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永无岛 NEVERLAND — 2024
地点：澳门美副将大马路与罅些喇提督大马路交界
Locations：Intersection of Avenida do Coronel Mesquita and Avenida Almirante Lacerda, Macao
艺术家 徐戈 个展
故事中的永无岛（NEVERLAND），是个充满奇迹与幻想的世界。
如果你想遇见它，你就会遇见它。想是一个过程，可能很快，也可能很慢，但一定会与它不期而遇。
这是一个关于得到和失去的故事。你在现实里失去过什么，你就会在永无岛里得到什么，而你在现实里得到过什么，你也会在永无岛里失去什么。
In the story, NEVERLAND is a world filled with miracles and fantasies.
If you wish to encounter it, you will meet it. The act of wishing is a process that may unfold quickly or slowly, but you will inevitably come across it.
This is a tale about gaining and losing. What you have lost in reality, you will find in NEVERLAND, and what you have gained in reality, you will lose in NEVERLAND.
NEVERLAND and reality are two eternally distinct realms. Wherever reality exists, NEVERLAND is there as well. Whether you can see it or not, it will be there as NEVERLAND is omnipresent.
前言：
哲学家、神学家、古生物学家德日进神父（Pierre Teilhard de Chardin）在 《人的现象》 一 书中描述了我们所在星球的「前生命」状态，在「宇宙的质料」中，他提取了复数性、统一性、活动力，这三个物质的特性。也论及晶化中的地球和聚化中的地球。矿物世界晶体结构的封闭式排列，以及生成更大分子的「累积的复杂化过程」（additive complexfiction），所演化出的人类存在其中的有机化合物的世界。
徐戈于澳门展出的这个系列作品被命名为《永无岛 – 一块蛋糕计划》。全部作品都围绕着一个亦真亦幻的故事「永无岛」（NEVERLAND）发生并展开蒙太奇式的视觉叙事。艺术家构建了一个无忧无虑，充满奇迹与幻想的超时空的世界。而构成这个世界的每一件作品，都采用了40厘米长度的蛋糕切块的体积。蛋糕的多层结构，对应着地质学地层结构中的断层与褶皱，不同历史时空与物质元素的演化状态被压缩在内。
徐戈在《永无岛 – 一块蛋糕计划》中，想像了不同于地球历史的人类故事的演变，他在艺术中追溯起源于260万年前的旧石器时代，也展示了一片可能存在过的新大陆，将人类的过去和未来，海洋和陆地连接起来。澳门这个连接了海洋与大陆两种文明的特别所在，刚好带给他的艺术以无尽的灵感与触发。
徐戈的「永无岛」是关于自我意识与澳门的海陆文化产生碰撞的形象显现，同时也是他个体思维演化的一个阶段。德日进神父描述了分子的向内卷折和地球的向自己卷折，而有关意识的原始量子由彼此相关的无限小的中心，依着发生和发展的条件建构起来的。地球或者「永无岛」，虽然出自闪电或者任何偶然的触发。但在其生成的瞬间，最普遍的演化法则或程序就会立刻执行，包含着地球的「内涵」的薄膜则以全体的有机物的形态浮现。今天，我们将其称之为「前生物圈」（prebiosphere）。
郑闻 2024.5.21
Philosopher, theologian, paleontologist and priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin described the “pre-life” state of our planet in his book “The Phenomenon of Man”. In the chapter “The Stuff of the Universe,” he listed three properties of matter, including plurality, unity, and energy, while he also discussed the crystallizing world and the polymerizing world. The closed arrangements of crystalline structures in the mineral world, as well as the “additive complexification” that generates larger molecules, transform into the organic compound world in which humans exist.
The series of artworks exhibited by Xu Ge in Macao is titled “ NEVERLAND - A Slice of Cake Project . ” Each artwork revolves around the enigmatic tale of “NEVERLAND” and unfolds through a montage-style visual narrative. The artist constructs a transcendent and otherworldly realm imbued with a carefree atmosphere, alongside miracles and fantasies. Each piece composing this world adopts the shape and volume of a 40-centimeter cake slice. The multi-layered structure of the cake corresponds to the faults and folds in geological strata, compressing the evolutionary states of different historical time periods and material elements within.
In “NEVERLAND - A Slice of Cake Project,” Xu Ge envisions the stories about the evolution of humans that are different from the history of the Earth. In his artistic endeavor, he traces back to the Old Stone Age dated 2.6 million years ago and showcases the potential existence of a new continent, connecting humanity's past and future, and oceans and lands. Macao, the unique place that bridges the maritime and continental civilizations, provides endless inspiration and stimulation for his art creation.
Xu Ge's “NEVERLAND” embodies the collision between self-consciousness and the maritime and continental cultures of Macao. It also represents a stage of the evolution of his individual cognition. Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin explored the concept of molecules folding inward and the Earth folding back onto itself. The primitive quantum of consciousness is constructed from infinitesimal centers interrelated to each other, based on conditions of occurrences and developments. Although the Earth or “NEVERLAND” may originate from lightning or any coincidental trigger, at the moment of its generation, the most universal law or process of evolution will immediately take effect. The membrane containing the “essence” of the Earth emerges as the entirety of organic matter. Today, we refer to it as the “prebiosphere.”
Zheng Wen 2024.5.21
《永无岛》 NEVERLAND AI生成影像作品 AI Video
这次展览徐戈尝试用AI影像描绘《永无岛》，这是一个极富荒诞美学意味的短片。短短4分53秒讲述的是一个关于欲望、权利、金钱、自由和信仰的故事。「1941年5月的一个下午，在战争的阴霾笼罩中，一个葡国男孩发现了一个可以种出金币的秘密，随即在一片农田里开启了他的种钱计划……」葡国男孩的种钱计划实现了吗？故事的结尾你是否选择醒来？这些看似荒诞的哲学问题最终指向一个答案：「看似合理的生产秩序造成了前所未有的物质繁荣，却使人们的生活完全外化，不再有深刻的内心世界，人们追逐一切可以追逐的东西，却使心灵成了沙漠。」于是，前来观展的你，开始思考令人匪夷所思的生命追求，欢迎来到一个全新的世界—永无岛（NEVERLAND）。
In this exhibition, Xu Ge use AI images to develop the video work "Neverland", which is a short film full of absurd aesthetics. In just 4’’53’, it tells a story about desire, power, money, freedom and faith.
"On an afternoon in May 1941, the world was shrouded in the gloom of war. A Portuguese boy discovered a secret to growing gold coins and soon began his money-growing plan in a field..."
Did the Portuguese boy’s money-growing plan come true? Do you choose to wake up at the end of the story? These seemingly absurd philosophical questions ultimately point to an answer: "The seemingly reasonable production order has resulted in unprecedented material prosperity, but it has completely externalized people's lives. There is no longer a profound inner world. People chase everything they can, but it turns the soul into a desert.” So, when you come to visit the exhibition, you might start to think about the incredible pursuit of life, and welcome to a new world—NEVERLAND.
尺寸 Size：40 厘米 / cm． 材质 Material：珊瑚、金属、矿石、鸦片罐、牙齿 Coral, metal, ore, opium tin, teeth． 年份 Year：2024
这是贯穿展览叙事的核心作品——《永无岛》。故事中的永无岛（NEVERLAND），是个充满奇迹与幻想的世界。
如果你想遇见它，你就会遇见它。想是一个过程，可能很快，也可能很慢，但一定会与它不期而遇。
这是一个关于得到和失去的故事。你在现实里失去过什么，你就会在永无岛里得到什么，而你在现实里得到过什么，你也会在永无岛里失去什么。
永无岛和现实是两个永远不一样的永恒。现实在哪里，永无岛就在哪里，你看得到它或者看不见它，它都在那里，永无岛无处不在。
This is the main work that runs through the exhibition’s narrative—“Neverland”. In the story, NEVERLAND is a world filled with miracles and fantasies.
If you wish to encounter it, you will meet it. The act of wishing is a process that may unfold quickly or slowly, but you will inevitably come across it.
This is a tale about gaining and losing. What you have lost in reality, you will find in NEVERLAND, and what you have gained in reality, you will lose in NEVERLAND.
NEVERLAND and reality are two eternally distinct realms. Wherever reality exists, NEVERLAND is there as well. Whether you can see it or not, it will be there as NEVERLAND is omnipresent.
尺寸 Size：40 厘米 / cm 材质 Material：水泥、树脂、橡胶 Cement, resin, rubber 年份 Year：2014
在蛋糕形态的记录与表达中，不仅有通往未知世界「永无岛」，还有来自另一个平行时空的「新世界」，这是与我们生存的地球完全不同的世界。这件作品混合水泥、树脂、橡胶等材料，以「恐龙」为对象，象征着对260万年前生物起源的追溯，而由此展开的「新世界」包含着人类故事的演变，一片连接过去和未来的新大陆浮现。恐龙望向远方的头颅，提醒着此时的我们作为「我」，作为人类问自己「我应该存在于这个新世界吗？」让我们咬一口并考虑一下。
In the recording and expression of the cake form, there is not only the path to the unknown world "Neverland", but also the "New World" from another parallel time and space, which is a world completely different from the earth we live on. This work's material mixes cement, resin, rubber and others, with "dinosaurs" as the object, symbolizing the traceability of the origin of life 2.6 million years ago, and the "New World" that unfolds contains the evolution of human stories, connecting the past and the emergence of new continents in the future. The head of the dinosaur looking into the distance reminds us as "me" at this time, as humans asking ourselves "should I exist in this new world?" Let's take a bite and think about it.
尺寸 Size：40 厘米 / cm． 材质 Material：铜、植物标本、屏幕 Copper, plant specimens, screen． 年份 Year：2024
末日荒原的废墟中矗立着一块屏幕，我们在物理世界中找寻生命的迹象，而绿色只存在于屏幕之中，数字亚当不停地在重复着自己的独白，I can be anyone，i am you！碳基生命最终会被取代吗？当我们咬下这块蛋糕的时候，AI时代的序幕已经拉开…
In the ruins of an apocalyptic wasteland stands a screen. We seek signs of life in the physical world, but greenery exists only within the screen. The digital Adam continuously repeats his monologue, "I can be anyone, I am you!" Will carbon-based life forms eventually be replaced? As we take a bite of this cake, the curtain of the AI era has already been lifted...
尺寸 Size：40 厘米 / cm． 材质 Material ：铝合金、塑料 Aluminum alloy, plastic． 年份 Year：2024
在成长过程中我们尝试去扮演各种角色，想要融入向往的群体之中，获得别人的关注和认可，就像拉尔夫·艾里森在《Invisible Man》里描述了这样的一个没有名字的黑人男子。我们想要成为各种“他者”，却始终在寻找自我，成为自己的过程中。
As we grow, we try to play various roles, seeking to blend into the groups we admire, seeking attention and recognition from others. Just like Ralph Ellison describes in "Invisible Man," about a nameless Black man. We want to become various "others," but we are always searching for ourselves, becoming ourselves in the process.
尺寸 Size：40 厘米 / cm． 材质 Material：不锈钢、蜡 Stainless steel, wax． 年份 Year：2024
《守护者的躯体》以不锈钢和蜡为媒介，通过融化、脱模、炙烤、成型，那罗延重生。那罗延形象源自作品《失衡——隐秘的那罗延》，一位力士的残肢素体上长满了植物，影像作为一种科技手段，使得单一的肢体得以延伸向更广阔的宇宙，生命也由此得到延续。而这次重生，撕开了守护者坚不可摧的躯壳，展现出他如凡人般微妙而脆弱的内心挣扎。蜡烛点燃，那罗延红色的身体一点点渗透。在光与影的交织中，守护者在守护与牺牲之间摇摆的心灵开始舞蹈，内心深处脆弱与坚韧于此交织。
Using Narayana as a medium, the impenetrable exterior of the guardian is torn apart, revealing his subtle and fragile inner struggles like a mortal. In the interplay of light and shadow, the inner dance of the guardian swaying between protection and sacrifice is depicted, showcasing the intertwined fragility and resilience within.
尺寸 Size：40 厘米 / cm． 材质Material：不锈钢、旧钱币 Stainless steel, old coins 年份 Year：2024
财富拥有保质期吗？你希望这个保质期是多久？用不锈钢和旧钱币组成的「蛋糕」——《保质期》以罐头为原型，罐头如果不开封，能够保存很久很久，但一旦开封，就会加速腐蚀、变质，我们将旧钱币置于罐头中，制作了一个金钱罐头，它的保质期是多长呢，决定权在你手中。同时，钱币象征着欲望与资本，一旦开封，就会加速腐烂。
Does wealth have a shelf life? How long do you wish this expiration date to be? The "cake" composed of stainless steel and old coins—"Expiration Date"—takes canned food as its prototype. If the can remains unopened, it can be preserved for a very long time, but once opened, it accelerates corrosion and spoilage. We placed old coins inside the can, creating a "money can." How long is its expiration date? The decision lies in your hands. At the same time, the coins symbolize desire and capital, which, once unleashed, will rapidly decay.
作品手稿 Script
3+0/0+0艺术家驻场研究计划3+0/0+0 Artist-in-Residence Program
牛房仓库一直致力于丰富澳门艺术的多元性，有别于「2+0/1+1艺术家驻场创作计划」，「3+0/0+0艺术家驻场研究计划」主打本土历史及文化研究，通过邀请来自不同地区的艺术家、展现不同的创作方式，让大众进一步了解艺术的多种可能性，以及从不同面貌角度认识澳门。通过外地艺术家的驻场研究创作，在澳门为本澳市民提供他者角度了解澳门。从国际友人和邻近地区的角度，给日常居住在此地的我们重新发现澳门的新面貌，从而增强其对城市的情怀及连结。
「3+0/0+0艺术家驻场研究计划」每年会邀请三位艺术家驻扎于澳门，艺术家留澳期间，会透过各自的方式进行资料采集、田野调查及研究，亲身感受澳门独特的文化、历史、建筑、风土人情等。在澳门中西文化融合交汇和艺术家不同背景的碰撞下，他们将此经历化为艺术创作，最终成果将以个展的形式向公众展示，展现与别不同的小城风貌，甚至把本澳的人文情况带回家乡，让更多人看见澳门。
The Ox Warehouse is always committed to enriching the diversity of art in Macao. In contrast to the "2+0/1+1 Artist-in-Residence Creation Program", the "3+0/0+0 Artist-in-Residence Research Program" focuses on the study of local history and culture. By inviting artists from different regions to present various ways of creating art, it inspires the general public to understand more about the various possibilities of art, and to see Macao from different perspectives. The studies and creations by non-local artists under the Program provide the perspective of others for the Macau public to understand the city. From these perspectives of international friends and nearby regions, we can rediscover new sides of Macao, our daily residence, and this will enhance our love and connection to the city.
The "3+0/0+0 Artist-in-Residence Research Program" invites three artists to stay in Macao each year. During their stay in Macao, the artists carry out data collection, fieldwork and research in their own ways to immerse themselves in the unique culture, history, agriculture and local customs of Macao. Given the collision of the east-meets-west culture in Macao and the different backgrounds of the artists, they turn these experiences into artistic creations. The final outcomes of their experiences are presented to the public in the form of solo exhibitions. This format showcases the unique characteristics of Macao and even brings back the local customs of the city so that more people are able to see Macao.
澳門「牛房仓库」艺术团体 Ox Warehouse
永无岛
一块蛋糕计划NEVERLAND – A Slice of Cake Project
学术主持 Academic Host
郑靖 Zheng Jing
艺术家 Artist
徐戈 Xu Ge
策展人 Curator
郑闻 Zheng Wen
展览总监 Exhibition Director
吴方洲 Noah, Ng Fong Chao
（牛房仓库大会主席 President of Ox Warehouse）