Some Thoughts from the Curator

The title of this Chinese title for this exhibition “xingzhe xinyu” translates as “the inner musings of the itinerant monk,” conjuring up the idea of a person wandering down the road. But within the Chinese context, the term “xingzhe” or itinerant monk also refers specifically to a person who has mastered the principles of Zen Buddhism and is a practitioner of the philosophy. There are certain historical personages who have been, in a sense, “deified” as “xingzhe,” characters such as Sun Wukong, the Monkey King from the Song-Dynasty epic Journey to the West. These itinerant monks were people on the move, but they also harbored a certain deep compassion for others; they were even said to have the ability to enact miracles.

In the space of the past two years, from 2010-2012, Shengtian Zheng, who is already in his seventies along with his close friend Canadian artist, Don Li-Leger, and Chinese entrepreneur Li Lin traveled all over Greater China, from Taiwan to Hong Kong to the Mainland, visiting 20 cities to interview 55 of the most dynamic contemporary Chinese artists in celebration of the tenth anniversary of Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art. In the past ten years, Zheng has also collected, revised and edited 51 interviews and 51 videos with the aim of publishing this book. Many of the stories he encountered during this project were deeply moving, invoking our sincere admiration for the project and its subjects. Zheng and his delegation of three wanderers, who roamed through Greater China have collected the intimate stories of those they met during their travels. Through the questions and dialogues which emerged during these meetings, we can understand what motivated these wanderers to take action and also learn that the source of their deep compassion is derived from a profound understanding of the profundities of life.

The miracles produced by these itinerant monks, their natural achievements, were painstakingly carved out through hours of work and this project necessitates a profound contemplation on the current state of civilization and the future spiritual and social consciousness of the Chinese people. These itinerant monks are the harbingers of an era, roaming both near or far, together they create a miracle. Good art can unlock human potential to reach a divine ideal, but these sages do not walk alone; good art has the ability to move the human soul. These interviews and videos prepared by Shengtian Zheng form the main thread of this project and are accompanied by include certain archival materials which are relevant to the interview process. In choosing to hold this exhibition in Vancouver, we are hoping to increase the awareness of the unique historical significance of this project.

This project, which spanned the space of two years, and was the product of intense exchange between East and West facilitated by Shengtian Zheng over dozens of years, represents an outstanding contribution, but one which is nonetheless a mere drop in the ocean of art history. This exhibition pays tribute to this renowned artist, critic, and advocate of contemporary art, Shengtian Zheng, while being at the same time a tribute to the all of the people who participated and the artists who were engaged in interviews. Most importantly, this project is a tribute to the recently-deceased Don Li-Leger, the Canadian artist who contributed his time and skills to shoot the videos which form the backbone of this project.

Liu Yi
2019.04.09

策展人的”心語”

展覽的名字是為”行者心語”——行者是為正在行路的人，在中國的語境中還有特指是悟禪修行的人，還有壹個神化了的人物被稱為”行者”，那就是孫悟空；行者是行動的人，行者是心懷悲憫的人，行者也是有神跡的人。

2010年至2012年的近兩年的時間裏，已是七旬上的鄭勝天先生，和他的摯友、加拿大藝術家Don Li-Leger，及華人企業家李琳壹道，為慶賀藝術雜誌典藏國際版創刊十周年，開始了遍布中國大陸和港臺、及世界二十多個城市的幾十次往返旅途，訪談了當代最為活躍的五十五位華人藝術家。時至今日過往了又近十年，鄭勝天先生為此出了書，也陸續整理出五十壹次訪談的五十壹個視頻。當我們看到這些和聽到他講述在這個項目中的故事，讓我們真心的感動和由衷的敬佩。鄭先生和他的三人組壹路走來，如行者般帶來了五十五位也恰是行者的真心之語，在行者與行者的壹問壹答中，我們看到了行者的行動是為何而動，行者的悲憫之心源於對活著的參悟之深，真行者的神跡自然成就於磨礪出的功夫強大，也讓我們不得不對這個世代的壹個族裔，面對現世文明和未來的整體精神狀況的思考。這些行者都是走在時代前面的代表，無論遠近都在創造著壹個共同的奇跡，好的藝術壹定能開啟人之神性的終極理想，每個孤獨的行者並不是孤獨的，好的藝術都會讓人感動。我們將鄭勝天先生這個訪談項目整理出來的視頻做為主線，加上訪談過程中的主要文獻資料，做成了這個展覽呈現在溫哥華，就是要讓更多的人們了解這個項目的特殊歷史價值和意義。

这个历时近两年的艺术家访谈项目，只是郑胜天先生几十年来一直致力于东西方文化交流，并作出卓越贡献中的沧海一粟，这个展览也是我们向这位资深的艺术家、批评家和当代艺术的伟大推手致以深深的敬意。向所有参与其中的人们致以敬意，同时也向这些访谈到的艺术家们致以敬意。特别要缅怀刚刚过世的加拿大艺术家，这个访谈项目所有访谈视频的拍录者Don Li-Leger先生，并向他致敬。

刘艺
2019年4月9日于温哥华

Some texts and images are reproduced from
“Approaching Chinese Artists: Fifty One Interviews by Zheng Shengtian”， Art & Collection Group Ltd. Taipei, 2014”
备注：“部分文图转载自《走近当代艺术家：郑胜天的五十一次访谈》，台北典藏艺术家庭股份有限公司出版，2014年”。