台北當代藝術館 官方網站 Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei

本展為藝術家彭怡平1993年至2015年間，研究女性與家庭、社會、階級、種族、歷史、宗教、政經、文化之間的關聯，並實地走訪了五十多個不同的國度，探討父權政治以及女人當家的空間結構與權力關係的成果展。亦是藝術家為台北當代藝術館量身打造、融合影像文本與互動對話的實驗展。

英國小說家吳爾芙於《自己的房間》書中的一段文字，讓彭怡平留下深刻的印象：「女性若想要寫作，一定要有錢和屬於自己的房間。」然而，隨著世界行腳的展開和各國文化的探查，彭怡平發現了一個普遍的事實---許多女性終其一生，都無法擁有一個屬於自己的空間，有不少人終其一生甚至不曾意識到，擁有自我空間的意義和重要性！

二十餘年來，彭怡平從事女性主題的研究與創作。作品結合文學、攝影、紀錄片、戲劇、裝置藝術等不同展演形式。本展三十八件新作，靈感皆源自個人遊歷世界的真實體驗與各國家庭生活的觀照，彭怡平將MoCA Studio實驗展場規劃為三個主題區：長廊以燈箱裝置呈現《世界女人的房間》，並探索攝影自發明之初到數位時代的轉變。102展間透過九部紀錄片詮釋《台灣女人的房間》，整個展場模擬了「電影街」的氛圍，同時設置了徵求女性觀眾與藝術家交流對話的攝影棚。103展間則回歸到藝術家自己的房間，《我的房間》以自己的書房為楔子，探討書房如何形塑她的人格與思想，乃至成為她著述、創作與走向世界的動能。此作也有向吳爾芙致敬之用意。

彭怡平期望藉由本展來反思，「女性」此符號，在社會中的象徵意義，以及如何透過「空間」來建構自我形象，解構社會制約？【女人的房間】，不僅是女性權利與自由的象徵，也是女性發揮異想的世界。 This exhibition showcases Yi-Ping Pong’s exploration of the relationship between women and family, society, class, race, history, religion, politics, economy and culture. She investigates the spatial structure and power relation between patriarchal politics and matriarchal predominance after personally visiting more than fifty countries from 1993 to 2015. It is also an experimental exhibition that incorporates visual text and interactive dialogue designed specifically for MoCA, Taipei by the artist.

A statement from A Room of One’s Own by the British novelist, Virginia Woolf, has left a lasting impression in Pong’s mind: “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” However, as her journey has unfolded and her cultural exploration in different countries unveiled, Pong has witnessed a common reality, which is that most women might not own a room of their own throughout their lives. Some are never even aware of the significance and importance of having their own space!

For more than twenty years, Pong has studied themes and created works related to women, and her work integrated versatile forms of exhibition and performance, including literature, photography, documentary, drama, and installation art. The thirty-eight new works are all inspired by the authentic experience of her personal journey around the world and her observation of family life in different countries. Pong divides the exhibition space of MoCA Studio into three thematic sections: the hallway represents Women’s Rooms Around the World with lightbox installations, and traces the changes of photography from its beginning to the digital era. R102 presents Pong’s interpretation of Women’s Rooms in Taiwan with nine documentaries. The entire space simulates an atmosphere of a “cinematic street.” Meanwhile, a photography studio is set up in the room for creating dialogues between female audiences and the artist. R103 returns to the artist’s own room. My Room uses her own study as a prologue to revisit how the space has shaped her character and thinking and gradually become the driving force behind her writing, artistic creation and venture into the world. This work also pays homage to Woolf.

Through this exhibition, Pong hopes to reexamine the symbol of “woman,” what it signifies in society, as well as how to construct a self image through “space” while deconstructing social confinement. Heroom is not only a symbol of women’s right and freedom but also a world for women to display their imagination and fantasy.