《文明》解说

解说写的实在太漂亮，决定挑一些喜欢的誊下来。时隔一年半，我终于把剩下的三集看完了。一集一集写。E06Radiance26’20’’GoyaTheBlackPaintingsseemtometobeanendgameforGoya,notjustinhisownlifeandcareerinhis70s,butalsohisfeelingaboutanendgameforart,theartthataspiredthroughbeautytoennoblethespiritofcivilization.Shockathisownmonstrousness,FranciscodeGoya,1820-1823https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/saturn/18110a75-b0e7-430c-bc73-2a4d55893bd6Oneofthemostterrifyingofallthesepaintings,perhapsthemostfamousone,showsSaturndevouringoneofhischildren.That’swhatit’scometo.Thehugetraditionofclassicalmythologyreducedtoamad,antic,caperingmonster,chewingonthestumpofasmallbody,butlookatthatbody.Notachildatall.It’sthebodyminiaturizedofafemalenude.Twomillenniaoflookingatthenude,ofseeingitasasymbolofart’sperfectionisreducedtothishorrifyingimageofsadisticcruelty.FightwithCudgels,orFighttoDeathwithClubs,FranciscodeGoya,1820-1823https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/duel-with-cudgels-or-fight-to-the-death-with-clubs/2f2f2e12-ed09-45dd-805d-f38162c5beafInoneofthepaintings,heputsthelightsbackon.We’reabletoseesomething,butwhatisitwe’reseeing?Thelightisgiventoustorevealanotherkindofhorror.Thesetwohugepeasant-likefiguresbeatingthelivingdaylightsoutofeachother.Bloodisstreamingdowntheheadofoneofthem,evenastheysinkdeeperanddeeperintoakindofsandyquagmire.ThisiswhatSpainhasbecome.Endless,relentless,mutualslaughter.Now,allthesemonstersandhorrorsanddemonsanddragonsofcoursehadappearedalloverEuropeanartbefore,butwherehadtheyappeared?They’dappearedinimagesoftheLastJudgmentandtheApocalypse,andtheywerealwaysbalancedbyasenseoftheoptimismofsalvation.ButGoyahascometotheconclusionthatGodisabsentwithoutleaveandthereisonepainting,whichinasenseisleastlikelytohavethehorrifyingpessimisticeloquence,butitdoes.TheDrowningDog,FranciscodeGoya,1820-1823https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-drowning-dog/4ea6a3d1-00ee-49ee-b423-ab1c6969bca6Therearenofigures,there’sjustadog,amutt.Butforthisdog,themasterisgone,dead,slaughtered,missing.He’snolongergoingtobefed.He’ssimplyfacedwithdrowninginsidethisformlessbrownvacuum.It’sallcomedowntothis,then.Adogwithoutamaster.Spainwithoutitsgod.Humanityabsolutelywithoutcivilization.E01SecondMomentofCreation4’53’’Wecanspendalotoftimedebatingwhatcivilizationisorisn’t,butwhenit’soppositeshowsup,inallitsbrutalityandcrueltyandintoleranceandlustfordestruction,weknowwhatcivilizationis;weknowitfromtheshockofitsimminentlossasamutilationonthebodyofourhumanity.16’58’’Withthisexquisite,intensivelycarvedfemalehead,wehaveforthefirsttime,somethingimmenselyandmovinglymomentous.Wehavetherevelationofthehumanface.It’satinything,itcanjustgointhepalmofyourhandanditcouldhaveonlybeenmadebyanextraordinaryarrayofdexterousskills.39’36’’Ultimately,allcivilizationswantexactlywhattheycan’thave:theconquestoftime.Sotheybuildbigger,higherandgranderasiftheycouldbuildtheirwayoutofmortality,anditneverworks.Therealwayscomesamomentwherethemostpopulousofcitieswiththeirmarketsandtemplesandpalacesandfuneraltombsaresimplyabandoned.Andthatmostindefatigablelevellerofall,mothernature,closesin,coveringtheplacewithdesertsand,orstranglingitwithvegetation.Andthen,civilizationdiesthedeathofdeaths,invisibility.E02Howdowelook?25x27;41quot;Theonethingyoureallygethereisthatsizematters.Thesevastmonumentalfigures,perhapsfourorfivetimeslifesizeandwiththatnicehintthatthey’dbeenevenbiggeriftheybotheredtostandupforyou,simplydominate.Theytakeoveryourfieldofvision.It’sanassertionofthepowerofthepharaohthroughhishuge,superhuman,enthronedbody.33’31”IfearlyAthenianpotteryreflectshowmanandwomenwereexpectedtolivewithinthesocialcontextofthecity,itsstatuesattempttoembodytheinteriorlifewithin.ThebeginningofthefifthcenturyBCEsawanamazingtransformationinGreeksculpture.Rigidfigureswiththefixedgazeofphrasikleiagivewaytodaringnewexperimentsinthehumanform.OneofthefirstoftheseisknownastheKritiosboy,andhewouldtransformhowweseethesculptedhumanbody.TheKritiosboyshowusthatyoucansignalanterioritythroughtheperson’smovement,throughtheirstance.Butparticularly,ifyoulosethearchaicsmile,andyouhaveanexpressionwhichisn’tnecessarilyblank,thatimmediatelyinvitesyou,thespectator,topsychologiseit.Sowiththatonestep,thestatueacquiresnotjustabodythatisanorganismratherthanamechanism,butalsowhatwewouldprobablycall,asoul.41’57’’“Thiswasquitesimplythemostsublimestatueofantiquitytohaveescapeddestruction.Aneternalspringtide,clothesthealluringvirilityofhismatureyearswithapleasingyouthandplayswithsofttendernessupontheloftystructureofhislimbs.quot;49’46’’Westillhavealotofreallyunexaminedassumptionsaboutwhatconstitutesabeautifulordesirablebody.Wehavealotofunexaminedassumptionsaboutwhatconstitutesanattractive,oraestheticallyappealingwaytolook.Andyouhaveonlytoopenupthepagesofawomen’smagazine,aspeoplearecommonlypointingout,toseehowincrediblynarrowthespaceisinacertainkindofwesternaestheticconsciousness,forwhatawomancanlooklike.Similarkindsofthingscanbeappliedtomenaswell.Reinforcedbycommercialinterests,thecultofyouthandbeautybegunbytheancientGreeks,isperhapsmorepowerfulthanevertoday.E03PicturingParadise6’34’’李成《晴峦萧寺图》http://collection.sina.com.cn/zgsh/20121116/152092655.shtmlWhatmakesLiCheng’spaintingamasterpiece,isthatitliterallyrisesaboveroyalpropaganda.Asoureyeascendsthroughthepainting,soourwholeapproachtoitalsoascendstoahigherorderofquestion.AndLiChenghaschangedthewashoftheink.It’slighter,finer,moreethereal.Itsuggestsdeepdistance.Butdepthsofourownresponseaswellasphysicaldepths.Whatisnature?Whatliesbeyondsurfaceappearance?Whattrulymovestheuniverse?Andhowaboveall,doesthedialoguebetweenflowingwaterandtheadamantfaceofthaterodedrock,bringusharmony?18’56’’Butrenaissancehumanismtookadifferentattitudetotheserpentoftemptation.ThisisVillaBarbaro.…Aplacewhererenaissanceidealsofcultureandsophisticationcouldmeettheearthypleasuresofthecountry.Abuildingofharmony,graceandpleasure,whereitwouldbeforeversummer.LeonardoDaVinciwrotesomethingfascinating.Hesays,“oneofthevaluesofpaintingisitcanshowyouthebeautyofnatureandperhapsyourloverinnature,inthemiddleofwinter.”Whenyou’restuckinside,you’restuckindoors,butyoucanrememberwhatthemeadowsandwhatlovelypicnicswerelikelastsummerbylookingatapaintingofit.Ifyouextendthatintoakindofatheoryoflandscapeart,youmightsaythatthefirstwaythatpeopleexpressthedesiretoescapeintolandscapeisbyactuallycreatingescapistworlds.30’41”HuntersintheSnow,PieterBruegel1565https://www.wikiart.org/en/pieter-bruegel-the-elder/hunters-in-the-snow-1565Bruegelpaintedthesecompendious,visuallyinexhaustiblemasterpiecesafterthelongest,bleakest,coldestFlemishwinteranyonecouldremember.Let’sjustthinkforaminutethewayinwhichBruegelmakesuslookatthesepictures.Ontheonehand,theyareaninvitationintoawealthofdetail,whereveroureyetravels,itpicksouttheselovelyminutiaeofworkandplay.Theskatersglidingacrosstheice.Oureyetravelsfromonekindoflandscape,avillagehuddledonthehill,toacompletelydifferentone.Afrozenmountainorastormtossedestuaryouttothebroadopensea.ButtherearemomentsaswellwhenthepurecompositionalmusclethatBruegelcancommandmakeseverythingcometogetherinonegreatuniversalvision.Itmakesusstop.Itmakesushaveamomentofcontemplation.AndthenIfwe’revery,verylucky,likethesewonderfulpaintings,itallseemstoaddup.Awholeofthehumanconditionandourspeciallittleplacewithinit.40’30”TherewereafewkindofparticularcharacteristicsthatmarkedouttheAmericanapproachtothelandscape.OneofthosewasasenseofinferiorityandcompetitionwithEuropethatAmericansinthe18thcenturyandtheearly19thcentury,werethepoorcountrycousins.AndtheywereontheoutermostfringeofanEuropeanworldinwhichtheyhadbeentaughtthatRomeisthecentreofallart,thatthebestlandscapes,thetallestmountainsaretobefoundinSwitzerland.AndhereareAmericans,onthethresholdreallyoftheirowngreatcontinent,whichtheyarebeginningincreasinglytomovewestacross,tryingtosay,“wait,youknowwhat,wehavereallyhighmountainsalso.Andwehavereallybiganimalsthatwecancelebrateinthesametermsyouguysareusingbutwithourcharactersinstead.”AndIthinkthatwasoutofinferiorityinafunnysense,thatakindofAmericanprideintheAmericanlandscapewasborn.43’21”Moreandmore(Ansel)Adam’sphotographsbecamepreachy.Butthosevisionsermonswereradiant,mystical,ecstatic.Theywerepassionatestatementsabouthowhumanitycouldberedeemedthroughtheencounterwithnature.Butthroughout,heremainssteadfastthathisjobinlifeistogivevisualformtothatsilkencord,tyingtogetherthefateofmanwiththefateoftheearth.E04TheEyeofFaith43’49’’Whatallofthesemovementswithinreligionshaveincommonisthattheycomealongsayingwehaveapurerformoffaiththantheonethatiscurrentlybeingpracticed,andifyourfundamentalgoalispurity,thenoneofthecentralthingsyoumighttrytodowouldbetoeliminateopulentaestheticorpotentiallysinfulrepresentationsofthingstoactasintermediaries,becausethenmaybeyou’rejustworshippingtheobject,you’renotactuallyworshippingthedivine.SoitmakessensethatprotestantsintheReformationwentintothemonasteriesandstrippedeverythingoutsaying“it’stimetogetridoftheseimages.”51’35’’Wepassionatelywanttorediscoverthespiritualinart,wepassionatelywanttodiscoverthatkindofpowerandpurposethatreligiousarthas.Whetherit’sreinventingChristianartincathedralsorwhetherit’sreinventingIslamicart,it’saboutwantingtoresacraliseart,wantingtorediscoverthatwonderful,almostmagical,charismaticpurposethatreligiousarthas.Formuchofhistory,arthasbeenreligiousart.Forsome,thecreativeimpulsehasbeentheveryexpressionofdivinity.Forothers,achallengetoGod’sauthority.Forthosethatbelieve,religiousarthasalwaysbeentransformative;yetforeveryone,artretainsaprimal,spiritualfeeling,awaytoexpressthemysteriousanditspeakstoourearliesthumandrivetotouchanddefineaworldbeyondourown.E05TheTriumphofArt50’49’’Outtherethewesternhurlyburlyisgettingreadytomaketerriblemischieftosmashitswayintothedomedheavenlyvault,tostickitsbloodygreatbrutalbootsrightintotheparadisegarden.It’llmakeanempirebasedonmachines,moneyandmuskets.Thenslowlybutsurely,theMoghulEmpirewilldisappearentirelyinsideitscourtlyrefinement,becominginextricablyjustaculturalornament.Aftercenturiesofextraordinaryflowering,theeasternRenaissancewastransformedbythetwinforcesofempireandcolonialism.ThedelicatebloomsandglowingjewelssurvivedinwhatEuropeansworeontheirbodiesandhowtheydecoratetheirhomes.Whilepaintersweremislabeledasminiaturists,astheywereforcedatleastforatime,torelyonthepatronageoftheirnewBritishrulers.Westernartcriticsincreasinglycalledtheartisticbeautyoftheeastdecorative,todistinguishitfrompicturestheyputinframeswhereEuropeansconsiderrealart.Butitwasintheeast,thattheancientmeaningofars,craftwaspreservedinallitssplendorandstillis.Becausehere,unlikeinthewest,theRenaissancewasn’tabouttherebirthofclassicalknowledge.UnlikeEurope,theeasthadneverlosttouchwithitsancientheritage.Arichheritagewhichitcontinuestocelebrateandsharewiththeworldtothisday.E06FirstContact28’07’’《冰山屏风》圆山应举CrackedIce,MaruyamaOkyohttps://theartsdesk.com/tv/civilisations-first-contact-bbc-two-review-david-olusoga-goes-goldWhat’sregardedashisgreatestwork,crackedice,combinedeverythingOkyoknewfrombotheasternandwesterntraditions.It’ssosubtle,sominimal,aworkofartthatalmostfeelslikeitisn’tthere.Andeverythingaboutitfeelsephemeralandfrail.It’spaintedonpapernotcanvasasinthewest,andgreatexpansesofitarejustwhiteblankareasthatseemalmostuntouchedbytheartist.AndyetallofthatbeliesthefactthatthisisoneofthemostsophisticatedworksofculturalsynthesisthatIknow.Itshowsasheetofice,presumablyonalake,andthesebrokenjaggedcracksintheicedisappearedintothemist.Theeffectisthree-dimensionalspace.Now,thatisEuropeanvanishingpointperspective.Andyet,thisisoneofOkyo’smasterworks,justcouldnotbemoreJapanese,becauseit’saphilosophicalcontemplationoftwoconcepts,fundamentaltoBuddism,imperfectionandimpermanence.Imperfectionbecausetheselinesareuncontrolledandirregular;Impermanencebecauseofcoursetheicewillmelt.AndthosetwoarejustasfundamentaltoJapaneseart,astheclassicalGreekromanideasofbeautyandperfectionaretoEuropeanart.SothisisOkyoincorporatingEuropeanideasintohisart,butinwaysthatareinkeepingwithJapanesephilosophyandJapanesetastes.32’11’’Inthisfrenzyoftradeandwealth,Dutchartalsobecametheobjectofconspicuousconsumption.Amoderncommercialartmarketwasborn,supplyinglandscapes,stilllifes,portraitsandscenesfromDutchlifetotheaspirationalnewmerchantclass.Whattheywantedintheirartwasnotthepompofmonarchy,ortheflamboyanceofthecatholicchurch,butanewtypeofrealism,onethatreflecttheirprotestantdesiretoportraytheworldasittrulywas,oftenwithwartsandallmorallessons.Withartfromrenaissance,it’saboutbeauty.Dutchart,it’snotaboutthat,it’saboutreality.Soyoudopaintrottenfruits,andyoudopaintfatladiesthatjustwokeupintheirbed.Andyoudolookatdirtydogsinthestreet.Becauseit’saboutnatureineverysense,andnotjustinthesensethatyouwantittobe,butinthesenseitis.33’22’’OneofthestarartistsofthisgoldenageofDutchpaintingwasVermeer.JanVermeerisnotanartistknownforhisepiclandscapes.Mostofhispaintingsarefamouslyintimate,setwithinaneat,ordered,almostclaustrophobicworldoftheDutchhome.WhatJanVermeerspecializedinwastheartofeverydaylifeandhisworldwasaninteriorworld.Whathecapturedoncanvasweresimplefleetingmoments.Awomanreadingaletterisbathedinadelicatelightthatpoursfromasidewindow.Butthatonlyservestoemphasizethefactthatweareinanenclosedroomandtherestoftheworldishiddenfromsight,thatit’ssomewhereoutthere.Butifyoulookalittlemorecloselyatthedetails,whatyourealiseisthatVermeer’sseeminglyinteriordomesticspaceisinfusedwiththeglobalismoftheDutchgoldenage.FromtheinnovativepotteryofhishometownofDelft,whichmimickedChineseporcelain,toprizedrugsfromtheorient,andageographerwearingafashionableJapaneserobe,Vermeercapturesaworldbuiltonencounterswithdistantcivilizationsandpeoples.50’05’’HundredsofpublicbuildingsbuiltintheBritishneoclassicaltraditionwouldfollow.Theyrepresentednotonlyaseparationofculturesthathadbeforefreelyintermingled,theyalsomarkedthepassingoftheageofdiscovery.Theworldhadenteredanageofhighempire,inwhichtojustifytheirexploitationsandconquests,Europeanpowerswouldwillfullyoverlooktheachievementsofothercivilisations.Itwasastorythatwouldberepeatedaroundtheglobeandweareonlyjustemergingfromitsculturallegacytoday.Inawonderfultwist,RichardWellesley’sgovernmenthouseisusedbythegovernmentofBengal.IthasbeentakenbackbyIndiansfortheirowngovernment.AndsowehavetounthinksomeoftheinevitabilitythatwetendtoascribetoencountersthatultimatelyledtoEuropeandominance.IfyoulookatthehistoryofEuropeanencounterswiththenon-Europeanworld,youfindahugerangeofwaysthattheytookshape.Andalthoughthereisahistorythathastobetold,astorythatisoneofimperialism,butastorythatisalsooneofglobalization,oneofincreasinginterconnectionacrossdifferentpartsoftheworldthathasyieldedtheworldinwhichwelivetoday.Ourmodernworldofdigitalcommunicationhasmassivelybroadenthescopeofourencounters,bothwithforeignculturesandcivilisationsandwithinthedifferentculturalgroupingsofourown.Andbyconnectingnewaudiencewithtraditionalartisticpractices,theglobalartmarketcontinuestotransformnewencountersintonewkindsofart.Fromthereemergenceofthelongoverlookedsacredart,likethatofNorthAmericanfirstnations,theindigenouspeopleofAustraliaandthecarvingsoftheAfricanMakondepeople,tonewartistssuchasGhanaianbornsculptorElAnatsui,whosewstogetherbottletopsintolargescaleassemblagesthatcommentonconsumption,wasteandtheenvironment.Today,inourincreasinglyglobalizedcivilization,thesheervarietyofourencountersbothforeignandathomecontinuestobeamajorsourceofinspiration,shapingbothourartandourworld.