Emily Thomas 駐村藝術家裝置《變形》 Solo exhibition Shapeshifter by artist Emily Thomas

  • 時間 Date
    2019-07-05 ~ 2019-08-31
  • 地點 Venue
    蕭壠文化園區,鐵道區 Siao-Long Cultural Park, Railway

艾蜜莉.湯瑪斯駐村個展《變形》

Solo exhibition Shapeshifter by artist Emily Thomas

開幕式Opening: 2019.07.05(五)10:00

蕭壠文化園區,鐵道區 Siao-Long Cultural Park, Railway

2019.07.05-2019.08.31

於個展《變形》中,藝術家湯瑪斯呈現她首件戶外裝置藝術。

作品介於建築、物件、繪畫、雕塑之間,靈感來自台灣建築中一些特別的案例,以其中帶有設計感的元素為發想。

以時間為推進,包括像是在台東卑南原始部落的史前高腳屋、荷蘭及西班牙殖民時期的所興建的碉堡,如安平古堡和赤崁樓、傳統中國建築的宮廷式斜屋頂(孔廟中常見特徵)、西式建築如林百貨、摩登超現實的衛武營國家藝術文化中心、還有佳里區現代的住宅等,這些建築形式的結合反映出台灣文化的融合,同時也代表著,建築可做為這個國家蘊含多元政治歷史的指標,數個世紀以來都形塑著台灣的社會。

藝術家透過象徵性的形式、具象的實體及顏色,創造了一種地方認同感。

例如在藝術裝置《草叢群蛇圍繞》中,她使用竹子和高蹺來描繪相關的建築形式,還有原住民史前高腳建築的實體呈現。

裝飾性的原住民織料設計也融入作品,以強調原民文化,綠色象徵這些農村社區及其對環境的尊重,而名稱則揭露出新殖民者在當時對這個小島來說,就像是草叢裡的群蛇,試圖摧毀原民文化。蕭壠文化園區內歷史悠久又迷人的鐵道,很適合展示這件裝置藝術,沿著這些”軌跡”來探尋台灣的建築時間軸。艾蜜莉也點出,建築對地方認同來說,隨著時間運轉,無論實質或象徵上,在過去及未來都承擔著"變形"角色。

 

Shapeshifter

In her solo exhibition Shapeshifter, Emily Thomas presents her first outdoor installation.

Categorised somewhere between architecture, object, painting and sculpture, the work has been inspired by stylistic qualities found within specific examples of architecture in Taiwan.

Moving through time, these include the prehistoric stilt architecture of indigenous tribes presented in Taitung’s Peinan Site, forts constructed during Dutch and Spanish settlements such as Anping Old Fort and the Chihkan Tower, the sweeping imperial roofs of traditional Chinese architecture (a common feature of Confucius temples), western-style buildings such as the Hayashi Department Store, modern surrealist buildings such as the National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts, and the present day residential housing of Jiali. This combination of architectural styles reflects the cultural fusion within Taiwan. It signifies architecture as an indicator of the country’s rich political history and how this has shaped Taiwanese society over the centuries.

Emily creates a sense of place identity through her symbolic use of form, materiality and colour.

For example, in Surrounded by Snakes in the Grass she has used bamboo and stilts to portray the relevant architectural form and materiality of indigenous prehistoric stilt architecture.

Decorative features of aboriginal textile designs have also been integrated to reflect indigenous culture. The colour green symbolises these rural communities and their respect for the environment. The title refers to the colonising newcomers to the island at the time as Snakes in the Grass, who attempted to destroy indigenous culture. Siao-Long Cultural Park’s historic and enchanting railway line serves as a fitting location for this installation, which tracks Taiwan’s architectural timeline. Emily has uncovered how architecture has previously served and will continue to serve as a literal and metaphorical Shapeshifter of place identity through time.

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