2025臺南新藝獎 | 隱身之海、增生之城

 

　　臺南是一座不斷增生的城市：因為泥沙淤積的自然環境，17世紀的臺江內海已逐漸消失。荷蘭古地圖中曾出現的潟湖地形，隨著自然環境的遷移早已逐漸消失。1655年，當荷蘭東印度公司修築的普羅民遮城（今赤崁樓）完工之時，臺江內海的海岸線尚在城池的西面。然而當時間來到18世紀末時，海岸線已經遠離赤崁樓街區。由新港墘港、佛頭港、南勢港、南河港及安海港，等五處被稱為「五條港」的舊河道，仍連結為當時臺南市區主要的對外通商口岸。五條港的航路曾匯集於臺南舊運河河道，以便提供商船出海的航路。

　　1860年代，隨著安平開港；臺南的通商口岸再度外移至安平港。即便洋行及海關等設施紛紛設立於安平一帶，然而安平港淤積的問題依舊存在。自日治時期開始，臺灣南部的港運樞紐便因而逐步轉移至今日的高雄港。透過對於臺南地理誌的回顧，我們可以發現臺南變幻莫測的海岸線不僅不間斷地處在變化的過程之中，同時也意味著臺南是一座逐步朝著海洋增生的城市。朝鹽水溪以北望去，從四草、安南、一路到七股潟湖及北門，潟湖地形不僅依舊存在；在這裡，海洋與陸地之間的界線顯得十分模糊。

　　事實上臺灣島的西海岸都擁有類似的地理環境，導致西海岸的海岸線逐年地朝海洋的方向增生。然而臺南作為臺灣史第一座具有近現代意義的城市，其市鎮的發展及文獻資料，亦使我們得以進一步知道海岸線變遷的細節，及其與市街發展的相對關係。於臺南舊市區狹窄的巷弄中散步，很可能就正好步行於曾經的汪洋或淺灘之上。也因為海洋、潟湖及河道在每個時代的位置亦有所變化，我們甚至可以去探問今日的市街，究竟是哪個時代的水域？

　　隨著時代的進展，不少城市皆會不間斷地發展及擴大。但臺南獨特的自然史背景，使得臺南這座城市似乎不停地「增生」，並且在有機發展地過程之中逐步取代既有的潟湖。臺南或許不如湖中之城特諾奇提特蘭（Tenochtitlan、今墨西哥城）及潟湖之城威尼斯一般名聞遐邇，然而臺南在歷史刻度中所沉積而得的生活厚度，卻絕不亞於任何一座與水域相關的歷史名城。本屆的「臺南新藝獎」便期望擷取臺南有機及增生的特質，來作為其策展的主軸；並期望同時透過邀展的作品來回應臺南的變動性及城市的水域文化史。

　　2025年臺南新藝獎延續往年慣例，同時設置徵件獎項及國際邀請參展機制。在本屆的徵件部分共徵集390位投件藝術家並從中選出10位／組得主，其中3位則會同步參與「Art Tainan」臺南藝博會。本屆於徵件的評選部分亦刻意設計邀請較為年輕世代的藝術工作者，包括南部地區的美術館工作者、未參與本屆新藝獎的臺南地區畫廊工作者，以及藝術家及策展人等，期盼能選取出兼顧藝術市場、獨特藝術觀點及南部視角的新銳創作者。綜合本屆的徵件結果，我們可以發現獲獎藝術家們具備對於材質的敏銳觀察、如何以作品映射外在環境、對於探索繪畫可能性的熱情以及如何透過反諷及趣味的敘事來進行遊戲性的表現等特質。

　　在徵件藝術家的得主部分，藝術家丁冠云曾利用纖維材質製作的玩具積木及容器，透過轉化相關的作品材質來呈現獨特的視覺效果。藝術家賴科維也採取類似的創作路徑，其透過燒製陶瓷的方式製作出數量龐大且造型類似於寶特瓶塑膠容器的陶瓷器皿，藝術家企圖同時改變陶瓷材質及塑膠容器的意涵。藝術家陳肇彤擅長大型雕塑裝置，其作品《縫隙的深度計算式》透過討論水的路徑及水的流向，來重新鑄造出相關的雕塑作品。陳肇彤的作品不只探討的水的物理性質，他亦擅長使用「負空間」的手法將隱而不宣的空間轉化為具體的物件。藝術家張芸家及吳德馨皆選擇挑戰繪畫此種較為傳統的媒材，但在她們的作品中可以看到藝術家們對於材質性的研究及關注。張芸家的寫生繪畫透過顏料肌理的表現，描繪蔓生的植物如何覆蓋既有的老舊建築，也藉此凸顯城市空間在時間軌跡上的變化。吳德馨的繪畫創作則是必須要於展場現場觀看時，才能發現其如何透過繪畫的層次及堆疊，來表現出彷如星空一般的特殊情境。

　　藝術家李盈蓁進一步結合了繪畫及陶瓷兩者的材質，使用陶瓷的創作方式燒製出一系列鏤空的「山水繪畫」。和傳統的繪畫不同，李盈蓁的作品在不同的觀看條件及光線下，皆會產生出變化多端的觀看效果。藝術家翁榛羚將其水墨學習背景加以轉化，改以蝕刻版畫的方式來進行創作。其版畫創作作品透過強調「荒誕」及「怪誕」的形式，描述現代社會及現代家庭中的各種疏離及詭異的場景。藝術家邱馳的裝置作品一樣延續了「荒誕」的基調，其所創作的裝置往往需要藝術家自身及觀者投身參與，才能促成整件作品的完成。譬如其曾創作的《Self-service Barbershop》（自助理髮店），必須要以非常荒謬的姿勢來參與互動，才能完成整套自助投幣「剃髮」的程序。

　　本屆亦有許多入選的得主著重於與環境之間的對話，譬如藝術家張君慈，其創作以聲響及聲音為主，此次的創作計畫預計將會透過其聲響裝置討論臺南的環境。藝術家藍郁棠的作品則是深切的觀察臺南的空間及環境，其錄像作品《為臺南公園增添視野》，將其住宅內的骨董級落地窗移至臺南公園內裝設，藉此討論何為「取景」及景觀的文化史議題。除了徵件藝術家外，本屆臺南新藝獎亦針對不同的策展策略來邀請邀展藝術家。本屆在邀展的策略上特別強調作品及藝術家所延伸的互動性，並期望藉此可以爭取更多觀眾前來觀展及參與作品所欲設定的互動經驗。

　　相信幾乎所有的在地人都會自豪於臺南的美食文化，也因此，飲食的經驗被視作本次所設定的邀展策略之一：藝術家羅聿綺自稱「食物藝術家」，其所發展的「食物雕塑」創作計畫不僅是雕塑，亦是可以被食用的作品。藝術家李珮瑜則預計於本次提出陶製餐具創作計畫，其作品過往連結幼時的市場生活經驗，藝術家希望重現印度的「用完即摔」的廉價陶製餐具，將此發展為一藝術行動事件。馬來西亞藝術家符芳俊（Hoo Fan Chon）將延續其針對彈塗魚的研究，預計在臺南駐村期間研究於臺南被稱為「花跳」的傳統食材。符芳俊預計尋找臺南花跳魚養殖業，並且希望可以研究日漸失傳的「花跳湯」及彈塗魚的相關生活棲地。藝術家將結合其過去於馬來西亞及日本所蒐集的相關研究成果，於臺南規劃相關的工作坊。臺灣藝術家李奎壁則是以臺灣南部的蕉業作為背景，討論因為殖民農業而發展的香蕉產業，其與經濟系統之間的關係。

　　因為時間而產生的空間性，亦是策展團隊的另一項考量。藝術家蔡宗勳將使用弎畫廊的閣樓空間，對其老屋的特殊環境進行針對空間「隙縫」的探討。藝術家鈴木貴彥將延續其「全球商店計畫」，藝術家的紙模型創作系列將呈現臺南及蒙古的小型商店建築，觀眾可透過展場的相關資訊尋找到商店們的真實位置。擅長討論身體感知經驗的林怡君，預計將會設置使觀者可以感知體溫及空間關係的裝置。本屆臺南新藝獎所邀請的國際藝術家，預計將回應與水域文化有關的討論。除了馬來西亞的符芳俊將對在地的彈塗魚文化進行文化史的考掘外，來自哈薩克的Almagul Menlibayeva，其獨具時尚感的作品針對水域逐漸消失的裡海進行探討。來自柬埔寨的Lim Sokchanlina則會帶來探討柬國水域文化的新作，藉此來與本屆的主題相互呼應。

　　臺南新藝獎在臺灣一直以來具備了獨特的策略；隨著國內美術館紛紛成立，臺南新藝獎此種在空間上結合「街坊美術館」的特質，並期望整合年輕藝術家與商業空間的企圖在國內各縣市來說依舊是十分少見的形式。對於主辦單位及策展團隊來說，臺南新藝獎作為一種特殊的平臺來聯繫在地與國際，如今亦將邁入第13屆；我們不僅期待新銳藝術家及國際藝術家們的表現，更期待各位觀眾能趁著春季的舒適氣候，來臺南進行一場藝術散步之旅。

Invisible Ocean, Growing City

Tainan is an ever-evolving city. Because of sediment accumulation, the Taijiang Inner Sea, the vast lagoon depicted in 17th-centry Dutch maps, has vanished with the changes in the natural landscape. In 1655, when the Dutch VOC completed building Fort Provintia (now Chihkan Tower), the coastline of the Taijiang Inner Sea was still to the west of the fortress. But by the late 18th century, the coastline had receded far from the town district of Chihkan Tower. There were also the old Tainan Canal and its five branch canals—Xingangqian, Fotou, Nanshi, Nanhe, and Anhai. The "Five Branch Canals" merged into the old Tainan Canal, the vital waterway for commercial boats to reach the ocean. The harbor points where these "Five Branch Canals" flowed into the city served as the main commercial ports connecting Tainan to the outside world.

In the 1860s, when the Anping Port was built, the main commercial port of Tainan moved then to Anping, which saw the rise of trading houses, custom offices and other trade-oriented facilities. However, the problem of sediment accumulation in Anping Port persisted. Beginning in the Japanese ruling period, southern Taiwan's shipping hub gradually shifted to what is now Kaohsiung Port. Reviewing Tainan's geographical records, we find that its coastline has been in a constant state of transformation. This also signifies that Tainan is a city gradually expanding toward the sea. Looking toward the north of Yanshui River, from Sicao and Annan all the way to the Qigu Lagoon and Beimen, the lagoon landscape remains intact and the boundary between the ocean and the land appears remarkably blurred.

Such a geographical landscape is quite common along the west coast of Taiwan, leading to the gradual coastal land expansion toward the sea. Given that Tainan is the first city in Taiwan's history with modern significance, Tainan's urban development and historical records allow us to further understand the details of its shifting coastlines and its relationship with the city's development. Strolling through the narrow alleys in old-town Tainan, one might unknowingly be walking over what was once open sea or a shallow tidal flat. As the locations of the ocean, lagoons, and waterways have shifted throughout different eras, we might also wonder: which historical body of water does today's cityscape correspond to?

Many cities continue to develop and expand over time. Tainan's unique natural history has also led the city to continuously expand and generate new cityscapes, gradually replacing existing lagoons through an organic process of development. Tainan may not be as renowned as the lake city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) or the lagoon city of Venice, but the depth of life it has accumulated over time is no less profound than that of any historic city shaped by water. As its curatorial focus, this year's Next Art Tainan Award explores Tainan's organic growth and continuous evolution around waterscapes. It also features invited works that engage with the city's fluid nature and rich water heritage.

The 2025 Next Art Tainan Award continues its tradition of featuring both an open call for submissions and an international invitation mechanism. This year, a total of 390 artists applied, from which 10 artists/groups were selected as awardees. Among them, three participate in the Art Tainan expo. For this year's selection, we have deliberately invited more younger-generation art professionals, including museum staffers from southern Taiwan, gallery representatives from Tainan who are not participating in this year's Award, as well as artists and curators. This approach highlights emerging artists who balance market potential, unique artistic perspectives, and a distinctly southern Taiwan viewpoint. Based on this year's submissions, we observe that the award-winning artists demonstrate a keen sensitivity to materials, an ability to reflect the external environment through their works, a passion for exploring the possibilities of painting, and playful expressions through use of irony and engaging narratives.

Artist Ting Kuan-Yun uses fiber materials to create toy blocks and containers, transforming these materials to achieve a unique visual effect. Lai Ko-Wei adopts a similar creative approach, producing a large quantity of ceramic vessels shaped like plastic PET bottles through firing process. Lai seeks to alter the meanings of both ceramic material and plastic containers. Artist Chen Chao-Tung specializes in large-scale sculptural installations. His work, Depth Calculation Formula for Gap, explores the pathways and flow of water, reinterpreting these concepts through sculptural forms. Chen's work not only explores the physical properties of water but also skillfully applies the concept of "negative space," transforming unseen or implied spaces into tangible objects. Article Chang Yun-Chia and Wu Te-Shin both choose to challenge the more traditional medium of painting. Their works reveal a deep exploration and focus on materiality. Chang Yun-Chia's outdoor paintings use paint textures to depict how sprawling vines overtake dilapidated buildings, highlighting the transformation of urban spaces over time. Wu Te-Shin's paintings must be viewed in person to fully appreciate how layers and textures are meticulously added to create a unique atmosphere reminiscent of a starry sky.

Artist Li Yin-Chen further integrates the materials of painting and ceramics, using ceramic techniques to create a series of openwork "landscape paintings." Unlike traditional paintings, Li's works exhibit ever-changing visual effects under different viewing conditions and lighting. Weng Jhen-Ling transforms her background in ink painting by adopting etching as her medium of creation. Her printmaking works emphasize the absurd and the grotesque, depicting scenes of alienation and eeriness within modern society and contemporary family life. Chiu Chih's installations also carry an underlying sense of absurdity. His works often require active participation from both the artist and the audience to be fully realized. For example, his work Self-service Barbershop requires participants to engage in an absurdly awkward posture to complete the self-operated, coin-based "haircut" process.

This year, many awardees focus on dialogue with the environment. For instance, artist Iris Chun-Tzu Chang centers her work on sound and auditory experiences. Her current project plans to explore Tainan's environment through sound installations. Aritst Lan Yu-Tang's work offers a keen observation of Tainan's spaces and environment. His video piece, Add viewing into Tainan Park, relocates an antique floor-to-ceiling window from his home to Tainan Park, sparking a discussion on the concept of "framing" and the cultural history of landscapes. In addition to the open-call artists, this year's Next Art Tainan Award has also invited artists based on various curatorial strategies. This year's curatorial approach emphasizes the interactive nature of the artworks and the engagement they foster. The exhibitions invite more visitors to participate in the interactive experiences designed by the artists.

Another curatorial focus is on Tainan's rich food culture and culinary experience, which many locals take pride in. Artist Lo Yu-Chi, who self-identifies as a "food artist," has developed a "food sculpture" project in which her works are not only sculptures but also edible pieces. Artist Lee Pei-yu develops a ceramic tableware project for this year's Award. Her past works have been closely tied to childhood experiences in local markets. This time, she recreates India's disposable clay tableware and transform it into a performative art event. During his arts residency, Malaysian artist Hoo Fan Chon continues his research on mudskippers, focusing on the locally known "Huatiao," a traditional delicacy in Tainan. Hoo Fan Chon explores Tainan's mudskipper farming industry and the natural habitats of mudskippers, while also studying the increasingly rare dish of Huatiao soup. The artist integrates his previous research collected in Malaysia and Japan to organize a related workshop in Tainan. Taiwanese artist Li Kuei-Pi takes the banana industry in southern Taiwan as his subject, exploring its development under colonial agriculture and its relationship with economic systems.

Another focus of the curatorial team is the spatial dimension shaped by time. Artist Tsai Tsung-Hsun uses the attic space in San Gallery to explore the crevice spaces within the unique architectural environment of a historic building. Continuing its Global Store project, artist Takahiko Suzuki uses a series of paper model artworks to depict small shop buildings from Tainan and Mongolia. Visitors can locate the real shops using the information provided in the exhibition. Lin Yi-Chun, known for exploring bodily perception and experiences, creates an installation that allows viewers to experience body temperature and spatial relationships. As for the invited international artists, they focus on responses and discussions associated with aquatic culture. Hoo Fan Chon explores the cultural history and significance of mudskippers native to Tainan. Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva, known for her distinct fashion-infused aesthetic, examines the gradual disappearance of the Caspian Sea. Also aligning with this year's theme, Lim Sokchanlina from Cambodia presents a new work exploring Cambodia's water culture.

While art museums continue to emerge across the nation, the Next Art Tainan Award holds its unique approach of being a "neighborhood museum"—connecting young emerging artists to citywide galleries and exhibition spaces. This is still an unique practice in Taiwan and is something that we take pride in. As the Award enters its thirteenth edition, both for the organizers and curatorial team, we believe the Next Art Tainan Award continues to serves as a unique platform connecting local and international art scenes and communities. We look forward not only to showcasing outstanding works by emerging and international artists but also to welcoming visitors to Tainan for an artsy stroll in the delightful spring weather.