Richard Lin (British, 1933-2011), (Lin Show-Yu) 林壽宇


Untitled 1967 signed and dated 1967 on the reverse on the frameoil on canvas, in the artist's frameCanvas: 56 x 56 cm (22 1/16 x 22 1/16 in)Overall: 79 x 79.5 cm (31 1/8 x 31 5/16 in)
|ProvenanceAcquired directly from the artist by Peter Clapham circa 1967Thence by descent to the present owner林壽宇 無題油彩畫布 原畫框1967年作背面簽名: RICHARD LIN 1967來源前藏家Peter Clapham約在1967年直接得自藝術家現由其家屬繼承Thought-provoking and peacefully captivating, Untitled from 1967 consists of monochromatic squares, gravitating towards the lower half of the composition, against a white squared canvas in the original frame designed by Richard Lin. A testament to Lin's skills, the present work illustrates three-dimensionality on a flat surface, conjuring multiple visual illusions through a precision of colour and geometry. Exceptionally intriguing, a black square sits on the top right corner of a big white square, close, but not exactly aligning, to the edge. To the right of the big white square is a smaller white square that is more opaque, appearing to be heavier and textured. Made aware by the viewer's perception, the squares recede and emerge, each time in a different way, dependent on the light and spatial context the work is placed in. The subtle variations among the squares on the composition echo the purity of Piet Mondrian's geometric abstraction, and also draw connections with Josef Albers' experimentation with colour and form in his Homage to the Square series. The present work comes from the collection of Peter Clapham, a British architect and artist who was contemporary to Lin. Clapham and Lin met while they were both represented by Marlborough Gallery in London, one of the leading contemporary art galleries during the post-war period. Lin had his first solo exhibition at Marlborough in 1966, and created the present work shortly after in 1967. A pivotal year for Clapham, 1967 also marks the year of his first exhibition at Marlborough. Displaying striking similarities in their background, Lin and Clapham both trained as architects before focusing on their careers as artists. Clapham developed an artistic language that was rooted in his architectural background and interest in Constructivism, in which he explored effects of space and light, carrying the concept further with his personal interests in mathematics, structure, and craftsmanship. Similarly, Lin executed his canvases with mathematical precision and careful manipulation of space, distilling his compositions down to an elemental core of simple geometric shapes and monochromatic colours. In the present work, Lin draws viewers to a realm of quietude and soliloquy, guiding us with new sensations as we examine the spatial relationships of dark and light, flatness and depth. Acquired directly from Richard Lin, the present work has remained in Clapham's private collection throughout his lifetime. Appearing on the market for the very first time, Untitled from 1967 is archetypal of Lin's most sought-after quintessential white canvases, with a distinguished provenance. 《無題》創作於一九六七年，這是一件發人深省的作品，同時散發寧靜迷人的魅力。畫面由白色單色方形組成，左下方的方塊逐漸滲入畫布，和整體畫布正方形的結構形成對比，最終視點落在林壽宇設計的畫框。從《無題》不難看出林壽宇在平面上營造三維空間感的高明技藝，他用精準的色彩和幾何圖形製造出多個視錯覺。畫面左方，大的白色方塊在右上角有一個不完全對齊邊上的黑色方塊，右方則是一個較小的白色方塊，顏色更飽和，看上去具有質量和質地感。當觀者欣賞這件帶有神秘感的作品時，會因為光線和空間的不同，所帶來的視覺體驗也會隨之變化。方塊時而消退或浮現，每次的體驗皆截然不同。構圖中這些方形的微妙差異呼應了皮特・蒙德里安（Piet Mondrian）的幾何抽象藝術，同時也讓人聯想到約瑟夫·亞伯斯（Josef Albers）在《向方形致敬》（Homage to the Square）系列中對色彩與形狀的實驗。這件作品出自彼得·克拉彭（Peter Clapham）的收藏。克拉彭和林壽宇皆為同期的英國建築師與藝術家，兩人同為倫敦馬博羅畫廊（Marlborough Gallery）代理因而相識。馬博羅畫廊是戰後時期首屈一指的當代藝術畫廊。林壽宇在一九六六年在馬博羅畫廊第一次舉辦個展，隔年在一九六七年繪製了這件作品。一九六七年對克拉彭而言是很重要的一年，他在這一年第一次在馬博羅畫廊辦展。林壽宇和克拉彭的背景有驚人的相似處，他們在成為藝術家之前都曾經鑽研建築。克拉彭的藝術語彙根植於其建築背景和對建構主義（Constructivism）的濃厚興趣，因此偏好探索空間和光影的效果，爾後在作品中持續投注他個人對數學、結構和工藝的興趣。同樣的，林壽宇講求如數學般的準確性和嚴謹的空間掌控，將構圖簡化到最基本的簡單幾何形狀和單色。在這件作品中，林壽宇將觀者帶往安靜的獨白，在光與暗、扁平與深度的空間關係中引領我們體會新的感受。《無題》是克拉彭直接得自林壽宇的作品。當他還在世時，此作一直保存在他的私人收藏中。創作於一九六七年，首次在市場中出現的這件作品不僅有傑出的來歷，更是林氏最受人追捧的經典白色代表作。