陳建北此次於當代館實驗空間舉行的個展【吾鄉、吾土系列二:你甘知影阮的名─台北植物園】,創作動機緣於他對台灣新世代文化的觀察和體驗,他深深感受到,進入全球化與資訊化的時代之後,台灣新一代青少年對很多事物的看法和想法,明顯已大不同於過往世代,對此現象,在不主觀斷定好壞之前提下,陳建北立意透過個人的創作和展覽,探討不同世代之間的觀點差異和社會情狀,並藉由這些差異,去重新定義台灣與世界的關係。
留學西班牙期間,陳建北在某溪邊第一次看到野生的蘋果樹,雖乏人照料卻結實滿滿,果樹映著清澈溪水的波光,透露出大自然無窮的生機力量,令人動容,也帶給觀者一種莫名的親切與溫暖感覺。一年多前,為了參加一場創作聯展,他突然被兒時的記憶召喚,而有了重訪台北植物園的念頭和行動,沒想到實際進入園區後,真正最引動他審美目光的,竟不是諸多由專家植栽、細心呵護、各有來路的奇花異卉,而是園內路徑旁的一些小草和小花。它們以土生土長、隨機出現的生命樣態,對照著園中因學術研究目的或娛樂觀賞理由而被移植進口的珍貴植物,反而勾起了藝術家進一步了解它們身分的熱情和好奇心。在無法得到任何資訊的當下,陳建北用手機攝影和GPS定位先記錄了這些無名小花、小草的個別「存在」。同年夏天,他到歐洲旅行看展時,也特別參訪了幾個植物園,當他看到各植物園的溝邊路旁同樣可以找到土生的無名花草時,他對植物園的規劃和選擇制度更生困惑,也因此更想透過這些綻放在植物園角落的小花,去凸顯和探討各國植物園的共同盲點。
這個提問「你甘知影阮的名」的展覽,特別聚焦於「台北植物園」裡的美麗小花,除了透過原寸小照片到巨觀化的特寫影像,營造「俯視」和「崇仰」兩種觀看模式、也特意結合了植物園志工及植物學專家等人的訪談影音、名家詩文及相關文獻資料等,希望提供各業對生命/身分的不同體悟和見解,進而導出觀眾對此議題的不同觀點與想像。
The creative motive behind HOME.LAND II : Do You Know My Name? —Taipei Botanical Garden Solo Exhibition by Chen, Chien-pei is based on the artist’s observations of and experiences with the culture of the new generations in Taiwan. Chen feels that as we enter into an era of globalization and information, viewpoints and thoughts of the younger generations in Taiwan are clearly different from that of the previous generation. Without expressing a subjective view on whether the phenomenon is positive or negative, his intention is to explore the differences and social conditions observed in different generations through this exhibition. Through these differences, he wishes to redefine the relationship between Taiwan and the rest of the world.
During his time in Spain, Chen once stumbled upon a wild apple tree by a river. Although not tended by anyone, the tree was incredibly fruitful. As its reflection glimmered in the water, nature’s great boundless vitality was revealed. The touching sight gave the passerby an indescribable feeling of warmth and affection. Because of a group exhibition a year ago, Chen was reminded of his childhood memory and revisited the Taipei Botanical Garden. Upon entering into the garden, he found himself more attracted to the wild grass and flowers scattered around the park than the exotic floral and plants that are carefully looked after by the garden’s team of botanists. Compared with the imported rare plants in the garden that are used for research purposes or viewing pleasures, these indigenous flowers and plants that have randomly sprouted have incited the artist’s curiosity and passion to learn more about them. Not able to find any information about these plants, Chen documented these anonymous floral and grassy existences with the camera on his phone and the GPS function. In the summer of the same year, while traveling in Europe, he also visited several botanical gardens. He paid attention to the indigenous anonymous plants in these gardens as well, which spurred further questions about the planning processes and systems used by botanical gardens. He became more determined to use these unknown flowers in these gardens to bring attention to and investigate this common blind spot in botanical gardens around the world.
“Do You Know My Name?” is the question in the title and focused on the beautiful tiny flowers found in the Taipei Botanical Garden. In addition to exhibiting photographs of the subjects’ original petite sizes or close-up images of macroscopic views, the exhibition is also designed to offer two viewing perspectives of “looking down” and “looking up.” Furthermore, interviews of the garden’s volunteers and botanists, renowned poems and other related documents are also included in the exhibition, hoping to offer the audience of different backgrounds new understandings and insights into life and identity. The exhibition hopes to encourage the audience to come up with their own viewpoints and visions for the issues presented.