一位备受人争议的美国画家,两场品鉴其作品的英国画展
从1950年代开始，美国画家罗纳德·布鲁克斯·基塔伊就一直生活在英国。然而1994年泰特美术馆的一场回顾展引来了针对个人的尖刻评论。画展结束后仅仅两个星期，他47岁的妻子、同为画家的桑德菈·费希尔便撒手人寰。基塔伊迁怒于那些评论家，并同他旅居的这个国家反目成仇。1997年，他带着年轻的儿子离开英国，前往洛杉矶。10年后，74岁的基塔伊自杀身亡。<span word="Now">Now</span> <span word="two">two</span> <span word="shows">shows</span>, <span word="drawn">drawn</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="Museum">Museum</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="Berlin">Berlin</span>, <span word="offer">offer</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="reassessment">reassessment</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="passionate">passionate</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="difficult">difficult</span> <span word="artist">artist</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="Museum">Museum</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="London">London</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="Camden">Camden</span> <span word="Town">Town</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="chosen">chosen</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="small">small</span> <span word="selection">selection</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="works">works</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="which">which</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="confronted">confronted</span> <span word="most">most</span> <span word="explicitly">explicitly</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="questions">questions</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="identity">identity</span>. “<span word="Unpacking">Unpacking</span> <span word="My">My</span> <span word="Library">Library</span>”, <span word="which">which</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="began">began</span> <span word="in">in</span> 1990, <span word="shows">shows</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="white">white</span>-<span word="haired">haired</span> <span word="figure">figure</span> <span word="contorted">contorted</span>, <span word="bent">bent</span> <span word="almost">almost</span> <span word="double">double</span>, <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="effort">effort</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="concealing">concealing</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="book">book</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="jacket">jacket</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="figure">figure</span> <span word="has">has</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="moustache">moustache</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="spectacles">spectacles</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="intellectual">intellectual</span> <span word="heroes">heroes</span>, <span word="Walter">Walter</span> <span word="Benjamin">Benjamin</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="essayist">essayist</span>, <span word="but">but</span> <span word="this">this</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="undoubtedly">undoubtedly</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span>. <span word="A">A</span> <span word="self">self</span>-<span word="confessed">confessed</span> <span word="bibliophile">bibliophile</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="artist">artist</span> <span word="wrote">wrote</span> <span word="in">in</span> 1990, “<span word="my">my</span> <span word="books">books</span> <span word="feed">feed</span> <span word="into">into</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="pictures">pictures</span> <span word="I">I</span> <span word="make">make</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="untutored">untutored</span> <span word="passion">passion</span>.”对这位充满激情却又性格乖张的画家，当前举办的两场画展做出了重新评价。展出的作品均来自柏林的犹太博物馆。展馆之一是伦敦卡姆登镇的犹太博物馆，它挑选的是一组为数不多的作品：在这些画中，作者正视自己犹太身份的方式最为直白。《开箱整理我的藏书》是1990年开始创作的。画中，一个满头白发的人由于竭力想把书藏到外套中，几乎将身子弯成了一张弓。他的胡须和眼睛很像作者的知识偶像之一、犹太作家瓦尔特·本雅明，但却无疑是作者本人。基塔伊承认自己爱书成狂，他在1990年写道：“我的画会以质朴的激情，从我的书中吸取养分。”<span word="Here">Here</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="microcosm">microcosm</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="makes">makes</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="one">one</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="most">most</span> <span word="significant">significant</span> <span word="painters">painters</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="post">post</span>-<span word="war">war</span> <span word="Europe">Europe</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="also">also</span> <span word="what">what</span> <span word="maddens">maddens</span> <span word="so">so</span> <span word="many">many</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="detractors">detractors</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="painting">painting</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="full">full</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="movement">movement</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="precisely">precisely</span> <span word="articulated">articulated</span> <span word="emotion">emotion</span>. <span word="It">It</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="partly">partly</span> <span word="comic">comic</span>—<span word="the">the</span> <span word="hero">hero</span> <span word="trying">trying</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="slip">slip</span> <span word="away">away</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="helping">helping</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="wife">wife</span> <span word="arrange">arrange</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="house">house</span>—<span word="but">but</span> <span word="it">it</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="also">also</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="assertion">assertion</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="identity">identity</span>, <span word="both">both</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="intellectual">intellectual</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="diaspora">diaspora</span>, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="writer">writer</span>. <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="paintings">paintings</span> <span word="are">are</span> <span word="always">always</span> <span word="figurative">figurative</span>, <span word="but">but</span> <span word="like">like</span> <span word="books">books</span>, <span word="they">they</span> <span word="need">need</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="be">be</span> <span word="read">read</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="unpacked">unpacked</span>, <span word="which">which</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="critics">critics</span> <span word="find">find</span> <span word="pretentious">pretentious</span>.此画正是基塔伊画风的缩影。这一画风让他享誉战后的欧洲画坛，也让众多诋毁他的人为之抓狂。《开箱》一画动感十足，其间饱蘸的情感拿捏得十分准确。作品有几分滑稽（比如不愿帮妻子收拾房间、试图溜之大吉的主人公），但也是对身份的坚持：既有流离海外的犹太知识分子这一身份，也有秉笔耕耘的作家这一身份。基塔伊的绘画都是表象艺术，不过同书籍一样，它们需要观者的解读；这在批评者眼中却甚是造作。<span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="obsessive">obsessive</span> <span word="concern">concern</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="Jewishness">Jewishness</span> <span word="started">started</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="early">early</span> 1970<span word="s">s</span>, <span word="after">after</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="read">read</span> <span word="Hannah">Hannah</span> <span word="Arendt">Arendt</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="account">account</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="trial">trial</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Adolf">Adolf</span> <span word="Eichmann">Eichmann</span>, <span word="one">one</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="organisers">organisers</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Holocaust">Holocaust</span>. <span word="For">For</span> 14 <span word="years">years</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="off">off</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="worked">worked</span> <span word="on">on</span> “<span word="Desk">Desk</span> <span word="Murder">Murder</span>”, <span word="finishing">finishing</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="painting">painting</span> <span word="in">in</span> 1984. <span word="Invoking">Invoking</span> <span word="Arendt">Arendt</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="phrase">phrase</span>, “<span word="desk">desk</span> <span word="murderer">murderer</span>”, <span word="it">it</span> <span word="shows">shows</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="spooky">spooky</span> <span word="outlines">outlines</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="a">a</span> 1940<span word="s">s</span> <span word="office">office</span> <span word="set">set</span> <span word="against">against</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="blood">blood</span>-<span word="red">red</span> <span word="background">background</span>, <span word="which">which</span> <span word="morphs">morphs</span> <span word="into">into</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="shape">shape</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="mobile">mobile</span> <span word="gas">gas</span> <span word="van">van</span>. “<span word="The">The</span> <span word="Listener">Listener</span> (<span word="Joe">Joe</span> <span word="Singer">Singer</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="Hiding">Hiding</span>)” <span word="from">from</span> 1980 <span word="vividly">vividly</span> <span word="conjures">conjures</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="pastel">pastel</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="Holocaust">Holocaust</span> <span word="survivor">survivor</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="surrogate">surrogate</span> <span word="for">for</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="himself">himself</span>, <span word="hunched">hunched</span> <span word="underground">underground</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="visibly">visibly</span> <span word="tense">tense</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="fear">fear</span>.汉娜·阿伦特有一部作品讲述的是审判阿道夫·艾希曼（组织犹太人大屠杀的凶手之一）。基塔伊在1970年代初拜读这部作品之后，便开始十分重视自己的犹太身份，甚至沉迷其中。绘画《办公桌旁的谋杀》就援引了阿伦特的“办公桌旁的凶手”这一措辞。这幅作品，他断断续续地画了14年，才于1984年完成。画中，一套1940年代的办公物件呈现出阴森恐怖的轮廓，而血红的背景则幻化成一辆流动毒气车的形状。创作于1980年的《乔·辛格在藏身处侧耳倾听》用彩粉生动地描绘出一位大屠杀幸存者的形象：他躬身藏在地下，惊惧之色一目了然，而这一形象指代的恰恰是基塔伊本人。<span word="In">In</span> “<span word="The">The</span> <span word="Wedding">Wedding</span>” (<span word="pictured">pictured</span>), <span word="completed">completed</span> <span word="in">in</span> 1993, <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="himself">himself</span>, <span word="wearing">wearing</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="yarmulka">yarmulka</span>, <span word="dances">dances</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="wife">wife</span> <span word="at">at</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="wedding">wedding</span> <span word="surrounded">surrounded</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="best">best</span> <span word="man">man</span>, <span word="David">David</span> <span word="Hockney">Hockney</span>, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="their">their</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="friends">friends</span>—<span word="Lucian">Lucian</span> <span word="Freud">Freud</span>, <span word="Frank">Frank</span> <span word="Auerbach">Auerbach</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="Leon">Leon</span> <span word="Kossoff">Kossoff</span>—<span word="whom">whom</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="had">had</span> <span word="dubbed">dubbed</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="School">School</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="London">London</span>. “<span word="If">If</span> <span word="Not">Not</span>, <span word="Not">Not</span>”, <span word="his">his</span> <span word="masterpiece">masterpiece</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="mid">mid</span>-1970<span word="s">s</span>, <span word="is">is</span> <span word="mesmerising">mesmerising</span>, <span word="lusciously">lusciously</span> <span word="painted">painted</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="formally">formally</span> <span word="resolved">resolved</span>. <span word="The">The</span> <span word="dreamlike">dreamlike</span> <span word="blue">blue</span> <span word="lake">lake</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="inspired">inspired</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="Giorgione">Giorgione</span>’<span word="s">s</span> “<span word="The">The</span> <span word="Tempest">Tempest</span>” <span word="overborne">overborne</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="looming">looming</span> <span word="gates">gates</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Auschwitz">Auschwitz</span>, <span word="in">in</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="landscape">landscape</span> <span word="littered">littered</span> <span word="with">with</span> <span word="symbolic">symbolic</span> <span word="objects">objects</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="people">people</span>. <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="acknowledged">acknowledged</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="debt">debt</span> <span word="here">here</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="Eliot">Eliot</span>, <span word="another">another</span> <span word="American">American</span> é<span word="migr">migr</span>é, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="idea">idea</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> “<span word="waste">waste</span> <span word="land">land</span>” <span word="of">of</span> <span word="T">T</span>.<span word="S">S</span>. <span word="Eliot">Eliot</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="great">great</span> <span word="poem">poem</span> “<span word="as">as</span> <span word="an">an</span> <span word="antechamber">antechamber</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="hell">hell</span>”.图中的这幅《婚礼》完成于1993年。这是基塔伊自己的婚礼，画中的他头戴犹太便帽，与妻子翩翩起舞，周围是他的伴郎大卫·霍克尼，以及他们的犹太朋友卢西安·弗洛伊德、弗兰克·奥尔巴赫和里昂·科索夫（也即基塔伊口中的“伦敦画派”）。《如果不是，那便不是》是他1970年代中期的大作。这幅作品画风艳丽，形式完美，令人心醉神迷。画中，一泓碧蓝色的湖水如梦似幻，其灵感正是来自乔尔乔涅的《暴风雨》；湖水上方森然笼罩着奥斯维辛集中营的大门，而四周原野则零散堆砌着富有象征意味的物品和人物。基塔伊借此向同为美国侨民的托马斯·艾略特致谢，并感谢其伟大诗篇中的“荒原”这一意境：在他看来，“荒原”正“如通往地狱的前厅”。<span word="The">The</span> <span word="second">second</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="show">show</span>, <span word="at">at</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Pallant">Pallant</span> <span word="House">House</span> <span word="Gallery">Gallery</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="Chichester">Chichester</span>, <span word="picks">picks</span> <span word="up">up</span> <span word="another">another</span> <span word="thread">thread</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="artist">artist</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="imagination">imagination</span>: <span word="his">his</span> <span word="allegiance">allegiance</span> <span word="to">to</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="line">line</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="modernist">modernist</span> <span word="thinking">thinking</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="included">included</span> <span word="Jewish">Jewish</span> <span word="intellectuals">intellectuals</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="well">well</span> <span word="as">as</span> <span word="those">those</span> <span word="occasional">occasional</span> <span word="anti">anti</span>-<span word="Semites">Semites</span>, <span word="Eliot">Eliot</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="Ezra">Ezra</span> <span word="Pound">Pound</span>. <span word="Among">Among</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="important">important</span> <span word="canvasses">canvasses</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="reflect">reflect</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span>’<span word="s">s</span> <span word="broader">broader</span> <span word="philosophical">philosophical</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="political">political</span> <span word="thinking">thinking</span> <span word="are">are</span> “<span word="The">The</span> <span word="Ohio">Ohio</span> <span word="Gang">Gang</span>” (1964), <span word="with">with</span> <span word="its">its</span> <span word="ferocious">ferocious</span> <span word="Maenad">Maenad</span>, <span word="a">a</span> <span word="follower">follower</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="Dionysus">Dionysus</span>, <span word="sweeping">sweeping</span> <span word="in">in</span> <span word="from">from</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="side">side</span>, <span word="the">the</span> <span word="compelling">compelling</span> “<span word="Juan">Juan</span> <span word="de">de</span> <span word="la">la</span> <span word="Cruz">Cruz</span>” (1967), <span word="with">with</span> <span word="its">its</span> <span word="conflicted">conflicted</span> <span word="African">African</span>-<span word="American">American</span> <span word="soldier">soldier</span>, <span word="and">and</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="huge">huge</span> <span word="contemporary">contemporary</span> <span word="history">history</span> <span word="painting">painting</span>, “<span word="Pacific">Pacific</span> <span word="Coast">Coast</span> <span word="Highway">Highway</span>” (1973), <span word="with">with</span> <span word="its">its</span> <span word="multilayered">multilayered</span> <span word="references">references</span>. <span word="None">None</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="these">these</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="easy">easy</span>, <span word="but">but</span> <span word="they">they</span> <span word="share">share</span> <span word="essential">essential</span> <span word="qualities">qualities</span>: <span word="exhilarating">exhilarating</span> <span word="draughtsmanship">draughtsmanship</span>, <span word="boldly">boldly</span> <span word="expressive">expressive</span> <span word="colour">colour</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="conceptual">conceptual</span> <span word="ambition">ambition</span>.另一场画展是在奇切斯特市的帕兰特屋画廊。它所挑选的是作者意象的另一主线，那就是他对一种现代主义思潮的忠诚（这一思潮中既有犹太知识分子，也有偶尔反犹的艾略特和埃兹拉·庞德）。基塔伊的不少油画都能反映他在哲学和政治方面更为广泛的思考，而以下几幅都是其中的重要作品：在1964年的《俄亥俄帮》中，酒神迪奥尼索司的信徒美娜德从一侧气势汹汹地掠来；1967年的《“圣十字”胡安》是一幅引人入胜的作品，画中的美国黑人士兵满脸都是矛盾的神情；而1973年的巨幅现代历史画《太平洋海岸公路》则有多层次的旁征博引。所有这些作品都不简单，却都有一些共同的基本特征：赏心悦目的绘画技巧，大胆而极具表现力的色彩运用，以及宏大的艺术构思。<span word="A">A</span> <span word="final">final</span> <span word="room">room</span> <span word="contains">contains</span> <span word="some">some</span> <span word="of">of</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="explosive">explosive</span> <span word="works">works</span> <span word="that">that</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="painted">painted</span> <span word="after">after</span> 1994, <span word="including">including</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="marvellously">marvellously</span> <span word="vituperative">vituperative</span> “<span word="The">The</span> <span word="Killer">Killer</span>-<span word="Critic">Critic</span> <span word="Assassinated">Assassinated</span> <span word="by">by</span> <span word="his">his</span> <span word="Widower">Widower</span>, <span word="Even">Even</span>”, <span word="painted">painted</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="year">year</span> <span word="he">he</span> <span word="left">left</span> <span word="Britain">Britain</span>. <span word="Nearly">Nearly</span> <span word="two">two</span> <span word="decades">decades</span> <span word="after">after</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="Tate">Tate</span> <span word="show">show</span>, <span word="these">these</span> <span word="exhibitions">exhibitions</span> <span word="prove">prove</span> <span word="just">just</span> <span word="how">how</span> <span word="good">good</span> <span word="Kitaj">Kitaj</span> <span word="was">was</span> <span word="at">at</span> <span word="marshalling">marshalling</span> <span word="complex">complex</span> <span word="ideas">ideas</span> <span word="into">into</span> <span word="a">a</span> <span word="coherent">coherent</span> <span word="and">and</span> <span word="forceful">forceful</span> <span word="image">image</span>.最后一个展厅陈列的是1994年之后、基塔伊在盛怒之下所绘的一些作品。其中《刺杀夺命评论家，为亡妻雪恨》就是他在离开英国的那一年所画；作品充满了刻毒的诅咒，却又令人叹服。在泰特回顾展结束将近20年后，这些画展恰好表明，基塔伊是多么擅长将复杂的思想融入一幅条理清晰、震撼有力的图像。</p>
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