[lang_en]Background Material: Spatial Design for the Nanjing Triennial (2008)[/lang_en][lang_zh]Background Material: 关于南京三年展的空间设计 (2008)[/lang_zh]
[lang_en]
Artist: Zheng Yunhan
« Back to Spatial Design for the Nanjing Triennial (2008)
Spatial Design for the Nanjing Triennial
Zheng Yunhan
When I received an invitation to design the space of the Nanjing Triennial, the Triennial had already entered its preparatory phase. I am quite interested in projects like this: being an artistic project, it is relatively easy to achieve consensus in thinking. The large scale of this exhibition satisfies certain functional requirements, and lets me add some of my own ideas pertaining to theme. Thus design work for such a project is quite a rewarding process.
This is triennial is being held for the third time. In the two previous triennials there were no specific concepts or measures for spatial design. However, due to current conditions in China, and to the rapid development of its art market, we can no longer neglect spatial factors as a way to enhance the effectiveness of an exhibition. Given the advent of large-scale exhibitions where any number of techniques such as multi-media, installations, and performance are mingled together, traditional catalogues and presentation processes cannot contain the tension of the exhibition theme. At this time, spatial design serves as an integrative tie which can link together expressive forms in various media effectively. Incorporation of spatial design is by now a pressing necessity.
The Nanjing Museum was designed and built during the Republican Period by Mr. Liang Sicheng. Today, it is no longer ideal for accommodating an exhibition of contemporary art. Yet in its time, it was a bold experiment to construct a museum with modern techniques and materials, reflecting China’s spiritual values and fitting with vernacular modes of architecture. The main exhibition hall of the museum takes the traditional enclosed courtyard structure into account. The basic shape of small square within large square, resembling the character hui, was doubled to form two adjoining courtyards. Thus the traditional forms of main room, side room, and verandah were writ large to form an integrated space for display. The primary large-scale element of the structure—the main hall—embodies core features of traditional architecture.
The theme of the current triennial is “Asia!?” This is a powerful title, simple and affirmative.
One thinks about Asia from many angles. Almost any person faced with the question of “Asia” will give a different answer. When I am confronted with this, I need to take time to approach the theme. After all, living in China I have felt the impact of change on the socialist system and have taken part in that process. Although China is an important part of Asia, it cannot represent the whole of Asia. Thus when I am faced with this theme, what I feel most of all is the “spirit” of Asia. Asia’s history has been full of vicissitudes, and these have become more intense since the industrial revolution brought us into close connection with the rest of the world. What concerns me as I follow this thread is how Asia, in the face of each crisis, at each crucial turning point, has been able to stand up anew and push forward under adversity. This is not done by administrative decree or financial temptation. It is a self-determined choice by Asia as a whole, the choice to be indomitable and courageous, the choice to reform.
Thus a spiritual train of thought becomes the chief thread of this proposal. Beginning from within the Nanjing Museum, proceeding past works of different genre, size and mode, a core line will run through the axis of the exhibition space. The exhibition interior will be portioned off by lines drawn perpendicular to the axis. Through use of dividers, these portions will be oriented so that each space faces away from the adjacent ones; then works of various types will be assigned for exhibit in the spaces. Thus the once-rectilinear interior will become a series of turns and changing scenes, a site for movement in which the end seems ever-receding.
Outside of the Nanjing Museum, along the original terraced layout, a structure will unfold in a series of descending focal points. Ultimately this will form a many-angled anomalous edifice, assembled from triangular components, with multiple planes and multiple nodes of intersecting lines. The edifice will begin behind the top roofline of the main hall. Viewed from a distance, it will appear that the old building is engendering a structure of numerous extended lines. The anomalous edifice and the museum building will be joined as an organic whole.
One will begin at the exterior anomalous edifice, then enter straight into the exhibition space. Viewers will be affected and influenced by the winding route and planar segments. The whole will be experienced more deeply because viewers will proceed along zigzag course.
11/8/08
Translated by Denis Mair
[/lang_en]
[lang_zh]
Artist: 郑云瀚
关于南京三年展的空间设计
郑云瀚
接到南京三年展空间设计的邀请的时候，南京三年展已经进入筹备阶段。我本身对这样的项目还是很感兴趣的，由于是艺术项目，在意识上比较容容易达成共识，而且这样的大型艺术展览可以在满足展览功能需求的同时可以加入自己对于主题的些许认识和概念，所以设计这样的项目，是很有趣味的过程。
这一界三年展是第三次举办，之前的两次并没有对空间的概念做具体的设计或者概念实施。但是中国的整体现状和艺术市场的高速发展，已经不能不考虑空间因素对展览整体效果的凝聚力。随着现今的艺术手段的多样化，多媒体、装置、行为、等等…多种艺术形式搀杂起来的大型展览，传统的画册和展览过程中的表现力，已经不能单一的承载展览主题的张力，这时候，空间设计作为纽带，可以有效的将多种媒介的表现形式有效的连接起来。空间设计的介入已经是十分必要的事情了。
南京博物馆是由梁思成先生在民国期间设计建造的博物馆。在今天，已经不能理想的安排当代艺术作品的展览。但是在当时，运用现代化的施工工艺和材料，按照中国传统建筑的样式和精神内涵建造的博物馆还是非常伟大的尝试。南京博物馆本身的主要展厅，借鉴了传统建筑中的四合院结构，利用两个回字型的空间互相连接形成两个中空的院落，将传统建筑中的正房、偏房、回廊等形式拉伸，延展形成一个完整的展示空间。而标志型建筑物－大殿，更是传统建筑精髓的体现。
这界南京三年展的主题是“亚洲”。这是一个很有力量的名字，简单而肯定。
关于亚洲的思考是多方面的，几乎每一个面对“亚洲“的时候都会有不同的答案。不过我自己面对这个事情的时候，彷徨在这个主题面前，毕竟我是生活在中国，感受着社会主义变革的过程并且参与这个过程，虽然中国是亚洲很重要的部分，但是毕竟不能代表全部的亚洲。所以我在面对这个主题的时候更多的是感受“亚洲“的精神。亚洲的历史坎坷而曲折，尤其是当这个世界因工业革命而变的紧密联系之后，这个过程更加的剧烈。但是这个线索中，我更关注的是在每次最危机、最重要的时刻，亚洲总能在困难面前重新站立起来，面对困难勇往直前。这不是行政命令也不是金钱诱惑，这时亚洲整体的、自主的选择，选择不屈、选择勇敢、选择变革。
所以，精神的思绪成为这个方案设计的主要线索。从南京博物馆内部开始，按照艺术作品的分类、大小、样式等等因素，以轴线为核心，按照不同的角度对展馆内部做长短不同的切割。这些切割后剩余的空间做反向处理后分配给不同的作品作为展览的空间。这样，原来四四方方的展厅，变成了不断转折，不断变化的场景，不断的运动几乎感觉没有尽头一样。
南京博物馆的外部，依照原有的阶梯结构，由高到低依次在不同的视觉点之间构筑转折部件，最终形成一个很多三角形结构片组合而成的多角度、多线面、多节点的异型构筑物。构筑物的起点在南博大殿梁脊的背面，远处看去，很象一个老建筑表面不断的生长出很多线条和结构。使异型构筑物和南京博物馆的原有建筑有机的结合成为一个整体。
由外面异型构筑物开始，直到进入展览空间。人会逐渐被曲折的线条和面块所左右和感染。对于折线之后的整体会有着更深的体会。
郑云瀚
08.8.11
[/lang_zh]