伴隨著中國的崛起，現(xiàn)代性問題早已成為中國社會所面對的首要問題之一，恐怕這也是中國當(dāng)代藝術(shù)所面對的首要問題之一。但是，打中國牌的大有人在，而正面應(yīng)對中國這種特殊的現(xiàn)代性問題的藝術(shù)家卻為數(shù)不多。從翁奮2001年的《騎墻》、2002年的《鳥瞰》、2003年《觀景臺》裝置系列和《看?！穪砜矗麉s恰恰是這為數(shù)不多者中的一個(gè)。在這些作品中，他一直把目光鎖定在城市人的心理現(xiàn)實(shí)之上，用心把握全球化背景下中國經(jīng)濟(jì)快速增長所帶來的種種社會心理的變化和落差。翁奮的攝影總讓人有一種揮之不去的內(nèi)心感慨，這種感慨復(fù)雜莫名。因?yàn)樗淖髌房偸前熏F(xiàn)代性背景下許多原本相對孤立的傳統(tǒng)與現(xiàn)代、經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化與中國方式、都市消費(fèi)社會與發(fā)展失衡等話題密集地糾纏、交織在一起，全方位地牽制、喚醒我們意識深處與之密切相關(guān)的一根根細(xì)微的感受神經(jīng)，從而引發(fā)我們強(qiáng)烈的內(nèi)心掙扎和情緒激蕩，難以自已。翁奮的作品總讓我們有一種進(jìn)入角色而無法置身度外的心理投射體驗(yàn)。站在翁奮的“騎墻”少女、“鳥瞰”少女的身后，沿著她們的視線一同去看那些巨無霸式的現(xiàn)代城市。我們內(nèi)心不再有狂喜，領(lǐng)略到的是一種亙古的孤獨(dú)和沉重的心理負(fù)擔(dān)。面對現(xiàn)代性問題，身在其中的我們的確已無法回避。但，相比那些身影單薄的少女，我們是否會顯得更加茫然、更加無能為力?
翁奮顯然沒有去坐看云起，而是不斷推出新作，以作品不斷地提出問題，不斷追究解決方案。2005年的新作《累卵計(jì)劃》無疑是他追究內(nèi)心問題的新的物化形式。其實(shí)，翁奮《累卵計(jì)劃》方案早在2004年底就已確立，并為藝術(shù)圈內(nèi)人士熟知。但由于工程浩大，作品直至2005年8月才告完成。翁奮動用上萬顆雞蛋和數(shù)量稍遜的鴨蛋、鵪鶉蛋的去液整蛋蛋殼，構(gòu)成了一個(gè)長8米、寬4米、高1米的城市建筑的縮微沙盤。如果臨高俯視，可以辨認(rèn)出所有的建筑造型都脫胎自一幅完整的50元人民幣紙幣的圖案。這張人民幣紙幣呈青綠色，圖案居中是代表工人、農(nóng)民、知識分子的三個(gè)巨大的側(cè)面頭像。該紙幣當(dāng)下仍在社會流通。在人民幣平面圖案上累積起來的蛋卵造型，恍如從人民幣中生長起來的建筑森林，形象地組成了全球化條件下的一個(gè)中國式城市的模型。翁奮在累卵過程中也是險(xiǎn)象環(huán)生，作品有幾次差一點(diǎn)告敗。這樣的經(jīng)歷，似乎以感應(yīng)的方式表現(xiàn)了他對國家政治經(jīng)濟(jì)生態(tài)的一種深切關(guān)懷。整個(gè)創(chuàng)作期間，他先是經(jīng)歷了歐美針對人民幣升值的全球施壓和論爭。直至到了2005年7月21日，中國政府打破匯率堅(jiān)冰，放棄長期以來人民幣緊盯美元的固定匯率制，使人民幣兌美元升值大約兩個(gè)百分點(diǎn)，引起舉世轟動。翁奮的藝術(shù)計(jì)劃似乎構(gòu)成了一則有關(guān)國際政治經(jīng)濟(jì)風(fēng)云突變的神秘預(yù)言。那些不斷累加起來的蛋，好像預(yù)先演示了人民幣的升值事實(shí)以及繼續(xù)升值的可能性。翁奮將都市化的表象置于人民幣圖案所象征的經(jīng)濟(jì)基礎(chǔ)之上，強(qiáng)調(diào)的無疑是現(xiàn)代性在中國的崛起與國際、國內(nèi)的政治經(jīng)濟(jì)生態(tài)的本質(zhì)關(guān)聯(lián)，并未刻意渲染對人民幣升值的預(yù)期。然而，政治經(jīng)濟(jì)現(xiàn)實(shí)的變化無常卻為藝術(shù)家提出問題、討論問題提供了絕佳的語境。眾所周知，“累卵”的含義出自中國春秋時(shí)期一個(gè)古老成語“危如累卵”，該詞常用來形容非常危險(xiǎn)的境地。在此，翁奮憂慮表達(dá)的現(xiàn)實(shí)針對性是不言而喻的。藝術(shù)家究竟是否以自己塑造作品的成功幾率和心理防線來試探人民幣升值的潛在危機(jī)?這一點(diǎn)無法求證。但是，更富彈性的匯率機(jī)制的出現(xiàn)，說明藝術(shù)與政治經(jīng)濟(jì)現(xiàn)實(shí)之間的互動不僅可能，而且十分實(shí)際，并往往帶有異常的感性因素。
撇開與現(xiàn)實(shí)的巧合，《累卵計(jì)劃》首先關(guān)注的仍然是凌駕于人民幣圖案之上那個(gè)高速發(fā)展的城市。畢竟，翁奮在作品中針對城市發(fā)展所突現(xiàn)出的現(xiàn)代性問題，展示了他一以貫之的文化洞察力。1990年代以來，建設(shè)進(jìn)行時(shí)已經(jīng)成為中國各城市的常態(tài)。紅塵萬丈、轟轟烈烈的城市再造運(yùn)動成了中國式現(xiàn)代性最重要的表征之一?？涨耙?guī)模的拆遷和發(fā)展，徹底抹去許多城市特殊的歷史記憶和人文風(fēng)貌，并塑造出許多建筑風(fēng)格整體雷同、無個(gè)性的大城市?，F(xiàn)代化進(jìn)程已然深入到中國城市社會的每一個(gè)角落、城市生活的每一個(gè)細(xì)節(jié)、城市文化風(fēng)貌的每一寸骨髓。城市的急劇都市化，讓一切突變都在人們?nèi)粘５?、熟視無睹的現(xiàn)實(shí)守望中悄然實(shí)現(xiàn)。許多微妙而細(xì)小的變化迅疾地累積起來，并迅疾地改變了中國社會原有的相對穩(wěn)定的內(nèi)在結(jié)構(gòu)，發(fā)展不均、貧富差距、社會鴻溝等問題紛紛浮出水面。對于安于現(xiàn)狀、慣看電視中表面繁榮和歌舞升平的普通人來說，只有事到臨頭，他才會相信自己已然身處的社會轉(zhuǎn)型期的風(fēng)口浪尖，相信許許多多事端并不是一夜之間跑出來的。事實(shí)上，長期以來經(jīng)濟(jì)增長的高歌猛進(jìn)覆蓋、屏蔽了的太多的問題。由于多年來物價(jià)相對穩(wěn)定，拆遷成為觸及許許多多普通人利益、真正打破他的生活常態(tài)的一大突發(fā)事端。城市再造運(yùn)動造成的種種問題，讓人頓悟到社會變革的無可回避，同時(shí)也意識到發(fā)展與風(fēng)險(xiǎn)共存的客觀事實(shí)。然而，藝術(shù)家卻始終是敏感的，能夠發(fā)微見著地把握問題的關(guān)鍵，而且往往有超常的前瞻性。翁奮通過《累卵計(jì)劃》精心構(gòu)筑一種不祥預(yù)感，來表達(dá)他對現(xiàn)代性的憂思。他在每個(gè)橢圓形的蛋殼上噴上防腐用的高光亮膠，再用亮膠將蛋殼整齊地一個(gè)碼一個(gè)、一個(gè)摞一個(gè)地粘連起來，樹立在作品底座上，形成各種城市建筑的縮微造型。燈光下，蛋殼個(gè)個(gè)珠圓玉潤，折射著光暈。各種蛋殼組合的建筑造型也都玲瓏剔透，既酷又亮麗。所有的蛋殼“建筑”以極具裝飾性的方式指向未來的城市模式。無疑，光鮮的未來和神圣光環(huán)中的精神家園才是《累卵計(jì)劃》真正關(guān)注的議題。讓人饒有興味的是，這件氣勢恢宏的裝置作品幾乎可以看作為奧爾德斯•赫胥黎《美麗新世界》的某種視覺藝術(shù)呈現(xiàn)樣本。赫胥黎寫于1932年的小說《美麗新世界》從對現(xiàn)代化的擔(dān)憂出發(fā)營造了的一個(gè)“反烏托邦”。 在這個(gè)已經(jīng)完成了全球化的新世界中，人類可以被批量克隆生產(chǎn)，生產(chǎn)時(shí)他們就被分成等級。每一個(gè)人都從小就被灌輸“如今人人都快樂”、“進(jìn)步就是美好”的必要教條。在這個(gè)“共有、劃一、安定”的新世界里，即使是低等級的人，也是快樂的。他們經(jīng)過七個(gè)半小時(shí)和緩又不累人的勞動之后，就有迷幻藥口糧、游戲、無限制性交和刺激感官的電影可供娛樂。因此他們對自身的處境毫無怨恨，相反還相當(dāng)滿足。這就是小說一再強(qiáng)調(diào)的“如今人人都快樂”的境界。當(dāng)今，仍有許多歐美知識分子認(rèn)為，赫胥黎的預(yù)言現(xiàn)正在實(shí)現(xiàn)，經(jīng)濟(jì)全球化的噩夢創(chuàng)造出了許多幾乎一模一樣的城市、幾乎一模一樣的城市生活方式。這種克隆式的創(chuàng)造正在讓人類豐富無比的文化精神走向枯萎。翁奮的《累卵計(jì)劃》是一個(gè)從中國經(jīng)濟(jì)語境出發(fā)樹立的具有全球化、現(xiàn)代性的城市標(biāo)本，其中所提煉出的抽象本質(zhì)，無疑是一種對發(fā)展中國家的城市發(fā)展劃一化的絕佳諷喻?！独勐延?jì)劃》只是城市無限膨脹的一種象征。它對我們現(xiàn)有的盲目樂觀主義發(fā)展觀構(gòu)成一個(gè)警示。如果我們?nèi)栽谄娴?、毫無節(jié)制地追求的城市擴(kuò)張和發(fā)展，而忘記對有形和無形的既有文化財(cái)富的保護(hù)，忘記資源與環(huán)境發(fā)展的平衡性，僅僅陶醉于這種擴(kuò)張和發(fā)展所帶來的所謂“國際化大都市”的虛假繁榮，我們的城市也許就會成為空心的、缺乏文化和精神實(shí)質(zhì)的蛋殼城市。而我們心往神馳的現(xiàn)代化，也會變成一個(gè)《美麗新世界》那樣的“反烏托邦”。
《累卵計(jì)劃》像一個(gè)使用了特殊材質(zhì)的超大型的建筑沙盤，激活的是觀者超凡的想象力和物質(zhì)審美主義熱情。眾所周知，看樓是中國所有高速發(fā)展的大城市的一大社會熱點(diǎn)。隨著房地產(chǎn)的不斷升溫，大量購房者、炒樓者和更大量的有購房動機(jī)者紛紛穿梭于各種新樓盤之間，面對一一個(gè)造型各異、但一律制作精美的縮微建筑沙盤，或進(jìn)入精心裝修的樣板間。他們的觸景生情和完美想象，無不基于對將來生活空間和生活方式的一種憧憬。同樣的經(jīng)驗(yàn)也產(chǎn)生在房展會上，觀看者從一個(gè)沙盤簇?fù)淼搅硪粋€(gè)沙盤，尋找著填充自己理想和未來那一個(gè)個(gè)具體的空間。翁奮深深了解發(fā)生在城市膨脹過程中這種視覺經(jīng)驗(yàn)的現(xiàn)實(shí)，在日常生活中，看樓已成為人們追求更大、更長久的利益和幸福感的社會行為。他仿照建筑沙盤的樣式塑造《累卵計(jì)劃》，有心讓觀者備感親切，激發(fā)出審美慣性所驅(qū)馳的想象力及其誤讀的可能性。翁奮的《累卵計(jì)劃》其實(shí)是一個(gè)沒有具體指代對象的建筑沙盤，具有烏托邦色彩，與那些售樓處沙盤，甚至與那些城市規(guī)劃館的新城區(qū)展示沙盤都有本質(zhì)的不同。那些看樓者司空見慣的沙盤，往往精致得像工藝品一樣，雖然都有專門的現(xiàn)實(shí)指代對象，但卻一個(gè)個(gè)出落得超凡脫俗，具有不同程度的超日常特征。那些沙盤凝聚并突出了那些將要成為現(xiàn)實(shí)的樓盤、城區(qū)的一切優(yōu)點(diǎn)，同時(shí)省略了幾許缺陷和問題。一句話，極具賣相，符合消費(fèi)社會大趨勢。于是，觀看者視覺愉悅的即時(shí)經(jīng)驗(yàn)也往往傳導(dǎo)了一種想象的快感，而集體性的想象又提升了他們對更高生活品質(zhì)的追求，鼓舞了他們越來越超前的消費(fèi)熱情。翁奮的《累卵計(jì)劃》的超日常特征更為顯著，已有超現(xiàn)實(shí)之感。面對這個(gè)超大沙盤，經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的觀者依然能辨認(rèn)出住宅樓、寫字樓、會所、商業(yè)區(qū)，乃至電視塔、CBD、體育館、綠化帶、人工湖、游樂園、高架橋等等。然而，這個(gè)蛋殼塑造的城市讓人既熟悉又陌生。它既神似我們在經(jīng)濟(jì)高速增長期游歷過的任何一個(gè)中國城市，但又都不像。所有建筑道具的造型都來自翁奮對不同城市記憶的分別抽樣和重塑?？磻T沙盤的觀者在經(jīng)驗(yàn)被喚醒的同時(shí)，也許內(nèi)心會有一種悵然若失之感。他們無限膨脹的消費(fèi)欲望在這個(gè)大沙盤上竟無所寄托。畢竟，這個(gè)沙盤以抽離現(xiàn)實(shí)性的方式超越了人們的日常經(jīng)驗(yàn)。然而，當(dāng)觀者深入觀看作品時(shí)，一種隱憂又悄然出現(xiàn)，人們在社會轉(zhuǎn)型期所追求的安全感，在這里竟無處安頓。人們孜孜以求城市生活和更好的居所，原本是為了獲得一種社會地位、經(jīng)濟(jì)條件和生活質(zhì)量的最有效保障。然而，《累卵計(jì)劃》所象征的這樣一個(gè)城市讓人根本無法張揚(yáng)自己的想象力，因?yàn)槿魏蔚男睦硗渡涠悸洳坏綄?shí)處。蛋殼的脆弱易碎的特性具有某種關(guān)于經(jīng)濟(jì)泡沫的寓言特征，這對普遍追求利好的一廂情愿者具有強(qiáng)烈的精神暗示。我們所在高樓大廈、城市是否堅(jiān)實(shí)?或者說，我們的幸福所在是否有一個(gè)堅(jiān)實(shí)的經(jīng)濟(jì)基礎(chǔ)?這是每個(gè)面對《累卵計(jì)劃》的觀者都會產(chǎn)生的聯(lián)想。翁奮的《累卵計(jì)劃》是一件吸引人不斷去重新觀看的作品。就在觀者的不斷觀看中，這件作品通過對人們內(nèi)心的盲目自信和安全感悄悄剝奪，引發(fā)一種深度的針對人性的心靈震撼。既然趨利避害是人之天性，那么，我們能否真正懂得尊重自然和環(huán)境，遵循平衡發(fā)展、可持續(xù)發(fā)展乃至長遠(yuǎn)發(fā)展的規(guī)則?《累卵計(jì)劃》作為一個(gè)反面烏托邦所呈現(xiàn)的人工光芒，無疑警示著沉浸在快樂原則和欲望游戲中的人們。翁奮利用蛋殼苦心孤詣營造的這個(gè)危機(jī)四伏的“美麗新世界”，顯然已不再是我們憧憬已久的精神家園?？上攵?，如果我們在城市規(guī)劃發(fā)展中不及早作出緊急調(diào)整，改變現(xiàn)狀，準(zhǔn)備預(yù)案，崩盤的一天也許真的會到來?！独勐延?jì)劃》的沙盤樣式，讓翁奮近距離地披露城市發(fā)展的矛盾，再一次地走進(jìn)城市人的內(nèi)心沖突，提示出現(xiàn)代性的危機(jī)下某種集體無意識的脆弱和虛妄。
當(dāng)代藝術(shù)的生命力在于實(shí)驗(yàn)。《累卵計(jì)劃》是翁奮現(xiàn)代性實(shí)驗(yàn)室又一出品。這件貌似兒時(shí)積木游戲的作品，卻言簡意賅，顯示了藝術(shù)家獨(dú)到的視角和沉靜的文化反省的態(tài)度。既然現(xiàn)代性問題在某種意義上是中國許多經(jīng)濟(jì)、社會、文化問題的源頭，那么，翁奮直面中國現(xiàn)代性問題的勇氣，正代表了一種知識分子積極入世、及時(shí)進(jìn)行社會批評的現(xiàn)實(shí)立場。這種立場在如今的藝術(shù)圈內(nèi)，其實(shí)已不多見了。
Weng Fen's Beautiful New World
By Gu Zhengqing, curator
With the rising of China, the issue of modernity has become the top priority across the country. It is, I believe, also one of the key issues the Chinese contemporary art community has to address. Nevertheless, despite a huge number of artists who like to advocate their Chinese identity, few have made any attempt to express their thoughts on this special phenomenon. Weng Fen is one of the few artists who have created many series of work to depict the changes of urban residents’ mentality as well as the discrepancy between their expectation and the reality of the society, both caused by the nation’s rapid economic development in a global setting. His works include “On the Wall” photo series (2001), “Bird's Eye” photo series (2002), installation “Viewing Stand” (2003) and “Staring at the Sea” photo series. The photos taken by Weng Fen always leave the viewers with a complicated sensation that recedes slowly. In his works, issues of traditional and modern life, economic globalization and China’s own path, as well as the unbalanced development in the urban consumer society are intertwined in the common background of modernity. Therefore, his work brings out subtle emotions that used to hide deep in our minds, leading to strong and irresistible emotional fluctuations. We also get the feeling of becoming an integral part of the pictures: standing right behind the girls in his “On The Wall” and “Bird's Eye” series, we are looking in the same direction at the gigantic modern cities. Instead of being in an ecstasy of delight, we, as a part of the development process toward modernization, inevitably experience a timeless solitude and great mental burden. Compared with the thin girls in the pictures, it is us that appear to be lost more deeply in a state of helplessness.
Weng Fen continues his exploration of the modernity issue by turning out new pieces of work, hoping to find a solution. His work in 2005, “Building with Eggs”, is one such attempt. This project was started at the end of 2004 and has been widely known to the Chinese art community since then. Due to the huge amount of work it requires, it was finished only recently in August, 2005. Around ten thousand chicken eggs and slightly fewer duck and quail eggs with their contents removed were used in the project to constitute an 8×4×1m miniature model city. Viewing from above, people see a complete picture taken from the image on a 50-yuan banknote. The green banknote, still in circulation now in China, shows the profiles of a worker, a peasant and an intellect in the middle of it. Like a concrete forest growing out of the banknote, the model vividly represents a typical Chinese city developing in a competitive international environment. Problems occurred frequently during the process of creation, which almost led to a complete failure several times. I believe this experience reflects the similarly unstable state of the nation's economic and political environment. Shortly after the project started, the Chinese government was urged by the US and Europe to revaluate its RMB, triggering heated debates around the globe. In July 21, 2005, after months of pressure from the US and Europe, China scrapped the Yuan's peg to the US dollar and raised its exchange rate with the US dollar by two percent, which attracted the attention of the entire world. The project of Weng Fen, therefore, seems to be a mystical prophesy on this event in the ever-changing world. The eggs building high on top of each other are a sign of the present appreciation of RMB and the potential of further appreciation. The whole modern city in Weng's installation finds its foundation in a banknote that symbolizes the economic basis for development. Of course, the artist did not create the project to show his anticipation of the appreciation of the currency. It is the essential relationship between the country’s rapid shift to modernization and the political and economic situation home and abroad that he is emphasizing on. The current environment is obviously the best for artists to express their ideas about the issues they are concerned with through their work. The title of the project, “Building with eggs”, has its origin from an ancient Chinese idiom that date back to the Chunqiu Period (770-476 BC), “as precarious as a pile of eggs”, meaning “in an extremely dangerous situation.” It clearly indicates the artist’s concern over the reality. Maybe he intends to imply the possible crisis caused by the appreciation of the currency in his work, as uncertainty remains throughout the whole process of creation, but we don’t know the exact answer. China’s adoption of a more flexible exchange rate regime is a proof that the interaction between art and reality, both political and economical, is not only possible, but also practical, though the artists’ understanding of the reality usually tend to be perceptual.
In spite of the coincidence with the reality, “Building with Eggs” focuses on the fast-developing city model which features the picture on a 50-yuan note. This installation, together with his other works, demonstrates his keen insight into the problems arising from China's modernization process. Ever since the 1990s, cities across the nation have been going through large-scale construction work in order to realize modernization. City reconstruction movement has become one of the most distinctive features of the country. As large parts of old cities are being torn down, the government has to relocate a large number of city dwellers. Unfortunately, many sites of historical and cultural importance have been wiped out while people are trying to build their cities into metropolitans. After excessive reconstruction, cities lose their own features and start to look the same. Up until now, the modernization process has influenced practically every city around the country and become a part of urban life and culture. All the changes are integrated into people's daily life and they damage the once stable social structure, leading to problems such as the widening gap between the rich and the poor as well as between the western and eastern regions. Common people, who are content with the status quo, tend to believe what the propaganda system wants them to: that they are enjoying carefree prosperity. Only when their interests are affected by city reconstruction can they realize that problems are deep-rooted in this transforming society. In fact, many problems are overshadowed by China's long-lasting economic growth. As the price level remains stable for years, relocation has become the key issue that disturbs people’s normal life, which makes them realize all of a sudden that social changes can not be avoided, nor neglected. On the other hand, artists are sensitive enough to grasp the core of these problems and are able to stay ahead of time. Weng Fen expresses his anticipation of possible problems and his worries about modernization in his “Building with Eggs”. Every egg was first sprayed with shiny, high-luster gum to keep them from deterioration. Then they were glued on a piece of board by the gum to form models of city architecture with different shapes. The city model looks as cool and glistening as the eggs themselves under the spotlight. All the decorative eggshell “buildings” have the style of a future city conceived by the artist. It is obvious that a sacred spiritual home in a bright future is what “Building with Eggs” is trying to display. Interesting enough, this magnificent installation can be seen as a visual demonstration of the world created in “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. Written in 1932, the novel depicted an anti-utopian World State in which residents suffered greatly. In that globalized world, babies were produced by the cloning technology and segregated into various castes once they were born. Through the use of science, babies were also conditioned to guarantee they would be happy members of the advanced society, the motto of which was “Community, Identity, Stability.” Even people of lower castes were trained to be content with their lives. After seven hours of light work, they could take drugs, indulge themselves in promiscuity and enjoy "Feelie," a movie that stimulates the senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Each person's “happiness” was maximized as a result of their social conditioning and stunted development. Now many European scholars still believe that the prognostication made by Huxley is coming true as we can recognize so many contemporary parallels there are to the World State. Economic globalization has brought about a large number of identical modern cities where people have the same life style. Diversified and rich human culture has been seriously damaged in the “cloning” of metropolitan cities. Weng Fen's “Building with Eggs” is the representation of a modern and globalized Chinese city desperate for economic growth and is an excellent satire of the identical urban planning of cities in China and other developing countries. As a symbol of the ever- expanding cities, the installation warns people to stay clear of blind optimism. If we don't refrain from excessive urban construction and expansion and stop being indulged in the superficial prosperity of the “metropolises”, cities will be deprived of their culture and spirit and become as hollow as eggshells. We have to protect the tangible and intangible cultural heritage and maintain a balance between the consumption of resources and the protection of environment. Otherwise, the modernized cities we crave for will turn out to be another “Brave New World”.
The installation “Building with Eggs” looks like a huge sand table model made from special materials, which stimulates viewers' imagination and their passion for consumerism. As the real estate market has heated up dramatically in recent years, building inspection is popular among residents in the growing cities in China and a huge number of people who intend to invest in the market are busy visiting different new buildings under construction. When they are looking closely at various delicate sand table models and sample rooms decorated extravagantly, they like to dream of their perfect future lives in these buildings. They are also frequent visitors of real estate exhibitions, moving from one model to another, looking for their idealistic future apartments. Weng Fen has a profound understanding of the fact that in expanding Chinese cities, people are looking for greater benefits and an enduring sense of happiness by investing in the real estate market. “Building With Eggs” follows the format of a sand table model, thus making viewers feel familiar and stimulating their imagination. But it should not be considered the same as a common model in a building's sales office or a city’s urban-planning exhibition hall, because they are different in essence --- the installation does not have a specific area to be modeled after. Instead, it displays a Utopia. Misconceptions may occur if people fail to realize the disparity. Sand tale models are usually built exquisitely as if they were pieces of craftwork. By highlighting the good features and eliminating some shortcomings of the actual place, they all appear to be unrealistically magnificent and attractive to consumers. Inspired by the outlook of a wonderful life in a new apartment exhibited in the models, the viewers are enthusiastic to buy a condominium, even if they have to apply for a mortgage, as they desire to improve their living standards in this way. Experienced viewers can recognize in the model city of “Building With Eggs” many familiar things, including apartment buildings, business centers, clubs and CBD. They can even find a television tower, a stadium, grass lands, artificial lakes, theme parks and viaducts. However, even though its appearance can be linked to any Chinese city in the current economic boom, the super-realistic eggshell city refers to none of them. The design of the city originates from Weng Fen’s memory of different cities. The viewers who are used to common models may feel at a loss when they are looking at the model city, because they can’t buy anything on display. Most city residents have been devoting themselves to getting better apartments with the intention to raise their social status and ensure the quality of their lives in this transforming society. But they can’t realize their dreams of securing a happy life in a city that only exists in the form of an eggshell model. The fragileness of eggshells represents the unstable state of the economy frequently troubled by “bubbles”, which is usually ignored by the over-optimistic. The eggshell installation encourages viewers to think about many questions: Are the buildings in our cities reliable? Do our happy lives have a solid foundation? The installation also attracts viewers to inspect it further and leads them to face the shocking reality. As it is human nature to seek benefits and avoid harm, we should respect nature and pursue balanced and sustainable development. As a matter of fact, the “Beautiful New World” built through Weng Fen's great efforts does not qualify for a perfect spiritual home for us human being as it carries the risk of collapsing at any moment. As an anti-utopia, the eggshell city warns the people who only care about satisfying their own desire and seeking their own “happiness” that if we don't improve our urban planning and construction immediately, the day of collapse will not be very far ahead. As an artist who understands the minds of city dwellers, Weng Fen exposes the problems in urban development through a sand table model and reveals the fragileness and falseness of ignorant people trapped in this modern development crisis.
The life of contemporary art lies in experimenting. “Building with Eggs” is the latest “experiment” carried out by Weng Fen's “modern art lab”. Like a model built with toy bricks by a child, the simple yet meaningful installation reflects the unique viewpoint of the artist and his insight into social and cultural issues. As modernization is, to some extent, the origin of many economic, social and cultural problems in China. The courage Weng Fen shows when he addresses these problems through his works is an example of the artist’s rational criticism of the society and his active participation into the current social life, which is quite rare in China’s art scene now. (Translated by Steven Huang)
【編輯：張瑜】
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