YUAN Hui-Li    袁慧莉

The 'Block Structure Project' (1992–Present) is an ongoing inquiry into the modernity of ink and brush, explored through the lenses of diverse materials and structural compositions. The Modern Ink Painting movement of the mid-20th century emphasized a 'revolution of the brush.' It called for the 'overthrow of the center-tip (zhongfeng) technique' and advocated for the abandonment of traditional brush-handling skills, prioritizing innovation in materials and techniques.In the 1990s, Yuan Hui-Li contemplated whether the modernization of ink painting could be achieved without abandoning the center-tip technique. She deliberately employed the center-tip brush to create intricate textures, employing varied material techniques to render the textures of rock and stone blocks. However, in terms of structure, she consciously departed from the continuous, flowing layouts of traditional landscapes. Instead, she implemented a disjunctive spatial arrangement using block-like compositions—a concept she terms "Psychological Structure."

 

Starting in the 1990s, the 'Block Structure Project' has been her vehicle for exploring form and materiality. Whether through the fragmentation of collage or the direct rendering of mass structures, she has experimented with a wide array of surfaces—from traditional raw and sized Xuan paper and silk to linen and contemporary canvas. These works have evolved into her signature series: 'Discrete Islands,' 'Potential of Discrete Islands,' and 'Intrinsic Potential Landscape.'In the 'Discrete Islands' series, she explores the material relationships between brush-ink and diverse media to capture the vast, misty atmosphere of Jinshan in Northern Taiwan—a place where mountains meet the sea. This series established her distinctive 'Block-style Landscape' composition. Moving away from the moist, hazy, and tranquil ambiance of 'Discrete Islands,' the 'Intrinsic Potential Landscape' series focuses on the intense contrast of latent potential and the antagonistic balance between chaos and order.

 

「塊狀結構計畫」自1992年開始至今，試圖從不同材質與結構的面向探討筆墨的現代性可能。20世紀中葉現代水墨畫運動強調去筆留墨、革中鋒之命，以材質與技法創新為主。袁慧莉在1990年代思考，是否能夠在不捨棄中鋒用筆的情況下實現水墨的現代化？因此，她刻意使用中鋒來製造肌理，以多樣化的材質技術來處理山石圖塊肌理；在結構上，她刻意不遵循傳統山水畫常見的連續性布局，而是以塊狀的佈局，營造另一種斷裂感的空間結構，她稱之為「心靈結構」。

 

自1990年代起，無論是撕碎拼貼，或直接描繪塊狀結構的畫面，「塊狀結構計畫」涵蓋了拼貼作品、棉麻布、生宣、熟宣、絹以及近年的油畫布等多種材質，並逐漸發展為她的重要系列：《孤山水》、《孤山水之勢山水》與《勢山水》。《孤山水》系列藉由探索筆墨與不同材料之間的物性關係，呈現北台灣金山靠山面海、濕氣空濛而開闊的環境視覺，並確立了她獨特的「塊狀山水」構圖風格。有別於《孤山水》系列追求濕潤、朦朧且平靜柔和的空氣感氛圍，《勢山水》系列則聚焦於混亂與秩序之間潛勢對比與拮抗平衡的關係。