“Like a group of wanderers, we gather occasionally, only to stageHamletonce: clearing the garbage on the road and shaking the dust off our bodies. Sometimes our eyes can barely open, and our legs tremble.

We have no time to talk about the difficulties we’ve encountered, nor the leisure to vent our frustrations and blows. We remember this: we have put in our labor, and found joy and comfort amid hardships.”

— The Entire Cast and Crew ofHamlet

Summer 1990, BeijingIn

 

“像一群流浪者，我们偶尔相聚，只是为了排一次《哈姆雷特》：清除道上的垃圾，抖掉身上的尘土。眼睛时而会睁不开，两腿抖抖索索。

没有时间讲述我们遇到的困难，也没有闲情为那种种的失意和打击而发泄。我们记住了：我们付出了劳动，在艰辛之中有了乐趣和快慰。”

——《哈姆雷特》剧组全体

1990年夏，北京

 

1990 and 1992, director Lin Zhaohua successively stagedHamlet  – a classic work by British playwright William Shakespeare – andRomulus the Great(Romulus Der Grosse)  – the representative work of Swiss German-language playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt. At that time, Shi Haitao, who was still a student at the Central Academy of Drama, participated in and was responsible for the stage design of these two plays. Nearly 30 years later, when Shi Haitao looks back on these two works, the absurd and humorous metaphors as well as a series of thought-provoking lines in the original plays still resonate today, and unexpectedly show a certain connection with the current reality.

 

1990年与1992年，林兆华导演先后排演了英国剧作家威廉·莎士比亚的经典著作《哈姆雷特》（Hamlet）与瑞士德语剧作家弗里德里希·迪伦马特的成名作《罗慕路斯大帝》（Romulus Der Grosse），当时还是中戏一名学生的石海涛在这两部剧目中参与负责舞台美术设计。近30年后，石海涛回顾这两部剧作，原剧目中种种荒诞幽默的喻指以及一系列振聋发聩的台词在当下持续回响，并意外地呈现出与当下现实的某种契合。

 

Shi Haitao compiled the reflections brought by this time span and the connection with the present into the videoEcho, which he co-created with Yang Yanyuan in 2021. By re-editing and combining classic scenes from the two plays, and adding special effects such as blurred images and audio-visual dislocation, he forces the audience to focus on the lines that hit them one after another. In the pitch-black screening room, the artist seems to intentionally build an immersive “social theater”: the only light source is the blurry figure in the center of the stage, while the ears are filled with successive powerful questions. Being in this space, people′s actions and thoughts can far not keep up with the density of information received by their ears – the sorrow in the lines has not been fully digested one moment, and the despair of the next moment arrives immediately. What Echoes reveals seems to be the helplessness and confusion of people living in contemporary society when facing the rapidly changing world around them, as well as the sadness of being eventually submerged by the times.

 

石海涛将这种时间跨度带来的思考以及和当下的契合整理在了2021年与杨延远共同创作的影像《回声》之中，通过重新剪辑拼合两部剧作的经典桥段，并辅以模糊画面与音画错位的特殊处理，迫使观众将注意力集中于一句一句铺面砸来的台词中。在漆黑一片的放映厅中，艺术家似乎有意构建了一个沉浸式的社会剧场，唯一的光源是舞台中央模糊不清的人影，耳边却充斥着接踵而至的有力质问。身在其中，人的行动与思维远远跟不上耳畔接收到的信息密度，前一刻台词中的悲怆还未被完全消化，下一秒的绝望就应声而至。《回声》提示出的似乎是活在当代社会中的人在面对极速更迭与变化的周遭世界的无奈与茫然，以及最终被时代所淹没的悲凉。

 

The sense of dislocation created by the special treatment of lines and images in Echoes exactly points to two key words proposed by Shi Haitao when reviewing his own creations: “hypothesis” and “dramatic nature”. These two concepts originated and developed from the artist’s life experience of approaching and understanding drama during his college years. They not only provided a methodology for his subsequent artistic creation and expression, but more importantly, were deeply embedded in Shi Haitao′s perspective of observing the world and reflecting on himself.

 

《回声》中因对台词与画面的特殊处理而营造出的错位感恰恰指向了石海涛自我回顾创作时提出的两个关键词——“假定性”和“戏剧性”，它们诞生并发展于艺术家在大学时代走向并理解戏剧的人生际遇，为其而后的艺术创作与表达提供方法论，更为重要的是，它们深嵌于石海涛审视世界与观照自我的目光之中。

 

01

The Narrative and Logic ofBacklight

Echoes is a work in Shi Haitao′s recent exhibition Backlight.  Positioned at the end of the “Pervasive Theater” section, it guides viewers into another gallery dedicated to the “Layered Fragments” section. When summarizing the works in these two sections, curator Liu Libin first focused on “theater” as a lens through which Shi Haitao observes the world. On one hand, the camera’s focus creates a sense of tightness and oppression in the images; on the other hand, it presents a pervasiveness that encompasses historical and real events, play plots, and auditorium scenes. Beyond the “theatrical genes” in Shi Haitao′s creations, he also faces a dilemma shared by all artists in this era: how to process images with one’s own language in an age of explosive visual overload? Shi Haitao′s series of reflections and actions are embodied in his “layered fragments” language. It should be noted that among these two series, one represents the internalization and translation of past experiences, while the other is the externalization and expression of inner insights. Together, they connect and weave the complete context of Shi Haitao′s artistic creation. In the exhibition, Echoes seems to sit precisely at the convergence of the artist’s external experiences and internal perceptions, as well as his artistic emotions and expressive language.

 

01

《逆光》的路线与逻辑

《回声》是石海涛近期展览《逆光》中的一件作品，被置于“剧场弥漫”板块的末尾，并将引导观众进入“切片层叠”的另一展厅。在归纳梳理这两个板块的作品时，策展人刘礼宾首先关注到了“戏剧”作为石海涛审视世界的一层滤镜，一方面由镜头聚焦带来画面的紧促压迫感；另一方面则呈现出容纳历史和现实事件、剧作剧情、观众席等弥漫性。2 而在石海涛创作的戏剧”基因”之外，他同样面临着这个时代中每一个艺术家所共同面对的困境，即如何在图像沸腾爆炸的时代用自己的语言去处理图像？石海涛的一系列思考与行动则体现在他的“切片层叠”语言之中。应当说，这两个系列中，一个是过往经验的内化与转译，一个是内在感悟的外化与表达，二者勾连编织成了石海涛艺术创作的完整脉络，而《回声》一作在展览中似乎恰好处在艺术家外部经验与内部体验、艺术情感与表达语言的汇流之处。

 

For Shi Haitao himself, interpreting the logic of the Backlight exhibition points to a more complete path—it does not present the artist′s exploration of painting language and creative motifs in different periods in an isolated way. Instead, it is a play staged based on his personal life experiences and the dimension of “grand history” he has long contemplated. In this play, both the artist and the audience are performers, prompting discussions about whether humans can break free from the sudden changes of history and the sweep of the times to reflect on their own position.

 

于石海涛自身来说，对《逆光》展览逻辑的解读则指向一条更完整的通路——它并非割裂地呈现艺术家在不同时期对绘画语言和创作母题的探索，而是依托于其自我的人生体验与一直在思考的大历史的维度而排演的一部剧作。在这部剧中，艺术家与观众皆是参演者，提示出的是人类是否可以从历史的骤变与时代洪流的裹挟中抽离出来，进而审视自我身在何处的种种讨论。

 

Looking back at Shi Haitao′s “Theater” series from the perspective of Echoes,  people are always unconsciously drawn to the intense light in the images, and thus follow the guidance into the plays he stages within the frames. The three-part gallery alludes to a three-act plot that unfolds progressively: from Audience Entry, The show is About to Begin to the Drama: My Poor Malat series. The perspective shifts constantly from the center of the stage to various parts of the auditorium. In the first act, viewers find themselves amid gazes from different angles, confused about their own position.

 

从《回声》一作向前看石海涛的“剧场”系列，人们总会不自觉地被画面中强烈的光线所吸引，从而跟随指引步入到他在画面中排演的剧目中去。一分为三的展厅暗指分三幕层层递进上演的剧情内容，从《观众入场》、《演出即将开始》到《话剧：我可怜的马拉特》系列，视角从舞台中央到观众席各处不断挪移，在第一幕戏中，观众将置身不同视角的目光之中而困惑于自我所处的位置。

 

As the second act unfolds, some serious and intense scenes begin to appear. These works seem to have been pressed the pause button just one second before the outbreak of conflict—freezing the tense and sorrowful atmosphere of the moment, yet leaving a glimmer of space for breath and imagination before the inevitable collision and outburst that will follow. Entering the third act, all passionate cries and declarations come to an abrupt halt, leaving only silence. This silence makes people involuntarily fear that a deeper sorrow is about to erupt. Then, the successive questions in Echoes push the play to its climax; it is a conclusion, but also the beginning of more questions.

 

随着第二幕上演，一些严肃的、激烈的场景开始出现。这些作品仿佛在冲突爆发的前一秒被按下了暂停键，定格住了此刻紧绷而悲怆的氛围，又为下一刻势必到来的碰撞与爆发留下了一丝可供喘息与想象的空间。步入第三幕戏，一切激昂的呐喊与宣言都戛然而止，只余下一片静默，让人不由担忧会有更深沉的悲怆即将爆发。进而，《回声》的一声声质问接踵而至，它将剧目推向高潮，是总结，也是更多问题的开端。

 

In the second gallery, the discussion of dynastic changes and historical inevitability in Echoes takes the fate and context of modern China as its starting point. In the macro dimension of history, the so-called “past” and “present” seem to lose their clear boundary. Through the holes at the entrance, viewers can catch a glimpse of the “monuments” Shi Haitao erected for a series of figures who influenced the direction of human history. After passing through the peaks of thought and technological revolutions, viewers are finally led to a mirror. Looking back from this mirror at the once-brilliant ideas and revolutions in human history, none of them are free from new dilemmas in the present. At this moment, what position does an individual, a group, or a nation occupy in such a vast, surging river of history that allows no turning back? And what can they do for the road ahead? The exhibition thus raises such questions and reflections.

 

在第二个展厅中，《回声》中对王朝更迭与历史必然的讨论以近代中国的命运与脉络为切入点，在宏观的历史维度中，所谓的历史与当下似乎失去了明晰的分野。从入口处的孔洞中可以窥见石海涛为影响人类历史发展方向的系列人物竖起的一座座“丰碑”，越过思想的高峰、科技的革命，观众最终会被指引到一面镜子前，从镜前回望人类历史中曾经熠熠生辉的思想与革命，它们在当下无一不面临着新的困境。此时此刻，一个人、一个群体、一个民族处在如此浩瀚汹涌且不容回头的历史长河中的什么位置上？又能为前方的道路做些什么？展览至此引出了这样的设问与思考。

 

02

Looking at the World and Looking at Oneself

Shi Haitao′s ability to capture and master grand scenes and fleeting moments of theatrical performances is undoubtedly closely tied to his 14 years of experience studying and working in theater. However, this experience brought him far more than inspiration for creative themes and methods. In Shi Haitao′s view, choosing the Central Academy of Drama as a gateway to painting creation was a stroke of luck. The learning and practical experience there required him to read and translate numerous literary works and classic plays extensively—an experience that built a rich literary knowledge framework for his creation and thinking, thereby fostering a unique worldview. Additionally, reading a series of philosophy books gradually enabled him to develop a perspective that cares for all of humanity.

 

02

看世界与看自我

对宏大场景和剧目瞬间的抓取和掌握能力当然与石海涛长达14年的戏剧学习和工作经验密不可分，但这段经历带给他的远不止创作母题与方式的启示。在石海涛眼中，选择中央戏剧学院作为进入绘画创作的通道是幸运的，因为在这里的学习和实践经验要求他去进行大量的文学作品、剧作经典的阅读与转译，这种经历为其创作与思想构建了丰厚的文学知识结构，从而孕育了一种独特的世界观，而一系列哲学史书籍的阅读，也让他逐渐形成一种关照全人类的视角。

 

Therefore, in Shi Haitao′s subsequent return to artistic creation, we not only see “theater” naturally evolve into the main subject of his works but also observe, from his images, a calm gaze with which he keeps a distance to examine the world around him. This calmness, however, does not mean indifference; on the contrary, the sense of distance and detachment from his field of vision allows him to gain a deeper insight into the helplessness, confusion, and even anger of being immersed in it. These surging emotions and cries, along with those frozen images of conflict, are suppressed together on the canvas.

 

因而，我们在石海涛随后回归的艺术创作过程中，不仅仅看到“戏剧”自然而然地演变成了其创作的主要对象，更从他的画面中观察到了他拉远距离，审视周遭世界的冷静目光。但这种冷静并不意味着冷眼旁观，反而是因为距离感与视野的抽离，让他更深刻地洞悉了身在其中的无奈、茫然甚至是愤怒，这些涌动的情绪与呐喊也随着那些被定格冲突的画面一起，被压抑在了画布之中。

 

Compared with the concentrated light, tense atmosphere, and repressed emotions in the “Theater” series, the “Layered Fragments” series reveals a more rational and patient side of the artist. Slicing images and then layering them to abstract them is a path he has found to handle the relationship between himself and the image age. Through this approach, he deconstructs the images of political figures, cultural celebrities, and classic figures in art history—all of whom carry countless stories and historical weight—making all interpretations and narratives unutterable. During this process, Shi Haitao went through years of exploration and reflection on media language and the communication of ideas.

 

而与剧场系列集中的光线、紧迫的氛围与压抑的情感相比，切片层叠系列显示出了艺术家更为理性与耐心的一面。将图像切片再层叠使之抽象化是他找出的一条处理自我与图像时代关系的路径，它由此解构了在那些背后承载着无数故事与历史的政坛人物、文化名流与艺术史经典形象，让一切解读与叙事皆不可说，在这过程中石海涛经历了数年关乎媒介语言与思想传达的探索与反思。

 

Interestingly, in the artist’s studio, there is an entire wall of photographs focusing on tiny lives crushed to death on the road, which the artist has also processed abstractly. Abstract image fragments cannot provide any information for association; whether it is a figure carrying a piece of historical memory or a tiny, fragile ant, there is no difference between them at the moment the meaning of the image is dissipated.

 

有趣的是，在艺术家工作室中，还有一整面墙的摄影关注到了马路上被碾死的微小生命，它们也被艺术家进行了抽象化的处理。抽象的图像碎片不能提供任何的信息来加以联想，不论是承载一段历史记忆的人物还是微小脆弱的蝼蚁，在图像的意义被消解的那一刻，二者便没有了差别。

 

On the other hand, it is hard not to notice Shi Haitao′s preference for political themes and scenes of conflict and contradiction in his creation, which allows people to make various interpretations of his works. However, if we return to Shi Haitao′s field of concern and creative thinking, it is not difficult to find that depicting different conflicts and confrontations is not his goal—they are a lens through which the artist enters history. Contradictions and conflicts are inherent traits that humanity can never avoid in history, but the ways and ideas people try to solve various dilemmas continue to drive human society forward. Thus, in specific historical events, we witness repeated wars and upheavals, revolutionary waves, and ideological emancipations. Though occurring in different time-spaces and among different nations, they show a high degree of commonality. Shi Haitao attempts to examine the world from a perspective floating above history and strive to find a position where he can be placed under this perspective.

 

另一方面，人们很难不关注到石海涛在创作中对政治题材、冲突与矛盾场景的青睐，并能由此对画面作出诸多解读。但如果回到石海涛的关注视野与创作思路中则不难发现，表现不同的冲突与对抗并不是目的，它们是艺术家进入历史的一个切面。矛盾与冲突是人类历史上永远规避不了的特质，但人们试图去解决种种困境的方式与思路在不断推动着人类社会向前运动，于是在具体的历史事件中我们看到了一次又一次的战乱骚动、革命浪潮与思想解放，尽管发生于不同时空不同民族，但它们却呈现出高度的共性。石海涛尝试的是漂浮在历史的上空审视世界，并试图在这个视角下找寻自己能够被安置的位置。

 

If we want to explore the causes of Shi Haitao′s such artistic choices and ideological logic, we must inevitably return to the “hypothesis” and “dramatic nature” that he repeatedly emphasizes when talking about specific creations. In the art of theater, “hypothesis” is reflected in the artist’s transformation of the natural form of life based on the principles of cognition and aesthetics. Shi Haitao applies this to the establishment of contexts and contexts between works, as well as the shift of perspectives between different works. Precisely because of this, many of Shi Haitao′s works are difficult to view in isolation; instead, reading them within the logical context he constructs will unlock richer connotations.

如果要探究石海涛这种艺术选择与思想逻辑的成因，我们势必还要回到他在谈到具体创作时反复强调的“假定性”与“戏剧性”上。在戏剧艺术中，“假定性”体现在艺术家对依据认识与审美原则对生活的自然形态进行改造，石海涛将其运用于作品与作品之间的情境与脉络建立，以及不同作品间视角的挪移。正因如此，石海涛的很多作品很难孤立地去观看，而在他构建的逻辑情境中去阅读，将会释出更丰富的内涵。

 

The establishment of “dramatic nature” directly points to the dramatic tension in Shi Haitao′s images on the surface, but this is only an interpretation at the technical and visual levels. In Shi Haitao′s view, the core of dramatic nature lies in the need to explore the factors behind this superficial dramatic tension that trigger actions and thoughts—and this is again directly influenced by his perspective of viewing history and the present.

 

“戏剧性”的建立在表面直接指向了石海涛画面的戏剧张力，但这仅仅是技法与视觉层面的解读。在石海涛看来，戏剧性的核心在于需要去探究这些表面的戏剧张力背后去那些触发行动和思想的因素，这又再次受到他观看历史与当下的维度的直接作用。

 

“There are many different paths for artists to choose from. My choice is that besides being a form of medium, painting can also take on the role and responsibility of inspiring and even guiding.” In Shi Haitao′s creation and thinking, it is not difficult to see a sense of intellectual consciousness, which makes him show an inescapable sense of responsibility for society. Of course, it is easy to imagine that such a perspective of examining the world and reflecting on oneself, as well as his creative intentions, can easily be interpreted as elitist—it remains far from the daily lives and imagined worlds of most people. However, just as the efforts of directors like Lin Zhaohua cast a beam of light on the avant-garde and contemporary nature of Chinese theater in the 1990s, there are countless pioneers of thought and revolution in human history who strive to illuminate even a small part of the road ahead. For Shi Haitao, and for most people living in the present, if one cannot become that beam of light, at least try not to be easily swept away by the times, but instead strive to chase it.

 

 “艺术家有很多不同的路可以去选，我的选择是绘画在成为一种媒介形式之外，还能去承担一种启发甚至是引领的作用与责任。”在石海涛的创作与思维中，不难看到一种知识分子的自觉，这让他表现出对社会难以抛弃的责任感。当然，不难想象这样审视世界与观照自我的视角以及创作意图很容易被解读为是精英主义的，它与更多人的日常生活与想象的世界依然遥远。但正如林兆华导演等人的努力在20世纪90年代为中国戏剧的先锋性与当代性投下了一束光，人类历史上还有太多思想与革命的先驱在为照亮前方的方寸之地而奋斗，对于石海涛而言，对于大多数生活在当下的人而言，如果成为不了那束光，至少试着不要轻易被时代裹挟而走，而去努力追随它。