection and attachment to the archaeology and the land of Zhou Yuan.
In the last part, in front of the small portrait of Mr. Xu made by the painter Leng Jun, we deliberately put a painting of "Three Trees in the North of Liujia Village", we tried to understand Mr. Xu's inner world at the time of creation, and I don't know if Mr. Xu is satisfied.
In any case, there is no doubt that these sketches are not only the best interpretation of the theme of "no objects", but also inject interest, spirituality and warm feelings into this exhibition, rather than the coldness of bronze and black characters on a white background. I think we should do it with emotion.
6. Curatorial team
This time, I was appointed by Mr. Xu as the curator of this exhibition, and I felt that it was overwhelming. Because I know from the two directors of Liangzhu Museum, Ma Dongfeng and Huang Li, that Mr. Xu is rigorous and meticulous in holding exhibitions.
"Gloomy Literature" and "Rites" are both models of temporary exhibitions, and they are also benchmarks for our generation to learn. Fortunately, with Mr. Xu's personal guidance in this exhibition, I still have a little way out.
During this period, Chen Hao, Yang Ling, Chen Tongle, Li Li, and other bigwigs in the museum exhibition industry also gave us valuable opinions and suggestions.
In addition, the designer of this exhibition, Chongqing Yishu Company Maizi, and Niu Muqing in the text part have spent a lot of effort, and the construction unit Yihe Sance Company spared no cost, whether it was from the base of the exhibits, the explanation board or the lighting effects, and changed and changed, and strived to create high-quality products.
There is also the exhibition team in our museum, Yu Qiuna, deputy director, Yan Shihan, director of the exhibition department, Zhang Wanying, Ji Yuanqiu, etc., who work tirelessly, as long as there are construction personnel, we are there.
That's what perseverance is.
The spirit of "perseverance" of our Wenbo people has been inherited.
I feel very relieved.
They are all part of our entire curatorial team, because we know that it is a rare opportunity to hold an exhibition under the personal guidance of Mr. Xu, and everyone feels that this exhibition has benefited a lot.
It's really not a little shallow! Everyone is "tired and happy"!During the exhibition, our director Xu Jing and curator Lu Qin came to the exhibition hall to see and gave us great encouragement.
In addition, the rigorous and meticulous work style of the teachers of the Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House, the conscientiousness of the staff of the Shanghai Exhibition Company who transported the cultural relics on the shelves, and the property security and cleaning personnel in the museum stuck to their posts and tirelessly cleaned and wiped the glass again and again to ensure the effect of the exhibition.
All of these have left a deep impression on me.
In the process, I inevitably started scolding people because I was in a hurry and had a bad attitude.
Here, I apologize.
Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the staff who participated in this exhibition!
Written by Lu Wenbao.
Edited by Ji Yuanqiu.
Reviewed by Yu Qiuna.