Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Thank You!
Thank you everyone who has been a part of our experience of these three exhibitions, the five conferences, and the places we have been including; Taipei, Kaohsiung, Guan Shan and Kin Men. We have enjoyed creating art and making new friendships as well as experience the rich cultures in Taiwan. Australians have tasted delicacies from all over Taiwan and learnt about the history of each place. All the Taiwanese artists have been so fantastic and hospitable. Thank you to Min Chuan Univeristy, their gallery and to Carin Wu. Thank you to the Sincewell Gallery, Sam and Pasadena, thank you also to our sponsors for the coming Fo Guan Shan exhibition: THE Stainless Steel Fasteners, and Dr. Jimmy Ko. We have been in the Kin Men Chinese Newspaper and have met the Governor of Kin Men 李沃士, and also the director of Cultural Affairs Bureau of Kin Men county for setting up a lovely ceramic workshop. A big thank you to 許翠華 HSU-CHUI-HWA (Tracy), Tracy
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Australian Art Intro in Chinese
澳洲藝術簡介──大地的影響──以及Blossom Spirit藝術家團隊介紹
歐小咪
翻譯：孫敏智
澳洲藝術一直以來都是受環境所影響。早期英國及歐洲的拓荒者，在1788年來到澳洲並開始開拓這片惡劣的土地。當他們佔據了這片土地，他們一致感覺到對抗這乾燥、貧瘠、惡劣環境的艱困。當他們開始試圖去描繪與描述這片平坦怪異的土地、他們從未見過的不尋常動物以及陌生的植物，他們遭遇到莫大的困難。比起歐洲的樹木，這裡的樹木枝幹都非常細、非常直，並且帶著剝落的樹皮。同時澳洲強烈的陽光使得遠觀景物都像曝光過度一般，視覺可見的顏色都變得非常明亮，紅色、乾燥的土地以及光亮且燒灼人的陽光不斷被強調出來。這些早期的藝術家常常抱怨著，那些他們寄回英國家鄉的寫生作品並沒有實際攫取澳洲的真實景緻。
澳洲原住民早已受到澳洲大地的啟發而創造藝術，運用著精確的顏色並帶著一種符號的與獨特的風格。這遠古的文化可推回至45,000到50,000年前。他們的創作最早是運用岩石及砂土作為材料，例如利用混合澳洲環境中的岩石粉末以獲得顏料創作。他們描繪動物，而每一隻描繪出的動物在原住民世界觀中都具有重要的意義，而這層意義是深埋在他們的「靈魂呼喊」（Dreamtime）之中。這種藝術是與儀式、舞蹈、歌謠交織在一起，提供一種對創作與日常生活的解釋與意義。這種「靈魂呼喊」同時也被稱為「夢境」（Dreaming），是原住民生活形態與意識的重要精神支柱。他們的「夢境」將人、身體、神聖連結成一種平衡的相互關係。
他們的藝術作品是用來說故事，是作為一種符號與地圖的形式，更是作為一種生命的內在成分。原住民藝術品是一種具有實際功用的地圖（用以表示東西在哪裡，如水井的位置）。對於在澳洲中部乾旱沙漠中求生存來說，這是十分重要的。這些提供水源的水井總是有各自的途徑。有些途徑是人造的，而更多的是動物所踐踏出來的，而他們都指向水源與食物的位置。
原住民總是利用自然物質作為畫布、顏料，一直要到19世紀後期至20世紀初，澳洲的人類學家才拿紙與繪畫工具要求原住民畫圖。後來在1970年代初期，壓克力顏料與畫布才被介紹給在北領地（Northern Territory）的帕普尼亞（Papunya）原住民聚落。[i]
國內與國際藝術專家現在對原住民藝術的獨特力量與美感有了覺醒。如著名藝術批評家Robert Hughes所述，原住民藝術是「世界上最後一次的偉大藝術運動」。現在的原住民藝術幾乎佔了澳洲藝術市場一半的價值，更佔了整體澳洲藝術向外輸出的70％。對於只代表澳洲人口2％的團體來說，這是多麼傑出的成就。[ii]
澳洲的環境早已而且將會持續影響著所有澳洲人對生命的觀點──喜愛陽光並具備抵抗艱困氣候條件、高溫乾燥、自然森林火災、旱災與洪災的能力。也因此，談到澳洲的藝術史不能不談澳洲的環境。
澳洲的土地是非常廣大的。它是一個被海洋所環繞著的島嶼，就像台灣一樣，雖人它是台灣的211倍大。如果你對乾旱環境不了解，澳洲中心的土地是不適合居住的。曾經有許多人在沙漠中瘋了。他們並未準備好他們的旅程，最後走失、迷路、缺乏飲水而出現幻覺。
藝術一直以來都把沙漠描繪成神祕、危險和能引發敬畏感的地方。著名的烏魯魯岩（Uluru Rock）對當地傳統原住民來說是神聖的，而它也被保護著。早期拓荒者藝術家將沙漠描繪成黑暗和神祕。與之相對，原住民的藝術在經過了「夢境」後將沙漠理解成豐富而非貧瘠，並充滿著與精神、神聖、身體相關係的事物。
土地就是我們的食物、我們的文化、我們的精神與認同[iii]
「夢境」，雖然是遠古時期的東西，仍然是原住民的深層哲學，仍活躍在他們生活方式與思想中，並不斷地影響著他們日常生活。人類學家W. E. H. Stanner教授試著將原住民的概念及其意義記錄下來，讓非原住民讀者了解：
原住民使用土地這個詞彙，會以高度象徵性的方式來意指他的「肩膀」或他的「身體側邊」。
之後他繼續說明：
我曾見過一個原住民擁抱他所走過的土地。
他以另一種方式解釋原住民對地表及土地意義的定義：
將我們所用的文字『家庭』和『鄉土』結合而形成的『家鄉』，是對他們土地概念比較好的詮釋，但仍不夠。[iv]
地表並不只是土地，而是精神之源：
我們所能理解的，對他們來說是家庭、是生命的源頭與核心，更是精神的永恆性。[v]
不論是原住民或是非原住民，這種「靈魂呼喊」以及因它而出的藝術持續啟發著當代澳洲和當代澳洲認同。最近在墨爾本的聯邦廣場（Federation Square）建築開發運用了原住民圖騰來設計廣場內的通道，使用特殊的岩石材料來創造獨特、抽象、非對稱的廣場區域，藉以象徵澳洲的岩石、地表與內陸地區。建築物本身的特色在於不同形狀的太陽能板所創造出的光線與圖案區塊，而此設計也能大量利用澳洲的陽光。建築物能生產冷卻系統，並能收集落在建築物上以及四周的雨水。[vi]這些收集物將被運用在建築物運作系統中。在當代社會中，澳洲原住民藝術的影響被認為是一種擁抱原住民歷史的前進力量，但在此之前它只不過被認為是原始未開化的。今天原住民藝術被視為驚奇的、流行的，特別是作為澳洲國際形象的一部分。許多原住民社區的生活仍承受著歷史和當代兩股力量合併的負擔。
早期拓荒者大多為英國人及歐洲人，其中有些人同時具有藝術家身分。這些人之中有一群畫家，他們試圖仿效歐洲藝術的風格與形式來描繪澳洲的景緻。他們失敗了，因為澳洲風景的荒涼感完全不同於歐洲的風景。從1890年代開始，另一批藝術家決定打破這種繪畫模式。他們的繪畫後來被稱之為海德堡畫派（Heidelberg school），他們脫離早期拓荒者繪畫模仿歐洲藝術，以及那種刻意偽造出被歐洲化的澳洲景緻，也因此成為了澳洲藝術中最重要的畫派。這個畫派尋找著光線的表現，就如同法國印象主義者（French Impressionists──同時也是他們當時所推崇的畫風），但是他們更為獨特（因為澳洲的光線本身就是獨特的）並不斷試圖表現出光線的真實樣貌。在畫布上揮灑顏料，流動的色彩描繪出農莊中沿著麥子田而緩緩落下的夕陽餘暉。
英國麥田上的金黃色光芒並不能突顯出在澳洲夏日裡，暗沉天空下那廣大荒原牧場的恢宏氣勢 … 美國秋日中多采多姿的色調也無法超越那成熟尤加利樹所顯現的色澤 … （引自Sidney Dickinson，Australian Critic，1981年7月1日）[vii]
我們的團隊名稱是Blossom Spirit，這個名稱源自於在澳洲盛開、澳洲獨有的花朵（請見Jan Ross珍．蘿絲的作品）。我們團隊成員的創作靈感都是來自於澳洲景緻的啟發。這種影響在作品中可以直接觀察到：如家中庭院裡盛開的花朵提供了Anne Langdon安．蘭頓創作泉源；又如Fay Salmon菲．賽門那澳洲天空裡飛騰、戲劇性的雲景；在Roma McLaughlin蘿瑪．麥克蘿夫林的作品中，精細的、裝飾性的窗景就像是生命的詩意寫照；而珊卓拉．安格麗思那柔軟、淺淡的光線色彩創造出一種映像，她圖樣中的眼睛（蝴蝶之眼）在那如風動般天空藍的背景裡，鮮活地直視著我們的心與靈魂。
我們的團隊名稱更具有一種「精神」，因為這次的展覽是我們兩國之間，即澳洲與台灣之間友誼精神的分享。這次展覽中藝術家所表現的傑出精神以及所分享的藝術熱忱使我們的團隊欣喜若狂。分享我們的藝術、文化歷史並建立新的友誼與聯繫，這經驗永存人心，更是參與此次展覽的喜悅所在。
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
INTRO
Introduction to Australian Art - Influences of Land and the Group of Artists Blossom Spirit.
Bridget O’Leary
Australian art has always been influenced by the environment. The Early Settlers from both England and Europe arrived in 1788 and began to ‘settle’ the harsh land in Australia. When they occupied the land they often felt they were fighting the dry, barren and harsh environment. They had trouble at first drawing and depicting the strange flat planes, unusual animals that they had never seen before and the ‘alien’ trees. The trees were much thinner than those in Europe, and very straight, with peeling bark. There was also the Australian light that bleached the landscape and made the colours seem brighter; highlighting the red, dry earth and the bright searing sun. These early artists often complained that their sketches sent back home to England did not quite capture the true Australian landscape.
The Australian Aboriginal people have always depicted art that is inspired from the land in Australia, in its true colors with an iconic and unique style. This ancient culture is as old as 45,000 to 50, 000 years. Their artwork was first applied on rocks and in the sand; using (as colors) the mixture of rock powders from the Australian environment. They depicted animals, each with an important role within the Aboriginal world view, etched in their Dreamtime. This art was interwoven with ceremony, dance and song to provide an explanation and meaning for creation and day to day life. This Dreamtime is also referred to as the Dreaming and still plays a very important spiritual part in the Aboriginal lifestyle and consciousness. Their Dreaming links the sacred with the human and the physical in a balanced relationship.
Their artwork served purposes of storytelling, as a form of signs and maps and as an integral part of their lives. Aboriginal artwork served as useful maps (to show where things were, including drinking holes). This was vital while surviving within the dry deserts, found in the middle of Australia. These drinking holes would always have water and paths. Some of which were made by people, and some by animals, which led to places where there was water or food.
Aboriginal people have always used nature as their canvas and paints and it wasn’t until late 19th century and early 20th century that white Australian anthropologists gave Aboriginal people paper and drawing equipment and asked them to draw. Later, in early 1970’s, acrylic paints and canvas were introduced to Papunya Aboriginal community in the NT (Northern Territory).[i]
“Art experts at home and overseas are now awaking to the unique power and beauty of Aboriginal art. As described by renowned art critic, Robert Hughes, Aboriginal art is “the world’s last great art movement.” Aboriginal art now accounts for almost half the value of the Australian art market and around 70% of total exports of Australian art. That’s an outstanding achievement for a group that represents just 2% of the Australian population” [ii]
The environment in Australia has and will continue to effect all Australians’ outlook on life – love of the sun, and the ability to withstand harsh weather conditions, that being dry heat, natural bushfires, droughts and floods. And so, we start looking at Australian Art History by looking at the Australian environment.
The Australian land mass is very large. It is an island, like Taiwan, surrounded by sea, although it is 211 times bigger. The land in central Australia is hard to live in if you are not ‘land-wise’. Many people have gone ‘mad’ in the desert. They started on a journey unprepared, and became lost and without water, and had hallucinations.
The desert has been portrayed throughout art as a mysterious, dangerous and awe inspiring place. The famous Uluru Rock is sacred to its local Aboriginal traditional owners and it is protected. The Early Settler artists portrayed the desert as dark and mysterious. In contrast to the Aboriginal people, who, through the Dreaming, understand the desert to be rich, not barren, and full of things relating to spirit, sacred, and the physical.
“The land is our food, our culture, our spirit and identity”[iii]
The Dreaming, though ancient, is still an underlying philosophy and way of life and thinking that is still very much alive and influencing Aboriginal people in their day to day lives. As Anthropologist Professor W. E. H. Stanner, tried to put the concept of the meaning it into words for non-Aboriginals to understand:
“The Aboriginal would speak of earth and use the word in a richly symbolic way to mean his “ shoulder” or his “side”.
He goes on to explain:
“ I have seen an Aboriginal embrace the earth he walked on.”
So he explains in a better definition of the meaning of earth and land to the Aboriginal people would be:
“To put our word ‘”home” and “land” together into “homeland” is a little better but not much.”[iv]
The earth being not just land, and so a spirit:
“we took what to them meant home, the source and locus of life, and everlastingness of spirit.” [v]
This Dreamtime and the art that has been created from it continues to inspire modern Australia and modern Australian identity, of both Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal peoples. In a recent architectural development in Melbourne, the building Federation Square, has a path made up of Aboriginal patterns and special rock parts to create a unique and abstracted asymmetrical square area which symbolizes Australian rock, earth and the outback. The building itself features solar panels in strange shapes that create blocks of light and pattern are also designed to get the most of the Australian sun. The building creates cooling systems and collects all rainwater that falls onto the building and it’s surrounds.[vi] This is then used in all its operations. In our modern society the influence of Aboriginal Australian Art is seen as a progressive way to embrace Aboriginal history, which once was thought of as primitive. Today Aboriginal Art is seen as exotic and fashionable, especially as part of the international image of Australia. Life for many Aboriginal communities is still burdened by a combination of historical and present day forces.
The Settlers, mostly English and European, included a mixture of artists. Some of which were a set of painters who originally tried to mimic European art in its styles and functions to depict Australian landscapes. This didn’t work, as the landscape in Australia was a stark contrast to Europe.
In the 1890’s one generation of artists started to break this pattern. They became known as the Heidelberg school, and were one of the most important schools as they broke away from the Settler’s way of mimicking European art and its false/ Europeanised renditions of the Australian landscape. This school sought to use expressions of light, much like the French impressionists (they admired at the time), but unique (because the Australian light is unique) and they strived to show it in its true form. Blasts of color would stream onto the canvas where the sunsets were setting along a field of wheat on a farm.
‘The golden glory of English wheat-fields cannot excel the splendour of the wide wastes of grazing land under the dry sky of an Australian summer… nor can the variegated hues of the American autumn much surpass the tints of the ripened Eucalyptus…’ Sidney Dickinson in the Australian Critic, 1 July, 1891.[vii]
Our group, Blossom Spirit, is named after the Australian blossom flower, unique to Australia (this can be seen in Jan Ross’ work). The group often finds inspiration from the Australian landscape. The influence can be seen in: Blossom flowers that overpowered the artist Anne Langdon at her home surroundings; Fay Salmon’s soaring, dramatic skyscapes of Australian skies; the intricate and ornamental window framed views like poetic mirrors on life, in Roma McLaughlin’s work; and Sandra Angliss’ soft and pale light color that creates reflections and patterns with eyes (of a butterfly) which seemingly stare directly into the heart and soul, in a windy sky scene.
Our name also has Spirit because in this exhibition we are sharing the spirit of friendship between two countries, Australia and Taiwan. In this exhibition the group is overjoyed at the fantastic spirit of artists and their shared love of art. To share our art and cultural histories and make new friendships and ties is something that will always be remembered, and is one of the many joys of being a part of this exhibition.
[iv] http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/community.html
[v] http://aboriginalart.com.au/culture/community.html
Preface
策展人序
銘傳大學非常榮幸籌辦『臺澳當代藝術交流展』，本展覽邀請來自台
吳 可 文
銘傳大學數位媒體設計學系助理教授
中華民國九十九年一月二十二日
Preface from the Organizer
It is with great pleasure that we present the “Taiwan．Australia Contemporary Arts Exchange” exhibition at the Ming Chuan University. The exhibition, focusing on contemporary arts, introduces well-known artists from Taiwan and Australia to present artworks in a variety of fields including interactive media installation, multimedia animation, graphic design, photography, and painting. We sincerely believe that contemporary arts, serving as the embodiment of the artists’ emotion, have the power to uplift its audiences from the existing scheme. It is expected that the artworks in this exhibition, superseding the individual artist’s act of enjoyment, may issue a powerful appeal to its audiences and offer novel perspectives to the world.
Carin Wu
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Digital Multimedia Design, Ming Chuan University
Jan 22, 2010
Preface
Art is a continual part of our cultural history. The search and exploration of life through the arts is something we learn fromthat surrounds us all, regardless of region or race. Artists analyze their minds and record their life into symbols and signs to mark their existence.
Under the stars, our Australian friends paint in an open field of nature and wilderness. Shouting with joy, these artists excitedly release their love for the country in gorgeous colors.
Embraced by the sea, Taiwan nurtures artists with humbledemotions. Upholding the truth of beauty, we look into our hearts to dig out our passion and to record our society in ernest.
I am thrilled to meet all of my old friends from Australia and Taiwan thanks to the Ming Chuan University. May the dialogue between Taiwan and Australia lead us all into a new era of design and creation!
Hsu, Tracy Chui-Hua
February, 2010
Preface
院長序
時值銘傳大學53歲校慶之際，本院積極策畫『臺澳當代藝術交流展
臺灣與澳洲兩國分別屬於不同的東西文化，
個人相信，此次臺澳藝術交流展，
銘傳大學設計學院院長 楊錦潭
民國九十九年一月二十八日
Preface｜Jin Tan David Yang, Dean of the School of Design at Ming Chuan University
On March 12, 2010, the 53rd anniversary of the founding of Ming Chuan University, the School of Design enthusiastically invited renowned contemporary artists from Taiwan and Australia. It is our honor to present the『Taiwan．Australia Contemporary Arts Exchange』 at the Arts Center and the School of Design, Taoyuan Campus of Ming Chuan University.
The Eastern and Western diversity derived from Taiwan and Australia artists is expected to encourage mental activities in identification, expression, creation, and interaction among its audiences. The artworks are the products of abstract cultures transformed into concrete shapes of magnificence, just like how poets master characters of words and symbols to convey the mind. The essence of this exhibition is to create rather than merely reflect the arts culture of the two countries.
I sincerely believe the arts exchange will promote both mental and spiritual satisfaction among the university and our community. In other words, the interaction among the arts and its audiences will definitely result in incisive aesthetic experience. Finally, I would like extend my cordial greetings to the『Taiwan．Australia Contemporary Arts Exchange』!
Jin Tan David Yang
Dean of the School of Design at Ming Chuan University
Jan 28, 2010
Preface
Preface
On behalf of the Australian artists I would like to thank the University , Dept. of Digital Multimedia design, Ming Chuan University, for inviting us to participate in such an exciting event. Our group is thrilled to be a part of this exhibition, Taiwan, Australia Contemporary Arts Exchange. In this contemporary age where we are a global community, we are more able to explore other countries and cultures. Through this exhibition, both Australia and Taiwan artists have had a chance to connect (through their art). We embrace the opportunities and friendships that this visit to Taiwan has brought us. In this exhibition we are sharing the spirit of friendship between two countries, Australia and Taiwan. To share our art and cultural histories and make new friendships and ties is something that will always be remembered.
Bridget O’Leary
Group Director
Australian Artists for Cultural Exchange Group
Feb, 1st, 2010
序
我在此代表澳洲藝術家，誠摯感謝銘傳大學數位媒體設計學系邀請我們參與這次令人興奮的活動。我們很高興能成為此次台澳當代藝術交流展覽的一份子。身處全球共同體的當代潮流中，我們更應去探索其他的國家與文化。藉由此次的展覽，澳洲與台灣藝術家們運用他們的藝術相互聯繫交流。我們都敞開心胸地擁抱這次來台灣參展的機會與所建立的友誼。在這次的展覽中，我們分享著澳洲與台灣之間的友情精神。藝術的分享、文化歷史的交流、更深層友情聯繫的建立，這些都將使這次的展覽永存人心。
歐小咪
團隊總監
澳洲藝術家文化交流團隊
2010年2月1日
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