APS | 现世中的极乐净土——了园

了园的入口非常普通，经过细窄的乡间小路，穿过碎石堆砌的石墙，就到达了园。了园中心设有一处水池，左面是“金字塔茶房”及错落在山间像梯田一般的水系。右面就是著名的“帝国时代”和“风的美术馆”及枯山水和多肉园林。整个了园处处都充满了禅意和对建筑及当代艺术的探索，让人目不暇接，享受其中。

The Pyramid Tea House functions as an “energy collector”, and the slope of the roof is 51.51°--designed after the Great Pyramid of Giza, oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex. The ascended roof immediately catches people’s attention. The width of the area is 12 meters, while the height is more than 10 meters. Part of the roof is left transparent and installed with a prism which collects the sunlight and directs it into the inside. It is well-known that ancient people were fascinated with the dome and sunlight, as we can see from the design of the Pantheon. The design shows Zheng Guogu’s consideration and exploration of art and architecture. Stepping inside, you will be attracted by an enormous piece of Thangka, which depicts the 108 Circles, and the pure land Shambhala. The Buddha says, “humans have six indriyas and six guṇas, qualities produced by the objects and organs of sense that are the cause of all impurity (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and idea).” The six indriyas and six gunas form our six parijñãnas, and all of the eighteen circles together compose everything in our cosmos. We replicate the eighteen circles in the time of the past, the current, and the future, thus developing the total of 54 circles. The 54 circles cross the living and the dead, therefore forming the final 108 circles of the universe. Once we understand the total of 108 circles can we arrive at the other side, the closest to the nihility and the ultimate wisdom. The other side is the pure land Shambhala. Shambhala is a mysterious land of Tibetan Buddism, the pure land of the mundane world. In Shambhala, people have the most developed technology, and the communities are filled with love and wisdom without the torture of disease, death, or the war. However, Shambhala only shows itself to the chosen ones. It is well known that Zheng Guogu is fascinated with Thangka, and that he uses many elements from Thangka in his works. The Thangka in the Pyramid Tea House embodies the artist’s detachment from the mundanity and his wish of the promising future.  

Stepping outside can we see the terraced water system, whose complexity can be compared to an eco-system. The artist says, “the velocity of the water currents resonates with our heart beats. We listen to it carefully. Feel it. This is how we find inner peace.” The ancient saying goes as “The highest goodness is like water.” Water is the beginning of every life; it brings everything and also takes it away. Year after year, it demands for nothing. The artist expresses his state of mind with the scenery.

Across the intermingled water system can we see the erect architecture, “Museum of the Wind”, which consists of some columns and scattered building floors. The vine leaves crawl all over the building and have become part of the architecture. Zheng Guogu wishes to “exhibit” wind here—to see the wind and listen to the wind—a unique and profound idea. Since the ancient times, people crave for a land of getaway paradise, and Zheng Guogu uses his own perception and understanding of architecture, art, as well as Buddhism, to create his own paradise. 

Between the wind and the water locates the famous “Age of Empires”. The artist was inspired by the popular game of the time. Compared to other buildings in the garden, Age of Empires is particularly exquisite and unique, with its irregular cannonball window and peculiar-shaped walls. The architecture also has roofs that light can go through and gardens that divide the day and the night. Many of the cannonball windows and door frames were designed with the tenon structure from ancient China. Surrounding area consists of withered plants, egg garden, and the garden of succulents, elevating the garden to another realm. The wither plants functions as the grey area of the architecture, also known as “Engawa”, an idea first introduced by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. In other words, the Engawa is an area where people can enter and meditate. The space does not allow living plants and is piled up merely with grey rocks and stones. However, the existence of egg garden and succulents break the rule. “Without destruction there can be no construction”—this is probably one of the reasons why Zheng Guogu is one of the pioneers of avant-garde.  

帝国时代中的的炮弹窗

Zheng Guogu is indeed one of the pioneers of Chinese avant-garde, as he combines different elements of art and architecture, both Chinese and from the abroad, and expresses his constant pursuit of art and his exploration of space and time.  The homophonic form of Liao is Le, and Liao Yuan is probably the variant of Le Yuan (Paradise). Standing amongst mountains and waters, and intermingled with gardens, Liao Yuan is the pure land of the mundane world. 

图片由艺术家与欣稚锋艺术机构（APS）提供 

Image courtesy by the artist and Art Pioneer Studio

点击图片回顾往期

2020上海杨浦滨江的世界级公共艺术作品

关于欣稚锋艺术机构

内容版权为“ART PIONEER STUDIO”所有

未经授权不得转载及以任何形式使用