歷屆新藝獎Exhibition review

森林的秘密-臺南新藝獎苔蘚説

策展論述
Brief

原住民植物學家羅賓基默爾(Robin W. Kimmerer)用古老傳說和直覺,以及科學的探究,深入解析苔蘚之於森林的功能:在廣闊的雨林生態系中僅占三千分之一的苔蘚植物,卻供養著每一個存在於森林的各式物種,讓彼此互依共存、連結牽絆。苔蘚是多數植物向上發展與向下生根的生態護甲及能量供應鏈,儘管它們的物理構造相當簡單,且大多匍匐在地,但如網狀一般的莖葉鋪面,是緊緊牽繫著每一種動植物的存在要件,它們所提供的庇蔭及保水功能,對於森林中的蕨、葉、芽、木,甚至是飛禽走獸,都扮演著微小低調卻不可或缺的支撐系統。

 

一個形成完整藝術生態循環與發展的條件,如同一座錯綜複雜、物種相互供需與依賴的苔蘚森林,依靠的不僅是藝術家的創作能量,同樣關鍵的是支持新銳藝術家初試啼聲的畫廊空間資源、觀者參與和收藏潛力。「臺南新藝獎」自2013年設立以來,即將邁入第十屆;十年來標榜以專業策展人媒合商業畫廊及與藝術市場接軌為旨,積累出近130位獎項得主和他們在這期間的興衰發展與蛻變,儼然已成為滋養臺灣新銳藝術創作力、促動公開發表、擴大審美品味、培養潛在消費群,乃至銜接藝術交易與收藏、淬鍊臺灣產業軟實力的重要介面機制。獎項資源雖然有限,但卻持續擴延,近年甚至與台南藝術博覽會合作參展,在眾人參與、年復一年的積累下,創造了議題多元和型態多樣的藝術產業生態。

 

如同微渺的苔蘚之於鬱鬱森林,作為深探山林野地的媒介和秘密知識,「臺南新藝獎」的十年鋪陳與蔓延,如一片清新的青苔與岩石交織而成的織錦地氈,提供了新銳藝術家成長茁壯為巨樹瀚林的養分。在每一屆專業篩選和策展媒合的解碼過程,讓藝術的審美天賦、文化思辨和時代性的創造能力,如同在物種間交流的水氣,滋潤與釋出,涵養著土地岩石與流動大氣陰陽交界的豐富苔象。藝術學院、美術館、商業畫廊各自獨特的存在及其之間的盤根共生、訊息交換,都恰如其分地滿足各生態系統的微小生態區位和物種棲息地,如羅賓基默爾挪借文學家維吉尼亞吳爾芙(Virginia Woolf)有關「自己的房間」的譬喻,她用一種相當包容與涵養的氣質描述這些棲地,它們讓各物種得以避開競爭、彼此共存共享地成長茁壯,好比藝術體制與畫廊空間濡養出多元型態的創作者。

 

2022年當屆獎項的籌組,仍然依過往慣例,除了自2021年八月開始推動的徵件作業,同時併進10家畫廊的邀約與確認:西側的索卡藝術;北區的大新美術館、甘樂阿舍美術館;中西區的加力畫廊水色藝術工坊弎畫廊德鴻畫廊醉美空間絕對空間;東區的藝非凡美術館,再往東邊的台南老爺行旅的展外展空間。逐步拜訪的過程,我驚訝於在這範圍不那麼大的古都,竟然存在著性格差異如此大,各具特質和空間特色的畫廊場域。從市場本質出發、講求專業經營,前者或許存在光譜差異性,但後者卻是積極追求的一致性。有的長期精準地掌握藝術家的世代和作品風格,有的卻持有相對開放度、以新人合作嘗試為要;有的重視營運績效,有的卻更在乎對創作者的扶持。在經營調性上,似乎回應著畫廊的社會價值,有的豪邁大氣、有的謹慎度量、有的都會性格、有的敦親睦鄰、有的強調當代性、有的卻重視貼近性。在空間格局上,有的華麗貴氣、有的採極簡風,有的格局鮮明、有的卻迂迴繞道;有的像白盒子,有的卻向環境風景展開;暗黑控光或明亮通透是某些空間的特性,但也有兩者兼具的彈性主張。「展外展」空間是願意支持與呼應「臺南新藝獎」節慶感的旅店業者,亦有效提供特定公共空間參與盛事和回饋旅人。「臺南新藝獎」在這群落性質的藝術森林邊界層發揮著苔蘚功能,讓存在於沉靜的土地與快速的空氣亂流之間形成的漂浮溫室,涵養連結著每一所透過獎項媒合的畫廊,它們的空間涵構從營運的日常中脫出,共同成為2022年度「臺南新藝獎」展現與扶育新銳藝術家的特殊場域,也轉化為策展人梳理創作展現的關鍵脈絡。

 

或許策展人在這片生態森林中,遊走探訪,目的就是能進行最合宜的採集與媒合,如蜂似蝶、如蟻似獸,穿梭在物種與環境間尋覓著美麗的邂逅。藝術家的徵選是這個採集工作的重頭戲,由誰來參與徵選將會顯現出這個生態採集的單一或多樣性。雖然策展人沒有獎項藝術家決定權,但卻參與了評選委員的推薦工作,使每一屆的評委能隨著策展人的觀點而有所變化。這一屆的評委係以第十屆的回顧與前瞻構想而設定,因此特別邀請了若干位獎項早期的策展人,借助他們對當年優秀藝術家們的觀察來進行本屆藝術家的篩選工作,以回應歷史與發現當下。同時,這屆也相對有較多優質畫廊專業者的參與,借助他們的眼光與敏感度共同篩選出在學術界與藝術市場均有效、叫好又叫座的藝術家,以更加標舉與產業生態接軌之獎項旗幟。這樣的評委組合係奠基在策展結構的思考上,而非主觀的人脈運作。徵選工作的順利推進,如產婆助產般,產出了這一屆精彩而類型多樣的得獎藝術家名單,分別是從事繪畫創作的謝榕蔚陳楷仁蔡沛倚,從事錄像與空間裝置的魯志楷李奎壁陳昱榮,從事物件裝置與陶塑的龔寶稜梁瀚云,以及從事纖維創作的侯冠廷劉鳳鴒

 

策展人媒合獎項得主與畫廊的過程是有機而避免範式的,但有幾項原則是本屆策展媒合的考量基礎。首先,作品與空間的審美關聯相對重要,因為這是促動兩造相互提升的契機,使作品在最合宜的環境中展開其獨特的魅力,也彰顯點亮了畫廊的空間質地。其次,畫廊有其文化風格、經營路徑,這個媒合工作必須尊重其固有的特徵,使新生藝術的加盟可以強化或升級其原有路線,避免營運價值的違和感。第三,我認為是個優生學的關鍵要素,這個媒合決定寧可產生驚訝/驚喜,而避免順其自然/視為當然的熟悉作品,使畫廊能嘗新且延展品味邊界。此番除了「臺南新藝獎」10位勝選者,如何媒介共同展出者正是第十屆策展的核心企圖,亦即針對獎項歷史進行檢視的理念,以這些年參與獎項的近130位藝術家進行追蹤研究,以持續創作、仍然活躍、並在近年有獲獎或個展優異表現、同時與勝選者或畫廊性格相呼應的藝術家為原則,從中邀請15位參與共同展出。

 

媒介組合的原則是如此的充滿挑戰與變化,作品群釋放出的費洛蒙吸引著蜂蝶愉悅地在物種間探索與遊戲、擇偶與配對:具有繁殖南臺灣民間美術館企圖心的大新美術館,以一整個樓層接納了新世代創作展陳強調空間佈局的謝榕蔚徐婷。前者以紙本及中性原子筆為媒材,藉由畫廊光與影的映照迴射,在蔚藍畫面上以短促的線呈現規律,在色光暈染的視覺經驗中,隱藏著身體參與的律動、以及輕盈的呼吸感。徐婷曾參與第七屆新藝獎(2019年),以攝影作為方法,藉著視知覺的引導,將抽象卻實存的影像框景,發展成空間性的觀看視角和一抹近乎繪畫釋出的光;兩位藝術家的作品皆採取半現地製作、半因地制宜的特質,在庭園與窗、場域與框之間,融合了平面與空間維度的微妙關係,在安全距離下竊竊私語。

 

從事錄像創作的魯志楷,讓自身成為隱入環境的生物,在林間偽裝、泳池假扮,垃圾場採擷與物件聖化的過程中,尋找物我兩相活的存在關係。他在螢幕上調度滿鋪式美學與奇異場域之間的詭異對照性,光的溢出在經過整修重組的老建築暗黑樓層中顯得格外媚人。另於櫥窗一樓及樓間一隅受邀展出的張育嘉(2015年得主巫宇庭(2015年得主,前者的男爵美獸、後者的魚(愚)人,各自有其敘事文本,展現辨識度高的創作風格,分別以自述劇場和版印素繪的形式,回應著空間本身擁有府城歷史及當代美學的並存脈動。三位藝術家皆暗喻現代社會的異化特質,而加力畫廊正得以啟動其極具特色的空間涵構,讓三位獨特的創作框架對峙過渡,呈現多元的空間對話。

 

李奎壁與共同展出的陳飛豪(2015年得主,作品形式皆是投入長期研究的計劃型創作,藉由攝影、文字及影像等具檔案特質的詮釋手法,探討歷史、文化與社會變遷所衍伸的各種議題。前者揭示獨裁政治、跨國企業企圖為人們塑造美好生活的「夢土」,最終顯現的是尋常社會的變異和烏托邦的破滅;後者總是在歷史正典之外,聆聽微小的聲音,在蛛絲馬跡的尋覓和人類學式的疊圖技術中,展現陰性的覺知和技術的理性。展出的絕對空間屬非營利藝術空間,不僅具當代藝術的展示功能,更著重其交流與推動:針對李奎壁透過物件採集、工作坊等形式的創作,與陳飛豪透過影像對歷史幽魂的嶄新閱讀與檔案重啟的當代想像,絕對空間必能更有效地掌握議題推展的脈動,發揮藝術家改造社會的感性工事。

 

蔡沛倚的組件繪畫創作則於今年甫開幕、但對兼顧品味力與市場力有相當經驗的弎畫廊進行展出。蔡沛倚的創作透過外祖父的軍旅生涯以油彩繪製,將老舊的戰爭記憶與歷史影像轉為看似大眾文化俗艷性格的平面塗鴉和色彩編制,在訊息抹除的過程處理當代對於戰爭與歷史的創傷,讓記憶與遺忘呈現一種衝突的美感。同步於二樓空間展出的陳漢聲(2015年得主,擅長物件與動力裝置,務農的家族背景使其創作充滿了傳統農事經驗與工法的氣味,透過複合式手藝留住民俗生活的日常與痕跡,將農園意象框入工業鋁門,將「發穎」納入百寶格收藏,展現人與自然的創意再生關係;兩位藝術家均以身分背景出發,探討自然環境或歷史時空與當代生活延續與斷裂的訊息,充沛著「隔代敘事」的輕盈、犀利與新意,以易於回應空間的組件創作形式,在一個既老且新的建築娓娓展開。

 

龔寶稜的創作利用居家場景的現成物,提取其潛在的特殊質地,置換與重組其組件與脈絡,以干擾物件的指認,並透過錯讀產生新的美學功能,是一種非「反物件」的敘事,在詩意與功能再喚之間擺盪。於二樓展出的徐瑞謙(2019年得主,同樣是以日常物件為媒介,卻抽離日常,導向另一種散文式的意義流動,卻同時回歸身體尺幅的雕塑性;兩位藝術家帶來了不同質地的詩性,因此刻意將其安排於面對運河、內外景緻穿透的水色藝術工坊展出,企圖展現空間的虛實對話。

 

陳楷仁及受邀同步展出的葉誌航(2016年得主,細膩的現實描寫力,卻帶有自嘲、譏諷與幽默的創作調性,展現兩人對臺灣社會競爭與資本消費環境的深刻體悟。複合的創作形式包含繪畫、聲音裝置、攝影及微型雕塑,如日常小品、卻帶有超量的價值觀震撼。作品於關注普普藝術與流行文化的老字號德鴻畫廊展出。

 

甘樂阿舍美術館相當具有空間主人的性格。其地下空間中隔牆緊鄰展出的陳昱榮蔡宗祐(2016年得主,皆從曾文溪流域的環境脈絡和南臺灣的地景出發,卻展開不同向度的知覺旅程;前者以身體持有音像錄製載具的技術,以數位演算法透露出游牧者的心性;後者的身體覺知持續在野郊漫遊中擴大,歷史思考不間斷地在山雨閃電中覺醒。另外,特別安排在庭院展出,帶著工業零件、反射鏡面創造出微型生物的陳泳丞(2016年得主,三人的創作不論微觀或宏觀,卻都展現細膩心思,體現物質環境、景物、田野、自身之間的關聯,無論是用繪畫、影像、音訊,亦或物件裝置,都如事件的見證者,帶領觀者用不同的視角進行場域探索或內在體驗。

 

以陶土、釉料及金屬雕塑回應自然界蕭瑟澀冷的肌理,卻傳遞手感溫度的梁瀚云,與以纖維創作結合複合裝飾媒材以敘述對古典織造文化和當代環境關注的李偵綾(2016年得主,連袂於索卡藝術的同一空間展出,在城市立體櫥窗中展現手藝的精緻傳統。兩位藝術家的創作在「自然」 (nature)與「文化」 (culture)的濡養間擺盪,皆能在畫廊獨特的大面玻璃、自然採光中,以靜謐的形式,讓作品個別展現無為與刻意的細膩情感,訴說著陶與編織工藝在當代對藝術的復返。

 

醉美空間長期致力於表演與視覺藝術的推廣,提供年輕創作者多元發揮的平台。醉美座落於臺南傳統宅邸,共有六個高低相錯的樓層分佈,充滿戲劇化的變化,因此我特別安排性質殊異的五位藝術家共同展出。本屆得主侯冠廷的作品是從動物體骸的形象轉化為抽象造型的纖維創作,他將纖維材質重新解構、拼貼,企圖對肉身衰敗與腐朽的樣貌,對照優美華麗的材質,創造出生命的矛盾性,讓觀者能有不同體會與想像。受邀展出的康雅筑(2018年得主B1)擅長編織,卻於近年持續展開其文化研究之旅。此批創作則是以紡織文化史和當代社會政經研究為基礎,探討工藝技能隨著經濟貿易、社會發展、甚至軍事工業而凋謝,卻以「梭」的想像喚起手的溫度和往昔,以掛氈的形式進行記載與宣告。蔡尚孚(2017年得主(3F)熱衷觀察人被觀看的心理與多樣姿態,借助日常物件重組的穿戴實驗、現成物改裝的機械動力裝置,企圖呈現大眾消費文化生產過剩、怪誕畸異的荒謬現象。江宜瑾(2015年得主(4F)透過現成物、手捏的陶塊、翻製的身體局部與木作或金屬結構組合,除了尋求形體本質之外,也從創作過程之中探索身體受力的豐富表情與想像。在最高樓層擁有大面玻璃採光空間展出的吳芊頤(2018年得主(5F),運用彩色膠帶進行書寫繪製,形成具地方特色的植相語彙,以窗景捕捉了自然的形貌;同時侯冠廷的吊掛織品亦出現在此,透露蛾類幽微的存在。他們的作品之間迴盪著一種生長與消融、日的清新與夜的奢靡。

 

劉鳳鴒利用布料、線縫及樹脂進行壁面裝置;她解構舊衣當中曾經存在的時間隔膜,表現命運的鬆脫與生命的褪去,線織文本在識讀與敘述之間欲語還休。一同展出的黃至正(2015年得主,創作多以金銀箔為基底,以墨水、棉線、影像等媒材鋪陳敘事,同時傳遞記憶層疊的訊息,是某個不可名狀的時刻,也是冷冽浪漫的事件痕跡;兩位藝術家的創作同樣帶著神諭與傳說,以素樸單色的線性語彙將充滿多元裝飾材質的藝非凡美術館空間編造起來。

 

10間獨具特色的畫廊之外,近年持續以旅宿業者特殊資源挹注以認同與支持臺南新藝獎的台南老爺行旅,同時段以季節行銷主題「食物」或體驗課題回饋旅人的臺南經驗。在此機緣下,由我邀請擅長處理飲食文化的藝術家程仁珮參與節慶,以「祝福的滋味」為題,探討客家傳統婚宴中新嫁娘透過飲食與儀式記憶傳遞的訊息,藝術家以巨幅攝影攝取這記憶與慾望的表徵,如新嫁娘的肖像,亦如一道道公開的密碼,邀請移動中的旅人提供個人的註解。

 

10+1個展覽,25位性質殊異卻相互輝映的藝術家,對策展人而言,企圖拋出兩個關鍵提問:其一,在這10年間是否存在著這個新世代獨特的敘事語言與視角?其二,在策展人刻意安排的展覽脈絡下,當屆得獎者與過去得獎藝術家在佈展過程醞釀著多少潛在的夥伴關係?以及他們作品展現的相互對話?答案將在老城逛展覽、帶著知覺與心的遊程中,昭然若揭。不論得獎或受邀,每一位藝術家卯足創作力,讓人洞見這個世代的青年創作者不只充分顯現同儕之間的網結力、專業的展覽力、議題的回應力,更在媒材技法上展示出奇的斜槓力。這是2022年策展人採擷與拼貼出的林相風景,它同時是獎項階段性的生態切片。這十年的光陰如同滲入密林的光束,也似植物學家丈量樹林的尺規,彰顯了曾經得獎藝術家的成長紀錄。苔蘚層保育著樹的根系,光合作用策動了樹的生長,十年,端見了不容忽視的藝術森林成就,持續循環擴大中。

 

臺南新藝獎在邊界層發揮的苔蘚功能,使每一所透過獎項媒合的畫廊都能在土地與氣流間形成的漂浮溫室中悠然自在地展現區位主題的變奏,譜出獨特的樂章,伴隨著配對組合獎項得主們的作品,翩翩起舞。一個月的短暫展演,畫廊與作品的邂逅,頓時展開抑揚頓挫、變幻莫測的對話,此起彼落的交響聲部在博覽會期間和鳴,達到曲勢的高峰。「臺南新藝獎」雖然是一場在地微小、親密、活潑的「苔蘚版」慶典,卻讓我們親睹臺灣藝術新秀的優雅顯現,創造出亮蕨幼林的鮮綠色帶,在苔蘚森林深處向上發展、向外擴延,在陽光罅隙處,抹上一片鬱鬱蔥蔥。

 

 

 

The Secret of An Art World— Narrating the 10-year Milestone of the Next Art Tainan

Curator: Lin Ping

 

By embracing instincts and ancient legends, as well as pursuing scientific exploration, botanist Robin W. Kimmerer studies the function of mosses in the forest. Though areas covered by mosses only make up a tiny fraction of the vast rainforest ecosystem, mosses support all the different species in the forest, allowing interdependent lives to coexist and connect. Mosses are simple in structure, but they provide ecological protection and energy supply for most plants to grow tall or build deep roots. Moss stems and leaves, like a dense mat or web, weave together all the survival elements for animals and plants. Also mosses provide shade and water retention. It is easy to disregard them, yet they play the role of an indispensable support system for floras and faunas in the forest.

 

The reason to talk about mosses is because I think a well-established art ecosystem resembles that of a moss forest. Just like how the lives of a plethora of species are intertwined, for an art ecosystem to grow and mature, it not only depends on the creative energy of artists, but also on many other factors, from gallery support for emerging artists, audience participation, to collectors’ enthusiasm. Founded in 2013, Next Art Tainan awards will soon celebrate its tenth anniversary. We are committed to showcasing emerging artists and their works, and introducing them to commercial galleries and the general art market. Over the last decade, we have awarded close to 130 emerging artists. Upon receiving the awards, these artists enjoy broader and elevated career pathways, and collectively they form an inspiring artistic current.

 

Next Art Tainan has become an influential interface that nourishes the artistic creativity of emerging artists, promotes public showcasing, cultivates aesthetic sensibility, broadens the collector community, and supports the art collection and trading market. Despite limited resource, Next Art Tainan continues to grow and expand. We also partnered with Art Tainan Expo in recent years, a synergistic alliance that offers our awarded artists more opportunities into the art market. Thanks to the persistent engagement of all stakeholders year after year, we have gradually created a vibrant art industry based in Tainan that embodies diverse art forms with pluralistic themes.

 

Most mosses are small and inconspicuous, but they hold the key to the secrets of the lush forest. They are the medium for exploring the wilderness. Over the last decade, Next Art Tainan has spread and broadened its influence like spreading mosses that form a green, velvety carpet, and has provided the nourishment for emerging artists to grow and flourish into tall trees, and even a vast forest. During the award selection and curatorial process, different ideas concerning aesthetic appreciation, cultural critics and contemporary art creativity mingle and collide. This is like how water and air flows among and nourishes the various species, and together with the rocks on the land, form an extremely abundant moss scape.

 

Art schools, art museums and galleries all try to survive with each own’s merit, yet there is also a symbiosis among them. Each of them carries out its own appropriate role in the micro-ecological zones and habitats. Robin W. Kimmerer describes these habitats to be very inclusive and nurturing, like “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf, which allows species to grow and flourish without competition. The same concept applies to how art institutions and galleries can work together to nurture diverse artists, and Next Art Tainan prides itself for playing the intermediate role.

 

When preparing for the 2022 Next Art Tainan, we followed previous practice by starting the call for submissions in August of 2021. At the same time, we confirmed the engagement of ten art galleries: Soka Art in the west side of the city; Da Xin Art Museum and Asir Art Museum in the North District; InART Space, Mizuiro Workshop, San Gallery, Der-Horng Art Gallery, Aglow Art Space and Absolute Space for the Arts in the West Central District; and Mezzo Art in the East District. We've also invited The Place Tainan to provide an additional exhibition place at its hotel. As I visited these places, I was pleasantly surprised by the quantity and diversity of all these galleries located within a close vicinity of the ancient city of Tainan. Each of the galleries is unique in terms of its spatial design and personality. Every gallery is market-driven to different extents, but all of them unequivocally incorporate professional management. Some galleries follow precisely specific styles and managing generations of artists over the long term, while some other galleries take a more open approach by prioritizing collaborative works with emerging artists; some focus on financial performance, while some value the support given to artists and respond strongly to the social values of a gallery. These galleries also have different management styles—bold vs. cautious, metropolitan vs. neighborly, or emphasizing contemporaneity vs. valuing accessibility. In terms of spatial design, some are extravagant, some are minimalist; some have a clear pattern, and some are full of turns and twists; some are like a white cube, and some embrace the surrounding environment; some are featured by either pitch dark or bright transparency, while others are able to flexibly incorporate both. In addition to these ten unique art galleries, the "off-gallery" portion takes places at the partner hotel of Next Art Tainan. The participating hotel also provides their visitors with a unique art experience at their public spaces. Next Art Tainan, like moss plant in the forest of the art world, nurtures emerging artists and supports the local art landscape, including the art galleries. During the Next Art Tainan exhibitions, these galleries temporarily set aside their daily operation and transform into these special venues to showcase the emerging artists of Next Art Tainan. These galleries also provide useful context for the curator to comb through these artistic creations.

 

Perhaps, as the curator wanders around this art forest, the curator could carry out the most fascinating collecting and pairing, like bees and butterflies, or ants and animals, shuttling between flowers in nature in search of beautiful encounters. The selection of artists is the highlight of this collective work. Who submits their artworks, and who decides the selection process? These are all deciding factors that influence the diversity of the colleting in art ecosystem. As for the curator, though I do not have the right to decide the award-winning artists, I participate by recommending the selection committee members, thus having an influence on the perspectives of juries each year. The juries whom I invited this year were tasked to take this ten-year anniversary of Next Art Tainan as a milestone to look back and look into the future. Thus we specially included jurors from previous years to observe the subsequent development of past award-winning artists. A larger number of gallery professionals were also invited to be part of selection committee. Their acute judgment was instrumental in selecting artists that are well-received both commercially and critically, allowing Next Art Tainan to become more attuned to market trends. The composition of the jury is not based on personal networks, but on strategic, curatorial thinking. After a painstaking process, we produced a list of wonderful artists from multiple categories. The winners are: (painting category) Hsieh Jung-Wei, Chen Kai-Ren and Tsai Pei-Yi; (video and spatial installation) Lu Chih-Kai, Li Kuei-Pi, and Chen Yu-Jung; (object installation and sculpture art) Kung Pao-Leng and Liang Han- Yun; (textile art) Hou Guan-Ting and Liu Feng-Ling.

 

When pairing the award winners and galleries, we tried to avoid following rigid rules and took a more organic approach. The following are some principles that we applied along the process. First of all, we considered the aesthetic connections between the artworks and the exhibition space. We wanted to create a synergy that is mutually uplifting. This ensured that the artworks could be showcased in a space that brings out its unique character while also highlighting the spatial texture of the gallery. Secondly, given that each gallery has its own cultural style and business philosophy, this matchmaking work must respect its inherent characteristics, so that the incorporation of new artworks could strengthen and even upgrade its original development while avoiding any contradiction on operational value. Thirdly, I incorporated the key element of “eugenics” or “genetic improvement”—the pairing outcome should lead to pleasant surprises, instead of familiarity or complacency. This allows galleries to explore and stretch their boundaries of artistic taste. In addition to the ten winners of the Next Art Tainan Award, we also poured much effort into partnering the co-exhibit artists. We reviewed and traced the development of the past 130 award winners of Next Art Tainan. Among the artists who have remained active, continued to create new works, or excelled in the field and won recent awards, we selected 15 of them to pair up with the 2022 winning artists. We arranged these joint exhibitions based on their artistic styles and the characters of the galleries. It was quite an ambitious and challenging endeavor to put together all the artists and galleries. It is as if the artworks emit some kind of pheromones to attract bees and butterflies for pollination, and the curators had to detect these intricacies to facilitate the best pairing between artists and galleries.

 

This brings us to the Da Xin Art Museum, an important institution in southern Taiwan that has "pollinated" many mini artist-run galleries. The entire floor was provided for the artworks of Hsieh Jung-Wei and Hsu Ting, whose works also emphasize much on spatial layout. Hsieh Jung-Wei mainly uses paper and ballpoint pen as the media. Through the reflection of light and shadow in the gallery, we see how the short, brisk lines present some kind of rhythm on the dark blue color image. In this visual experience so rich of colors and light, especially the meticulously created texture from color smudging, from which viewers can sense the underlying rhythm of the body and the gentle breathing. Hsu Ting is one of the winning artist in the seventh Next Art Tainan Award (2019). She uses photography as her method, and through visual and perceptional guidance, she develops each frame of abstract yet real images into some kind of spatial perspective, revealing a hint of light that resembles paintings. Both artists create their works partly on-site and adapt to the local surroundings. We see how the artworks are intricately tied to the picture frames, the windows, the garden landscape, and to the entire gallery space itself. It is as if all the exhibited artworks and the gallery are whispering to each other at a safe distance. 

 

Lu Chih-Kai, a video artist, disguises himself in the environment, in the forest and in a pretend swimming pool. He also sanctifies the objects collected from a garbage dump. In these processes, he searches for the co-existence between objects and himself. He orchestrates the eerie contrast between the aesthetics of full-print images and the bizarre sites. The overflow of light is particularly fascinating in the dark floors of the old renovated building. In another part of the gallery, at the staircase and first-floor window display, Chang Yu-Chia and Wu Yu-Ting, both winning artists of the 2015 Next Art Taiwan Award, showcase their respective works, including their made-up characters—the “Baron” and “Mei Soul” by Chang and the “fish head man” (or “fools”, in Chinese homonym) by Wu. They have developed their own narratives with highly recognizable styles. In the respective forms of monologue theater and rubbing with pencil sketches, the two artists respond to the history and the contemporary aesthetics of Tainan. All three artists allude to the alienation of modern society, which is very fitting at the unique site of InART Space. The gallery allows the artworks of the three artists to juxtapose against one another, partake in a transition, and develop into pluralistic spatial dialogues.  

 

The two artists, Li Kuei-Pi and Chen Fei-Hao (2015 winner), have both been engaged in long-term research for their creative artworks. Through various interpretations, such as photography, text, video, and other archiving methods, they explore the topics of history, culture, social changes and other related issues. Li Kuei-Pi's works reveal the "dreamland" or an ideal life that dictators and multinational corporations want us to believe in. But eventually, the works illustrate the alienation of ordinary societies and the collapse of a utopia. As for Chen Fei-Hao, he always listens to the dim voices and looks for clues outside of the historical canons. Through his anthropological layering techniques, he shows his technical rationality and also a sensitivity to the hidden darkness of history. Their works are displayed at the Absolute Space for the Arts, a non-profit gallery in Tainan. It not only serves as a venue to display contemporary art, but also facilitates exchanges in the art community and promotes experimental artistic ideas. Li Kuei-Pi's creative methods include object collection and workshops. As for Chen Fei-Hao, through images, he attempts to develop new interpretation of history and contemporary imagination of the newly opened archives. This is a great opportunity for the Absolute Space to further grasp the development of various issues, and further support the artists in influencing the society. 

 

Tsai Pei-Yi's artworks are showcased at San Gallery, a newly established institution but already with considerable experience in both artistic cultivation and market acuteness. Tsai Pei-Yi's oil paintings explored her grandfather's military career. She transforms the old war memories and historical images into these tawdry graffiti as end touches and color compilations. She handles the grief and trauma of war and history through filtering messages, creating this conflicting beauty between memory recollection and loss of remembrance. At the second and third floor, we see the works by Chen Han-Sheng (winner in 2015), in which he shows great skills in handling objects and power-charged installations. In addition, his family background in farming gives his works this tones of earthiness and craftsmanship. He retains traces of craftsmanship and traditional rituals, but he offers this creative, regenerative connection between human and nature by combining different materials, such as a pastoral image framed into an aluminum door or “plant sprouts” storied in a traditional curio cabinet. Both artists, starting from their own family roots, went on to explore the continuity and/or rupture between the natural environment or history and our contemporary life. At this art gallery that is both old and new, their mixed media works resonate with the space and represent some kind of “cross-generational narrative” that is light, sharp, and original. 

 

Kung Pao-Leng's creation utilizes ready-made objects in daily life and extracts their special hidden textures. She shuffles and re-arranges the components and contexts, making it difficult for viewers to identify the objects. Some new aesthetic functions are generated through this misalignment. This "anti-object" narrative oscillates between the poetic and functional callings. On the second floor, Hsu Jui-Chien (2019 winner) also uses everyday objects as his creative material, but pulls away from the everyday mundane to introduce this prose-like fluidity of meanings. At the same time, he also returns to the sculptural nature of the body. Though the works of the artists display different textures, they share in common the poetic qualities. We deliberately arranged their works at the Mizuiro Workshop, a gallery adjacent to the canal, which the connected inner-outdoor space that nicely facilitates a dialogue between the artworks and the space.

 

Chen Kai-Ren and co-exhibiting artist Yeh Chih-Hang (2016 winner) demonstrate proper skills in realistic rendering, while conveying a creative tone of self-deprecation, sarcasm and humor. Both of them show deep revelations of the competitive culture and consumption-dominated capitalism in Taiwan. A combination of different media are used, including paintings, sound installations, photography, and miniature sculptures. The artworks look like daily objects, but create a massive impact when viewing that is way beyond their size. The works are exhibited at Der-Horng Art Gallery, a long-established institution dedicated to pop art and pop culture.

 

Asir Art Museum is a unique gallery with a strong character that reflects the taste of its owner. At its underground space, the works by Chen Yu-Jung and Tsai Tsung-Yu (2016 winner) are shown in adjacent rooms separated by a wall. Both of them explore the environmental context of the Tseng-Wen River Basin and the landscape of southern Taiwan. However, they then embark on different dimensions of this perceptive journey. Chen conveys the mind of a sojourner through digital algorithms by using sound recording devices attached on the body. Tsai's body awareness continues to expand further into the wilderness and wanders about. He is constantly awakened by his historical thinking amidst the nonstop raining and lightning in the mountains. In addition, a special arrangement in the courtyard are the works by Chen Yong-Cheng (2016 winner). He creates microscopic creatures with industrial parts and reflective mirror surfaces. These three artists, despite their differences in taking microscopic or macroscopic perspectives, all show their delicate thinking in reflecting the ties between the material environment, surround scenes, objects, nature, and the artists themselves. Whether it is through painting, video, audio, or object installation, the artists are like witnesses to an incident, leading the viewers to explore the site or experience about their inner-selves from different perspectives.

 

Next at Soka Art, Liang Han-Yun responds to the bleak and cold texture of nature with the warmth of the hands by incorporating clay, glaze and metal sculpture. Lee Chen-Lin (2016 winner) uses fiber as part of her mixed media creation to express her interest in traditional textile culture and contemporary environment. Together, their works are exhibited in the same gallery room at Soka Art, both showcasing their extremely refined, exquisite craftsmanship. The creations of the two artists explore "nature" and "culture" on different points of the spectrum. In this gallery that introduces abundant natural light through its large windows, these artworks reveal delicate emotions that are both deliberate and unintended, as if describing the return of pottery and weaving culture to contemporary art.

 

Aglow Art Space is a gallery that has long been committed to the promotion of performance and visual arts. It is committed to providing a platform for young artists to showcase their diverse creations. Aglow Art Space, located in a traditional mansion in Tainan, has a very dramatic six-floor space. I especially selected five distinct artists to jointly showcase their works here. This year’s winner Hou Guan-Ting’s works are fiber creations that transform the images of animal corpses into abstract forms. He re-deconstructs and collages fiber materials in an attempt to compare the decay of the flesh against other beautiful and gorgeous materials, thus creating the contradictions of life and providing viewers with different experiences and imaginations. The invited artist, Kang Ya-Chu (2018 winner) (B1), is adept at weaving and has continued her cultural research journey over the last couple years. This series of creations is based on her studies of the history of textile culture and contemporary social, political and economic developments. Her works explore the decline of craftsmanship against the changes in economic development and trade, social development, and even military industry. The "weaving shuttle" reminds us the warmth of the hands and of the past, while the hanging tapestry is there to record and announce these ebb and flow changes. Tsai Shang-Fu (2017 winner) (3F) is keen on observing the mental states and attitudes of people being watched. Through experiments of wearing reconstructed daily objects and through mechanical power devices modified from found objects, he attempts to present the absurdity and weirdness of the mass overproduction and consumption culture. Jiang Yi-Jin (2015 winner) (4F), by combining readymade objects, hand-knead clay pieces, and molded body parts with woodwork or metal structures, she attempts to seek the essence of forms and also explore the versatile expressions and imaginations of the body. Artworks by Wu Chien-Yi (2018 winner) (5F) are exhibited on the top floor, at a spacious room with floor-to-ceiling windows that introduce much sunlight. She uses colored tapes to create writings and drawings, forming these botanical expressions full of local characteristics. Through the window view, she also captures the natural scene. Here, we also see the hanging fabrics of Hou Guan-Ting, revealing the subtle existence of moths. Their works hint about growth and dissolution, the freshness of the day and the extravagance of the night.

 

Next at the Mezzo Art, a gallery that is decorated with quite diverse materials. Liu Feng-Ling uses fabrics, threads, seams and resins for her wall installations. By peeling off and deconstructing the lining of time from the piece of old clothes, she expresses the letting go of fate and the fading of life. Viewers are encouraged to read between the thread lines to listen to the artist’s reserved narratives. The pairing artist is Huang Chih-Cheng (2015 winner). He uses gold and silver foil in a lot of his works, and his creative media include ink, cotton threads, visual image and other materials to develop his narrative, and at the same time convey the message of layered memories. It is an indescribable moment; it is also a trace of a cold and romantic event. The creations of the two artists imply oracles and legends. They use a simple and monochromatic linear vocabulary to create this unique space in the Mezzo Art gallery.

 

In addition to these ten unique galleries, Next Art Tainan has also started working with The Place Tainan, a chain business hotel in Tainan that has been very supportive of Next Art Tainan over the years. The Place Tainan also uses this partnership as a way to provide its visitors with related cultural and arts experiences. At the same period, they curated a series of mini shows as their seasonal promotion under the theme of "food." Under this opportunity, I invited Cheng Jen-Pei, an artist who has great knowledge in food culture, to participate in the festival to install a photographic installation entitled "The Taste of Blessing." In Cheng’s artworks, she explores the messages conveyed by the bride through food and rituals in a traditional Hakka wedding banquet. The artist uses large-size photos that capture the personal belongings and food materials as the representation of memory and desire of a bride. These photos can be taken as the bride’s portrait and are also like publicly-available codes that entice travelers into making their personal annotations.

 

Here are ten-plus-one exhibitions, and 25 artists with different styles yet mutually complementary. As the exhibition curator, I try to propose two key questions: First, whether there is a unique narrative language and perspective found and shared among this group of new-generation artists over the past ten years? Second, in the exhibition context deliberately arranged by the curator, how much potential partnership can we identify between the current and previous award winners? And how do their works converse with one another? The answers will clearly reveal themselves when one takes a walk to these different galleries in old town Tainan with a clear mind and perception. It does not matter whether we are looking at artworks by an awarded or invited artist. Each artist embodies vibrant creativity, bringing us into understanding the talent of these young artists—their ability to network and collaborate, their professional competencies, their ability to respond to various issues, and also, their amazing techniques in handling different media and materials. This is the “art forest-scape” that the curator has selected and collaged for 2022 Next Art Tainan. This description provides only a facet of the award at a certain time point. Looking more broadly, these ten years are like a beam of light penetrating a dense forest; they also serve as a yardstick for the botanist to measure the forest ecosystem. The moss protects the root system of trees, while photosynthesis enables the growth. In the past ten years, I have witnessed the achievements of this thriving art forest, and this positive growth cycle shows no sign of stopping.  

 

Inspired by how mosses play a vital role in the development of natural ecosystems, Next Art Tainan strives to exert its energy to nurture emerging artists and support the local art landscape. Over the last ten years, we always dedicate a month of the year for this city-wide arts and creativity festival. Next Art Tainan’s professional administrative team tirelessly selects the suitable art galleries and venues to showcase the works of the award-winning artists. For the memorable occasion of celebrating the tenth anniversary of the award, I've invited the previous award winners over the last decade to exhibit their works alongside those of this year's winners, hoping to highlight the legacy of our award and the growth of the artists. Just like how green mosses in an enchanted forest nourishes the healthy growth of ferns and trees, we also want to devote our unwavering efforts to continue to support more emerging artists, so that they too can thrive in a burgeoning art scene.

策展人
Curator

2022新藝獎策展人 | 林平

現任東海大學美術系專任教授,早年畢業於臺灣師範大學美術系,於1990與1992年分別獲得美國俄亥俄州辛辛那提大學藝術創作碩士(MFA)及藝術教育碩士(MA),專長含括藝術管理、獨立策展與評論、藝術教育、藝術創作。

歷任國家文藝獎美術類評審委員威尼斯雙年展(美術/建築)、台北美術獎台新藝術獎國際決審、台北國際當代藝術博覽會YAT新潮賞國際評審、Pulima藝術獎桃創獎等重要藝術獎項評審委員,並協助創設公部門南島美術獎台南新藝獎及民間台灣身心障礙藝術發展協會光之藝廊創作獎中信當代繪畫獎等重要藝術獎項。

除了具有全齡體制內外的教學經歷、藝術創作、策展、藝評與寫作外,亦積極參與政府及民間國際事務、藝術管理軟硬體諮詢、審議與空間及設施規畫工作,諸如美術館、兒童藝術館、各類型藝術空間規劃和營運管理研究、典藏制度與保存維護諮詢委員、多項重大公共藝術審議及徵選委員與執行小組、景觀環境規劃委員等,活躍於台灣當代藝術領域,涉獵多元且全面。

 

藝術新星
Artist