一位美國外交官的“行走中國”

我與傅杰明（Jamie Fouss）的邂逅是在2018年農(nóng)歷春分華中農(nóng)業(yè)大學(xué)為我舉辦的“風(fēng)花雪月——方肅意象風(fēng)景”展期開幕后的幾天，當(dāng)時我接到美國駐武漢領(lǐng)事館的電話，說他們的總領(lǐng)事希望以私人的身份來看展覽，并強調(diào)不愿意打擾學(xué)校相關(guān)部門。盡管按照“組織原則”我覺得不太妥當(dāng)，但在領(lǐng)事館的說明下我接受了他們的要求，等待她們?nèi)缂s而至。原計劃半個小時的觀看，結(jié)果他們夫婦倆看了近兩個小時。他認真的議論著每一幅作品中她們認為的內(nèi)在和外在的“審美內(nèi)涵”。當(dāng)他看到激動時，少不了與我擁抱和握手，同時用不熟練的漢語表達贊美并提出問題。他將他的網(wǎng)址告訴我邀請我去瀏覽并Give advice(給出意見)，他們的這次觀看給我留下了深刻印象。我們互加微信相互探望保持著“知音”的友誼。

我與傅杰明是同一個時代的人，幾乎同時出道攝影，對中國的觀看無論從經(jīng)度還是緯度應(yīng)該說處在同一個軸線之上。盡管后來我接受的大學(xué)教育讓我與藝術(shù)多了一份糾結(jié)，但在當(dāng)年的“世界觀”上，我們執(zhí)著的懷揣著各自的那些異曲又不同工的理想。這次他在深圳的展覽雖然只是他多年“行走中國”作品中的一小部分，但我們?nèi)匀荒軓闹懈惺艿剿麑χ袊那橛歇氱?。我無意評價一個外國人的中國心，誰讓她們不是“龍的傳人”呢！但攝影這一逾越國界的傳播方式和可以相互認知的圖式語言修正著中西方文化的異同，畢竟攝影可以直接鏈接在時間軸線的任意一個節(jié)點之上激活人們對時空的聯(lián)想。正如他在第三屆深圳國際攝影大展的展覽《一個美國人眼中的中國1984》的前言所述“他以普通游客的身份進入中國，他第一次坐綠皮火車，第一次進入中國人的家庭，第一次看到剝了皮的羊……他見證了改革開放初期的中國。他這種不作修飾的拍攝，讓我們看到了三十多年前真實中國的服飾、商場、街邊和樓房，當(dāng)年人們的音容笑貌歷歷在目此刻看來既熟悉又陌生。傅杰明的影像，正好印證了一個國家改革開放40年的城鄉(xiāng)巨變”。

峨眉山，1984年 （右一：傅杰明 Jamie Fouss）

三十五年前，當(dāng)我們的攝影界還在爭論攝影是不是藝術(shù)，還在爭論擺拍還是抓拍的合法性的時候，一個二十八歲的美國小伙子已經(jīng)用相機記錄著廣州、梧州、陽朔、桂林、昆明、成都、西安、洛陽和北京百姓的生活百態(tài)。這些影像深深嵌入他的內(nèi)心，以致三十五年后的今天已經(jīng)成為美國駐華外交官的他仍然按捺不住“重讀中國”的激情，決心重走當(dāng)年路，用鏡頭再次見證了改革開放幾十年的“消失”與“保留”。他的視點是平行的，語言是平靜的。我們沒有看到“高山仰止”的偉岸，也沒有看到“俯瞰眾生”的“憂愁”，他以一種見證的方式將改革開放幾十年來的中國故事娓娓道來，親切又不失一聲問候。

The first time I met Jamie Fouss was at my Exhibition on Imaginary Scenery:Wind Flower Snow and Moon at Huazhong Agricultural University in 2018. A few days after the exhibit opening, I was phoned by the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan and told that the Consul General would like to make an unofficial visit the exhibit out of personal interest and not disturb relevant department of the university. Although I felt it’s not proper but I accepted and waited for their visit. The planed half-hour tour turned out to be two hours. Mr. And Mrs. Fouss showed great respect to my work, hugging and shaking hands with me when they saw ones that particularly thrilled them. They even tried to discuss their appreciation in Chinese with me. Mr. Fouss also shared his website and asked me to critique his works. Afterwards, we exchanged our WeChat contacts and have continued our friendship since. This was an unforgettable experience.

I was born in the same decade as Jamie Fouss, and our photography have both matured over the same period of time. I assumed that we have similar ideas on China no matter from which degree. Although I was changed a little by art education in college, for our generation we had different dreams. His exhibit in Shenzhen was a small part of his first tour of China. We could tell his feelings about China by his works. I would not judge a foreigner’s love on China because he is not a descendant of the dragon. Photography is a transboundary communication way by which the different cultures of East and West is acknowledged by images which can stimulate viewer’s thoughts beyond the time. Just like the introduction of his exhibit Jamie Fouss of 1984 at the 3rd Shenzhou International Photography Exhibition, which wrote that he first handedly experienced the initial stage of the reform and opening of China as a foreign tourist. His photography shows taking a green train, visiting a Chinese family as a guest and seeing peeled sheep. His photography shows us a lively China of 30 years ago. The clothing styles, shopping malls, alleyways, buildings and the faces that feel familiar but also strange to now. Jamie’s exhibit is proof and witness of the rapid development of China after 40 years reform and opening-up.

35 years ago，we were arguing whether or not photography is art and the legality of staged or snapshot photography. At the same time, a 28-year-old American recorded the life in Guangzhou, Wuzhou, Yangshuo, Guilin, Kunming,Chengdu, Xi’an, Luoyang and Beijing. These experiences are captured by Canon and his heart. 35 years later, he is now an American diplomat but still has a passion about China and would love to return to the places to see the changes and the remains after the decades of reform and opening-up. His photography is objective and shows appreciation for the beauty he finds in common sights. The stories of China over the decades has been warmly and friendly documented by his works.

傅杰明（Jamie Fouss)2017年8月任美國駐武漢總領(lǐng)事。傅杰明在軍人家庭長大，畢業(yè)于日本沖繩的高中。他擁有科羅拉多大學(xué)博爾得分校的人類學(xué)學(xué)士學(xué)位以及佛蒙特布拉特爾伯勒國際培訓(xùn)學(xué)院的碩士學(xué)位。他此前曾駐臺北、北京、廣州、達卡和海德拉巴。在入職國務(wù)院之前，傅杰明曾在菲律賓難民處理中心（PRPC）工作過五年，他還曾作為國家事物負責(zé)人在和平隊總部工作數(shù)年，此后，他前往曾任志愿者的西薩摩亞擔(dān)任副主任，以及在馬紹爾群島擔(dān)任國家主任。傅杰明亦曾在貝立茲跨文化公司，之后在新澤西普林斯頓的培訓(xùn)管理公司做跨文化培訓(xùn)課程設(shè)計。

Jamie Fouss began to serve as the U.S.Consul General in Wuhan in August 2017.He grew up in a military family and graduated from a high school in Okinawa,Japan,He has a BA in anthropology from the University of colorado- boudoir and an MA from the School for international Training in Brattleboro, Vermont His previous postings have been in Taipei Beijing,Guangzhou, Dhaka,and Hyderabad.Prior to joining the Department of State,Jamie worked for five years at the Philippine Refugee Processing Center(PRPC).He also worked for several years as a country desk officer at Peace Corps headquarters and then associate director in Westem Samoa-where he had served as a volunteer-and country director in the Marshall Islands.Jamie has also worked as a cross-cultural training curriculum developer with Berlitz Cross-Cultural and later with Training Management Corporation in princeton,New Jersey.

廣州，1984年

廣州，1984年

廣州青平市場，1984年

廣州，1984年

廣州，1984年

大理，1984年

廣州，1984年

1984年

1984年

北京，1984年