河濱散記——獻給父親Reflections by the River—A Project Dedicated to My Father

序

2016年入冬時節，父親離世前的一個月，以父子雙聯展概念開展的樣板房設計，終於有了大致的雛形。我的父親，陳道明先生，東方畫會的創始人，藝術圈的八大響馬之一，台灣第一位抽象派畫家，這些外人給的封號都不是我對他最真實的感受，對我而言，他就是一位父親，是兒子的大玩偶、寫生的好同伴、藝術觀點的辯論方！
父親讓我近身看他作畫，卻從來不教我畫；帶我領略各大藝術派系的精髓，但從不主張偶像崇拜。在設計的道路上，我從未失去信心，因為我知道總會有他的支持與鼓勵……我一直希望送給他一份禮物，用我最擅長的方式和語言，向他致敬。
我以父親的畫作當作本案的發想，期望室內空間中的氣韻，似畫中出走的墨彩筆調一般，煥發著如父親般文雅的風采與光澤，完成了以＂河濱散記＂為名的作品。
謹以這件作品，表達我對父親的感恩與綿綿的思念之情……

假設一位事業有成之士，年少時一本梭羅(Thoreau)的湖濱散記：遠離塵囂與自然共存的簡約生活，深植其心，期許在功成名就之後，完成自己心中的嚮往。一篇河濱散記的重寫，只為一圓年少的夢想。
「那是一座通風、未粉飾的木屋，適合用來招待雲遊仙人，或讓仙女的婆娑衣裙在屋裏掠過」，如雲似霧的漸層夾紗玻璃門，拉啓了屋子的第一道玄關，而牆面上的抽象畫作，有如窗外大氣雲霧的延伸，與室內產生了對話與交流，穿堂而過的風，是大地的天籟，等待著仙人的到訪。
「時間不過是我垂釣的小溪。我飲用溪中水；那淺淺的水流一溜而過，留下的是永恆」，黑色鏡面大理石地面，靜如停止的潭水，而波光粼粼的光澤牆面，亦如淺淺的溪流，緩慢的將時間也遺忘。
「一隻貓在湖邊的石岸上散步著，一向最馴服的貓，一旦進入森林，也好像回到老家一樣」，石岩般的銀灰粗獷紋理，遍佈在空間之中，堅實而穩重的如砥柱般守護著，而天花板以一種描摹遠山的輪廓樣貌，形塑出群山起伏的韻律。屋主似找到家的貓一般，呈現最自在放鬆的狀態。
在這裡，室內甘做一位景觀與藝術品的配襯者，只為拱托傾心與動容的景與畫的收藏，讓家猶如一篇屋主撰寫的散文，似詩意而雋永的低迴著……

 

Preface

In early winter 2016, one month before my father passed away, I finally completed the preliminary design for this model home project based on the concept of a “father-and-son joint exhibition.” My father Tommy Chen was the first abstract artist in Taiwan and a member of "The Eight Highwaymen of the East" that collectively founded the Ton-Fan Art Group. These titles given to my father, however, do not reflect my feeling towards him, because to me, he was simply my father, playmate, companion on plein air painting trips and respectable opponent in our debates about art.
My father would let me watch him paint but never taught me how to paint; he guided me in learning the principles of major art movements but never encouraged fandom. I never lost faith on my career path as a designer because I know he would always support and encourage me….
I had always wanted to give him a gift to pay tribute to him, in the style and language I am best at.
Inspired by my father’s art, I wanted to imbue the model home with an artistic aura so that the interior space radiates the charisma and elegance typical of his paintings. Essentially “Reflections by the River” brings his lustrous colors and fluent strokes from the canvas to life.


Imagine a successful man profoundly touched by Thoreau’s Walden at a young age and never forgotten his dream to live a simple life close to nature, away from the urban hubbub. Now that achievement and recognition are attained, he recalls this dream, and therefore “Reflections by the River” is a dream come true.
“This was an airy and unplastered cabin, fit to entertain a traveling god, and where a goddess might trail her garments.” Through the layered screen door that acts as a curtain of clouds, one is greeted by the first view in the house—an abstract painting on the wall to take in the mist outside the window and begin a dialogue between the inner and outer worlds. A magical atmosphere is then created as the wind wafts through the hallway. Here, it is as if the fairies could descend upon us.
“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.”
The marble floor, black as a mirror, lies as still as a quiet pond. The shimmering wall, on the other hand, glistens like stream waters that run shallow and slow. Time is meant to slow down in the space and even be forgotten.
“A cat walking along the stony shore of the pond, nevertheless the most domestic cat, appears quite at home in the woods.” The silver, gray patterns resembling rocks scatter across the entire house to provide anchor and bring solidity to the ambience. Meanwhile, the ceiling takes on the contour of distant mountains. The rhythmic undulation of rolling mountains soothes the heart. Once stepping inside the house, the owner should be able to relax like a cat that has found its home.
In this project, the interior design plays a secondary role to the landscape and artworks of the house, so that the house becomes an essay written by the owner, emanating poetry and eternal serenity.
With “Reflections by the River,” I’d like to express my gratitude towards my father and my eternal remembrance of him….