No.223: Blossom Mode

We are excited to present "Blossom Mode," a landmark exhibition of photographer Lin Zhipeng, renowned by his professional name, No. 223. This exhibition holds special significance as it celebrates the remarkable journey of No. 223's two-decade-long career in photography, while marking a decade since his last solo exhibition with us in 2014. Held in our newly renovated two-floor exhibition area, this setting enhances visual possibilities and curated perspectives. There's no better way to usher in the new year than by welcoming our audience—both long-time fans and newcomers—to experience the sensational images of No. 223 with a refreshed presentation.

The Chinese equivalent of the title “Blossom Mode” is “Er-Shi Chun” (Twenty Springs), capturing No. 223's two-decade artistic career. This retrospective not only showcases a collection spanning two decades but also invites us to view the future through a renewed lens. As we explore the exhibition, a compelling theme of personal growth emerges, accentuated by the natural flow of emotion, passion, and creativity, which can be profoundly appreciated by both the artist and the audience.

The exhibition includes photographs from each year, starting in 2004, marking the rise of No. 223 amidst the advent of Internet blogging and significant sociocultural transformation in China. Even during the three challenging years of the global pandemic, when feelings of isolation and alienation were universal, No. 223's creativity remained a constant and powerful presence.

While No. 223 is widely known for his representations of love, lust, and gender expressions, his creative visions extend far beyond erotic themes. His artistic approach captures moments of everyday life with a surprising twist. Whether it's a hickey on the neck, the intertwined bodies of lovers, or the seemingly mundane yet intriguing sights of fruits in the fridge, a chair hanging from a bunk bed, or even ketchup and toothpaste pressed on the floor by heels, No. 223 continues to surprise and engage viewers by finding art in the ordinary moments that surround us.

No. 223 blurs the lines between men and still life, between fluid scenes and those that are static. What truly shines through is a spirit of creative freedom and impromptu expression. Each photograph represents a unique experience shared between the photographer and the subject. While some of these encounters are entirely spontaneous, others require profound communication and comfort within the setting.

As viewers, we might find ourselves piecing together stories within these images, but No. 223 invites us instead to focus on the moment captured, allowing the photograph to speak for itself. He has no intention of linking his subject matters to any particular social or cultural indications, even though his works often incite discussions with presupposed viewpoints. Amid the artist's widespread acclaim and the reviews conducted on his photographs, there's immense value in returning to his most straightfoward and unfiltered way of output: presenting works that engage in direct dialogue with the audience.

When No. 223 launched his blog "North Latitude 23" two decades ago, much of his subject matter revolved around the individuality and struggles of a new generation of Chinese youth emerging from the country's reforms, resonating with a vast number of followers. Now, twenty years later, No. 223's audience has expanded beyond the 80s and 90s generation to include millennials. His work has also evolved from scattered social media posts to a substantial body of work with publications, exhibitions, and critical reviews.

When artworks spanning a continuous twenty-year journey are shown together in this exhibition, they invite individuals across various age groups and backgrounds to connect with them. Each viewer brings a unique set of subconsciousness and life experiences to their interpretation, adding layers of meanings to the artworks themselves. This rich interplay of diverse perspectives is a vital aspect of the artistic process, cultivating a lively, multi-dimensional conversation among the photographer, the images, and the audience.

Meeting No. 223 in person or taking in his artworks, you're immediately captivated by their youthful energy. It's easy to forget that he has been on this artistic path for over two decades—a timeline that speaks volumes for any artist. The challenge lies in keeping the initial passion alive, along with a steady flow of inspiration and a sharp aesthetic sense. For No. 223, he chooses to bypass unnecessary overthinking and stress, embracing a heart-led and spontaneous approach. This creative state is reflected in his work, which showcases a comfortable, random, and intuitive burst of expressions: a striking collection of flash-lit quick takes, featuring men and objects, intimate or peculiar relationships, and a mix of formal aesthetics and atmospheric ambiance.

We want to welcome you to experience nearly 120 images in this exhibition, each embodying a unique moment in No. 223's creativity. As you explore these images, you'll notice that while no single photograph fully defines his style, a subtle unity binds them. Presented cohesively, his artistic essence comes to life without attempting to define our world in a specific way. We look forward to seeing what each new image uncovers and continuously find ourselves inspired by the fresh perspectives they offer.

——Patricia Tingchen Li

编号223（林志鹏）：二十春

逵园艺术馆荣幸推出摄影师编号 223（林志鹏）的个展“二十春（Blossom Mode）”。此次展览回顾了编号 223 在摄影领域长达二十年的创作历程，同时也是自 2014 年以来，时隔十年他再次于逵园艺术馆举办个展。本次展览在我们新近改造的两层空间内呈现，这将为视觉效果和策展角度带来更多可能性。迎接新年之际，我们希望能与新朋旧友一起，以这种焕然一新的方式，一同进入编号 223 独特而又多元的摄影世界。

“二十春”展览精选了编号 223 在长达二十年时间跨度里的部分摄影作品。这些作品自然流露出的情感、洋溢着的激情以及展现出的创造力，逐渐凸显出一条关于个人成长和变化的主线。而这一主线所蕴含的力量，是能够被艺术家与观众共同感知到的，并引导着我们凭借各自全新的视角去展望未来。

展览涵盖了自 2004 年起每一年的摄影作品。在 2004 年时，随着改革开放浪潮的推进，中国社会文化在诸多方面都发生着深刻变化，互联网博客等新生事物也随之兴起。编号223 正是在这样的时代大背景下崭露头角的，此后他持续以自己独特的方式进行创作，并与观众展开交流互动。即便在充满挑战的全球疫情三年期间，世界笼罩于孤独与疏离之中，编号223 的创造力仍丝毫未减。

虽然编号223因其对爱情、欲望以及性别表达的呈现而广为人知，但他的创作内容远远超出了情色题材的范畴。他的艺术创作能捕捉日常生活中的琐碎，并赋予其令人意想不到的独特意味。无论是脖子上的吻痕、恋人相互交织的身躯，还是冰箱里看似寻常的水果、挂在双层床床沿的椅子，又或是被高跟鞋踩在地板上的番茄酱和牙膏，编号223 号总能从我们身边这些平凡的瞬间中发掘出令人意想不到的艺术灵感和视觉惊喜。

编号 223 的创作模糊了人物与静物、流动与静态场景之间的边界。贯穿其创作始终不变的，是创作自由以及即兴表达的精神。每一张照片都代表着编号 223 与拍摄对象之间共处共享的独特经历。在拍摄过程中，部分场景完全是出于好奇的即兴创作，而另外一些场景，则需要摄影师与拍摄对象共同沉浸于充分信任且有着深入交流的拍摄氛围之中。

作为观众，我们可能会不自觉地在这些影像中拼凑出各种故事，但编号223却带着我们把关注点放在定格瞬间上，让照片自己说话。他的作品常常引发基于预设观点的讨论，但实际上，他无意把创作主题与任何特定的社会或文化含义联系在一起。正因如此，若能适时抛开外在解读的干扰，让作品与观众直接对话，更能建立起他与观众间最直接纯粹的艺术连接。

二十年前，编号 223开通了自己名为 “北纬 23 度” 的博客，其发布的大部分作品围绕着改革开放后中国新一代青年的个性以及迷茫状态展开，引发了众多关注和共鸣。二十年后的今天，编号 223 的受众已从 80 后、90 后扩大到千禧一代，并且他的创作也日渐成熟，不再只是昔日社交媒体上那些零散的帖子，而是发展形成了具有一定体量的完整体系，涵盖了出版物、展览以及评论等多个方面。

当跨越二十年历程的作品在此次展览中一起展出，不同年龄段和背景的观众都能与之共鸣。带着独有的潜意识和生活经历来解读这些作品，从而为艺术作品本身增添了多重意义。这种多元视角之间丰富的相互作用是艺术创作过程中的一个重要的方面。

无论是见到编号223本人或欣赏他的作品，都会被其满满的青春活力所吸引，甚至一下子会忽略，他已经在艺术这条道路上走过了二十多个年头，这对任何一位艺术家来说，都是一段极具分量的时光。而挑战则在于保有初心和热枕，以及对审美和灵感的敏锐感知。编号223选择抛开那些多余的顾虑和不必要的压力，以一种跟着内心感觉走、顺其自然的状态进行创作。他的作品也因此展现出一种自在、随意且凭直觉的表达方式，进而形成了一组组风格独特的闪光快拍。在这些作品中，巧妙地捕捉到了人物与静物的各种呈现状态，将亲密与陌生的关系生动地表达了出来，同时还融合了形式美与独特的氛围感。

本次展览中近120幅摄影作品，每一张都是编号223创作生涯中独一无二的瞬间。虽然没有哪一幅照片能完全定义他的风格，但有一种微妙的整体性将它们联系在一起。我们期待着能从这一张张照片中，找到属于我们自己的，不被刻意框定的世界。

——李听尘