蔡士弘 ◎
｜
Tsai Shih-Hung
〇二
〇三
關於蔡士弘近期「第四帝國」系列 文 ◎簡子傑
畫面的右上角是一座正在流淌出岩漿、呈現出其剖面構造的火山，但彷彿也因為
種剖面構
造原屬於科學圖鑑式的圖示風格，所以我們知道被描繪的是岩漿，其實那也只是一條又一條 極其工整的鮮紅色帶，它們映襯在黯黑色的山上並蔓延為河川支脈的形狀，靠近畫面中央的 區塊上還有幾個
得像太空人的人物正在鑽探地表，四周還散落著警告用的橘色圓錐物——
我們完全能夠「知道」被畫的是什麼，甚至也可以準確地猜測出人物與景觀間的功能性關 係，卻無法感受
是什麼所代表的那種意義或情緒，就像遠景處還可看到另外一座被畫得縮
小的山巒，除了喻示著 些人物？為什麼是
整個場景是發生在遼闊的空間中，但為什麼有
座山？為什麼有
樣畫的？而畫面中景則是一條曲折的水泥通道，以閱兵般的敬禮姿態正
在行軍的兩隊女兵接續而行，
群女兵周圍被點綴著漫畫才會出現的閃光圖形，正當
齊劃一地通過人工製作的地表，下方的草地上則有幾
們整
長得一模一樣、鐵樹式的植物，草地
上的工人（也是長得一模一樣）拿著除草機在整地，畫面的左上角則是一棟有著工整透視形 式的鐵皮工寮。 是對於蔡士弘《亮晶晶不革命軍》的約略描述，我們可以進展到圖像學（iconology）的第 二個
釋層次，但對於像
樣的一幅畫「有或沒有敘事？」或「有沒有寓意？」的問題，卻
完全無從解答，一切畫面中的元素都被悉心處理過，但它們各自為政，整體的關係性意義付 之闕如——除了橫跨天際的彩色流星，由於
些流星貫
了整個由四塊畫布集結而成的畫面
與蔡士弘其他近期的「第四帝國」系列作品，似乎還暗示了它們全部從屬於一個地方而有著 共同命運，除此之外，也就是風格讓
樣一幅畫獲得了整體感而已。
體制性的日常無感 但
些畫並不會給人單純的空洞感，無從解釋的畫面除了訴諸「夢」的潛意識路徑以外，由
那處處暗示跡證卻又無法索引的畫布表層，我們只能模模糊糊地感受到一種既熟悉又陌生的 疏離，
似乎是一種現代性的疏離：我們看到一整部社會機器刻在運轉，它們是隊伍整齊的
士兵、工人甚或其他模組化的圖像元素，雖然高度整齊的秩序正模擬著體制性的高效能運 作，但流轉在秩序間
的卻是一種慾望般騷動不已的韻律，
些韻律欲拒還迎於秩序，狎褻
著身體擺出的正經八百姿態，它們缺乏明確的意義、招惹嫌惡，卻又製造出讓觀者想要繼續 看下去的奇怪驅力，它們的空缺於是迎向 感，我們好像依然能
樣一種被動感覺：我們對於過多的人造物的廢棄
感知到那些被遺落在歷史灰燼中曾經存活的符號表徵，但它們通通像
是在宣告：「可以的話不要解釋我們」。
〇四
於是相較於那種渴望被解讀的超現實主義，讓蔡士弘「第四帝國」浮出
面的並非亟欲被揭
露的夢中慾望，他的作品確實是精確描繪過的夢境，精確一如畫中士兵的姿態整齊劃一，但 它們之所以仍然可以被感覺，卻並不是因為每個人的內裡都存在著一座潛意識冰山，而更多 的是因為
種體制性的日常無感仍是一種感覺——如果說體制性暴力的描繪曾經在90年代
的台灣當代藝術中扮演重要一環，當我們恪守著律法卻又輕
之，就會出現諸如當時的新表
現繪畫那般濃重的自我賤斥感，然而，如果說上個世代的賤斥源自一個注定失敗的主體性運 動，在蔡士弘
裡，卻是在肯認
種賤斥的同時，更進一步地貼近
被輕
的律法，堆滿笑
容並照章行事。
在包廂世界中的集體空虛 劇烈的反差其來有自，蔡士弘研究所時期的創作便聚焦在「廢」、「棄」等主題鑽研上， 其碩士論文名為「趴 在我工作的小學小學生
廢人區」，他曾自述
些早期作品：「人物多
著綠色的制服，正是
的運動服[…]每個人都幾近瘋狂的笑著、空洞的眼神，或是呈現一種
無厘頭的非慣性動作，動作的本身想要超越語言所能傳達的意圖，試圖以一種慶祝的形式， 1 表達自我的真實」 ——彷彿為了讓廢人的自我真實抵達前所未見的程度，每一個參與
「趴
」（party）中的人都帶著一張放空放到死的璀璨笑臉，針對
場
種笑，蔡士弘曾引述中
國藝術家岳敏君的話：「我一直生活在一種無法言說的狀態裡[…]在笑容後面，有時隱藏著病 情，是一種不由自主的，不能自控的強迫性笑臉」，「亮晶晶不革命軍」會不會就是在說那 種當你在背後呼喚某，雖然某可能不確定你是誰，回頭卻即刻給出粲然一笑的強迫症類型？ 無論如何，儘管
張笑臉說明了討好他人的必要性，但
毫無例外的討好，也等於坦承了
種一視同仁所意味的冷漠。狂笑到冷漠的地步，空洞也能直抵飽足，
是一張裸露而私密的
臉，同時也是一張堆滿笑容因而公共的臉，蔡士弘著迷於在高與低間不斷逆轉的價值反差， 也導致「廢人區」的人物縱情聲色卻又像清教徒般恪守著某種自我律法——或許也很貼近 某種美學現代性範式，諸如波特萊爾意義下的「浪蕩子」，在
看似縱慾的表象後其實是一
種浪蕩子般的自我節制，他以最腐壞的身體為擔保，在壞透的內裡尋求一種禁慾的規律，以 冷漠無情悲嘆著他的時代 ——但相對於隱於市畢竟疏離的浪蕩子， 2
行動，
些廢人們卻又總是集體
不禁讓人聯想駱以軍經常提及他大學時代的「廢柴」哥們也是
樣一種集體，在小
說家的敘述中，廢柴們不關心大歷史與社會議題，他們不作為，徹夜狂歡不是為了明日的犧 牲榮辱，更多的是為了迎向世事本然的空虛。
1
本文如未註解，引句
皆出自蔡士弘的碩士論 文，《趴踢廢人區》， 台北：國立台北藝術大 學，2009。 2
「浪蕩子」
（dandyism）這個 概念無疑出自波特萊 爾著名的〈現代生 活畫家〉，我參酌 的英譯本見Charles Baudelaire, 'The Painter of Modern Life', Selected Writings on Art and
然而，如果說駱以軍式的廢柴還存在著一種兄弟情，荒廢卻猶帶對於青澀過往的富饒記憶， 就像是在呼
「即便映襯在荒蕪城市背景中的廢柴我們如同畸零地那般的無所事事，但當
Artists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
彷彿看破了什麼的廢柴眼神交會時畢竟還是會流露出一絲溫暖」，蔡士弘的廢人卻總是機械 般的、膠著於縱慾後的巨大空虛，慾望也只是為了遮
眼瞳之後無窮盡的空洞，而任何深刻
〇五
的情感早已遭致撤除，「廢人區」繞著自己而轉動，指向了蔡士弘所謂的「包廂式世界」：
體制是一個充滿證據的龐大系統，而在我的創作卻是嘲弄體制，讓一切都缺乏 證據，缺乏目的，所以假設有場局，這局沒有導演，男女主角是模糊的，沒有 贏╱輸家，更沒有感人肺腑或海枯石爛的情感，是一種無法支配的機動性戲 碼。戲碼裡的事件以一種極其無聊的方式或是一種沒有開始方式開始，自以為 是的歡樂方式自立為王，彷彿世界以你為中心的轉動，這樣的包廂式的世界隨 之成立。
末日當前，亮晶晶不革命軍的行軍韻律 當蔡士弘的創作進入近期的「第四帝國」階段後，雖然無疑地仍有部分表現形式承襲自先前 的廢人傳統，然而，彷彿為了更加融入空洞的人工地景，列隊行動的「亮晶晶不革命軍」越 是整齊劃一，他們的集體現在更成為彼此毫無差異的複製，於是相較於在「廢人區」中總是 被逾越的秩序，在「第四帝國」中，秩序本身卻更像空洞而已；此外，不同於「廢人區」的 頹廢表現，「第四帝國」還進一步地將小學生制服晉升為軍人階級，體制於是從一種被 的符號層次轉變成一種本身就是的東西，允許
弄
弄的心理空間消失了，「廢人區」畫中人物
那張誇張的笑臉更是消融在總被安排在一段距離外的景深中——如果說廢人趴
是放縱、是
封閉體制的某種說出來很見笑的出口，身著制服的廢人採取的正是掛戴在他們身上符號所不 允許的放蕩行徑，但「第四帝國」卻藉著遠距離的觀看使得我們獲得一種如同即時戰爭遊戲 的全景視角，體制如今直接化身為縱覽全局的觀看本身，對「第四帝國」來說，行禮如儀的 軍隊仰賴的是乍看毫無例外的控制，正如同我們之於 真實的縫 3
相關論點見斯拉維‧紀
場軍事演練的全景視角，它們藉著遮
而使得權力運行，但當它們如此一致更自信地據有全稱的視角時，不正也僭越
了它自身的立法，
不正是紀傑克所謂「超我的
猥補遺」 ？ 3
傑克（Slavoj Zizek）， 朱立群譯，《幻見的瘟 疫》（The Plague of Fantasies），台北：桂 冠，2004。 4
該句出自2013年8月29
日我們為寫作此文進行 的訪談。 5
Michael Hardt and
Antonio Negri. Empire . Harvard University Press, 2000. p.353， 中國譯本頁408。以下 《帝國》引言出於英譯 本的筆者自譯。
種體制化自身的
猥正是蔡士弘的造反所在，但他所反抗的暴政，卻很難說是什麼外在的
對象，儘管準星一如上個世代那般
準著形塑出主體性的內在構造，但「
一系列的作品讓
4 人覺得整個人生很徒勞」 ，他的造反不像是為了向歷史的不義索求平反，而更像是為了彰
顯索求認同本身致使的徒勞。如同他乍看
捏造作的作品命名「亮晶晶不革命軍」：「亮晶
晶」似乎指向後現代式的炫目淺薄，而「革命」能
喚起的就是對於過往曾存在的烏托邦鄉
愁，但「亮晶晶不革命軍」整個湊合起來卻像是在述說：在 互絞接在一個再也無遮
的曖昧處所，微微的光亮
權力無所不在的時代，事物相
不意味著啟蒙，主體冀望的出口只存在
於晨昏未明的中介地帶，如同在哈特與奈格里（Hardt and Negri）的《帝國》（Empire）敘述 中，
個早已不存在任何例外的地方「沒有任何主體性在外部，而所有的場所已然被納入某
種普遍的『非場所』中」 。 5
〇六
於是就在「第四帝國」的騷動場景中，不革命軍抖擻地行動著，他們就像依舊信仰來世那般 精神奕奕，而宇宙也依循著相同的命定規律，
時流星突然斜斜劃過天際，我們都知道末日
就要來臨，卻無人有所回應——問題是末日當前又能
回應什麼
？置身在普遍性照耀下的
沒有外部的非場所中，人們不能也不再需要去想像任何彼岸，因為轉眼間末日就要成為當 下，而玩樂就像
獄餽贈世人的最後考驗。
「第四帝國」中
望或許很接近拉斯．馮．提爾（Las von Trier）2011年描繪「鬱星」即將撞
上地球的《驚悚末日》（Melancholia）所提陳的情感狀態——在電影的最後一幕，因逃避傾 向而罹患憂鬱症的主角賈絲汀與
那總是將其拉回現實的姊姊，遭遇了一場相對於命定結局
顯得微不足道的選擇困境，當末日終要降臨，平常冷靜的姊姊卻突然驚慌失措，想藉飲酒來 迎向毀滅，賈絲汀卻異常冷靜地提議建造一座能 的只是為了撫慰尚年幼的外甥——觀看
讓大家獲得庇護的「魔法洞穴」，
的目
部電影時，我不禁思考，如果是蔡士弘，他的選擇
會是如何？ 按照「第四帝國」的命定邏輯，不難想見答案理應趨向飲酒作樂，但是在蔡士弘所描繪的飽 和又荒涼的人工地景中，那些正打算造反的亮晶晶不革命軍卻看似已做好準備，雖然
些人
物與環伺四週間景物間也始終欠缺了任何的意願性關係——末日將至，又有什麼做出回應的 必要？然而，如果根本毋須回應，何以不革命軍仍秉持著紀律，在荒涼一如地獄的空間中維 持行軍的森然韻律？ 也許是因為體制深深銘寫在我們身上的慣性，而 力——
種慣性卻也構成了不斷
噬自身的反向驅
是宿命論的解釋。但我更寧願相信，至少在敘事的意義層次中，蔡士弘看似完整的
局並非全無留下伏筆，最完美的軍隊體制恰恰只能以其所遮 如果說他
的真實來獲得驅力，況且，
限於徒勞的造反也可等同於放棄，我們或許因此太專注於他筆下的人物，太著迷
於那機械般如同我們一般空洞的不革命軍的身體姿勢——伏筆卻正在於末日將至，廢人卻還 有明天，那麼即便一切作為不過是徒勞卻也能 的空間中維持行軍的韻律，或者
成就某種反抗，當不革命軍在荒涼一如地獄
只表示他們還沒放棄，沒放棄也就暗藏了潰敗的理由，因
為沒有真正看破因而漏洞百出，不革命軍雖然不革命卻還是要送死，正如同《驚悚末日》中 罹患憂鬱症的賈絲汀，
的日常生活挫敗不正源於並未看破現實？但
的不革命也只有末日
才能等量齊觀，唯有憂鬱症患者才能在死亡面前游刃有餘。
「第四帝國」的罩門 進入目前
個世紀，台灣當代藝術過往的恨與憂鬱看似已逐漸消融在「喃喃自語」的類失語
症症狀中，年輕一代的藝術家確實更多地關注在日常生活細瑣而非90年代的國族認同議題， 但當年輕世代如此專注個人領域時，卻也在媒介中進行內爆，如此除了導致政治性體現在無
〇七
處不在的差異化日常，情感面向上也轉向無人風景式的冷淡，黃建宏曾以「微型感性」來解 釋
群年輕藝術家的「反抗」，恰恰由於不信任前面世代所建造的「社會性」——我認為，
蔡士弘早期的「廢人區」似乎分享了 近期的「第四帝國」，
種微型感性的種種，卻又好像多出了一點什麼，直到
個多出來的部分才逐漸明朗：一方面，就圖像元素來看，「第四帝
國」出現了更多具社會性的符號圖層，我們似乎看到一種不甚明顯的社會性議題轉型，另一 方面，就其感性部署來看，我終於較能領會
多出來的東西其實是一種更接近90年代的情感
狀態，它們屬於曾經有過的恨、賤斥與憂鬱。 就蔡士弘所居處的時代來說，
些負面情感的流動就像一種求之不可得卻又深深渴望的罩
門：除了他現實中的小學老師身份，何以他要描繪集體？在
個藝術家應該盡可能出國駐
村、累積國際資歷的年代，他那機械般運轉的士兵不正消融在固著我們的土地上？單元化的 土地不也隱喻了「國土」，一個透過體制進行虛擬行劃界的疆域？某方面來說，他確實在 弄體制，但他又加上了一個末日場景作為伏筆，他給他完美的頹廢一個自覺不夠充分的理 由，
是之後什麼都沒有的末日而不是那種歷史將不再推進的後現代式終結，
「第四帝國」的蔡士弘所遭遇的僵局，他與其作品之間的罩門如此誠
正是置身
，如同他最近在臉書
寫下的話：
這正是夢：他們有畫面，沒有自己。╱那些窈窈的造反 奪權，真實的歷史廢 棄於文明的底層之中。在那個死不去又活不過來的世界，真摯的排列著眼神空 洞卻又誘惑般的難言之癮…╱那些窈窈的造反 奪權，如聞風不動穩如泰山的 皇冠加冕下，卻又被令狐沖的獨孤九劍喪失內力緩緩飄忽的刺向唯一的罩門 迅速潰敗 滅絕。6 6
該句出自2013年9月
16日蔡士弘於臉書上 的貼文，見https:// www.facebook.com/ photo.php?fbid=7009 25283255076&set=a.5 18930108121262.1345 41.100000128330083& type=1&theater。
於是「第四帝國」只能以末日來收場——作為圖像式的繪畫作品，它曾試圖指涉的對象如今 晃動不已而難以聚焦，那些緘默的人景物卻彷彿難耐寂寞地製造出嗡嗡聲響，不但中斷了意 義指涉過程也阻撓了圖像總能攫取的情感認同，但蔡士弘仍一而再、再而三的嘗試，嘗試重 新去複製它們，賦予其一個
怕
止於自我重複的單一輪廓，然而
些或為有意或為無意的
中斷與阻撓，卻又像在阿蘭達蒂．洛伊（Arundhati Roy）的《微物之神》（The God of Small Things）中那鉸接著印度被殖民傷痛歷史與個人命運的想像性連結——
個連結
非一個憑藉
著各種符號或圖像所構築的論述，而是一隻名為帕帕奇的蛾， 或許，在追隨蔡士弘那自覺理 7
7
見阿蘭達蒂‧洛伊
（Arundhati Roy） 著，吳美真譯，《微物 之神》，台北：天下遠 見，2010。
由不夠充分的頹廢時，我們的餘光之所以 革命軍仍誘惑著我們——
些疑似固守行軍韻律的不
是因為它們相互等同的移動軌跡肖似體制，只要我們仍渴望正
確的認識，我們的目光便無法放過 失敗而已，我們不也是
見鬼影幢幢，是因為
些如同空缺的軍人，當然，它們的末日不可能只是標誌
種末日意義下的產物？
〇八
About Tsai Shih-Hung’s recent series of work “The Forth Empire” Text/ Jian Tzu-Chieh
On the top right corner is a cross section of a volcano of which a stream of molten lava flowing out, but as if because of this scientific cross section illustrative style we realize it is lava being depicted, in fact it is at most lines after lines of extremely orderly red areas, they lay upon the gloomy black mountain and fan out like the shape of river tributaries. Close to the center of the image lies a few figures dressed like astronauts drilling into the crust of the earth, around them are orange triangular warning cones, we can completely “understand” what is being drawn, even accurately guess the relationship between the figures and its environments, but we cannot feel the significance or emotions represented by this scenery, just like in the background there is a mountain drawn in a much smaller scale, apart from signifying the scene is set in a wide open environment, why is there a mountain? Why these figures? Why is it drawn in this particular method? In the middle ground we see a winding concrete path, with female soldiers marching in a parading formation, these soldiers are surrounded with shining symbols that only appears in comic books, as they pass orderly through the artificial surface. On the grass below, there are a few identical trees, workers on the grass land (also identical) cutting the grass with a lawn mower and on the top left corner sits a precise perspective style drawn metal surfaced factory. This a brief description of The Sparkling Non Revolutionaries by Tsai Shih-Hung, we can further develop to the second lever of interpretation using iconology, but for this form of painting, “is there or is there not a narrative” or “is there or is there not a connotation” are questions that cannot be answered, everything within the image have been carefully treated, but each plays their own role, and their overall relationship can be negligible, apart from the multicoloured shooting stars that spans across the sky, because these shooting stars is visible across the entire image created by the four canvases and is visible in Tsai Shih-Hung’s other recent “Forth Empire” series; it appears to be suggesting all the paintings they all belong to the same place and share the same fate, apart from this, it is only the style of drawing that gives the painting an overall similar feel.
Institutional everyday indifference But these painting do not leave a simple emptiness, the image unexplainable resorting to the path outside of the usual conscious, a dream. The canvas is covered by traces of evidence but all of them cannot be identified, we can only vaguely feel a sense of familiarity at the same time distanced and estranged, like the estrangement of modernity : we see a complete social mechanism working, they are the uniform soldiers, workers or even the other modular symbols and elements within , working in extreme unified manner and high efficiency, but between the gaps of the orderly flow stirs an undercurrent of desire, these undercurrents on the surface accepts order and regulation, exhibiting the smart posture with their shameful body, lacking a specific meaning, brought disgust, but also develop a sense of curiosity for the viewers to want to know more, their absence then form a kind of passive nature: our sense of expandability to the excessive amount of manmade objects, we can almost still feel the symbolic representation of those who have been lost in the ashes in history, but at the same time they are all declaring: “if possible do not explain us” Hence under to comparison the surrealism that desired to be interpreted, Tsai Shih-Hung’s “Forth
〇九
Empire” emerges not because of wanting to be unravelled, his works are accurately depicted dreams, precise like the soldiers in his image, but the reason they can be related to is not because each of them hides an ice sealed conscious within them, but more because of the lack of feeling to institutional everyday routine is still in itself a feeling, if portraying institutional violence is an important aspect of 90’s contemporary art, when we obey by the regulation but also undermining it, it is then new expression in painting with a strong sense of self-abjection appears. However, if the previous generation’s self-abjection originates from a movement doomed to fail, for Tsai Shih-Hung, he is acknowledging this self-abjection and at the same time further embrace the institutional regulations and work strictly by the book with a smile.
Collective emptiness in the world inside the box This drastic contrast comes from Tsai Shih-Hung’s work when he was studying for his masters, his works during those periods focus on “useless” and “abandoned” and other similar theme, his Master’s thesis was titled “Party Useless Ones Area”. He once described his works by: “figure often dress in green because it is the colour of the sports uniform in the elementary school where I work [….] everyone is laughing to the point of insanity, eyes empty, or fixed in a unnatural and funny motion, the action itself is trying to convey a message greater than works, trying to convey the true self through a form of celebration” 1—As if to reveal the truth of the useless ones in a unprecedented scale, everyone who attend the “party” bares a shallow, empty and sparkling smile, commenting on the smile, Tsai ShihHung quoted Chinese artist Yue Minjun’s words: “I am constantly living in a state that cannot be described in words […] behind the smile, sometimes hides an illness, it is an uncontrollable and forced smile”. Maybe The Sparkling Non Revolutionaries is talking about when you call someone from behind, even if they haven’t realise who you are, but they still turn and reply with their sparkling smile. 1
if not stated, all
quotes comes from Tsai Shih-Hung Master’s Thesis “Party
Useless Area ” 2
“dandyisnm” this
concept without doubt originated from Charles Baudelaire, please see Charles Baudelaire, 'The Painter of Modern Life', Selected
Writings on Art and Artists . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
No matter what, even if the smile describe the need to please others, but pleasing everyone universally without exception, also implies it carries the weight of being equally indifferent. Laughing to the point of indifference, the emptiness can also be filling; this is a naked and private face, but at the same time it is a face filled with smiles, smiles for the public. Tsai Shih-Hung is fascinated to the constantly reversing contrast between the values of high and low, this also caused the figures in the “useless area” to indulge in their desires but at the same time strictly self disciplined and abide by their own rules – maybe also follow the contemporary aesthetics, like the depiction of the “dandy” by Baudelaire, behind the appearance of indulgence is actually another form of self discipline, using the perished body as the guarantee, searching for the way of abstinence within the despicable self, crying for his times with a sense of cold-heart-ness and indifference. 2– but different to the dandy who hides in the city and detached, these useless figures always move in groups, this reminds of the “usless bunch” of friends constantly mentioned by the writer Luo Yijun, always moving in groups, under the writers pen the useless bunch is indifferent to historic and social issues, they do not contribute, they party through the night not for sacrifice or honor, but for the emptiness of the world. Nevertheless, for Luo Yijun’s useless bunch, there is still a make shift form of brotherhood, the sentimental emotions and memories that is abandoned but still lies within, just like saying “even against the barren city background, we the useless bunch appears to be like fragmented pieces of land that does nothing, but from the eyes of these useless bunch who seemed to have saw though something in life, there still reveals a string of warmth”. The useless figures of Tsai Shih-Hung is different, always mechanical fixed to the emptiness after their own indulgence, desire is only to cover the endless hollow,
一〇
any form of emotion has long been discarded, “useless ones area” revolve and function on its own, indicative to the “box world”. “ Institution is a massive system full of evidence, and my works is the mocking of the system, let everything be a lack of evidence, lack of object, so let us imagine a scene, this scene has no director, main characters are arbitrary, no winners/loosers, no touching and eyes watering emotions, it is an uncontrollable mobile script. In the script events are mundane or begins with a way that there isn’t a beginning, humoring their self and calling their self as king, as if the world rotates around them, this then creates a box world ”
The end is near, rhythm of The Sparkling Non Revolutionaries march When Tsai Shih-Hung first enters into the current series of “Forth Empire” it is without doubt he carried some methods of expression from his useless figures. Nevertheless, almost to further integrate into the emptiness of artificial landscape, the march of the The Sparkling Non Revolutionaries is even further more orderly; the collective soldiers are now copies without any difference. Hence when compared to the decadent “Useless Ones Area” the “Forth Empire” further developed the school uniform into military uniform, system is then transformed to a thing itself from the mockery of symbols, the area for mockery has disappeared, in “Useless Ones Area” the smiling faces are always arranged a distance away in the background - if party of the useless is an indulgence, is an exit to the closed system that, if said out loud, becomes an embarrassment, then the useless figures wearing uniforms are doing exactly what is forbidden by the symbol they carry on them. However “Forth Empire” instead allow us to have a panoramic view of the entire scene as if in a real time war game, the system then became the global over view itself. For “Forth Empire” the formation marching soldiers depends on total control without exception, just like the field of view we have in this war game, through obscuring the gap of truth allowing the exercise of power, but when they confidently present themselves in this all seeing panoramic view, doesn’t it also overstep their own regulations, it this not Zizek’s “obscene superego supplement”? 3 This form of systemized self obscenity is exactly Tsai Shih-Hung’s revolt, but the tyranny he is rebelling to very hard to define as an exterior identity, even when the crosshair is pointed just like the previous generation to the internal structure that sculpts subjectivity, but “this series of work make you feel life is very futile”. 4 His rebellion is not for getting back on the injustice in history, but more to demonstrate the futility caused by acknowledgment itself. Just like the seemingly pretentious name of the painting The Sparkling Non Revolutionaries: “sparkling” seems to be pointing to the dazzling shallowness of the post modern, and revolution can call about the longing of a utopian world in the past, but The Sparkling Non Revolutionaries as a whole together seems like saying: in this era of ubiquitous power, events and incidents are entangled in an unsheltered ambiguous place, the faint light does not indicate enlightenment, the subject’s hope of exit only exists in the twilight zone. Just like Hardt and Negri’s “Empire” this place of no exception “there is no subjectivity of outside, all place have been categorized into some form of common non-place”. 5 So inside the unsettling scenes in “Forth Empire” non revolutionaries marches on energetically, just like they still believe in afterlife, and the universe follows the same principles, at this moment the shooting stars cut across the sky, we all know the end is near, but no one reacts – the question is, when the end is near what is there to do? Located in the common non place without an exterior, men does not need to imagine any form of the other side, because in a brief moment the end will be the present, and indulgence is the last challenge purgatory have for men.
3
Associating
arguments please refer to Slavoj Zizek, The Plague of
Fantasies 4
This sentence comes
from and interview in 2013/08/29 for this essay” 5
Michael Hardt and
Antonio Negri. Empire . Harvard University Press, 2000. p.353
一一
The despair in “Forth Empire” may be similar to the emotion state of Las Von Trier’s Melancholia, 2011, where a planet Melancholia is hurtling toward Earth – in the last scene of the movie the main character Justine suffered from depression because of not willing to face reality, and her sister who always pull her back to reality, was faced with a decision that seemed insignificant compared to the destined end, when the end is finally to come, the always composed sister suddenly panics and wish to embrace the end with the intoxication of alcohol, but Justine was unusually calm and suggesting to build a “magical cave” where everyone can take shelter in only to make their young nephew feel better – when watching this movie, I cannot help but think, if this is Tsai Shih-Hung, what will his choice be? According to the “Forth Empire” logic, it is not hard to imagine the answer tending toward drink and indulge, but in the saturated and desolate artificial landscape, the sparkling non revolutionaries who are preparing to rebel seems all set and ready, although the figures, and objects surrounding still lack a defining connection – the end is near, what is there to respond to? Nonetheless, if there is no need for response, why are the non revolutionaries still maintaining their discipline, marching in this hell like space maintaining their rhythm? Maybe it is because the system is deeply rooted within us and became a routine, but this routine became a constantly self devouring reverse driving force – this is the fatalistic interpretation. But I will rather believe, at least in the narrative aspect, Tsai Shih-Hung’s seemingly complete layout is not without any underlying hints, the most perfect military system only attains their driving force from concealing the truth, moreover, if the rebellions that only result in fertility can be deemed as forfeiting, maybe we are too focused on his figures, too fascinated by the mechanical and the hollowness, just like us, non revolutionaries – the underlying hits lies in the end is near, but for the useless there is still tomorrow, then even if every attempt is futile, it is still possible to accomplish some sort of revolt, when non revolutionaries march rhythmically in the desolate hell like space, or just demonstrating they have not given up, not given up therefore providing a reason to defeat, because not seeing through and reveling all the weakness, even if non revolutionaries do not revolt they still have to die, just like Justine who suffer from depression in “Melancholia” doesn’t her failure in normal life lies in not able to see through reality? But her non revolution can only be equated when the end comes, only patients with depression can face death with ease.
Weakness of the “Forth Empire” On the surface “Forth Empire” still seem like a work mocking institutions. If an artist can only call upon the inability of reality to be the force of creativity, his work is hatred, in his works any expression that detach from the normal understanding is the mocking of the futile world, and the root of hatred is fear, we already have plenty of interpretation and discourse for the projection of fear on a subject, abjections in order to self persevere – first half of the 90’s, contemporary art with new expressionism as the main act has also been through this very similar sensual path, on the one side, hatred and fear and other negative emotions temporary detach and creating a separate self, this self then returns to devour oneself, creating the self abjection filled 90’s. On the other side we also find a few artists still addicted to their own feelings of frustration and melancholy, just like during the separation encountering a unintended suspension , melancholy lost a subject to moan, but also because this faltering, something real is retained.
一二
Stepping into this century, the hatred and melancholy of Taiwanese contemporary art has gradually dissolved into a muttering whispering state, the newer generation of artist often focus on the trifling everyday life and not the national identity issues, but as the newer generations focus on their personal aspects, the implosions happens in the mediums used, so in addition to resulting in the normalizing of the difference in ubiquitous political entities, on the emotional side also gradually turned to the cold figureless landscape, Huang Chien-Hung describes the revolt of these young artists as “micro-sensual”, because of the distrust of the “social model” created by the previous generation – I believe the early “Useless Ones Area” works by Tsai Shih-Hung seems to share various aspects of this micro sensual, but also have something more, in the later “Forth Empire” series it is finally becoming clear what he has more: on the one side, from the pictorial elements, “Forth Empire” features even more elements of social connotations, we seem to be able to see an unobvious transformation of social issue, on the other hand for the emotional aspect, I can finally make out the extra parts are a form of emotional state much closer to the 90’s, they are to be the ones that once hated, despise, and melancholy. For the era Tsai Shih-Hung belongs to, the flows of these negative emotions are to be searched but cannot be gained, and at the same time a greatly desired weakness: apart from his real life job as a elementary school teacher, why has he have to draw group figures? In this age where artists do all they possible could to go on residencies, gathering international exhibition experience, isn’t his soldiers functioning mechanically and stubbornly guarding the land? Is land not symbolizing of national territories, through institution to carry out the virtual division of boarders? On some aspects he is mocking the system, but the he added the end of the world as an underlying current, giving the perfect kind of decadence a self realizing reasons for not satisfying, this is an end with nothing to follow, not the post modern kind of end where history do not progress, this is the situation Tsai Shih-Hung is faced with situated in the “Forth Empire”. He is sincerer to the weakness of his works, just like he has written in his Facebook: “ This is a dream: they have image, not self. / Those rebellions, seizure of power, the true history was buried in the bottom of civilization. In the world where one cannot die but also cannot come back to life, sincerely lined up eyes empty but also full of desires that cannot be spoken…. / Those rebellions, seizure of power, like the unmovable honor given by the crown, but was struck to the only Achilles heel by the Dugujiujian of Linghu Chong quickly defeating the foe. ” 6 Then “Forth Empire” can only end in the doom of the world – as a work of pictorial painting, the target it attempts to refer to is now unable to focus, those silent figures seems to produce a buzzing sound from the unbearable loneliness, obstructing not only the process of identifying references and also hinders the image from gaining emotional acknowledgement, but Tsai Shih-Hung continues time after time to reproduce them, even if only giving it the self replicating lines, but these intentional or unintentional interruptions and obstructions is at the same time like the symbolic chain chaining the Indian with scars of colonisation and their individual fate in Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things – this connection is not a constructed discourse created by various symbols or images, but a Pappachi's moth, 7 maybe, during the search for Tsai Shih-Hung’s insufficiently justified decadence, we catch glimpse of ghostly images is because of those seemly disciplined non revolutionaries is tempting us – simply by their equal distanced movements and systems, as long as we crave for the correct identification, our sight cannot be moved from the equally hollow soldiers, of course their end cannot simply be the failure of symbol, are we not the product of this kind of end ourselves?
6
from Tsai Shih-Hung’s
Facebook post on 2013 September 16rh https://www. facebook.com/ photo.php?fbid=7009 25283255076&set=a.5 18930108121262.1345 41.100000128330083& type=1&theater 7
refer to Arundhati
Roy, The God of Small
Things
一三
月讀 2013.5.7 最偉大的魔術，不是在舞台上折服觀眾 而是改變命運 。 <大魔術師> 需要強大的召喚， 讓所有知覺知覺知覺知覺，全都陷入一種無意識因果 循環的流裏。 物理技術的，昇華 影分身 靈肉分離 飛簷走壁。 華麗取巧的，讓觀眾陷入最真實的謊言循環 。 萬花筒血輪眼，最強的瞳術。 把弱蒙蔽，可以無限制的把攻擊落空 留給自己 自鳴得 意的自我強大。 海市蜃樓 永不散去的幻術，不潰散的沉溺 唯一的削弱是壽命。 只有時間可以帶走，瞳術 。 無經無緯的世界，沒有高科技的介入 捉迷藏是探索世 界的好方式。 經由視覺.聽覺.觸覺...覺察出世界的細節。 我們習慣科技取代了感官，人的質地慢慢剝離。 強大的網路幻術扮成海市蜃樓入侵真實世界。 2013.3.4 竊聽rock ! 影子是虛幻裏扮演秘戲的主角， 本體是無生命載具硬梆梆的活體， 角兒只呼吸。 太陽是探測影子的量器，日昇月落大圓智鏡， 從未懷疑的敵方。 我們探詢敵情魔幻詭譎的摩斯密碼，<吃著摩斯漢堡> 都成為我們歷劫而來的跳動音符，
要有節奏的撤。 運 始終被夢遺棄。 2012.9.17 我們把所有的臉都整成一個模樣?!?!? 果甚至連聲線都燒成一種低沉但帶有魔力的音波， 只有在笑的時候魚尾紋會有稍稍的差異。 在部隊裏，只剩階級和高矮胖瘦的差異， 日子久了，對著同袍就好像照鏡子一般， 我們也不再笑了。 LV的時裝總監，不知何時已經換成金日成的兒子今日 得世，<今日畢?> 時裝伸展台被裝飾得像戰場， 我們站在後台，沒有任何的吵鬧， 背景音樂是用實彈打出來的搖滾樂，<真的比搖滾樂還 搖滾樂> 我們依舊沒有任何喜怒哀樂， 世即便鳥屎滴在頭盔上， 總監說:這是數位時代的生機式機動性技法， 只有這個有溫度。 夜襲 2012.8.28 從健身房移植至未知的地域， 沒有任何座標表示。 日以繼夜的訓練/修行， 逃離是唯一的路徑， 在跨域的時空裏， 發現了永恆亙古的結晶體， 寂靜，卻不再寂寞。 ! 影子終於要被本體蓋住了，沒錯!骨子裏還是殘存著被 殖民的想望，角兒只呼吸。蹲在消防栓旁的老人說:甲 老有三壞—放尿兼尿賽，放屁兼閃賽，哈噓流目賽。
一六
亮晶晶不革命軍 The Sparkling Non Revolutionarie
一七
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 120X120, 2011
一八
65 X 100, 2011
王子 號 5 The prince No.5 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
一九
二〇
蝴蝶與烏雲 Butterfly and black cloud
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 80X160, 2011
二一
局裡的外人
80X100, 2011
The inside – out men 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
二二
弱馬
45.5X53, 2011
Weck horse 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
原來我不能離開
80X80, 2011
I can’t leave 壓克力顏料、畫布
/ Acrylic paint on canvas
二三
墜落的方法
72.5X182, 2011
The way to sink 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
二四
逃離計畫 Plan to flee
二五
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 60X60, 2011
二六
偽裝
60X180, 2011
Disguise 壓克力顏料、畫布
/ Acrylic paint on canvas
二七
二八
60X120, 2012
Lab.No.9 Lab.No.9 壓克力顏料、畫布
/ Acrylic paint on canvas
二九
三〇
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 1FX9, 2012
三一
小件事 The little
三二
不自然爆炸
Φ60 X3, 2012
Unnatural explode 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
三三
三四
美牛實驗室 Lab US-cow
三五
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 80X160, 2012
三六
演習軍
Φ60 X3, 2012
Maneuver 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
三七
三八
甜甜圈雲與黑潛艇 The cloude of doughnut and black submarine 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 162X97, 2012
三九
四〇
心靈攻擊站 Mind-attack station
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 162X97, 2012
四一
四二
跳傘實驗機 Parachute
四三
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 162X97, 2012
四四
夜襲 Night attack
四五
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 80X160, 2012
四六
神舟1號 Boat No.1
四七
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 100X200, 2012
四八
黑湖九號
No.9 壓克力顏料、畫布
162X130, 2012
/ Acrylic paint on canvas
四九
五〇
投降之前
Φ100 X2, 2012
Before surrender 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
五一
洗腦逃亡路線
The route to flee 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
162X130, 2012
五二
五三
五四
投降後的消毒作業 Sterilization after serrender
五五
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 100X200, 2012
鳥屎軍
Φ100, 2012
Bird feces army 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
五六
玉三X3 E.SUNX3
五七
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 80X100, 2012
五八
影子軍
Φ60 X2, 2013
The shadow army 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
五九
漢堡人 The hamburg man
六〇
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 80X100, 2013
失神時刻
Φ80X2, 2013
The moment 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
六一
六二
六三
▲
幻術之吻 The kiss
六四
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 80X100, 2013
對視不見 We can’t see when we see
六五
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 60X120, 2013
我很容易上當
I am so gullille 壓克力顏料、畫布
100X80, 2013
/ Acrylic paint on canvas
六六
六七
Φ60, 2013
加冕 號 1 Coronation No.1 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
六八
Φ80, 2013
加冕 號 2 Coronation No.2 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
六九
Φ60, 2013
加冕 號 3 Coronation No.3 壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas
七〇
加冕5號 Coronation No.5
七一
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 60X60, 2013
七二
偽知1號 Fake No.1
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 65X100, 2013
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 33X53, 2013
七三
The pleace where we never leave The pleace where we never leave
七四
那兒風光明媚 The place beauty
七五
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 162X97, 2013
七六
捉迷藏 Hide and seek
壓克力顏料、畫布 / Acrylic paint on canvas 65X100, 2013
七七
蔡士弘 學歷 2006 1999
台北藝術大學美術碩士 嘉義大學美術系
個展 2013
第四帝國I /小撤退，caféshowroom，台北
2008
趴梯廢人區，枕石畫坊，新竹
2009
亮晶晶不革命軍，新浜碼頭，高雄
聯展 2013
天人五衰，關渡美術館，台北
2013
Illuminations，新加坡當代藝術中心，新加坡
2013
媒菌體，FreeS，台北
2013
啟蒙之光，采泥藝術，台北
2013
藝起做公益，觀想藝術中心，台北
2013
日常壞軌，尊采藝術中心，台北
2013
標新立異，國美館，台中
2012
心動EMU，當代藝術館，台北
2012
BOKI，兵乓，台北
2010
堤頂之星藝術展，台灣工銀總部大樓，台北
2008
MC NOW北藝大藝術卓越獎聯展，傳藝中心，台北
2013
加減乘除，形而上畫廊，台北
2013
台南藝術博覽會新人區，大億麗緻酒店，台南
2012
台北獎，台北美術館，台北
2012
高雄獎，高雄美術館，高雄
2012
不頑之抗，VT，台北
2009
Mobile man ，臥龍.南海藝廊，台北
2008
龍顏創作獎，金石堂巡迴展
得獎紀錄 2013
文化部ART TAIPEI MIT新人特區
2013
台南新藝獎
2012
高雄獎 / 高雄獎首獎
2013
文化部藝術新秀創作發表補助計畫
2012
台北獎 / 入選
2011
台中港區藝術中心藝術新貌獎 / 入選
2011 2010 2009 2009 2008 2008 2007 2007 2006 2006 2003 2000
9th 桃源創作獎 / 入選 台北新人獎 / 入選
台北藝術大學張心龍藝術創作獎 /優選 7th 桃園創作獎 / 入選
新濱碼頭新秀藝術徵件比賽 / 第二名 6th 桃園創作獎 / 入選
台北藝術大學龍顏藝術創作獎 / 龍傳獎 台中港區藝術中心藝術新貌獎 / 入選 60th 全省美展 / 入選 屏東縣美展 / 入選
國軍文藝金像獎 / 銅 全國油畫展 / 銅
獎
獎
典藏 2013
七八
2012
藝術銀行/<幻術之吻><投降後的消毒作業><投降之前> 青年藝術家藏購計畫 / <美牛實驗室> <演習軍>
Tsai Shih-Hung
M.F.A Department of Fine Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts
Solo Exhibition 2013
Retrea, cafeshowroom, Taipei
2008
Party Zone , ZSArt , Hsinchu
2009
Glittering Non-Revolution Army , Sinpink Pier, Kaohsiung
Group Exhibition 2013
The Decay of the Angel, Kuandu Museum, Taipei
2013
Illuminations, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Singarpore
2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2010 2009 2008 2008
Awards
Matchmaker, FreeS, Taipei
Illuminations, Chini Gallery, Taipei
Charitable Arts, Guan Xiang art Gallery, Taipei Magic Hour, Metaphysical art Gallery, Taipei Format Daily, Liang Gallery, Taipei Art Tainan, Tayih Landis, Tainan
New, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art, Taichung Taipei Awards, Taipei Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Crush on EMU , MOCA Taipei , Taipei BOKI, Pingpong Artspace, Taipei
Sincere Subversion , VT Artsalon , Taipei
Kaohsiung Awards , Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung Ti-Ding Star Art Exhibition, Industrial Bank of Taiwan, Taipei Mobile man, Nanhai Gallery, Taipei MC NOW, T-A Gallery, Taipei Long-Yen Awards, King Stone
2013
ART TAIPEI MIT
2013
Art Tainan
2013 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2009 2009 2008 2008 2007 2007 2006 2006 2003 2000
Collection 2013 2012
Ministry Of Culture Art Creation Support Taipei Awards, Honorable Mentions
Kaohsiung Awards, Kaohsiung Awards
Taichung Art Awards, Honorable Mentions
9th Taoyuan Art Awards, Honorable Mentions
New Taipei City Art Awards, Honorable Mentions
TNUA Chang-shih-lung Art Awards, Excellent Work Awards 7th Taoyuan Art Awards, Honorable Mentions Sing-Ping Awards / The 2nd Awards
6th Taoyuan Art Awards / Honorable Mentions Long-Yen Awards / Selected
Exhibition of Perspective Art in Taiwan / Honorable Mentions
60th Taiwan Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition / Honorable Mentions Pingtung Awards / Honorable Mentions Military Awards / The 3rd Awards
Taiwan Oil Painting Awards / The 3rd Awards
Art Bank/<The Kiss><Sterilization after serrender>< Before surrender >
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Art ,Collecting Young Artists’ works Project/ <Lab. No.1> <Maneuver>
七九
蔡士弘 Tsai Shih-Hung
指導單位 Supervised by
Pseudo-myths
◎偽神話
Ministry Of Culture
◎文化部
出版者
◎采泥藝術
886 2 7729-5809
五八〇九 —
1F, No.46-48, Ln. 128, Jingye 1st Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City 10462, Taiwan
Chini Gallery
地址
◎ㄧ〇四六二 台北市大直敬業一路ㄧ二八巷四六．四八號一樓
Address
Publisher
電話
◎八八六 二 七七二九
TEL
◎ 補助
◎九七八｜九八六｜八八四九九｜三｜八 ◎五〇〇 元整
Frist Edition, Oct. 2013
◎二〇一三年十月初版
China Graphic Art Corporation
Chini Gallery —Fritz Lee
— Fritz Lee
Chini Gallery —Lihsin Ho, Fritz Lee
Fritz Lee
執行編輯
◎采泥藝術
何立心、 —
美術設計
◎采泥藝術
Design
Executive Editor
印刷
◎采泥藝術事業股份有限公司 Printing
出版日期 Publishing Date
ISBN
定價
本計畫由
偽神話 蔡士弘︻作︼ . -初 - 版 -︻- 新北市︼：采泥藝術 二, 〇一三 十. 月 八十 面；二十乘二九 公分 九七八 — 九八六 — 八八四九九 — 三 — 八 精( 裝 ) ISBN 一 壓. 克力畫 二 畫. 冊 九四八 • 九四 ㄧ〇二〇二一五七七
八〇
七九