Impression on Paul Delvaux
Creating an instrumental album titled *Impression on Paul Delvaux* has been an immersive and transformative journey. The idea took shape during my visit to the retrospective exhibition at La Boverie Museum in Liège, where Paul Delvaux’s surreal world unfolded before me. The rich collections of paintings, the reconstructed atelier, photographs, personal items, letters, and recordings offered glimpses into the enigmatic mind of the Belgian surrealist. I found myself both inspired and overwhelmed. Familiar elements beckoned: skulls, chandeliers, mystic symbolism, and religious undertones. Yet there were also surprises—a deeper awareness of Delvaux’s fascination with women, his obsession with trains, and the poetic stillness that defined his work.
It felt natural to retrace these elements, as though threading pearls on a string. Music became that thread—a kind of train track that guided my journey. The result was a 9-track album (with one bonus song), each piece reflecting a distinct stop along the imaginative route inspired by Delvaux’s creative universe.
The album begins with “Arrival,” a gentle, anticipatory piece that captures the feeling of stepping into Delvaux’s surreal world. I wrote the chords to swell like the first breath of a dream, mirroring the sense of wonder I felt entering the exhibition. The music holds a sense of possibility, setting the tone for the journey.
Each subsequent track represents a unique station along this imaginative ride. Although not specific titled, each is given a secretive title for myself. Listener can try to guess which one is secretively titled “Mystic Chandelier,” which uses cascading piano arpeggios and ethereal synths to evoke the shimmering light and almost sacred atmosphere and finally the moment when candles went out and darkness descended. Another, “Ladies on the Platform,” speaks to the enigmatic female figures that populate his canvases. The melody dances delicately, embodying both mystery and grace. By contrast, “Sam, Sam, and more Sam”, is a tribute to human skulls, which seems to be both my and Mr. Delvaux’s ‘good friend’ in common. Then there is the overall usage of train noises, building on rhythmic, percussive elements and layered sound effects, mimicking the relentless movement of trains—a clear nod to Delvaux’s fascination with railways. But in the end,
Each track represents a unique station along this imaginative journey, each with a personal and secretive title known only to me. Listeners might enjoy guessing which track is quietly titled Mystic Chandelier. Its cascading piano arpeggios and ethereal synths evoke shimmering light, an almost sacred atmosphere, and finally, the unsettling moment when candles flicker out, leaving darkness in their wake.
“Ladies on the Platform” captures the enigmatic grace of the female figures so often found in Delvaux’s canvases. They are often not in motion, standing, or lying, or sitting still. The melody moves delicately, embodying both elegance and mystery. In contrast, Sam, Sam, and More Sam is a rhythmic tribute to human skulls—a recurring motif that feels like a whimsical yet profound companion both for Delvaux and for me.
One track, “Recto-Verso”, draws inspiration from Delvaux’s practice of painting on both sides of a canvas. The composition mirrors this concept, introducing themes in the first half that are subtly inverted and reinterpreted in the second, exploring duality and layered perspectives.
By contrast, “Sam, Sam, and more Sam” serves as a tribute to human skulls, a motif that resonates with both myself and Mr. Delvaux, who shares this affinity as a ‘kindred spirit.’ In this work, I sought to delve into the fragility of life through the lens of Mr. Delvaux’s unique perspective. His ‘Sam’ is alive and busy. This vision, distinct from mine, carries a depth that commands respect, evoking a profound inner dialogue that reflects my introspective reverence for his differing worldview.
Throughout the album, the relentless presence of trains ties the journey together, with rhythmic, percussive elements and layered sound effects mimicking their movement. This motif is a clear nod to Delvaux’s enduring obsession with railways, which echoes throughout his work.
The penultimate track, “Departure,” captures the bittersweet conclusion of the journey. The journey with Mr. Delvaux ended, for now, but my journey has just begun.
The final track, “On My Canvas,” is a bonus piece—my own impression after experiencing Delvaux’s world. Here, I allowed myself complete creative freedom, blending elements from previous tracks with a playful, contemporary twist. Perhaps it’s a bit indulgent, but it’s undeniably personal—a nod to the joy and audacity inherent in creative expression.
In the process of mixing this album in garage band with the help some AI plugins, I found myself returning to a persistent question: Why do we create? I see not because I feel, I speak not to be heard, I write not to be read—I express because I must. Expression isn’t always about an audience or an outcome. Sometimes it’s simply a necessity, a way to release what cannot be contained. Just as Delvaux painted his surreal worlds without concern for fitting neatly into any artistic trends or ‘logic’ i would say, I composed this music as a way to process and translate my experience.
Artistic xpression, I’ve come to realize, is a form of controlled release—a skill I am still learning to master. This journey has reminded me that art, whether visual or auditory, is a testament to our inner worlds made manifest. As I return to school to refine this practice further, I carry with me the lessons learned from Delvaux’s universe and my own interpretation of it.
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11 Feb 2025, Antwerp
La Boverie Museum in Liège is currently hosting a major retrospective exhibition titled “The Worlds of Paul Delvaux,” dedicated to the renowned Belgian surrealist painter Paul Delvaux. The exhibition runs from October 4, 2024, to March 16, 2025, and features over 150 works and objects, including paintings, drawings, and personal items, offering a comprehensive exploration of Delvaux’s artistic universe.
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对保罗·德尔沃的印象
创作一张名为《对保罗·德尔沃的印象》的器乐专辑是一次沉浸式且变革性的旅程。这个想法在我参观列日La Boverie博物馆的回顾展览时诞生，那时保罗·德尔沃的超现实世界展现在我眼前。展品中丰富的画作、重建的工作室、照片、个人物品、信件和录音让我得以窥见这位比利时超现实主义画家的神秘心灵。我感到既受到启发又有些不知所措。熟悉的元素引起了我的注意：头骨、吊灯、神秘的象征主义和宗教暗示。然而也有一些惊喜——对德尔沃女性形象的深刻关注，他对火车的迷恋，以及定义他作品的诗意静止。
我觉得顺理成章地回溯这些元素，仿佛是在串联珍珠。音乐成了这根线——一种引导我旅程的火车轨道。最终成形的是一张包含9首曲目（加上一首附赠曲）的专辑，每一首都反映了沿着德尔沃创作宇宙的想象之路的不同站点。
专辑从《Arrival》开始，这是一首温柔的、充满期待的作品，捕捉了踏入德尔沃超现实世界的感觉。我编写和弦时让它像梦的第一次呼吸一样膨胀，仿佛映照出我进入展览时的惊奇。音乐充满了可能性，为旅程定下了基调。
每一首后续的曲目代表了这段富有想象力之旅的独特站点。虽然这些曲目并未有具体命名，但每首歌都有我自己秘密的标题，只有我知晓。听众可以试着猜一猜哪一首默默地被命名为《神秘吊灯》。它运用了 cascading 的钢琴琶音和空灵的合成器，唤起了闪烁的光芒和几乎神圣的氛围，最终是蜡烛熄灭，黑暗降临的时刻。还有《站台上的女士》，这首歌描绘了德尔沃画布上那些神秘的女性形象，旋律优雅地跳动，既充满了神秘又优美。而相反的，《Sam, Sam, and More Sam》则是对人类头骨的致敬，这个主题似乎是我与德尔沃的“共同朋友”。接着是火车噪音的使用，结合节奏感强的打击元素和层叠的音效，模仿火车的不停移动，这是对德尔沃对铁路着迷的明确致敬。
每一首曲目代表了这段富有想象力之旅的独特站点，每一站都只有我自己知晓的秘密标题。听众也许会喜欢猜猜哪一首悄悄地被命名为《神秘吊灯》。它的钢琴琶音和空灵的合成器营造出闪烁的光芒、几乎神圣的氛围，最终是蜡烛熄灭，黑暗悄然降临的瞬间。
《站台上的女士》捕捉了德尔沃画布上那些神秘优雅的女性形象。她们往往不动，站着、躺着或静静地坐着。旋律温柔舞动，既展现了优雅也蕴含着神秘。与此对比的《Sam, Sam, and More Sam》则是一首节奏感强的作品，致敬人类头骨——这是德尔沃和我都反复出现的主题。
其中一首《Recto-Verso》受到德尔沃在画布两面作画的创作方式的启发。曲子模仿了这一概念，前半部分的主题在后半部分被巧妙地颠倒和重新演绎，探索了二重性和层次化的视角。
而《Sam, Sam, and More Sam》则是对人类头骨的致敬——这一主题在我与德尔沃之间存在某种“共鸣”。在这首作品中，我试图通过德尔沃独特的视角探讨生命的脆弱。他的“Sam”是生动且繁忙的。这种视角与我的有所不同，但其深度让人心生敬意，激发了我深刻的内心独白，体现了我对他不同世界观的内省尊重。
专辑中不断出现的火车元素将这段旅程串联起来，节奏感强的打击元素和层叠的音效模仿了它们的运动。这一主题清晰地向德尔沃对铁路的持久热爱致敬，这在他的作品中时常可见。
倒数第二首曲目《Departure》捕捉了旅程的苦乐参半的结局。与德尔沃的旅程就此告一段落，但我的旅程才刚刚开始。
最后一首曲目《On My Canvas》是一首附赠作品——它是我在体验德尔沃世界后的个人印象。在这里，我放飞自我，完全自由地创作，将之前曲目中的元素与现代感的转折融合。也许它有点自我 indulgent，但无疑它是个人的——对创作表达中那份快乐与大胆的致敬。
在用 GarageBand 混音并借助一些 AI 插件的过程中，我不断回到一个困扰我的问题：为什么我们创造？我看不是为了感受，我说话不是为了被听见，我写作不是为了被读到——我表达是因为我必须如此。表达并不总是为了观众或结果。有时它只是必要的，是一种释放那些无法被囚禁的东西的方式。正如德尔沃以毫不关心是否符合任何艺术潮流或“逻辑”的态度画出了他的超现实世界，我也创作这张音乐专辑，作为处理并翻译我自身体验的一种方式。
我逐渐意识到，表达是一种受控的释放——这是一项我仍在学习掌握的技能。这段旅程提醒我，无论是视觉艺术还是听觉艺术，它都是我们内心世界的体现。当我重返学术道路，进一步精炼这一实践时，我会带着从德尔沃的宇宙及我个人诠释中汲取的教训继续前行。
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2025年2月11日，比利时安特卫普
La Boverie博物馆目前正在举办一场名为“保罗·德尔沃的世界”的重要回顾展，致敬这位著名的比利时超现实主义画家保罗·德尔沃。该展览自2024年10月4日开幕，将持续至2025年3月16日，展出了150多件作品和物品，包括画作、素描以及个人物品，为观众全面展示德尔沃的艺术宇宙。