活成一根刺 Living Like a Thorn

The subtle and entangled relationship between art and the human body has always been a central theme in the development of art history. How the external world observes you as a physical body, and how you, in turn, perceive your own body and the bodies of others—these dimensions, involving identity, sensation, and hormones—have profoundly influenced the thoughts, emotions, and methods of expression in an artist’s work. In today’s incredibly complex era, where various forces and events intersect, including the rapid advancement of technology, there is no doubt that these forces are continuously reshaping our physical bodies. This has even led some artists to declare: “Your body is a battlefield” (Barbara Kruger)!

Wang Yanxin is an artist who regards his own body as the battlefield for his art. From all his works, it is evident that he is an artist who constantly experiences and explores the world through his body. Of course, tactile sensation and physical desire are not the ultimate goals he wishes to display. Rather, he uses his body as a tool—manipulating and marking external objects through physical actions and physiological functions. Through this process, he seeks to transcend the monotony of daily life or repetitive actions, delving into the unknown world and discovering some of the accidental cultural phenomena and opportunities it offers. Therefore, we often witness some radical or extreme behaviors and performances in his work creation. This does not suggest that the artist is an extreme or mentally unstable person in his daily life, but rather that, through this stance, Wang Yanxin allows his body to become not only a space but also a crucial carrier and source of information. Through this medium, he continuously presents to others the information and events he encounters, feels, or witnesses in this era—whether it be joy, pain, repression, or knowledge.

Another key characteristic of Wang Yanxin’s work is its closeness to or even integration with life. Since Duchamp, the integration of art with life has long ceased to be a question, and the boundary between art and life has become increasingly blurred. Of course, this does not mean that Wang Yanxin’s art is popular or mainstream; on the contrary, his life-infused works often resist or challenge the banal, everyday society, using them as a reminder for people to maintain reflection and independence.

As Wang Yanxin expresses in his own words:
“Bodies need to rebel. Let the body tremble, rethink the body under control and uncontrollable conditions. Let the body intervene in public spaces and establish relationships with reality and nature, reshaping the relationship between the body and space. Let the body establish a relationship with the audience through interaction, re-sensing the subtle changes between people, and writing its own bodily language and creative narrative.”

This is Wang Yanxin’s interpretation of the body. He explicitly states that the body must “rebel” and “tremble” because, for him, this is the vital path for culture and life to endure or become more meaningful. Even though globalization and industrialization have led to mass replication and vulgarity, becoming so dominant in today’s world, as artists or awake individuals, there remains the responsibility to uncover the differences between various identities. As a result, in the eyes of others, the artist has made himself “live like a thorn.” However, no matter how one views it, this approach has preserved the independence of his work and thinking. And in truth, isn’t the success of contemporary Chinese art today the result of the continuous boundary-pushing efforts of these marginal artists?

2021.10   By Li Guohua