Page 169 - 第22屆大墩美展專輯電子書

Juror’s Statement, Printmaking Category

NI Chao-Long

Printmaking is a medium that can be multiplied and offers an The Second Prize winner is local Taiwanese artist CHEN Chao-
“indirect” experience. It is also easy to carry around and store, making Meng, whose work, “Still Waters Run Deep”, is a relief print made on
it a popular visual art form favored by artists and collectors alike. a resin plate. The composition features six wine bottles of different
shapes, heights, sizes, and colors lined up unevenly to form a wave-
The Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition of Taichung City has taken like pattern. What is in the bottles? This artwork echoes a local saying,
place annually for over two decades. Originally a local event organized “Soy sauce in a black bottle—you don't really know how much is in
by Taichung City Government and welcoming entries from all over there” (meaning that you don't know what's really going on inside or
the island, it has in recent years also begun to accept international how good someone is at something). This intriguing piece combines
submissions. As printmakers, we are happy to participate in this philosophical concepts with rich colors to form an interesting
major Taiwanese artistic and cultural event as it offers another structure and painting-like composition.
opportunity—in addition to the R.O.C. Biennial Print and Drawing
Exhibition, National Art Exhibition, and National Printmaking The Third Prize winner is KAO Chun-Ying—a professional
Biennale—for us to display our works. printmaker who studied in Spain for many years before returning
to Taiwan—whose “Plant People Series—Mythology” is made with
This year we received 53 entries, including 44 from Taiwan Japanese acid-free paper, American intaglio printing ink, and multi-
(83%) and nine from overseas (17%). The entries from abroad were colored overprinting. It depicts life as an empty vessel that needs care
from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, India, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and nutrients from nature to survive, while nature depends on all
Hong Kong, and the United States. A preliminary selection round was life forms as well. The arrival and departure of life follows the tracks
completed on May 21 and 10 entries were shortlisted, including three of universal love, and through the testament of time transcends
from Thailand, Poland, and the US.
limitations and reaches eternity. The plant people-like creature follows
nd
The jury panel for the printmaking category of the 22 Da Dun the example of plants and experiences the life and death of plants
Fine Arts Exhibition of Taichung City was comprised of CHUNG and wisdom of cycles. This is an outstanding creation that presents
You-Hui, SHEN Chin-Yuan, HUANG Yue-Sheng, CHANG Chia-Yu, a profound worldly meaning, story symbolism and extraordinary
and NI Chao-Long. All judges agreed that we received a significant technique.
number of entries this year and that all works attained a certain level Award of Merit winner CHANG Yu-Hsin's watermark woodcut
of quality. First Prize recipients in every category can submit their entry, “A Corner at the Harbor—The Fishermen's Life”, is inspired by
original entry and three more artworks for reference in order to observations from daily life. The carvings and color print shows much
compete for the exhibition's highest honor, the Da Dun Prize, whose talent, patience and effort. This work is especially outstanding when
winners are first collected by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and later will one realizes the artist is still a teenager in high school. If he continues
be moved to the soon-to-be-opened Taichung Municipal Museum practicing, he may eventually become a significant star in this art field.
of Fine Art as part of the permanent collection there. This honor,
together with NT$240,000 in prize money, are ways of providing The other Award of Merit winner is “SPRAWL” by American
recognition and honor to artists. printmaker Jon Renzella, who currently lives in Taiwan and also
th
won the Da Dun Prize at the 15 Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition. This
This year's First Prize winner is Paweł Delekta, a 35-year-old outstanding handprint woodcut work depicts a fantastical seabed
holder of an Art History Ph.D from Poland who also earned awards world. If the blade markings in the middle of the composition could
at international exhibitions in Spain and Russia in 2016. His entry highlight the black-and-white effect, this piece would be even more
for this exhibition, titled “Shard of Eternity Ⅲ”, required much prior subtle and powerful.
preparation, including configuration and drafting. A substantial
amount of effort and proper techniques were also needed to create its Based on the entries that we saw this year, there is still room
small geometrical pieces. The delicate patterns form a technological for improvement. We hope to see more printmakers from home and
element that expresses the hidden desires of the modern world and abroad participate in this event and look forward to seeing more
invites viewers to enter the world of geometry. high-quality entries in this category at future Da Dun Fine Arts
Exhibitions.

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