2024 NEXT ART TAINAN ─ Artcross the Universe : Wu Quan-En x Wu Wei-Ting

Curator｜Hu Chao-Sheng

Artists｜Wu Quan-En、Wu Wei-Ting

Date｜2024.03.14（Thu.）-2024.04.14（Sun.）

Opening｜2024.03.16 14:10

Forum｜2024.03.16 15:00

Guest｜Ku Shih-Yung

Curatorial Statement

Curator／Hu Chao-Sheng

Tainan is an old city filled with culture and history; it also has unique natural landscapes such as lagoons, wetlands, reclaimed lands, and sandbars. These landscapes are like the petri dish of the earth, and further serves as a unique incubator with ecological diversity, these places. In 2024, Next Art Tainan gather s the works of 10 winning artists and 12 guest artists. These artworks show an unending stream of vitality, just like how Next Art Tainan nurtures and cultivates talented new artists.

With “Artcross the Universe” as the theme, this exhibition aims to combine Tainan’s unique and vibrant natural landscapes with Next Art Tainan’s nurture of young artists. With the formation of the universe as a symbol, this exhibition investigates the birth and growth of life, as well as the development and transformation of art. It explores personal experiences and observations of daily life, meanwhile bringing diverse contemporary aesthetics into the discussions. In an Internet-based generation, it further explores how the individuals define, affect, and reflect themselves in the fast-changing environment. This is a multi-faceted exploration of art, enabling the artists to search for the context and many possibilities of society in a boundless, diverse universe of creativity.

The exhibition presents the inner world of the artists. Using different media and forms, such as painting, sculpture, video, and installation, the artists present the reflection on the social phenomenon and experiences of daily life. They show their perspectives on life, society, self-identification, as well as the role and value of art in society.

In its 12th anniversary this year, just as before, Next Art Tainan will be showcasing 10 award-winning artists who stand out from nearly 500 participating artists nationwide. Inheriting the spirit of Next Art Tainan each year, the artworks are exhibited in 10 art galleries and spaces based on their concepts, materials, and spatial planning. The different styles of spaces and imagery of the works echo the artists’ deconstruction of the vast amount of information. With the reinterpretation in this exhibition, the works are given with eye-catching visual effects in the “universe” called Next Art Tainan, presenting infinite possibilities of arts and social participation.

Award Recipient Artist／Wu Quan-En

Born in 1997 in Nantou, Taiwan, and later settled in Taichung, I pursued my undergraduate studies in the Sculpture Department at National Taiwan University of Arts. During my university years, I began cultivating an interest in three-dimensional sculpture creation. Currently, I am enrolled in the Graduate Institute of Plastic Arts at National Tainan University of the Arts.My artistic focus revolves around objects, materials, and space, primarily manifesting through spatial installations or sculptures. In recent works, I explore themes related to plastic objects, daily utensils, and commodities. Through techniques such as melting and assembling, I aim to transform the conventional ways of observing objects, prompting a reconsideration of the visual experiences brought about by consumer culture in daily life.

Invited Artist／Wu Wei-Ting

born 1996 Yunlin,Taiwan, currently lives and works in Taipei and Taoyuan.

Wu's art practice is centered on exploring the potential of perception on everyday objects. It may be driven from a simple event, or an ambiguous and unintelligible corner of space. From a simple material surface approach to spatial context, material and meaning, his work opens up the viewer's curiosity towards how space is conceived, perceived and lived in.