2021Next Art Tainan: A Double of Nature
Curator｜ Chieh-Hsiang Wu Artists｜ En-Tse Chen（Awarded artist）× Shiau-Peng Chen（Invited artist） Date｜2021.03.18 (Thu.) - 2021.04.18 (Sun.) Opening｜2021.03.27 (Sat.) 15 : 00 Forum｜2021.03.27 (Sat.) 15 : 30 Guest｜Kuan-Yu Chen
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【Statement】
The “2021 Next Art Tainan” is named as “A Double of Nature”, it means the nature seems to be in disarray and has no order. As mentioned in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, “it appears to be no understanding,” thus, people need to scrutinise its order via creating shapes (characters), creating forms (images), creating objects (vessels), and creating sounds (music). Tao Te Ching mentioned “the largest space has no corners, the greatest vessel takes the longest to create, great music has the finest notes, the great form is without shape,” this implies that there is a limitation for human to gather ideas from the nature, yet no limit for discovery. Artists gather ideas from the nature, as well as finding the joy of discovery.
Xu Shen mentioned in the preface of Shuowen Jiezi, “pictogram derived from the shape of the object, the meaning could be seen from it… compound ideogram is to combine two words together to form a new word and a new meaning.” It is rarely people understand the concept of the nature, and how it is formed. They often rely on the mimicry of artists. This is an art technique of “pictogram”. The 2021 Next Art Tainan is arranged by putting two contrary artworks together to exhibit the creation of shapes and objects via the artists’ understanding of the nature and the surrounding artificial environment. The artworks gathering together by fate, yet no disturbance is found within the combination, it presents the dialectic of “Double Nature,” and becomes the theme of the exhibition.
【About En-Tse Chen】
En-Tse Chen was born in 1998, Taoyuan, Taiwan. He is a new media art creator, and now studying in the Department of New Media Art of Taipei National University of the Arts. His work has been exhibited at 2020 Outstanding New Media Art Award. He engaged in stage design and projection design in interdisciplinary theatre, and his works have been performed at Taoyuan Technology Performing Arts Awards, Pingtung Performing Arts Center, Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center, TNUA Experimental Theatre, TNUA Concert Hall, etc. Most of Chen's works are installation art, attempt to reach the best form between technical rationality and aesthetics of form. He discusses time and normal life, and also considers about the aesthetics of standardization, reproduction, and mass production that technology brought to us. His works present the regularity and rhythmicity of mechanism, and provide an immersive space to the viewers with sound media. He is now developing sound installations and trying to show the possibility with instantly presenting the modality and trace of the sound on the entity by dynamic display.
【 About Shiau-Peng Chen】
Shiau-Peng Chen was born in 1976 in Penghu, the Pescadores Islands. Chen received her BFA from Taipei National University of the Arts (Taipei) in 1999, an MFA from Pratt Institute (New York) in 2001, and a Doctorate in Fine Art from RMIT University (Melbourne) in 2009. Shiau-Peng Chen has held solo exhibitions at Taipei Fine Arts Museum (Taipei), Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts (Taipei), IT Park (Taipei), SNO Contemporary Art Projects (Sydney), etc., and was the artist-in-residence at Gyeongju Arts Center (Gyeongju), Anderson Ranch Arts Center (Snowmass), Glenfiddich Distillery (Dufftown), 18th Street Arts Center (Los Angeles), and Taipei Artist Village (Taipei). She works with painting, printmaking, and artist's book. Chen's early works study form and composition, and concepts of infinity. Her recent works explore the relationship between the individual and the city, her experience as an artist, and issues of national identity. Shiau-Peng Chen's abstract and geometric works express a strong sense of spatial awareness and a sensitivity to geographic and social placement, as well as her own interpretation of art history. Through art practice, Chen also discusses concepts of color and ideas of monochrome painting. In most cases, the artist's works are realized through her unique methods of mapping and referencing.