Listening to the Silence

Dialogue in the void.

三年前,鄧浩倫開始撿拾路上的釘子,它們之中有些是完好的,像不曾派上過用場,就已經被扔在街上的棄子;而有更多的卻是折彎、生鏽的釘子,彷彿是幾歷滄桑,而不幸敗下陣來的輸家。而經過三年的釘子拾荒後,鄧浩倫以這些釘子為題,帶來了他最新的作品集——《聽靜》。

從2013年的新人作品《Maybe a Sentence or Something》,以至後來的《Stairs》,《聽靜》是鄧浩倫第三本攝影集。一如以往的嚴謹設計態度,《聽靜》採用燙銀雪花紙作封面,白地銀光,低調中別具韻味;書腰上則使用和紙,通透的材質,使層次更為分明、豐實。至於字體上也是將心獨具,選用香港設計師許瀚文開發的「空明朝體」,單單從封面上「聽靜」二字來看,就躍然出一陣古樸的味道。

參照前兩部作品,鄧浩倫一直喜以靜物入題,總是與拉長的意識、無名的悲傷有關。在《聽靜》之中,釘子時而孤伶伶,時而連群結隊,像形形色色的人物,但本質上它們就是無用之物,或最起碼是無法為自己發聲之物;看那些行色匆匆的路人們,從不曾正瞧過釘子們一眼。

只是,與其把這些狀態簡化為悲傷,倒不如把它們看成是枷鎖的掙脫者,甚至是個人修行中的可參照物。我仍記得一次與鄧浩倫的對話,他這樣提說:「現代人很害怕沈默,總是想用對話、音樂填塞這些尷尬的沈默,然而我認為這些沈默卻是應該被觀察的、注意的,所以才是《聽靜》。」當代社會高舉對話,忽視對話外的空白,然而從觀賞《聽靜》這本攝影集的過程中,空白其實有著指導我們的潛能;那是在對話結束與產生之間的沈默中,我們仍然可以聽出答案。

「我仍在收集著釘子。」他如是說。

Three years ago, Tang Ho Lun began to collect nails on the streets. Some are in good condition, as though being dumped on the streets before even proving themselves useful; even more are rusted and bent, just like unfortunate losers in a battle who have been through the hardships of life. After three years of nail-picking, Tang Ho Lun put together his latest work titled Listening to Silence based on these nails.

Following his debut work in 2013 titled Maybe a Sentence or Something, and subsequently Stairs, Listening to the Silence is the third compilation of his photography works. Staying true to his serious and strict approach to design, Listening to Silence features a cover with silver foil stamping on art paper, with glistening silver color against a white background, being low-key yet stylish. Its tummy band is made with Japanese paper, whose translucent quality makes the layering richer and more pronounced. In addition, the use of a font called sora-micho, which is developed by Hong Kong designer Julius Hui, also demonstrates discerning consideration. The two printed Chinese characters on the cover for Listening to the Silence alone radiates a sense of classic simplicity.

As reflected in his two previous works, Deng is accustomed to using static objects as his point of departure, which is always associated with extended consciousness and indescribable sadness. In Listening to the Silence, nails at times look lonely, and at times appear as a group, like people from all walks of life. But in nature, they are useless objects, or at the very least objects that are unable to speak for themselves. Look at those pedestrians passing through in a hurry, they never spare a direct glance at these little nails.

However, rather than simplifying such states as sadness, it seems more befitting to see those nails as escapers from shatters, or even objects of reference for personal cultivation. I still remember one time when I was having a conversation with Deng, he said: “Modern people have a huge fear of silence, and they always attempt to use dialogue and music to fill up the void of embarrassing moments of silence. However, I believe such silence should be observed and paid attention to instead, and thus the title Listening to the Silence.” The contemporary world celebrates and encourages conversation but ignores the blank space outside of conversation. However, in the process of appreciating this photography album, we can see that blank space actually has the hidden ability to guide us; during moments of silence between the end of a conversation and the beginning of another one, we can still hear the answer.

“I am still collecting nails,” he said.

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