A Play of Shadows影子剧影子劇

"A Play of Shadows" originally corresponds to the ancient art of "lantern shadow play," which uses flat, hollowed-out human figures placed between a light source and a translucent screen to narrate stories. In Xu Yongcheng's paintings, the cutting of light and shadow and the frozen human figures reach a spiritual resonance with this classical theatrical form. He often frames the scope of human activity within semi-enclosed spaces, obscuring the majority of his depicted subjects in heavy shadows or behind obstructions. Thus, the narrative becomes incomplete, and in its incompleteness, it gains profundity.

Xu Yongcheng, born in Guangdong in 1981, is a distinguished painter at the Chinese Academy of Oil Painting.

He is devoted to the research of painting language concerning color and domain, form and mass, light and shadow. In his "shadow theater," human figures are reduced to absolute minimalism, enveloped in sculpture-like intense lighting. Whether it is the fervent southern sunlight or the elongated northern silhouettes, Xu restrainedly conceals contemporary people's desires, fears, and conflicts within highly balanced compositions, forming a silent, alienating visual narrative that transcends reality.

“影子剧”原本对应着一种将平面镂空人形置于光源与幕布间叙说故事的古老艺术。在许永城的画面中，光影的切割与被定格的人像，与这种古典的“灯影戏”达成了精神意味上的契合。他经常通过半封闭的空间框定人物活动的范围，将描绘对象的绝大部分隐没在浓重的阴影或遮挡物中。叙事由此变得不完整，却也因此变得意味深长。

许永城，1981年出生于广东，现为中国艺术研究院油画院特聘画家。

他致力于色与域、形与体、光与影的绘画语言研究。在他的“影子剧场”里，人物形体被削减至极简，笼罩在如雕塑般强烈的光照下。无论是热烈的南方日照，还是拉长的北方孤影，许永城将当代人对关系的渴望、恐惧与冲突，克制地隐蔽在极度平衡的构图中，形成了一种超越现实的、寂静而疏离的视觉叙事。

“影子劇”原本對應著一種將平面鏤空人形置於光源與幕布間敘說故事的古老藝術。在許永城的畫面中，光影的切割與被定格的人像，與這種古典的“燈影戲”達成了精神意味上的契合。他經常通過半封閉的空間框定人物活動的範圍，將描繪對象的絕大部分隱沒在濃重的陰影或遮擋物中。敘事由此變得不完整，卻也因此變得意味深長。

許永城，1981年出生於廣東，現為中國藝術研究院油畫院特聘畫家。

他致力於色與域、形與體、光與影的繪畫語言研究。在他的“影子劇場”裡，人物形體被削減至極簡，籠罩在如雕塑般強烈的光照下。無論是熱烈的南方日照，還是拉長的北方孤影，許永城將當代人對關係的渴望、恐懼與衝突，剋制地隱蔽在極度平衡的構圖中，形成了一種超越現實的、寂靜而疏離的視覺敘事。