一
　　殷双喜博士：中央美术学院《美术研究》副主编 艺术策展人和批评家
　　以一个画家为对象和讨论的基础，主要是国内的艺术评论家和文化研究学者从不同的角度对刘子建艺术的分析与研究，这样集中地讨论一个实验水墨画家的艺术可能以前并不多见。但在我看来，对艺术家及作品从不同角度展开严肃的研究和认真的批评，较之一般性的空泛议论，可能更贴进艺术史本体。最应该感谢的是本书的主角刘子建，他勇于作为当代艺术研究的个案，为此付出了极大的劳动，没有他的执着和奉献，此书是不可能完成的。
　　——《开放的水墨－－当代艺术中的刘子建》
　　Yin Shuangxi: Doctor, Deputy Editor-In-Chief of Art Research of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Art Curator and Critic
　　Taking Liu Zijian as the subject and the base for discussion, domestic art critics and scholars of cultural study offer their analysis and research on the painter from different angles. Such a focused discussion on an experimental ink-wash painter is something of a rarity. As I see it, it is much closer to the ontology of art history when serious research on and earnest criticism of an artist and his works are conducted from different perspectives, rather than through general and vague comments. Liu Zijina, the protagonist of this book, is the one we should be most thankful to. He is courageous enough to be the case study of contemporary art research, and for this he has given a great deal. Without his attachment and devotion, this book would not have been completed.
　　---Open Ink-wash---Liu Zijian in Contemporary Art 
　　二
　　皮道坚：华南师范大学教授 美术史家 艺术策展人和评论家
　　迄今为止，还没有人像刘子建这样纯粹使用传统的水墨媒材将黑色空间中无序飘浮物的质量感和动荡感描绘得如此引人入胜，将浮显和隐入的冲突碰撞表现得如此富于诗意和哲理。很难想象用其它的艺术媒材和表现手法能获得这种既摄人心魄又含蕴沉湎的视觉效果。可以说，在刘子建引入“硬边语言”这一强硬的阻断限定机制之后，中国水墨的黑色能量及其随机渗化特质所蕴含的诗意本能得到了前所未有的发挥。在大面积的水墨渲涮晕染和拼贴、拓印等手法的综合运用中，他既充分展示了驾驭水墨媒材的能力，同时也雄辩地证实了自己关于经典的线型水墨语汇只是对水墨材料性情的一种认知结果而非唯一认知结果的判断。
　　——《谋求水墨性绘画对当代观念问题的发言权》
　　Pi Daojian：Professor from South China Normal University, Art Historian, Art Curator and Critic
　　So far, there is no painter who can surpass Liu Zijian in using so purely these traditional ink-wash mediums to produce such a fascinating quality and turmoil of chaotic floating objects in a black space, and to present in such a poetic and philosophic manner the conflicts and collisions between predominance and concealment. It is hard to imagine that such a captivating and implicit visual effect could ever be obtained by using other art mediums and representative techniques. Thus, it can be assumed that the black energy of Chinese ink-wash painting and the poetic instinct contained in the attribute of random infiltration are displayed in an unprecedented way, after Liu Zijian introduced the hard, blocking and restrictive mechanism of “hard side language”. In the integrated application of the ink-wash techniques at a large scale, such as washing, rinsing, grading, dying, collaging and rubbing, he not only gives a full display of his ability to control ink-wash mediums, but also eloquently gives testament to his judgment that the vocabulary of classic linear ink wash is the product of only a certain understanding of the dispositions of ink wash material as opposed to being the only product.
　　---Seeking the Right of Speech: Ink-wash Painting Vs Contemporary Concepts
　　三
　　黄专：广州美术学院教授 何香凝美术馆OCT当代艺术中心主任 艺术策展人和评论家
　　九十年代以来，表现水墨和抽象性水墨成为中国实验水墨画发展中的两支重要力量。在促使抽象水墨成为一种重要的实验方式的过程中，刘子建是一个代表性人物，这不仅指他不遗余力地从事与抽象水墨的学术宣传和推广相关的各种社会活动，而且指他的创作实践也为中国现代抽象水墨的研究提供了一个合适的个案。
　　——《我看刘子建的墨象实验》
　　Huang Zhuan: Professor from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Chairman of OCT Contemporary Art Center of He Xiangning Art Museum, Art Curator and Critic
　　Since the 1990s, expressional ink-wash and abstract ink-wash have become two major forces in the development of Chinese experimental ink-wash painting. In the process of turning abstract ink-wash into an important experimental mode, Liu Zijian is a representative figure, which not only means that he has spared no effort in participating in social activities related to the academic publicity and promotion of abstract ink-wash, but also refers to the fact that his creations have provided a suitable case study for the research of modern Chinese abstract ink-wash.
　　---Liu Zijian’s Ink-wash Experiment in My Eyes
　　四
　　易英：博士生导师 中央美院教授《美术研究》杂志社社长
　　刘子建选择了抽象水墨是基于两个有利条件，一是他对水墨媒材的熟练掌握和对水墨技能的熟练运用，二是他在视觉设计与形式构成上的天赋；也就是说，他的水墨画功底得益于训练，对于现代艺术则是一种悟性化的理解。然而也正是基于这个条件，他才成功地突破了关于传统水墨语言的悖论，运用传统媒材创造出近乎完美的现代视觉经验的表现。
　　——《悖论与共享---谈刘子建的抽象水墨画》
　　Yi Ying: Doctoral Tutor, Professor from China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Director of Art Research
　　Liu Zijian’s choice of abstract ink-wash is based on two favorable conditions: one is his mastery of ink-wash materials and his skilled use of ink-wash techniques, the other is his gift in visual design and form composition. In other words, his foundation in ink-wash painting benefits from training, and for modern art, it relies on a savvy interpretation. However, it is based on this condition that he successfully broke the paradox in traditional ink-wash language, creating a representation of modern visual experience that is close to perfection by using traditional mediums.
　　---Paradox and Sharing---Comments on Liu Zijian’s Abstract Ink-wash Paintings
　　五
　　彭德：西安美术学院艺术研究所教授 艺术史家和艺术评论家
　　刘子建的作品篇幅很大，大面积的泼墨往往难以控制，而他却如烹小鲜。他的画，猛一看是几片墨块，仔细观看，墨中有墨，空中无空，画面整体而不单调，大气而不轻薄，厚重而又响亮。他的画面很难找到败笔败墨或生硬勉强之处。在我的眼中，刘子建的抽象表现式水墨画，如同西画中的素描，摄影艺术中的黑白片，将会成为后人从事水墨画的精典范本。
　　——《夹缝之花》
　　Peng De: Professor from the Institute of Art, Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts, Art Historian, Art Critic
　　Liu Zijiang’s works are large in size. Despite this, he is quite at home in handling splash-inks over a large area, which is usually difficult for other painters. At first glance, one may think his paintings are nothing but a few dollops of ink; however, with a careful observation, one finds that there is something more in the ink and that the blanks are not just there to be empty. His works are integrated but not monotonous, magnificent but not frivolous; they are grand and brilliant. It is difficult to find a faulty stroke or any clumsiness in his paintings. I believe, the ink-wash paintings in abstract representation by Liu Zijian will become a classical model for the painting of later generations, just as sketching was in western painting and black-and-white film was in photography.
　　---A Flower in Crevice
　　六
　　吕澎博士：中国美术学院教授 艺术史家 艺术策展人和评论家
　　关于刘子建的实验水墨作品可以被看成是独特的和具有精神性的。我们可以通过经验与知识进入画家打开的空间，并将其理解为只有今天才能体验到的世界。刘子建的那些比如以排刷、拓印、撕揭、拼贴完成的“硬边”或“破边”效果、十字和圆形的象征符号，以及以各种自动性的积墨、泼墨方法形成的背景空间构成的图像，可以被看成是“实验水墨”的经典文献，它让我们对正在融合的人类文明有所理解。
　　——《关于刘子建的艺术》
　　Lu Peng:  Doctor, Professor from China Academy of Art, Art Historian, Art Curator and Critic
　　The experimental ink-wash paintings by Liu Zijian can be viewed as something unique and spiritual. Armed with our experience and knowledge, we can enter a space opened up by the artist, and interpret it as a world that can only be experienced at this moment. Liu Zijian’s “hard side” and “broken side”, which are printed, rubbled, torn and posted and collaged, his symbolic signs in the shapes of crosses and circles and the pictures formed in background space by automatic layers of ink and splash inks can be regarded as the classic literature in “experimental ink-wash”, which will offer us some insights in understanding the human civilization being integrated.
　　---About Liu Zijian’s Art
　　七
　　徐虹：中国美术馆研究员 学术一部主任 艺术评论家
　　在中国水墨画从传统向现代演变的过程中，刘子建是一位颇具启示性的代表人物。许多评论家看到他在这个过程中向外界展示的是传统水墨如何整合不同的文化资源，重新定义了“水墨”概念。 刘子建的水墨画是敏感而具体的，因而具有特殊性。他的试验向人展示，当艺术家沉潜于自己经历、环境和文化之中去思考和建构，避开程序化了的、缺少新鲜生命感知的规范，就能够给艺术注入创造活力。同时，他也通过触摸艺术传统中的各个环节，最终找到属于自己的一环。
　　——《水墨画的现代空间---解读刘子建的艺术》
　　Xu Hong: Research Fellow from China National Museum of Fine Arts, Chairman of No.1 Academic Department, Art Critic
　　While Chinese ink-wash painting is shifting from being traditional to being modern, Liu Zijian is a representative figure with some enlightenment. Many critics have found that what he has demonstrated to spectators is how traditional ink-wash can integrate various cultural elements and how he has redefined the concept of “ink-wash”. His ink-wash paintings are sensitive and specific, and thus have their uniqueness. His experiment has revealed that an artist will be able to pour creative energy into art when he thinks and builds from his individual experience, environment and culture, keeping away from systemized norms which lack fresh and vigorous perception. At the same time, he has found the link which belongs to him after fumbling through all the links in art tradition.
　　---Modern Space of Ink-wash Paintings---Interpreting Liu Zijian’s Art
　　八
　　郭晓川博士：中国艺术研究院研究员 艺术策展人和评论家
　　在实验水墨画家中，刘子建的作品引人瞩目。可以说，刘子建是中国实验水墨进程中的一位代表画家。在二十多年中国实验水墨发展历程中，刘子建的努力和成就均达到了一个高峰。无论就他在上个世纪八十年代中后期开始的水墨探索，还是在九十年代所取得的成果，无疑让刘子建在异军突起的实验水墨中放射出耀眼的光彩。
　　——《笔落惊风雨 诗成泣鬼神——刘子建实验水墨作品解读》
　　Guo Xiaochuan: Doctor, Research Fellow from Art Research Institute of China, Art Curator and Critic
　　Of the works of experimental ink-wash painters, Liu Ziian’s paintings are noticeable. It can be said that he is a representative painter in the process of Chinese experimental ink-wash. In development course of Chinese experimental ink-wash painting over 20 years, both effort and success made by Liu Zijian have reached their peaks. He has emitted dazzling brilliance in the ever-changing field of ink-wash painting, both in his exploration of the ink-wash since the mid 1980s and in the successes he achieved in 1990s. 
　　---A Master Hand both in Painting and Poem---Interpretation of Liu Zijian’s Experimental Ink-wash Works
　　九
　　徐恩存 《中国美术》主编 研究员 艺术评论家
　　“墨象”的提出及其实践，在水墨史上具有突破意义，对刘子建而言，“墨象”不是视觉的三维空间意义，而是在一种状态中窥见到的宇宙自然更深更远的结构，其中的水墨思想的图像阐释，实际上是水墨的视觉效应对应情绪的反映，是一种空间状态中的心灵展示与限制。由此看来，刘子建的水墨创作一扫古典水墨的和谐、冲淡的经典性，代之以非和谐的冲撞，其中裹夹着强烈的现代人文精神信息与能量，显示了沉浸在水墨语言中的画家对自己位置及性质的参悟。
　　－－《飘浮何处－－刘子建现代水墨范型》
　　Xu Encun: Editor-In-Chief of Chinese Art, Research Fellow, Art Curator
　　The proposition and practice of “Ink Phenomenon” is a breakthrough in the history of ink-wash painting. On the part of Liu Zijian, “Ink Phenomenon” is not a three-dimensional visual space, but a deeper and further structure of the universe’s nature which one may peek in a certain state. Among them, the graphical interpretation of ink and wash is, in essence, an emotional reflection corresponding to the visual effect of ink and wash, and is a revelation as well as limitation of inner spirit in a space state. So, ink and wash production by Liu Zijian has swept away the harmony in classical ink and wash and the classic of watered-down-ness, and replaced them with a non-harmonious impact, which is wrapped with the information and energy of the strong modern humanistic spirit and which demonstrates the comprehension of self position and nature from a painter who indulges himself in the ink-wash language.
　　---Where to Drift---Paradigm in Liu Zijian’s Modern Ink-wash Painting
　　十
　　查常平博士：《人文艺术》主编 四川大学基督教研究中心教授 艺术评论家
　　在当今中国艺术界刘子建属于少数艺术家中的少数，在隐喻的意义上借用圣经的话说，属于“以色列的余民”，属于当代艺术自觉承担使命的那类艺术家――艺术家中的余民。他们具有深沉的文化理想而不改初衷的执着，他们专与艺术为念不与策展人俱进，他们不把艺术当作肉体生命谋生的手段而是将之作为艺术家内在生命情感的表达，他们不把艺术当作满足私囊的工具而是将其看作人类共同的精神遗产……虽不能说没有刘子建就没有实验水墨，但实验水墨不能没有刘子建。
　　——《从刘子建的阅读史看艺术作品的命名》
　　Zha Changping: Doctor, Editor-In-Chief of Humanities and Art, Professor from Christian Research Center of Sichuan University, Art Curator
　　In contemporary Chinese art circle, Liu Zijian is a rare artist among a few gifted ones. In a sense of metaphor, if we cite the words ---“the remnant citizens of Israel” from the Bible, Liu belongs to the category of artists who voluntarily assume their mission in contemporary art---they are the remnant citizens of the artists. They have profound ideas for culture and the resolution that they will never change their original intention. They care especially about the art and do not necessarily have to act in unison with curators; they do not treat art as a means that makes a living for the life of a physical body, but as an affective expression of an artist’s internal life; they do not make art as a tool to feather their own nest but view it as common spiritual heritage of mankind,…… Though it cannot be safely said that there would be no experimental ink-wash painting without Liu Zijian, it is true that the experimental ink-wash painting can never bear the absence of Liu Zijian.
　　---On the Naming of Artistic Works from the Reading History of Liu Zijian
　　十一
　　孙振华博士：深圳雕塑院院长 艺术策展人和评论家
　　性格画家有很强的适应性，装龙象龙，装虎象虎，他们综合素质很强，在强烈的成就欲望趋使下，他们可以胜任各种角色，希望以任何形式获得成功。刘子建应该属于性格画家，在我所知的当代画家中，他的口才和笔头功夫是出类拔萃的，我见过他在研讨会上雄辩滔滔，也见过他撰写的《李世南的水墨世界》、艺术评论以及谈自己创作的文章，还见过他愤世嫉俗地痛陈时弊。刘子建的这些素质，决定了他理所当然地应该有所成就。
　　――《感受刘子建》
　　Sun Zhenhua: Doctor, President of Shenzhen Sculpture Academy, Art Curator and Critic
　　Character painters have strong adaptability, a powerful comprehensive ability and a gift in assuming different roles. When driven by a strong desire of achievement, they can succeed by all the means. Liu Zijian should be categorized as a character painter. Compared to all the other artists in contemporary times, he stands out from his fellows in terms of eloquence and writing. I have the opportunity to witness his excellent flow of eloquence in the symposiums and read one of his works---Ink-wash World of Li Shinan, his critiques on art, his speeches about his creation, and his cynical criticism on malpractices. Given all the qualities Liu possesses, it stands to reason that he should deserve all these achievements.
　　---Experiencing Liu Zijian
　　十二
　　王林：四川美术学院教授 艺术策展人和评论家
　　正是物迹的具体性使我感到了刘子建对当代绘画的贡献，其文字片言和弃物零件，才真正把我们引向皮道坚所言的“复杂的当代人文情怀”，这是艺术观念和向题意识的切入口，是当代抽象绘画和现代主义不同之处。所以，刘子建创作的意义不是弄了个什么抽象水墨流派，而是使抽象水墨具体化，使之通向当代社会生活和切入当代文化语境。
　　――《批评的层面――关于实验水墨与刘子建作品》
　　Wang Lin: Professor from Sichuan Fine Art Institute, Art Curator and Critic
　　It is the materiality of physical trace that makes me understand the contribution made by Liu Zijian to modern paintings. His scraps of lingual expression and abandoned parts precisely guide us to what Pi Daojian have referred to---“the sophisticated complex of contemporary humanities”. This is the breakthrough point of artistic concept and problem consciousness, which differ itself from contemporary abstract painting and modernism. In this sense, the significance of Liu’s creation does not lie in the establishment of so-called abstract ink-wash school, but in the materiality of the abstract ink-wash, allowing it to have access to contemporary social life and to plunge into contemporary cultural context.
　　---Levels of Criticism---About Experimental Ink-wash Painting and Liu Zijian’s Works
　　十三
　　鲁虹：深圳美术馆理论研究员  艺术策展人和评论家
　　刘子建仍然用传统的水墨媒材作画，但他还会用硬边拼贴法与拓印法对画面既有的黑色关系和空间关系做一些重构，这就十分有利于对力量感、速度感、爆破感、冲击感、动荡感的表达。受霍金《时间简史》中学术观点与一些太空照片的启示，他还在不同作品中分别引入了一些象征着宇宙与现代工业的符号。应该说，将传统“计白当黑”的空白背景转换成可感知的黑色空间是刘子建的一个创造。刘子建的作品并不是对现实场景的真实写照，而是通过对包括印刷垃圾及工业碎片的拓印，强调出工业文明在疯狂消耗物质资源和快速制造垃圾的同时，给人类生活所带来的不可消除的破碎感、不安实感和混乱感。
　　——《越界：中国先锋艺术》
　　Lu Hong: Theoretical Researcher from Shenzhen Art Museum, Art Curator and Critic
　　Liu Zijian still paints with traditional ink-wash mediums, but he is also able to reconstruct the existent black relations and space relations with the techniques of hard-side collage and rubbing. The practice is very conducive to the representation of strength, speed, blast, impact and turmoil. Enlightened by academic views in Hawking’s A Brief History of Time and some space photos, Liu respectively introduced symbols which stand for the universe and modern industries into his different works. It should be acknowledged that it is a creation of Liu Zijian’s when he changed the traditional blank background of “reckoning white as black” into a perceivable black space. Liu’s works are not true portrayal of realistic scene, but, through the rubbing those including printing wastes and industrial debris, stress the industrial civilization, while madly consumes material resources and produces wastes at a rapid speed, bring an un-eliminable sense of crush, unease and confusion to human life.
　　---Beyond the Boundary: Avant-garde Art in China
　　十四
　　刘骁纯博士：中国艺术研究研究员  艺术策展人和评论家
　　你的艺术创作和理论思考在世纪之交的中国水墨画坛具有相当的代表性，这种代表性构成了你的艺术价值和历史地位，如果说在争论中我对你的作品曾经提出过一些意见，也不过是希望你的作品更好一些的一已之见。
　　――《刘骁纯致刘子建书》
　　Liu Xiaochun: Doctor, Research Fellow from Art Research Institute of China, Art Curator and Critic
　　Your artistic creation and theoretical thinking possess a considerable representativeness in the field of Chinese ink-wash painting at the turn of the century. Such a representativeness makes your artistic value and your historic position. If I have put forward some suggestions to your works in our arguments, I only wished to see some of your original views in a better elaboration.
　　---Letters from Liu Xiaochun to Liu Zijian
　　十五
　　冯博一：深圳何香凝美术馆OCT当代艺术中心副主任 艺术策展人和评论家
　　刘子建在他的作品中，有生命、宇宙、天音、游魂、十字架以及“迷离错置”的空间、时间等等“宏大叙事”的元素，虽然是以一种水墨“混沌”的抽象性语言来表达意象的，但观者能明显地感受到时代变迁和社会转型期间，传统与当代、东方与西方的矛盾与冲突，展现了当代生活的光怪陆离，表现了生存的困境、人性的紧张扭曲和心理的焦虑。这是刘子建个人的经验，记忆的直接展开，也是他“纪实与虚构”的实验方式。
　　——《转化中的超越——关于刘子建的实验水墨》
　　Feng Boyi: Vice Director of OCT Contemporary Art Center of He Xiangning Art Museum, Art Curator and Critic 
　　In the Liu Zijian’s works, there are “grand narrative” elements, such as life, the universe, heavenly sounds, wandering spirits, the cross, and “misplaced” space and time. Although the images are represented with abstract language of ink-wash “chaos”, spectators can find the contradictions and conflicts between tradition and modern, and between east and west, during the period of social changes and transformations. The grotesque and gaudy phenomena in contemporary life are depicted, and predicaments of survival, tension and distortion of humanities and mental anxiety are represented. These are the direct expansion of Liu’s personal experience and memory, and they are his experimental patterns of “documentary and fiction”.
　　---Transcendence in the Transformation---about Liu Zijian’s Experimental Ink-wash Painting
　　十六
　　韩朝：清华大学美术学院在读博士 北京林业大学园林学院副教授 艺术评论家
　　刘子建是一位对人类终极关怀不断追问的画家，其作品追求与中国当代历史演变的同步性。在他的作品中，个人的精神经验似乎都是割裂片断的组合，在水墨晕染和拼贴、拓印等手法的综合运用中完成了现代视觉经验的表现。作品中纠缠、重叠、碰撞、冲突、反复、挤压、隐遁、凸显的硬性的抽象语言铿锵有声。黑色空间中意象的浮显和隐入的冲突产生出一种激荡的豪情，黑色生发出深沉与幽邃的气度。对现实的关注与热情通过图像的隐喻性充分体现了出来。或许可以说，刘子建将水墨的表现能量的拓展与观念哲思的接合推向了崭新的境地。画家自始自终保持着一种对传统与自我进行审视和超越的愿望，这就决定了他参与世界的态度是激进式的。他的作品因为设计与形式构成因素而充满理性，不管如何，刘子建独有的表现手法使他巧妙地进入了宏大思想缺席而遗留的空白地带，这使他有可能从个人的直接经验去关切我们生活中正在丧失的人文价值。
　　——《今日中国美术——确立与延展》
　　Han Chao: Doctoral Student of School of Fine Arts, Tsinghua University, Associate Professor from the School of Garden and Park, Beijing Forestry University, Art Critic
　　Liu Zijian is a painter who keeps inquest on mankind’s ultimate concerns, and the pursuits in his works remain synchronous with the historical evolutions in contemporary China. In his works, spiritual experience of an individual seems to be a combination of fragments dissevered, which completes the representation of modern visual experience with the integrated application of ink-wash gradation, collage and rubbing. The hard, abstract languages in the works give off sonorous sounds after they entangle, overlap, collide, conflict, repeat, squeeze, retire and project. The conflict between the prominence and conceal of image in black space brings forth the agitating pride, and the black color presents a profound and quiet aura. The concern and enthusiasm for reality is fully represented through the metaphor of pictures. Or, it can be put that Liu moves the expansion of representative energy of ink-wash and the integration of conceptual and philosophical thinking into a span-new state. The painter always has the desire of surveying and surpassing the tradition and self being, the fact determining that he will adopt a radical attitude to participate the world. His works, thanks to the design and formal composition, are full of rationality. Anyway, Liu’s unique representation techniques allow himself to smartly enter a space which is blank due to the absence of magnificent idea. It enables him, from the perspective of direct personal experience, to have a chance of caring about the humanistic value being lost in our life
　　---Art in Today’s China---Establishment and Expansion
　　十七
　　李旭：独立艺术策展人和评论家
　　失重的画面、悬浮的符号、漂移的笔触、断裂的构图、非传统的技巧和不确定的视觉效果，共同构成着刘子建的精神世界。在众多以水墨为媒材的实验艺术家中，刘子建走得最远，变化得最丰富，反叛得最彻底。刘子建在实验水墨中开辟出一条另类的道路，把当代精神症候与传统物质媒介组合成深刻的视觉图像，无论在水墨艺术范畴里，还是在抽象艺术的视野中，他的努力都在为我们的思考提供着全新的坐标。
　　——《抽象视野中的刘子建》
　　Li Xu: Independent Art Curator and Critic
　　The spiritual world of Liu Zijian is jointly formed with weightless pictures, suspended symbols, drifting strokes, broken layouts, non-traditional techniques and uncertain visual effect. Among numerous experimental artists who take ink-wash as medium, Liu Zijian goes furthest, with most abundant changes and most thorough rebellions. In the ink-wash experiment, Liu opened up an alternative path. He weaves contemporary spiritual symptoms and traditional material medium into a profound visual picture. Whether in the category of ink-wash art, or in the vision of abstract art, his efforts are providing a completely new coordinate for our thinking.
　　---Liu Zijian in Abstract Vision
　　十八
　　邹跃进博士：中央美术学院教授 美术理论教研室主任 艺术策展人和评论家
　　二十世纪东方重要的一条线索是“东方神秘主义”。“东方神秘主义”在二十世纪被启用，把传统山水彻底打乱，把一个宇宙的形象突出来。实际上这个宇宙代表的是一种空间的想象。二十世纪八十年代中期是一个开始，九十年代是它的成熟时期，刘子建就是这个成熟时期的代表。我看不管用的什么方法，刘子建的意义就是在世界格局中间提供了一种“中国经验”。什么是“中国经验”？“中国经验”就是重新把东方性的神秘主义通过一种新的语言方式表达出来，这里面有一种很深厚的历史传统、观念资源。刘子建的探索非常重要，这条线索建立起来的话，在中国美术史上它应该能成为一种独立的体系。
　　——《水墨是一种态度》
　　Zou Yuejin: Doctor, Professor from China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Director of Teaching and Research Office of Art Theory, Art Curator and Critic
　　One important clue in the 20th century East is the “Oriental Mysticism”. The “Oriental Mysticism”, after used in 20th century, has completely disarranged the landscape paintings and gave predominance to an image of the Universe. In fact, the Universe stands for an imagination of a space. The mid of 1980s witnessed its birth while 1990s could be recognized as the period of its mature. And Liu Zijian is a representative of the matured period. In my view, no matter what solutions are sought, the significance of Liu Zijian is to provide a “China’s Experience” amidst the world pattern. Then, what is a “China’s Experience”? This term refers to use a new language pattern to re-represent the mysticism of oriental nature, in which there is a profound historical tradition and conceptual resources. Liu’s exploration is of great importance. If the clue is established, it could be an independent system in the history of Chinese art.
　　---Ink-wash as an Attitude
　　十九
　　顾丞峰博士：南京艺术学院美术学院教授 艺术策展人和评论家
　　谈刘子建必须谈及实验水墨，一方面，刘子建十多年来一直以扛鼎之力在推举实验水墨的概念，另一方面，他也身先士卒，坚持自己的黑白抽象水墨形式，其契而不舍之定力以及其洋洋洒洒之画作，也令每个审视其水墨道路的人不由得不肃然起敬。他除了不懈的持索精神以外，远超出一般画家的文字表达能力和犀利的思维，也使他自然而然地成了实验水墨的领军人物。
　　——《任重而道远——从与刘国松的对比看刘子建水墨》
　　Gu Chengfeng: Doctor, Professor from the School of Fine Arts, Nanjing Art Institute, Art Curator and Critic
　　Whenever Liu Zijian is on the tongue, we have to mention experimental ink-wash. One the one hand, Liu has devoted himself to promoting the concept of experimental ink-wash; on the other hand, he has put the concept into practice assiduously, committing himself to the abstract black-and-white pattern of ink-wash. His great perseverance and brilliant works won the commanding respect from those who have examined the ink-wash course he pursued. In addition to unremitting spirit of exploration, he owns a remarkable language expression and sharp thinking, both of which far surpasses the average painters, and which involuntarily makes him the leading figure in the experimental ink-wash.
　　---A Long Way to Go---Viewing Liu Zijian’s Ink-wash Painting in Contrast to Liu Guosong’s
　　二十
　　王晓华博士：深圳大学文学院教授 文化学者 文学批评家
　　与大多数中国画家不同，刘子建在创作伊始便显现出广阔的空间意识，天和地的界线消失了，一种与现代空间观相契合的世界图景相继诞生，门厅、眼睛、网络、十字架、圆形、漂浮的气团、球体等具象物仍然依稀可见，但均被置于无垠的宇宙空间中，它们在黑色的世界中浮显，或退隐，或飘散，或凝聚，仿佛在暗示存在者的普遍命运。如此广阔的境界在世界美术史上也只偶然地出现过，在我们熟知的流派中，俄国抽象派的文本有类似的追求之处。从这个角度看，刘子建的实验水墨作品在世界画坛上也是独特的“这一个”。
　　——《对中国传统绘画空间观的超越》
　　Wang Xiaohua: Doctor, Professor from the School of Literature, Shenzhen University, Scholar on Cultural, Literary Critic
　　Distinguished from the majority of Chinese painters, Liu Zijian showed his broad consciousness of space at the beginning of his production. To him, the dividing line between earth and sky disappears and a world prospect matched to modern space concept is successively born. Concretes including halls, eyes, networks, crosses, round objects, floating air masses and spheres are vaguely presented but all put in the boundless space of the Universe. They emerge, or fade, or drift or gather in the black world, as if suggesting the common fate of existences. A realm, as broad as his, can seldom be found in world history of fine arts. Among the schools familiar to us, Russian abstractists produce the works with quasi pursuit. From this respect, the experimental ink-wash works produced by Liu Zijian can be recognized as “that one” in the field of world painting.
　　---Beyond Space Concept in Traditional Chinese Paintings
　　二十一
　　〔美国〕罗伯特•摩根 博士 策展人和艺术史家 评论家
　　刘子建的水墨画揭示了机械传动齿轮的痕迹，纸面上格子的式样也复盖了中国的符号和语言。水墨渲涮的过程，在黑白的交响效果中揭示了交响乐般的变调与置换，比起莫扎特来，他更接近于马勒。刘的抽象表现主义不是美国或欧洲式的，它是他十分个人的风格与发明。这些语汇揭示了另一个通道——更多地来自城市环境而非语言，好象是刘子建在家中时的感受。在这个城市里，文化在生长、发展、踫撞，然后又发展出一个新的话语，获得一种新的感觉的界定，朝向一种新的自然：自我的自然，它总是在看向当下的时刻，同时又努力重建头脑中的真实。
　　（U.S.） Robert Morgan: Doctor, Curator, Art Historian and Critic
　　The ink-wash paintings by Liu Zijian reveal the signs of gears in mechanical transmission, and the patterns on the paper grids cover Chinese symbols and language. In the process of ink wash, he has shown the symphony-liked desafinado and replacement in terms of symphonic effect of black and white. Compared with Mozart, he is much close to Mahler. Liu’s abstract expressionism is not American-typed or European-typed; it is a highly individual style and invention. All the words reveal another channel---a channel arising much more urban environment but not from language, just like the experience Liu Zijian has at his home. In this city, cultures after birth, development and collision, will grow into a new utterance, gaining a definition of a new perception and heading for a new nature：a nature of self being, which always looks at the contemporary moment while striving to reconstruct a realness in the mind.
　　二十二
　　杨龙芳博士：深圳大学管理学院当代中国政治研究所教授 文化学者
　　刘子建的实验水墨艺术是一个自我生长与繁殖的演生体，具有强烈的连贯性。刘子建的实验水墨画特别重视其实验水墨艺术发展中自我延续这个基本特色，重在演进而不是刻意求裂变。刘子建的实验水墨的确有创新性和变革性的一面，但其演进过程中的承续性多于裂变性。如果用“变化”来对刘子建实验水墨艺术的历史轨迹进行描述，那么刘子建重在于“化”而不在于“变”。这主要表现为刘子建的实验水墨有极强的内在张力，前后交织和细节变革。每个阶段针对前者都是一个变革，针对后者都是一个延续，每个阶段作品主题的形成都始于一个细小的艺术语言的变革，这都是刘子建实验水墨艺术质变中的量变环节，具有极大的变革性和标识意义。
　　——《存在之美》
　　Yang Longfang: Doctor, Professor from the Research Institute of Contemporary Chinese Politics, School of Management, Shenzhen University, Scholar of Culture
　　Liu Zijian’s experimental ink-wash art is a derivative of self growth and reproduction, having a strong consistency. His works pay special attention to the basic feature of self continuity in the development of experimental ink-wash art, focusing on evolution but not on the fission which is deliberately sought. Liu’s experimental ink-wash paintings do have the innovative and revolutionary quality, but in the process of evolution, the consistency is much more than fission. If the term “change” is applied to describe the historic track of Liu’s experimental ink-wash, what Liu focused is on transformation but not in an out-and-out “change”. This is mainly manifested in the strong internal tension of Liu’s experimental ink-wash, the all-about entanglement and detail reform. Each phase, compared with the previous one, is a reform, and a continuity in terms of what is coming. The formation of the work theme in each phase is initiated from a tiny reform of artistic language. This is the link of quantitative change in the qualitative change of Liu’s experimental ink-wash, which has great revolutionary quality and gains the significance of identification.
　　---Beauty of Existence
　　二十三
　　严善錞博士：深圳画院副院长 艺术策展人和评论家 艺术家
　　“实验水墨”是九十年代水墨画坛一个非常重要的艺术运动。在几次重要的“实验水墨”展览中，参展画家有些出入，其中坚持始终，并一直为“实验水墨”摇旗呐喊的是深圳画家刘子建。以刘子建个人心理史的角度上看，儿童时期对黑色星空的仰望和冥想，导致了他现在始终如一的“黑色绘画”风格。刘子建相信他可以摆脱中国传统水墨画的“笔墨”陷阱，他似图以“墨象”替代“笔墨”，他采用了拼贴、拓印、撕揭、冲染等一系列非传统的作画方式，他的画面也没有中国画那种固有的韵味，取而代之的是一种紧张和骚动不安的气氛。
　　——《水墨画在当今中国》
　　Yan Shanchun: Doctor, Vice President of Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, Art Curator, Critic, and Artist
　　“Experimental Ink-wash’ is an art movement of great significance in the field of ink-wash painting in 1990s. In the a few important exhibitions of “experimental ink-wash”, the painters in the exhibitions kept coming and going. Only Liu Zijian, a painter from Shenzhen, has stuck to his pursuit and gave earnest support to the cause of “experimental ink-wash”. From the perspective of his personal psychological history, the sight of the black, starry sky and his meditation in his childhood has laid a foundation for his constant style of “black painting” at present. He believes that he can break away from the “brushwork” snares in traditional Chinese paintings, and he attempts to replace “brushwork” with “ink phenomenon”. Therefore, he employs a series of non-traditional techniques, such as collage, rubbing, tearing and dying-rinse. In his pictures, there is no solid charm as one may find in traditional Chinese paintings, but flows a tensed, disturbing and unease atmosphere.
　　---Ink-wash Paintings in Today’s China
　　二十四
　　王嘉：广东美术馆副研究员 艺术策展人和评论家
　　子建之“象”，作为一个有意味的话题，促使我们从个案和微观的角度回首中国水墨实验的探索历程。这个话题的意味在于，它使我们看到子建在水墨实验旅程中由形成、成长到成熟的过程，它是子建个人艺术风格的塑造，同时也是当代中国绘画水墨精神的表达。它是属于子建的劳动成果，同样也是属于我们这个时代的视觉和精神的财富。
　　——《子建之“象”》
　　Wang Jia: Guangdong Museum of Art, Associate Researcher, Art Curator and Critic
　　The “Phenomenon” in Liu Zijian’s sense, being a significant subject, puts us into a review of the exploration cause of Chinese ink-wash experiment from both individual case and microcosmic perspectives. The significance of the subject makes us understand the process of formation, growth and mature in Liu’s journey of ink-wash experiment. It not only shapes the Liu’s personal style in art, but also displays the ink-wash spirit of contemporary Chinese paintings. It is an achievement gained by Liu’s efforts as well as a visual and spiritual wealth that belongs to our era.
　　---Zijian’s “Phenomenon”
　　二十五
　　曾春华：成都市政法委杂志主编 艺术评论家
　　我常常眼观心听子建的水墨作品，隐约之中似有“天簌”之音在心里回旋，又有听“易”的生命律动的美妙。这里只有墨象在运动。而传统水墨作品偏重于用笔，强调写的价值，用水用墨是为了用笔的目的，而且用水用墨极为小心，水墨仅仅服从于笔的思想和目的，水墨并没有自律性价值，虽然说是墨分五彩，但水墨并没有取得独立地位。
　　Zeng Chunhua: Editor-In-Chief of the Magazine of Political and Law Committee of Chengdu, Art Critic
　　Very often with my eyes and heart, I admire the ink-wash paintings by Zijian. In my imagination, I just hear a “heavenly sound” vaguely resounding in my heart and feel the beauty of life rhythm played by “Changes’. In his works there are only movements of ink phenomena. In traditional ink-wash paintings, brushwork is particularly stressed and calligraphically value is emphasized as well. The purpose of employing water and ink is for the brushwork and the employment has to be meticulously careful. Since water and ink are used solely for brushwork’s concept and aim, they lose the value of automaticity and do not gain their independence although the ink was long recognized to account for 50% of a good piece.
　　子建消除了物象的具体性，使水墨从笔墨思想里解放出来，不受任何拘束，淋漓尽致地发挥水墨自身的特性，浓淡干燥在墨象的组合里得到酣畅淋漓的发挥，挥洒涂抹 写无一不用，尤其用墨领解到传统水墨所忌讳的墨团，在画里不仅没有画死，反而反衬出更为活泼和运动的气势。传统水墨作品以写立骨，以水渲染追求风神，水墨的变化和层次都为物象服务。子建的作品只追求墨象的自由运动，墨象的运动和运动的墨象产生嘹亮雄浑的音乐感，久久回旋。
　　——《水墨之道：墨象运动》
　　By eliminating the materiality of physical images, Zijian thus free ink-wash from shackled concept of brushwork. He gives a free, vivid and incisive display of the individual features of ink-wash. The quality of being heavy, light, dry and parched each finds their right position in the combination of ink phenomena. All the techniques, including wiping, sprinkling, smearing, and dying are all at his disposal. In particular, his mastery on ink brings life to the ink masses, a taboo in traditional ink-wash painting: the masses in his works do not have dullness but show lively and movable vigor. In traditional ink-wash painting, the strength of a work is illustrating by calligraphic forms, the mien of a work is rendered through water, all the changes and arrangements of water and ink serving for physical images. In Zijian’s works, only the free movement of ink phenomena is pursued. The clear and vigorous musical quality produced by the movement of ink phenomena and the ink phenomena in motion are ringing for a long time.
　　二十六
　　（法国）马孟雅 巴黎与“大中国地区”法中艺术规划创始人 艺术策展人 作家
　　他和物质混合在一起，他的肉与血，变成了水墨和光线。他在每一张墨迹涂抹过的画纸的纤维里颤抖，他在传播的波纹里稀释，在表面或黑夜的阴影中羽化。他消失于世是为了和作品融为一体，在创作中重生。
　　（France） Ma Mengya: Founder of Paris & “Greater China Region” France-China Art Design,   Art Curator, Writer
　　He is mixed with the materials, and his flesh and blood turn into ink, water and rays of light. He is quivering in the fabrics of each paper smear with his ink, and he is diluted in the ripples of the transmission, and disappears in the superficial shadow or in the darkness. He disappears in order to be integrated with his works and then he is reborn in the creation of his works.
　　我们是他心路历程的见证人，是他灵魂风景幻象的见证人。他赋予我们和他一起在那里在他描绘的场景面前的特权。艺术家给我们展示的，是这些内心深处瞬间迸发的思想火花，亦或是灵魂深处触电般的触动。我们看到他的画作多次再版，作品中的图像被不停地流传到别处。
　　——《不拘一格的笔墨手法》
　　We are the witnesses of the mental journey he traveled and the witnesses of the delusions his spirit once encountered. He grants us the privilege to be present with the scenes he depicted. What an artist displays to us is the spirit sparkles burst forth from his innermost place, or may be the electric shock-like touches from the depth of his soul. We have observed that his works are kept reprinting, whose graphic representations are incessantly being spread to other parts of the world.
　　---Unlimited Brushwork