吉莉安•韋婭靈

吉莉安•韋婭靈1963年生於英國伯明翰,1985-7年就讀倫敦切爾西藝術學院,1987-90年在倫敦金匠學院進修。1993年獲「英國電訊青年當代藝術獎」;1997年獲「特納獎」;2005年獲法國阿爾勒國際攝影藝術節「拓展獎」。韋婭靈現於倫敦生活和工作。

韋婭靈的作品展示藝術家對日常生活中悲喜交集體驗的多元理解。她利用紀實攝影、電影及電視來刻劃尋常百姓所關注的事物及其言行。韋婭靈含蓄及巧妙地將這些日常情景置換,繼而令觀眾感到不自在—當我們面對她的影像作品之時,不得不質疑我們固有之見。

韋婭靈一直關注社會中的個人主義,這一點可體現在她的作品《說出你想說而不是他人想你說的標語》(1992-3)。系列中,她隨機邀請過路人在紙上寫下心中所想,並着他們手持紙張讓她拍攝。跟紀錄性的新聞攝影不同,她積極讓被拍攝者參與其中,以挑戰社會陳規與既定想法。在作品《英國會走出這經濟衰退嗎》,一名男子表達他對英國經濟何時能復蘇的關注。韋婭靈為不同人提供了表達意見的平台,而作品結果突顯了她對社會歸屬問題的個人取態。在錄像作品《男孩時光》(1996)中,一群男孩起初努力保持拍群體照的姿態,當時間久了,自我意識及鬱悶感增加,開始有嘆氣、低聲抱怨及其他不耐煩等動作,甚至對好奇的過路者惡言相向,他們僵硬的姿勢開始瓦解。原本是一幅城市的靜態畫面(除了背後那公園或遊樂場的少許雜聲),結果化為一次社會觀察,觀者因著這四人對周遭環境的反應而對他們有不同的印象。

韋婭靈的首次個展於1993年在倫敦城市競賽畫廊舉行。其他個展包括:蘇黎世美術館(1997);蛇形畫廊(倫敦,2000);凱夏基金會(馬德里,2001);慕尼黑藝術協會(2001);巴黎現代藝術博物館(2001);法蘭斯.哈爾斯博物館(哈勒姆,荷蘭,2004);克雅斯瑪當代藝術博物館(赫爾辛基,芬蘭,2004);彭博空間(倫敦,2005);澳洲當代藝術中心(2006);「自白:肖像,影像」(羅丹博物館,巴黎,2009)。2010年,她的首部長片《自己製造》在第五十四屆倫敦電影節及曼城角屋中心首映。

Gillian Wearing

Gillian Wearing was born in Birmingham, England in 1963. She studied at Chelsea School of Art, London, 1985-7 and Goldsmiths College, London, 1987-90. She won the BT Young Contemporaries Prize in 1993, the Turner Prize in 1997 and the Outreach Award at the Rencontres d’Arles Festival in 2005. Wearing lives and works in London.

Wearing’s work demonstrates a complex understanding of the alternately comic and tragic experiences of everyday life. She uses the techniques of documentary photography, film and television to frame the concerns, words and actions of ordinary people, often in everyday situations, slightly and often subtly displaced in context. This repositioning creates an uneasy sense in the viewer— it forces us to question our preconceptions in the face of the image Wearing presents to us.

Her ongoing concern with individualism within society is also present in Signs that say what you want them to say and not Signs that say what someone else wants you to say (1992-3). In this series, the artist asked random passers-by if they would agree to note down their thoughts on a piece of paper and to be photographed holding them. Contrary to social documentary photojournalism the artist attempts to actively involve her protagonists in order to challenge social stereotypes and assumptions. In Will Britain get through this recession, a man expresses his concerns over how long it may take for the country’s economy to recover. Here Wearing gives an individual a platform for self-expression, and the result underlines her personal interest in social belonging. In the video piece Boytime (1996) a group of boys try to maintain the illusion of a group portrait. Gradually however, self-consciousness and boredom mounts and there are a series of sighs, irritated gestures or muttered complaints and curses at curious passers-by. The rigid pose begins to disintegrate. What had appeared as an urban tableau, silent but for the subdued sounds of a park or playground is transformed into an exercise in social observation, as we begin to form impressions of these four boys based on their response to the situation.

Wearing’s first solo exhibition was held at City Racing, London, 1993. Other selected solo exhibitions include: Kunsthaus Zurich, 1997; Serpentine Gallery, London, 2000; Fundación la Caixa, Madrid, 2001; Kunstverein Munchen, 2001; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, 2001; Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, 2004; Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, 2004; Bloomberg Space, London, 2005; Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2006 and Confessions: Portraits, vidéos, Musée Rodin, Paris, 2009. She made her first feature length film Self Made in 2010, premiered at Cornerhouse, Manchester and the 54th London Film Festival.