Mythological Journey—A Dialogue Across Time and Space
神話之旅——穿越時空的對話

“Mythological Journey—A Dialogue Across Time and Space” presents a contemporary artistic interpretation of the essence of Chinese and Western mythology. The featured artists of this exhibition are Irish artist Fion Gunn and Chinese artist Shoran Jiang. The two artists, from different cultural backgrounds, have connected through art in London, engaging in cross-cultural exploration through imagery, seeking common ground while respecting differences. Their works give form to the concept of a shared human destiny, unravelling the complexity, malleability, and expansiveness of human kinship and cultural composition through the interpretation and reimagining of ancient myths. Using their distinct visual languages and techniques of image collage and translation, they reveal universal human commonalities. The Western cultural system, represented by Greek mythology, and the traditional mythological framework of Chinese Daoism, converge in the artistic dialogue between the two artists, generating new humanistic connotations—exploration and innovation, resilience, and mutual respect.

This exhibition not only resonates with the mission of the UArt Centre’s earlier Lin Fengmian exhibition—”to introduce Western art, systematise Chinese art, harmonise Eastern and Western art, and create art of the times“—but also significantly promotes cultural exchange between China and Ireland. Shanghai and Cork, as sister cities, are pivotal hubs for economic, cultural, and artistic exchanges between the two countries. This exhibition has also received strong support from the Irish Consulate General in Shanghai. May the art of Fion Gunn and Shoran Jiang offer audiences from both China and Ireland a mythological journey that feels both familiar and refreshingly vivid.

《神話之旅——穿越時空的對話》是一場關於記憶與想像的藝術相遇，藉由中西神話的再詮釋，探索古老故事在當代的延續與轉化。參展藝術家為愛爾蘭籍藝術家飛揚‧戈恩（Fion Gunn）與旅英華裔藝術家姜嘯然（Shoran Jiang）。兩位藝術家來自不同的文化背景，卻在倫敦因藝術而結緣。她們以繪畫為橋樑，在跨文化的對話中尋找共鳴，也在差異之中彼此映照。

在她們的創作裡，神話不僅是歷史的回聲，更是一種探問自我與人類共通性的方式。透過對古代神話的重新解讀與當代表達，兩位藝術家將「人類命運共同體」的抽象概念具像化，她們的作品具像化了人類命運共同體，通過對古代神話的解讀和演繹，揭示了人類的血緣和文化構成的複雜性、可塑性和延伸性。她們通過個性化的繪畫語言，圖像拼貼轉譯的手法，展示了人類普遍的共性。以希臘神話為代表的西方文化體系和中國道教為代表的傳統神話體系，在兩位藝術家的藝術交流中，產生了新的人文內涵——探索求新、堅韌不拔、互相尊重。

值得一提的是，這次展覽亦回應了采藝術中心早年林風眠展覽所提出的理想——「介紹西洋藝術，整理中國藝術，調和中西藝術，創造時代藝術」。在全球化的文化脈絡中，飛揚‧戈恩與姜嘯然的創作延續了這一理念，以藝術為語言，推動了中愛兩國之間更深層次的文化交流。

上海與愛爾蘭的科克市，同為海港與文化之城，見證了人類遷徙、貿易與交流的歷史。如今，兩位藝術家的「神話之旅」正如這些城市的精神——流動而包容，熟悉卻鮮活，邀請觀者在神話與現實之間，重新想像自我與世界的關係。

Mythological Narratives 神話敘事

Fion Gunn and Shoran Jiang draw inspiration primarily from Chinese and Western mythological stories, employing media translation and image collage to break away from linear narratives, showcasing the focus and expansiveness of pictorial language.

In the “Family Psychodrama” series, Gunn uses “pictures within frames” to highlight the complex and contradictory psyches of her subjects. She incorporates elements of Greek mythology—family ethics, betrayal, fear, and revenge—using postmodern techniques such as multiple perspectives, layered dimensions, and mixed media to reveal the intricate cultural strata that constitute myths, all within a single frame. Her paintings reflect the conflicting perspectives of Velázquez, the Neo-Dada effects of Jasper Johns, and her profound expression of feminine strength. In tracing the composition of myths, Gunn integrates her personal experiences, using richly layered structures to showcase the multifaceted roles of women in the construction of human culture.

In Jiang’s works, the artist blends traditional painting techniques, ink washes, and symbols with modern media’s colours, machinery, and comics, intuitively presenting a fusion of classical elegance and punk aesthetics. Her personified zodiac figures are skillfully combined with traditional Chinese imagery of mythical beings through digital collage and tracing. Her themes resonate with the psyche of contemporary youth, reflecting a pursuit of traditional auspiciousness and peace while expressing a renewed longing for cultural roots.

戈恩和姜嘯然的繪畫主要取材於中西方的神話故事，並通過媒介和圖像的轉譯拼貼，打破單向線性的敘事方法，表現了繪畫語言的聚焦性和延展性。

在「家庭心理劇」系列（Family Psychodrama）中，戈恩採用了畫框「畫中畫」的溝通，突出了被描繪對象的複雜矛盾心理。她把希臘神話中的家庭倫理、背叛、恐慌和復仇等一系列故事因素，用後現代的繪畫技巧——多角度、多層次、綜合媒介——把神話構成的複雜文化地層關係在一幀幀平面中展示了出來。她的繪畫既有委拉斯貴支的矛盾視角，又有賈斯帕‧瓊斯的新達達效果，還帶著深刻的女性力量的表達。在追溯神話構成的時候，戈恩結合了自身的經歷，用富有層次的繪畫結構，把女性在人類文化構成中的多面性展示了出來。

在姜嘯然的畫作中，畫家融合了傳統繪畫的筆法、暈染、符號和現代媒介的色彩、機器、漫畫，把古典感和朋克風，多層次而直觀地呈現了出來。她擬人化的生肖形象又與中國傳統志怪圖像巧妙地用數碼拼貼和描摹的方式有機結合起來。她的繪畫主題貼切當下年輕人的心理，在追求傳統吉祥平安寓意的同時，又對自身的文化根性又有新的渴望。

The Encounter Through Art 藝術的相遇

Fion Gunn and Shoran Jiang met through an art project, offering each other encouragement and support. Their art, enriched by the mutual attraction of Chinese and Irish cultures, evolved into new forms. Gunn, from Ireland, had previously lived in France before settling in the UK. Since childhood, she had held a deep fascination for Chinese art and mythology. Her mother once ran an antique shop in Cork, where the young Gunn would gaze at objects from distant lands, dreaming of one day visiting China. In the early 2000s, she travelled to China as an artist and initiated the “Irish Wave” art project, aimed at fostering artistic exchange between Ireland and China.

In 2015, Gunn was invited by ART.ZIP – a bilingual (Chinese-English) art magazine co-founded by Shoran Jiang – to contribute articles sharing her experiences as a curator and artist in cultural exchange projects. In 2018, recommended by ART.ZIP, Gunn participated in an exchange program at Tate Liverpool. The following year, at Tate Liverpool, she received a grant from Arts Council England, and Jiang was invited to collaborate with her on the exhibition “Odyssey: Explorations“. The exhibition was warmly received by visitors from its opening.

In 2023, Gunn and Jiang again secured funding from Arts Council England to present a joint exhibition at London’s APT Gallery and the Computer Artists Society. Through years of collaborative exhibitions, Gunn and Jiang have built a profound friendship and mutually advanced each other’s artistic careers.

戈恩和姜嘯然通過藝術項目相識，互相鼓勵和支持，而她們的藝術也因中愛兩國文化的互相吸引，而產生了新的形式。來自愛爾蘭的戈恩曾旅居法國，後定居英國。她自小就對中國的藝術和神話故事就非常感興趣。她的母親在科克市曾經營一家古董店。戈恩自小就在這座海港城市，看著這些來自異鄉的物件，暢想著有一天能去中國。在21世紀初，她作為藝術家來到中國，發起了「愛爾蘭潮流」藝術項目，旨在增進中愛藝術交流。2015年，她受到姜嘯然聯合創辦的中英雙語藝術媒體ART.ZIP的約稿，向讀者們介紹她作為策展人和藝術家在文化交流項目中的點點滴滴。2018年她在ART.ZIP的推薦下，參與了泰特利物浦美術館的交流項目。2019年在泰特利物浦，戈恩獲得了英格蘭藝術委員會的資助，而姜嘯然受邀和戈恩一起參與了「奧德賽：探索」藝術展覽。該展覽一經推出，就獲得了參觀者們的歡迎。2023年，戈恩和姜嘯然又獲得了英格蘭藝術委員會的資助，在倫敦APT畫廊和計算機藝術家協會舉辦了聯展。通過多年來的展覽合作，戈恩和姜嘯然建立了深厚的友誼，並互相促進了藝術事業。

The Texture of the Circle 圓的質感

Fion Gunn and Jiang Xiaoran frequently employ the circle as a central element in their art, conveying themes of energy, love, and reunion through the lens of temporal transformation, the cycle of life, and the flow of energy. Also, it is a lens through which to explore the narrative/perspective – to focus the viewer’s attention.

In Gunn’s “Restoration” series, the artist depicts how, in the face of crumbling ancient relics and the imperfections of myths, an imaginative approach can make the world more beautiful, equitable, and harmonious. Through her brush, deities from ancient Egypt and Greece coexist with people of all races and genders and cultures, as well as flora and fauna from across the globe, transcending the imperialist and colonialist “law of the jungle.” Mythology—a vessel rich in humanism—is organically restored through a series of circles and the boundless love of women, reconciling humanity and nature.

In Jiang Xiaoran’s zodiac series, the cyclical periods of the Chinese celestial stems and earthly branches merge with mural-like figures, blending symbols and imagery. Vivid colours rejuvenate the ancient and profound traditional system of star constellations. The cyberpunk mechanical aesthetic, enveloped in auspicious clouds, evokes a sense of delight. The secularisation of mythology in Chinese culture also reflects the generally optimistic and socially integrated mindset of the Chinese people.

In both Chinese and Irish and European myths, many stories revolve around journeys and harbours. The adventurous and enterprising spirit of humanity has driven the evolution and iteration of civilisations, enriching one harbour city after another. From Cork in Ireland and Liverpool and London in the UK, to Tianjin and Shanghai in China, the prosperity of port cities is inseparable from the people who inhabit them. Their hard work, communication, and exchanges, along with trade, have fostered the accumulation of urban myths. The world is flat, the world is round, the world is diverse, and the world is shared.

飛揚‧戈恩和姜嘯然的繪畫不少都採用了圓形作為藝術的主要構成元素，通過時空的轉換、生命的輪回和能量的流動，表達了能量、愛護、團圓。

在戈恩的「修復」系列（Restoration）中，藝術家描繪了在面對殘破的古蹟和神話的缺憾時，如何用一種富有想象的方式讓世界變得更美好、平等、和諧。在她的筆下，古埃及、古希臘的神像與不分種族性別的人、動物、大海等，遠離帝國主義和殖民主義的叢林法則，讓神話——這一蘊含豐富人文主義的載體，通過一些列的圓，女性的大愛，對人與自然進行有機修復。

在姜嘯然的生肖組畫中，天干地支的輪回週期與壁畫式的人物形象，把符號和圖像進行了融合。鮮亮的色彩，讓充滿古意和高深的傳統星宿系統煥然一新。賽博朋克的機械感在祥雲的籠罩中，讓人忍俊不禁。中國文化中神話的世俗化，也顯示著中國人普遍積極向上融入社會的心理。

在中國和愛爾蘭的神話故事中，人物故事很多都與旅途和海港有關。人類的冒險進取精神，讓文明不斷演進迭代，繁榮了一座又一座海港城市。從愛爾蘭的科克、英國的利物浦、倫敦，再到中國的天津、上海，海港城市的繁榮發展離不開旅居於城市的人們。他們辛勤勞作、與人溝通和交流，貿易帶動了城市神話的積澱。世界是平的，世界是圓的，世界是多樣的，世界是共同的。

The Dreamer #3 (2024) by Fion Gunn, canvas, handmade papers, acrylic, collage, gold leaf, 80 x 60cm

Text 撰文 x Joshua Gong 龔之允