Twenty Exercises for the Body to Be the Soul’s Companion
Solo Exhibition of Leong Chou In
身體陪伴靈魂的二十個生活行動—梁祖賢個展




如果一個人有一個計劃——或者更準確地說，活在一個計劃當中——那麼他總是已經在未來了。

                                                       ——《計劃的孤獨》，波里斯．葛羅伊斯

《身體陪伴靈魂的二十個生活行動》是由藝術家梁祖賢構思和實踐的一項計劃：始於2021年一系列簡單的身體活動，再發展為一部藝術家書，一項行走的藝術展覽。

從眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意著手，藝術家設計和發起二十項生活行動，讓人們將片刻的時間交還身體，以身體陪伴靈魂。

在這次展覽中，藝術家抽取了書中的一些行動，以工具及提示邀請觀眾參與，比如放置跑步機與錄音播放裝置，好讓觀眾在展場內散步和默想《我是誰》；各種外語唸誦的聶魯達情詩《為了使你聽見》，以製造《美麗誤解》；不為引起任何思考的圓周率數字，僅供《發聲練習》；駐場菓子店免費供應的開水，印證《種善因得善果》；以及觀展過後，可帶到街上去與《生物連結》的貓糧。另外一些行動只在展期內特定時間，以延伸活動的方式予以共同體驗，使各各「不相依更不相知」的個體產生連結。

以書籍為媒，藝術家創作、演示和記錄著一項項不過三十分鐘、任何人都能參與其中的簡單生活行動，任何人都可以據為己有，任何人都擁有這樣的選擇和自由。以展覽為契機，我們好奇，如何讓這些想法在空間內滋長，在行動中傳播。

嚴格來說，這裏沒有展示任何一件藝術品，只是佈置了一些作業和工具，提供了一種未來生活的提案，並記錄一些已在路上的人。

本次展覽由林小雯策劃，埋欄文化主辦，為「埋欄客廳」藝術空間計劃之一。


If one has a project - or more precisely, is living in a project - one always is already in the future.
                                                                                       -                                              Boris Groys, “The Loneliness of the Project”

Twenty Exercises for the Body to Be the Soul’s Companion is an ongoing project conceived and implemented by artist Joein, Leong Chou In. It began in 2021 as a series of simple body exercises and has since evolved into an artist book and a portable art exhibition.

Starting with the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, the artist designs and initiates twenty life actions, inviting individuals to dedicate brief moments of time to their physical being and allowing the body to become a companion to the soul.

In this exhibition, the artist has chosen several exercises from the book for the audience to participate in, using various tools and prompts. For example, the exhibition includes a treadmill and a recording device that allows the audience to walk and meditate on “Who Am I?” within the exhibition space; reciting “So That You Will Hear Me,” Pablo Neruda’s love poem, in various foreign languages to create “Beautiful Misunderstanding”; providing the digits of Pi for the “Sound Making Exercise” without any intention to provoke thought; offering free water from an in-house bakery to practice “Good Deeds Bringing Good Outcomes”; and giving away cat food to encourage the audience to take a stroll down the street and experience “Connection with Other Creatures” after the exhibition. Some other exercises are only available as public programs during the exhibition period, designed to extend the experience and foster connections among individuals who “do not rely on or even know each other.”

With books as the medium, the artist creates, demonstrates and documents these simple life actions that take no more than thirty minutes and can be practiced by anyone. Anyone can claim them, and anyone will find such a choice and freedom. Through the exhibition, the audience is curious about how to free these ideas in space and spread them through action.

Strictly speaking, there are no art pieces displayed here. Only some assignments and tools are arranged to propose a future life and document some people who are already on their way.

This exhibition is curated by Lam Sio Man, organized by MyLand Culture and is part of the MyLand Living Room art space program.

Twenty Exercises for the Body to Be the Soul’s Companion  
《身體陪伴靈魂的二十個生活行動》

你在年月洗刷的生活中，弄丟了自己的靈魂嗎？這本書提供二十個生活行動指南，是身體和靈魂的同步練習，互為陪伴。

本書作者為藝術家梁祖賢，她以極細緻的感官體驗，解構我們在生活中以為必然如此的框架。這些生活行動，啟於作者2021年在重慶駐村時所構想的一場「簡單身體運動」的創作：「藝術家索性借用『眼耳鼻舌身意』的六識概念，直接體驗，在過程中以一系列行為建立相互關係，關係即是意義，行動即是表達。最終呈現為這場『簡單身體運動』。」（胡燕子，2021年12月）在胡燕子的文字中，說明了作者在這一系列的身體行動中，與所在之地發生的關係，意義的聯繫亦存在於此。爾後，梁祖賢將內容和趣味更加擴展，成為人人可參與的生活行動。無論是「在樓梯間走動直至身體發熱」（《像是西西弗斯》）、「無意識地讀圓周率」（《發聲練習》）或是「想像自己是自己的寵物上街散步」（《我是寵物》）等，都能暫緩生活速度、離開各種緊張的功利，放鬆心情，並將身體作為靈魂的陪伴者來依存，無論所在何地，都試圖在這些關係裡尋找生命要義。

靈光多久沒出現在你腦海中？

我們是否還能遇到「與日常相似卻又有些不同」的時刻？

或者根本不為了尋找什麼，身體就跟著單純地活動，陪伴靈魂休息。《身體陪伴靈魂的二十個生活行動》是指南，也是起點。


Have you lost your soul in the hustle and bustle of everyday life? The book offers 20 exercises to align your soul and body, allowing them to be each other’s companion.

The author is the artist Joein Leong, who deconstructs what we take for granted in our lives with these carefully designed tasks that provide unusual sensory experiences. They originated from “Simple Body Exercise”, a creative project she conceived during her art residency in Chongqing in 2021. “The artist simply borrows the six sense concepts of ‘eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind’ in Buddhism to directly experience and establish mutual relationships through a series of behaviors in the process. The relationship is meaning. The action is expression. And here comes the final ‘Simple Body Exercise’” (Hu Yanzi, 2021). What Hu meant was that the author built a relationship with where she was through her sensory actions, and that meaning lies in the relationship. Later on, Leong expanded and added fun to the project, transforming the actions into exercises doable by everyonÍe in their lives. Be it going up and down a stairway until your body heats up (Acting Like Sisyphus), reading out the Pi digits without thinking of anything else (Sound Making Exercise), or imagining being your pet going out for a walk (Me Being a Pet), the exercises will relax you by temporarily slowing down the pace of your life and pulling you away from your stressful pursuits of fame and fortune. They will make your body a reliable companion to your soul wherever you do them, and you may find the meaning of life in their relationship.

How long has it been since you were inspired?

Are you expecting to experience moments slightly different from those in your daily life again?

Perhaps you are not looking for anything and just want to move your body for it to accompany the resting soul.

Twenty Exercises for the Body to Be the Soul’s Companionis your guide and starting point.

'Simple Body Exercise' solo exhibition 
《簡單身體運動》 個展

Dimensions art center artist in residency, Chong Qing
十方國際藝術駐留項目, 重慶

exhibition review 開幕回顧

exhibition introduction 展覽介紹

Philosophers often ask about the meaning oflife? If life is meaningless, should we actively move forward or confront it bylying down? Soul exploration is endless and clueless, we know it but stillunconsciously indulge in it. The uncertainty of the future and theconfrontation with life have become an addiction, we let the fear spread andlet the panic sink.

哲學家時常探問生命的意義?若生活本無意義，我們該積極前行或是躺平對抗?靈魂探索既無盡也沒有答案，知道卻還是不自覺的沉醉其中，對未來的不確定與生命較勁都成了毒癮，懼恐蔓延，慌亂不安。

I differentiate the functions of the bodyand soul. I used to name the soul and the body ‘we’ together. If I cantemporarily leave the swirl of my soul, and give time to the body to lead,the simple Body Exercise based on the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and bodywill guide me to return to the relationship between myself and the six roots.

I’m exploring a completely unfamiliar city.When you and I are both doing the same instructional actions, leaving behindfootprints either shallow or deep, similar or different, and then we share moreinexplicable special connections.  ‘We’and ‘We’ do not rely on each other, or even know eachother, but here we are, a simple nod for our both existence.

靈魂與身體兩者功能有異，我習慣把靈魂與身體合稱為「我們」。要是能暫別靈魂思考的漩渦，把時間交給身體帶領，以眼耳鼻舌身意為基礎的《簡單身體運動》，來回到自身與六根的關係。

我在全然陌生的城市試探起來，當你和我都做著同樣指令式行動，留下不輕不重，相似又不盡相同的足跡，多了些說不清的特殊連結，「我們」與「我們」不相依更不相知，卻為各自的存在點一下頭。

Find a long staircase, two steps up, up and down, walk until your body heats up

找個長長的樓梯，兩級一步的上，上上下下，走到身體熱起來

Go to a place with good air or strange air and breathe in the following way. Inhale and exhale ten times from the left nostril, ten times from the right nostril, ten times from both nostrils, ten times from the mouth, run in place and breathe at will until you are tired

到空氣好或空氣怪的地方，根據以下方式呼吸。左邊鼻孔吸呼十次，右邊鼻孔吸呼十次，兩邊鼻孔吸呼十次，嘴巴吸呼十次，原地跑隨意呼吸到累

Imitate animals or friends

模仿動物或朋友說話 

As an international artist, should take the initiative in exhibition
作為一個上進的國際藝術家應該主動參展

As a motivated international artist, he should take the initiative to participate in different forms of exhibitions in different regions. I believe that by doing so, he can get closer to his dream. Therefore, I carefully selected the video works, put them in my pocket, volunteered to display the works on the spot whenever I had the opportunity, and selected works for display according to the relevance of the works displayed at the exhibition venues visited at that time.

作為一個上進的國際藝術家應該主動參與不同地區不同形式的展覽，相信這樣做就能更靠近夢想。因此，我精心挑選錄像作品，放在口袋中，一有機會就即場自告奮勇展示作品，按照所到訪的展覽場所當時展示作品的相關性挑選作品展示。

On the day of the exhibition: The Hong Kong Arts Centre's "Collectors' Exhibition Contemporary Art Collection" was divided into sections by category of work. I walked up to the corner of the video works and stood upright, holding up the work for display. Happily, I managed to get some attention, and a woman came to stand and look at it, "I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but no one thought it would be so difficult," and she left without applause. After that, I followed the flow of people and went to two different spots. The total number of visitors was 8 and there were no security guards on site.

參展當天：香港藝術中心「收藏家展覽當代藝術作品藏品展」按作品類別劃分區域。我走到錄像作品的一角立正，舉起作品展示。可喜，成功獲得注意，一位女士來站著看完「我知道那不是一件容易的事，但沒人想到居然會如此的困難」，她沒有給予掌聲就俏俏離開。其後我跟著人們流動，走到2個不同位置。總觀賞人數為8人，現場沒有保安人員。

Title: Collectors' Exhibition Contemporary Art Works Collection
Venue: Hong Kong Arts Centre
Time: March 30, 2019, 15:14pm- March 30, 2019, 16:05pm
Works in the exhibition: I knew it wouldn't be easy, but no one thought it would be so difficult.
Entry Information: 2016 | Single Video | Color | 2'42"| Audio

參展名稱：收藏家展覽當代藝術作品藏品展
參展地點：香港藝術中心
參展時間：2019年3月30日下午15:14- 2019年3月30日下午16:05
參展作品：我知道那不是一件容易的事，但沒人想到居然會如此的困難
參展作品資料： 2016年 | 單頻錄像 | 彩色 | 2’42”| 有聲

The day of the exhibition: The Venice Biennale, Italy, is indeed one of the most important art events in Europe, with a constant flow of people, regardless of their age, from thirty to eighty. I chose to show my work in front of the main pavilion, and it was shown six times in a loop. Perhaps Europeans have become accustomed to art and eccentrics, and no one asked me during the show, which passed in ten minutes or so.


參展當天：意大利威尼斯雙年展，果然是歐洲最重要的藝術活動之一，人流不絕，不論三至八十歲。我挑選了在主場館的正前方展示作品，循環播放六次。或許歐洲人對藝術與怪人已習以為常，展示期間無人問津，十多分鐘就此過去。

Title: 2019 Venice Biennale
Venue: Venice, Italy
Time: May 21, 2019, 10:34am- May 21, 2019, 10:50am
Entry: I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but no one thought it would be so difficult.
Entry Data: 2016 | Single Video | Color | 2'42" | Audio

參展名稱：2019年威尼斯雙年展 參展地點：意大利威尼斯
參展時間：2019年5月21日早上10:34- 2019年5月21日早上10:50
參展作品：我知道那不是一件容易的事，但沒人想到居然會如此的困難
參展作品資料：2016年 | 單頻錄像 | 彩色 | 2’42”| 有聲

On the day of the exhibition: There were three floors above and below the 2018 Taipei Biennial, and I chose several locations to display my works. First, among the transparent spheres hanging in the air, I showed "I knew it was not an easy task, but no one thought it would be so difficult. Then I showed "Forever and Ever" with the same natural atmosphere next to the flower and bird artworks. Then the above two video works were displayed in the long white walkway. Finally, I saw a vacant shelf for me to display the works by public demand. The audience was very curious and the exhibition was very successful, with 43 visitors, including security guards.

參展當天：2018台北雙年展上下共三層，我挑選了幾個位置展示作品。首先在一堆懸掛空中的透明球體中展示「我知道那不是一件容易的事，但沒人想到居然會如此的困難」。接著在花鳥圖像藝術品旁展示一樣有大自然氣息的「永永遠遠」。然後在長白色走道中展示以上2個錄像作品。最後看到一個為我而設空置的架子，就應公眾需求展示作品。現場觀眾都很好奇，作品展示非常成功，觀賞人數約為43人次，當中包括在場保安人員。

Title: Taipei Biennial 2018
Venue: Taipei Fine Arts Museum
Time: March 9, 2019, 16:03 PM- March 9, 2019, 18:17 PM
Works in the exhibition: I knew it would not be easy, but no one thought it would be so difficult.
Entry Data: 2016 | Single Video | Color | 2'42"| Audio

參展名稱：2018台北雙年展
參展地點：臺北市立美術館
參展時間：2019年3月9日下午16:03- 2019年3月9日下午18:17
參展作品：我知道那不是一件容易的事，但沒人想到居然會如此的困難
參展作品資料：2016年 | 單頻錄像 | 彩色 | 2’42”| 有聲

A variety of absurdities in a bizarre daily life
詭變日常中遇見各種荒誕

In my head, the quiet and the restlessness are like the real and the unreal, and the weirdness around me becomes a daily routine, this kind of unconsciousness gives the world freedom of imagination and allows me to hide in the balance of the weirdness without restraint. I live in doubt, minute by minute.

腦海裡安靜與躁動間有如真實與虛幻對待，周遭的詭變成為日常，這種無意識的荒怪給予世界自由的想像，讓我無約束的躲進詭變的平衡空間中。在疑問中活著，分分秒秒。