富而謀殺—黃銘祝個展@MOCA

本展第一展室主要在鋪陳黃銘祝對於家鄉土地的關懷及人類造成環境破壞的反思。位於入口的作品〈回家吧！回到原初的美好〉，以客家花布及舊木料，拼貼出對於原鄉美好的想像。【回到原點】系列六件裝置結合錄像作品〈當幸福與你捉迷藏〉建構出了這個展場的問題意識與空間氛圍。另一件折盒式的箱形裝置〈失樂園〉，以迷宮劇場的概念，娓娓呈現了生態物種滅絕，自然反撲下的一種「後災難時代」意象。而放置於拱門空間中的〈下一步棋〉，也畫龍點睛地傳達了現代社會與自然環境之間的僵局，正是一種「無法前進也無法後退」的曖昧與尷尬！走道空間的兩端，裝置作品〈無憾的連結〉與錄像作品〈眸界〉相互呼應地呈現，前者以回收木材拼貼台灣都市街景，後者以類平面拼貼作品製成如真似幻的3D動畫，表現人類文明物慾無盡衍異，終至吞噬自我生存空間的奇幻景像。

相對於第一展間呈現對大環境的省思，第二展間著重於藝術家個人對心靈生活及內在精神的觀照。除了四個個人日記式的平面畫作，另二件裝置作品〈潘朵拉的盒子〉與〈記憶裂痕〉，明顯反映出現代社會及人心充滿困惑、焦慮的失衡狀態和無法捉摸的空虛感；其中一件現成物裝置〈巴別塔〉，則是開放民眾參與互動，具有社會普查意義的一件作品，此作邀請觀眾將家中淘汰的玩具帶到展場進行交換，巴別塔本身指涉了人類慾望的構築和無止境的堆疊，也關連到人類文明透過慾望交流和語言溝通而得以發展的史實。以物易物的人際互動和資源交換方式，是人類最初的文明儀式之一，可能也是導正當代消費文化帶來之環保危機的一帖良方。黃銘祝希望透過本次在當代館實驗展場的個展，傳達人類必須參透文明帶來的危機和永續生存的課題，在自我與自然之間取得平衡點，撥亂反正，回歸原初的美好！

[i] 十八世紀的歐洲人曾相信天鵝只有白色的，直到在澳洲發現黑天鵝，才發現自己的無知，被後人稱為「黑天鵝效應」。

“Formosa erased” evokes the reality that the once beautiful, natural island of Taiwan as well as its inhabitants’ inner spirit is now suffocated by the materialism of the society. The greed for material development has veiled the original iridescence of land and benevolent human nature. The artist employs the “Black Swan Theory” [1] to describe the fact that many seemingly impossible events have taken place in Taiwan recently; from the controversy of urban renewal, to the problem of food safety, to the commandeering of private lands, to the conservation of natural environment, these constant conflicts and arguments all arise from the material-oriented society kidnapped by people’s incessant desires. As a result, the imbalance between the spiritual and the material has gradually eroded the inhabitants and the land of Taiwan.

The first gallery of Formosa Erased reveals Huang’s concerns for his homeland and his contemplation on the environmental catastrophe caused by mankind. At the entrance of the gallery situates Come Back Home! To the Wonderful Beginning, which uses pieces of fabric with traditional Hakka patterns and recycled wood to create a pastiche of an ideal home/land. Six installations in Back to the Start series are combined with a video work, Play Hide and Seek with Happiness—a site-specific spatial installation used by the artist to raise his question regarding the environment. Paradise Lost, an installation in box form employs theatrical, labyrinthian elements to delineate the verging crisis of species distinction. All artworks serve to present an image of the “post-catastrophe era” when Mother Nature starts her retaliation. Next Move is placed under the arch, connecting the two galleries, and subtly exposes the impasse between economic development and natural environment—an ambiguous and embarrassing situation that allows no elbow room. On the two opposites of the hallway exhibit installation series titled The Never-ending Extension and video work Vision Possessed. The former is a series of cityscapes made with recycled wood while the latter is a 3D animation based on the aforementioned cityscapes, demonstrating the destruction brought forth by materialistic desires of human civilization. 

The second gallery focuses more on Huang’s introspection of the spiritual aspect in life. In addition to the four series of paintings that record his daily observation and contemplation, Pandora’s Box and Fragment of Memory both serve as metaphors for the confused, anxious, empty modern society and minds. Tower of Babel, an installation made with ready-made objects, is an interactive piece that invites audience’s participation and functions as a social investigation; audience can actually exchange their unwanted toys with the dolls of the installation. The Tower of Babel in the original story is a symbol of human’s ego; it is also about the interaction of different human races and linguistic communication. Exchange of resources and the social interaction it entails could be found at the dawn of human civilization, and could just as well be a way to curve materialism that has caused our ecological crisis. Huang wishes to convey the idea that the entire human race must understand what our civilization has done to the world, strive for sustainable development, find the balance between its ego and nature, set the record straight, and finally return to the wonderful beginning!

[1] “The Black Swan Theory” refers to the fact that the 18th century Europeans once believed that there were only white swans until black swans were found in Australia, a turn of event that made them realize their own ignorance.