Huang Er-lang, a resident of Lukang Township in Changhua County, hated windows with typical iron bars so much that he decided to make some artistic iron-barred windows by himself. He recycled iron bars to create the shapes of several scenic spots, such as Lukang’s historical places and the French Champs Elysees. He gave them a makeover, transforming them into something not only burglarproof but also easy on the eye.
Huang’s own house is located on Zihciang St of Lukang Township. He did not like the iron-bar culture in Taiwan and originally chose not to get them fitted on his house because he did not want to feel like a prisoner when looking out his own window. Unfortunately, this made his house a soft target for burglars. His solution was to think outside the box and make artistic iron-barred windows by himself.
Huang initially made three artistic iron-barred windows. The first window featured the French Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. The other windows featured Lukang’s Bantian Well and the Shihyi Building. All the windows were creative and it took him more than three months to finish them.
Huang used his hands to bend the steel and iron bars into the shape of the scenic spots and then approached welders to fix the shapes. During the process, his hands were repeatedly cut but he stayed motivated throughout.
Looking at the handmade artistic iron bars at the windows, Huang said happily that he has been artistic ever since he was a child, but he was unable to pursue his dream because of financial difficulties. But after retirement, he was able to add artistic iron bars to his own house and finally realize his childhood dream.
Huang’s wife Hsu Chueh said that the iron-barred windows could be opened as well. Her grandson loved to open the window featuring the well and played hand puppets within the frame. As he controlled the puppets inside, Huang would enjoy the shows outside. Both had a lot of fun.
Shuenshing Borough Chief Kuo Cheng-hsin praised the spatial, elegant visual effect of Huang’s windows, calling them a remarkable piece of work.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG)
鹿港鎮民黃二郎討厭制式化的鐵窗,自己動手做藝術鐵窗,他用可回收再利用的鐵條材質,摺出名勝古蹟形狀,鹿港鎮古蹟、法國香榭大道一一入鏡,讓鐵窗修容變身,兼具防盜與美觀的效果!
黃二郎的透天厝就在鹿港鎮自強街上,他很不喜歡的台灣的鐵窗文化,更不希望家裡裝了鐵窗之後,探頭看外面的世界時,心裡燃起「放我出去」的無奈感,卻礙於自家透天厝一樓窗戶是很容易就可以攀爬進出的建築物,為了防盜,他決定自己動手做出新思維的藝術鐵窗。
三個藝術鐵窗,一個是法國凱旋門、香榭大道為造景的鐵窗,另一個是以鹿港鎮半天井、十宜樓為造景的鐵窗,各具巧思,前前後後花了黃二郎三個多月時間才完成。
黃二郎用鐵條、鋼條等金屬當材質,用雙手摺彎材質做出名勝古蹟的立體造形,再請焊接工人將他摺彎好的形狀焊接固定,創作過程中,黃二郎的雙手多次被鐵條刺傷流血,卻不減他的動機。
看著自己打造的藝術鐵窗框在門窗上,黃二郎高興地說,他從小就很想做美術創作,但礙於經濟無法圓夢,如今退休了,可以在自家建築物創作藝術鐵窗,算圓了兒時夢。
黃二郎的妻子許雀說,黃二郎的藝術鐵窗兼具掀開功能,愛孫最喜歡在以半天井為造景的藝術鐵窗打開小門玩布袋戲,孫子屋內演戲、阿公屋外看戲,爺孫倆樂在其中。
順興里長郭正興誇讚地說,黃二郎的藝術鐵窗創造出一種寬敞雅致的視覺效果,實在了不起!
(自由時報記者張聰秋)
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