裝E的I人：談陳威廷的繪畫2014—2024
文｜陳晞
在陳威廷的家中觀看作品時，他首先讓我看見的是畫布繪畫，似乎那被藝術家認為是更完整、正式的作品。然而當我又繼續看了陳威廷的紙上作品、手稿和筆記時，我注意到截然不同的他，顯然存在於不同的媒介上。
何以見得？在他的手稿當中，有大量的著引（drawing），不是素描、亦非速寫，參雜著隻字片語和簽字筆的塗鴉。儘管用的是同一支筆，他的隨想飛散在紙張之中，並無特定指涉的情緒氛圍。這些痕跡是創作出現的源頭，隨著他將這些源頭轉化在紙本、畫布上的繪畫時，往往留下了耐人尋味的結果——一個看似可愛、無語、卡通化的形象，在一個充滿筆觸雜訊、同時又被簡化的世界裡。陳威廷像是將內心翻騰的、自己也無以名狀的情緒，畫成一張張無害、試著可愛的臉。空氣中瀰漫著難以名狀的氛圍，是情緒的雜質，是臉的噪音。
裝E的I人
陳威廷所給人的外在形象，與他的畫作之間，有著極其微妙的映照關係。對我來說他是一位「裝E的I人」。所謂裝E的I人，指的是在如今與「聊星座」並列當前最常被提及的社交話題的MBTI 16 型人格測驗裡的「E」與「I」。「I人」代表著傾向關注自身內在（introversion），而E人則把關注力放在外在環境（extroversion）。它們有時被簡化而誤認為是內向和外向之分，但事實上並非如此，內向的人也能將關注力放在外在環境，外向表現的人亦可以只關注自身內在。由此說來，裝E的I人便是強迫將自己調頻至一種社交時的型態，這通常是那一位I人在意識到自己必須成為維持外在環境與社交運作的一份子時，所開啟的狀態。畢竟在這個講求團隊合作、資本主意化的社會，總期待著大家成為E人，體察環境、積極參與。
為什麼這是需要被注意到的問題？跟陳威廷的繪畫又有什麼關係？我認為，「裝E的I人」作為一種每個人或多或少都曾體會過的處境，它意味著人們更需要留意隱私和個人領域被公眾化、社群化、媒體化所侵蝕的問題。特別是當前，人與人之間的感情紐帶（human bonding）隨著社群媒體的影響，而讓關係的層次趨於複雜化。裝E的I人在思考的是，如何在應對不同層次的自他關係之於，保有自己最後獨處的智慧與隱私權。
在現代主義藝術的情境中，畫布、畫筆與畫家之間有著一種「體現手的真實，以及藝術家自我如何體現於畫面中」的呼應關係，繪畫也通常是在紙本與畫布空間與畫家之間的傳統關係之下完成的，這也因此成就了手藝在繪畫中的重要性——對於藝術的技術越是熟練，越能證明藝術家是如何錘鍊自己的藝術靈魂與生命。這種一（畫家）對一（畫筆）對一（畫布）的關係，從MBTI的角度來說，或許就是一種極度I人的表現，陳威廷的創作過程裡，也同樣具有這樣的一對一對一的關係。藝術家把I的空間與絮語，以近似村上隆（2003）曾提出的的幼稚力美學之方法描繪出來。陳威廷時常透過幼稚力，包裹著成年人可能才會從畫面中解讀出來的內心陰影與創傷。
配合這個世界的樣子
在高雄市立美術館的個展「彼岸」（2024）中，陳威廷展出之了他創作裡開展的數條思路——角色靈光的塑造、由形狀組成的構圖、與如雜訊和噪音般的筆觸。在2014-2020年的早期作品，揭示了他在角色與塗鴉之間嘗試的童稚繪畫表現。這時的陳威廷創造了一系列明顯卡通化的玩偶形象，例如蠟燭狗、蘋果、小山羊、玩偶熊…等。創造角色在現今的當代藝術創作中並不少見，陳威廷亦有著這麼一條身為角色藝術家的創作脈絡。這些惹人憐愛的角色們，是具象表達情感、而不指涉現實對象的人物，我們只要一確認角色的姿態與眼神，似乎就能投射到自己心中的某一種情緒。最知名的其中一個角色「蠟燭狗」，甚至一度成為他廣為國內的萌系藝術愛好者所熟知的形象。
儘管可愛是我們在欣賞陳威廷畫作時，無法繞過的感受。與其他當代角色藝術家不同，比較不是「以畫面配合角色故事」的角色先決的創作路線——或許曾經有那麼幾件作品是這樣，但他很快地從這條路上暫時逃開來了。陳威廷畫中的角色形象並不總是固定，或狗、或熊、或玩偶、或人，形象總是在不同的畫作之間浮動著輪廓，有時候甚至只是順應畫面結構上的需要，使角色因敘事情境的不同而變形。這讓我不禁猜想著，在陳威廷的繪畫中，是否剛好相反，是讓角色的形體去配合繪畫中的世界？
例如，《Everyone Who’s Lost》（2024）與《Take Me Home》（2023）等作品，都有著讓角色的身體配合畫中形狀與構圖的處理手法。對我來說，這是陳威廷在創造角色與表現繪畫性之間的拉扯，亦是作品耐人尋味的地方之一。藝評人胡鐘尹在〈「摹寫純真」陳威廷的藝術旅途〉一文中，也注意到陳威廷在創作中有著在「塑造可愛角色」與「思考藝術表現」時拉扯的張力。他將陳威廷以線條作為創造形象與輪廓的創作過程，論述為一種特殊表現手法。我想，也因為這種手法與個人的手藝，難以被現代主義之後的藝術觀念視為一種藝術性的創造，胡鐘尹便以此論點，在文中試著處理陳威廷作品往往被認為是「更接近插畫與塗鴉、而非繪畫與藝術」的媒材與手藝的宿命論。然而，手藝論作為某一作品是否具有藝術性的律法上的證詞，仍舊有一種在論述方法上的媒材賤斥的問題。
若以繪畫技術論來評價陳威廷的創作，那他必然不適合被放在「純熟的畫匠是如何藉由兒童般的繪畫方式、讓自己從典範的畫技中解放」的認識框架。陳威廷過往沒有這樣的束縛，他的繪畫是自由的，是為自己而畫的創作，或也因此，陳威廷的繪畫也忠實地表現出他在生命經驗中思考的社交難題。一個全然自由的人，要與自己的多面性相處，要面對選擇困難，要面對孤獨，躊躇難行。
兩界之間：液態化的自我
在兩界之間的異裂個體、追尋且渴求與另一對象產生連結，是陳威廷作品中十分觸動人心的特質。在2022至2024年的數件近作中，纖細身體的玩偶熊，身處在畫中的荒蕪地景，沒有過去和未來，有時候是對影成三人，有時候則是在灰暗的夜晚中尋找距離自己最近的光，有時候則是在兩界之間徘徊——兩界可以是生與死、光與暗、自我與他者，身體與幽魂。
在較大尺幅的畫作《We Still Searching for Truth But…》（2023）中，氤氳夜晚的水面上，玩偶熊手上握著一顆明亮的球，而身邊圍繞著的是魂歸無處的地縛靈，似乎也在漫無目的的找尋著什麼。其中有另一隻玩偶熊幽魂正飄向主角的背後，似乎即將要搶去他的光明，或者是他得以碰觸光明的身體。像這種兩界之間的緊張關係，在陳威廷的創作中屢見不鮮。《The Illusive Moon》（2024）則將此關係如同三稜鏡般的被詮釋出來。畫中的主角坐在水邊，不是對影成三人，而是看到自己的兩個倒影，更同時掌握著一輪水中的明月。他們彼此之間的關係在構圖上封閉成一體，都欲求著同一事物，而有著三種姿態。《Every Face is a Narrative Poem》（2023）則是一幅複雜表現著異裂個體的標誌性作品。在一條路上，每一張臉都是一首敘事詩，又該以哪一張臉來面對接下來該走的路？它也是最令我能連結到藝術家在藝術創作與生活處事的一幅畫，思考個體如何在不同場合切換模式時的選擇焦慮，一幅真正意義上的藝術家自畫像。
陳威廷的創作反映了一種當代人在液態現代性的處境。我們不斷在網路與現實之間建構自我，以滿足時代、滿足社交環境——試著變得可愛。為此我們將自我異裂，質疑自我、改造自我，並且在不同身份之間切換。在這樣的處境中，「我可以是誰？」的這個問題變成「我應該是誰？」在數以百計的流動關係之中，在每一種自我之間切換的過程之中，我們與自己、與他人如何產生連繫的紐帶，而不只是接觸？藝術家無法回答我們，但他揭露了我們如今所身處的時代精神，在藝術創作中感知這樣的精神性，或許正是我們修復彼此的第一步。
An Introvert Acting Extroverted: On Chen Wei-Ting's Paintings 2014—2024
By Chen Hsi
When viewing Chen Wei-Ting's works in his home, the first thing he showed me was his canvas paintings, as though he considered them to be his more complete and formal works. However, as I continued to examine Chen's works on paper, sketches, and notebooks, I noticed a distinct side of him, one that clearly exists across different mediums.
What makes this noticeable? In his sketches, there is a significant amount of drawing—not in the traditional sense of sketches or quick drawings—but mixed with scribbles, stray words, and doodles made with a ballpoint pen. Despite using the same pen, his thoughts scatter across the paper, with no specific emotional atmosphere being referenced. These marks are the origin of his creations, and as he transfers these sources onto paper or canvas, they often leave an intriguing result—a seemingly cute, speechless, cartoon-like figure, situated in a world filled with the noise of brushstrokes yet simplified. Chen Wei-Ting seems to express his internal turmoil, emotions even he cannot name, through innocent, seemingly adorable faces. The air is filled with an indescribable atmosphere—a residue of emotion, a noise behind the face.
An Introvert Acting Extroverted
The image Chen Wei-Ting presents to the world subtly mirrors his paintings. To me, he is what I call a " An Introvert Acting Extroverted." This phrase refers to the distinction between "E" and "I" in the widely popular MBTI personality test. "I" stands for those who are more introverted, focusing on their inner world, while "E" refers to those who focus on the external environment, being more extroverted. These terms are often oversimplified as introversion and extroversion, but the truth is more nuanced. Introverts can still engage with the external world, and extroverts may still focus inwardly. A " An Introvert Acting Extroverted " is someone who forces themselves to adopt an extroverted persona for social situations, particularly when they realize that they must be part of the external environment and social functions. In our team-oriented, capitalist society, the expectation is often for everyone to be an "E person"—attuned to the environment and actively participating.
Why is this important? And how does it relate to Chen Wei-Ting's work? I believe that being a " An Introvert Acting Extroverted " is a situation most people have experienced to some degree. It highlights the need to be mindful of how privacy and personal spaces are being eroded by public, social, and media influences. Especially in today's world, human relationships have become more complex due to the influence of social media. " An Introvert Acting Extroverted " wonders how to maintain the wisdom of solitude and the right to privacy while navigating the complexities of self-other relationships.
In the context of modernist art, there has always been a symbiotic relationship between canvas, brush, and artist—a call to "manifest the hand’s truth, and how the artist embodies their self within the artwork." The tradition of completing paintings within the spatial relationship between paper, canvas, and artist has long emphasized the importance of craftsmanship. The more skillful the artist, the more they are able to demonstrate how they have honed their artistic soul and life. This one-to-one-to-one relationship (artist, brush, canvas) could, in MBTI terms, be seen as an extreme form of "I person" behavior. In Chen Wei-Ting’s creative process, we also see this one-to-one-to-one dynamic. The artist uses the space of "I" and its internal murmurs to depict, in a style reminiscent of Takashi Murakami's 2003 concept of "superflat" aesthetics, emotions wrapped in childishness. Chen frequently uses this “childishness” to veil inner shadows and traumas that only adults might discern in the work.
Adapting to the World
In his solo exhibition "Paramita" at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (2024), Chen Wei-Ting explores several themes in his work—character aura, compositions made up of shapes, and brushstrokes that act like noise or static. His early works from 2014 to 2020 reveal his explorations of childlike drawing expressions, experimenting with characters and graffiti-like elements. During this time, Chen created a series of cartoonish doll-like figures, including a candle dog, an apple, a baby goat, and a teddy bear. Character creation in contemporary art is not uncommon, and Chen has followed a path as a character artist. These lovable characters serve as tangible expressions of emotion but do not refer to real-world objects. When we observe their postures and gazes, we seem to project onto them certain feelings of our own. One of his most famous characters, the "Candle Dog," even became a well-known figure among enthusiasts of cute art in Taiwan.
Although "cuteness" is an unavoidable aspect when appreciating Chen Wei-Ting's works, he differs from other contemporary character artists who create characters to fit a narrative. While a few of his works may have followed that path, he quickly moved away from it. Chen’s characters are not static—they change between a dog, a bear, a doll, or a human, constantly shifting forms to suit the narrative of each piece. This leads me to wonder whether, in Chen’s work, it’s the characters that adapt to the world of the painting, rather than the other way around.
For example, works like Everyone Who’s Lost (2024) and Take Me Home (2023) feature characters whose bodies adjust to the composition and shapes within the painting. For me, this tension between character creation and painterly expression is one of the more intriguing aspects of Chen Wei-Ting’s work. Art critic Hu Zhong-Yin, in his article "Imitating Innocence: The Artistic Journey of Chen Wei-Ting," also notes this tension in Chen's work, between "creating cute characters" and "thinking about artistic expression." Hu discusses Chen's use of line as a unique technique for crafting images and outlines. This method, along with his personal craftsmanship, has led some in the postmodern art world to view his work as closer to illustration or graffiti rather than fine art. However, the notion of craftsmanship as a measure of artistic value has its own problems, often resulting in the undervaluation of certain mediums.
If we evaluate Chen Wei-Ting’s work solely based on his painting technique, he does not fit neatly into the framework of "how a masterful painter liberates themselves through childlike methods." He was never bound by such limitations; his painting is free, created for himself. In that sense, his work also faithfully reflects his contemplation of social dilemmas based on his life experiences. A person who is entirely free must navigate their own complexities, face the difficulty of making choices, and confront loneliness.
Between Two Worlds: A Liquid Self
The fragmentation of the self between two worlds, searching and longing for a connection with another, is a deeply moving quality in Chen Wei-Ting's work. In several recent pieces from 2022 to 2024, his delicate teddy bear figure exists in desolate landscapes with no past or future. Sometimes it is mirrored by two shadows, at other times it searches for the nearest light in the dark night, wandering between two realms—life and death, light and dark, self and other, body and spirit.
In the large-scale painting We Still Searching for Truth But… (2023), the bear figure holds a bright ball while surrounded by restless spirits, seemingly in search of something just as elusive. Another teddy bear spirit floats behind the protagonist, as if it will steal his light or perhaps merge with his body, allowing him to touch the light. Such tension between two worlds is a recurring theme in Chen Wei-Ting’s work. In The Illusive Moon (2024), this relationship is interpreted like a prism. The protagonist sits by the water, seeing not one but two reflections of himself, each holding the moon in the water. Their relationship forms a closed loop in the composition, all desiring the same thing but in three different forms. Every Face is a Narrative Poem (2023) is a complex representation of fragmented selves. Along a road, each face is a narrative poem, but which face should be used for the path ahead? This painting resonates with how the artist contemplates individual choice and the anxiety of switching between different roles—a true self-portrait in the most profound sense.
Chen Wei-Ting’s work reflects the condition of contemporary individuals in the fluidity of modernity. We continuously construct ourselves between the internet and reality, adapting to the times and social environments—trying to be cute. In doing so, we fragment our selves, questioning and reshaping our identities, and switching between different personas. In this context, the question "Who can I be?" turns into "Who should I be?" In the countless relationships that flow around us, how do we form bonds with ourselves and others, rather than mere contact? The artist cannot provide us with an answer, but he reveals the zeitgeist of the time we live in. Perhaps recognizing this spirit in art is the first step toward healing.
本文章收錄於陳威廷「彼岸」圖錄以及 今藝術&投資 11月號/2024 第386期
This Article is included in the Paramita catalog of Chen Wei Ting and Artco, Nov 2024, Issue 386.
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陳晞 Chen Hsi
藝評書寫與研究者，現為典藏雜誌社（《今藝術＆投資》、《典藏ARTouch》）社群暨企劃主編、國際藝評人協會台灣分會（AICA Taiwan）理事。目前關注異質性的創作與勞動，長期研究繪畫性與敘事性等命題，對於另類文化和視覺語言的迷因混種亦深感興趣。文章散見於《典藏ARTouch》、《CLABO實驗波》、《端傳媒》、《非池中藝術網》、《Fliper》、《ARTSPIRE》、《500輯》、《藝術認證》、《歷史文物》、《新北美誌》等。
Art Critic and Researcher. Currently serving as the Social Media and Planning Editor-in-Chief at Artist & Investment and ARTouch Magazine under the ARTCO Publishing Group, as well as a board member of the Taiwan Section of the International Association of Art Critics (AICA Taiwan). Their research focuses on heterogeneity in artistic creation and labor, with a long-term interest in themes of pictoriality and narrativity. They are also deeply intrigued by the hybridization of alternative cultures and visual language memes. Their writings have been featured in publications such as ARTouch, CLABO Experimental Waves, Initium Media, Art Emperor, Fliper, ARTSPIRE, 500 Times, Art Certification, Historical Relics, and New Taipei Art Journal, among others.
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