"In a private space like a restroom, where one is faced only with oneself, there are Heaven, Earth and Hell all in one place," said Dawn. Many visitors to the restrooms at TFAM were disgusted when they found the Devil's head under the sink, while others had great fun matching their face with the printed outline on the mirror.
Turning to the exhibition of winning works on the third floor of TFAM, visitors will be shocked by a big pair of eyes staring out of darkness as they ascend on the elevator. Portrait of a Child -- Social Victim No. 6 is an eye-catching work by Vara Chaiyanitaya from Thailand, winner of the gold medal in the print category. Composed like a portrait used in missing-person notices, the solemn black-and-white image shows a little girl against a dim background, overlapped by shadows of Thai letters.
The girl's sad and helpless stare expresses the silent accusation that give a voice to Vara's stand on Thailand's rampant violence, which, according to Vara, the Thai media luridly portrays with relish. "My objective is to create artistic media that can reflect the pain of the victims. So everyone ... will understand the problems and help make this world a better place," he said.
The work's concern with the social environment is what judges valued most this year. "The really good works not only have to be technically outstanding but socially conscious as well. This year, we placed great value on works that were willing to discuss such issues as environmental protection and cultural expression," said Wang Hsio-hsiung (王秀雄), chairman of the competition's international jury and professor at the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University.
Gold-medal winner in the drawing category deals with a much lighter theme. Hills (山丘), by Pan Jen-song (潘仁松) -- whose prints have been exhibited in six previous biennials -- is a delightful work blending abstract and realistic techniques to show the landscape of Yangming mountain, where Pan lives. The idyllic scenery is portrayed with thin pencil and ink strokes in dots and lines. Inspired by nature and childhood memories, the work does not strictly correspond to any actual scenery in Yangming mountain, but "is meant to stimulate the viewers' imagination, so that different viewers see different sceneries in the drawing," Pan said. The occasional use of light yellow gives the landscape rhythm and a pulsing warmth.
"The work stands out with its unique landscape depiction. It shows a freshness and almost tangibly clean air," said Wang.
With the number of international participants of the competition setting a new record this year, viewers can expect to see a selection of works of unprecedentedly high quality. The trend to blend printing and drawing techniques is also evident in many works. Most importantly, the biennial is a chance for the public to experience the tranquility in the works by Japanese artists, the ingenious use of mixed media by American artists and the untamed imagination of other up-and-coming talents.
RSS