Timothy Bair
Overview
Timothy Bair，美籍臺裔藝術家，1996年生於臺中臺灣，從2015年因身體狀態而開始使用輪椅。2019年取得紐約視覺藝術學院純藝術學士學位，並於同年榮獲甘迺迪中心新鋭藝術家卓越獎。作品曾於加拿大、紐約、新加坡與臺灣展出，近期完成了著名的Silver Arts藝術家駐留計畫，且於過去三年間擔任身心障礙顧問，協助紐約和臺灣多達25家藝廊和藝術空間轉變為無障礙空間。現工作與生活於紐約。
藝術家的創作部分藉由行動不便者的生活經驗作為素材，探討藝術界和整個世界的歧視等議題，並且透過這樣的實踐，解構了人們對於「一名行動不便者在健全者的世界觀中」的既定觀念。利用素描、繪畫以及雕塑等媒介來研究其自我經歷與集體歷史的交集，且憑藉圖像創作的抒情性，將有別於健全者的體驗轉化為一種能被任何人理解的普遍語言。作品除涵蓋日常元素外，也多將具有象徵寓意的符號隱藏其中，並以繁複的線條構築畫面色彩，擅長利用自身特點創造獨特視覺語言的同時，亦意在主動挑戰觀者的視角。Timothy曾說：「當一切塵埃落定時，我希望能為未來有相同狀況的藝術家和創作者留下更平坦的道路」，正如其言，他的作品既強而有力，又溫柔感人，並且關乎相當重要的議題，傳達出藝術家堅強的意念。
Timothy Bair is a Taiwanese quadriplegic artist who has exhibited internationally and most recently completed a residency at the prestigious Silver Arts artist residency. His work, in part disability activism, uses the experience of living as a disabled person as fodder for his work, interrogating ableism within the art world, and the world at large. Through his practice, Timothy unpacks preconceived notions of what it means to be a disabled person in an "able-bodied world".
And by utilizing the lyrical nature of image making, Bair translates the unique crip experience into a universal language, made accessible to anyone—disabled or not. His work is both powerful, tender and crucially important. As Timothy says: "When it is all said and done, I hope to have left a smoother path for future artists and creatives with disabilities." Aside from working in the studio, in the past three years, Timothy has also worked as a disability consultant. Having assisted and advised in transforming more than 25 art galleries and art spaces in New York and Taiwan in becoming handicap accessible.
Works
Exhibitions
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Wallflower
Aug 17 - Sep 28, 2024大河美術將舉辦群展《Wallflower》，邀請到 10 位海內外藝術家，包含Devon Pryce、Elías Peña Salvador、Luke Van H、Peter Hong-Tsun Chan、Shingo Yamazaki、Timothy Bair、王冠蓁、李奕諠、陳于安以及韓哲睿。除了在臺灣展出外，也同時於日本進行為期一個月的同名快閃聯展，由東京場率先揭開序幕，訴說著當代藝術面臨未來 50 年的走向，對於這段終會被記載於歷史洪流之中的日子，將如何在亞洲地區鳴出響亮的宣言！Read more
RIVER ART GALLERY will hold the group show “Wallflower,” featuring 10 artists from around the world, including Devon Pryce, Elías Peña Salvador, Luke Van H, Peter Hong-Tsun Chan, Ray Han, Shingo Yamazaki, Timothy Bair, Wang Guan-Jhen, Yi-Shuan Lee and Yu-An Chen. In addition to its presentation in Taiwan, the show will also be held in Japan for a month-long pop-up, beginning in Tokyo. It explores the trajectory of contemporary art over the next 50 years, aiming to make a bold statement in Asia that will be remembered in the annals of history. -
Wallflower
Aug 3 - Sep 1, 2024大河美術將舉辦群展《Wallflower》，邀請到 10 位海內外藝術家，包含Devon Pryce、Elías Peña Salvador、Luke Van H、Peter Hong-Tsun Chan、Shingo Yamazaki、Timothy Bair、王冠蓁、李奕諠、陳于安以及韓哲睿。除了在臺灣展出外，也同時於日本進行為期一個月的同名快閃聯展，由東京場率先揭開序幕，訴說著當代藝術面臨未來 50 年的走向，對於這段終會被記載於歷史洪流之中的日子，將如何在亞洲地區鳴出響亮的宣言！Read more
RIVER ART GALLERY will hold the group show “Wallflower,” featuring 10 artists from around the world, including Devon Pryce, Elías Peña Salvador, Luke Van H, Peter Hong-Tsun Chan, Ray Han, Shingo Yamazaki, Timothy Bair, Wang Guan-Jhen, Yi-Shuan Lee and Yu-An Chen. In addition to its presentation in Taiwan, the show will also be held in Japan for a month-long pop-up, beginning in Tokyo. It explores the trajectory of contemporary art over the next 50 years, aiming to make a bold statement in Asia that will be remembered in the annals of history. -
THE FEAST
Jun 10 - Jul 29, 2023大河美術將舉辦《 THE FEAST 》聯展，集結 8 位海外亞裔藝術家，包含 Lili Lee、Mai Ta、Ness Lee、Peter Chan、Stanley Chen、Tessar Lo、Timothy Bair 與 Yi-Shuan Lee，開啟一場細膩的藝術盛會。《 THE FEAST 》核心概念為匯聚共鳴與身分的自我覺察。從鑰匙孔望入，暗示展覽強烈的帶入目的，蠟燭開啟了一場儀式，形塑了與觀者的對話場域。長餐桌作為一種凝聚集體記憶同時蘊含傳統階級意識的象徵，這些擁有特殊流動身分的海外藝術家們，在此端上各種佳餚，試圖透過創作來掙脫框架，而「亞裔」的特質卻又讓觀者能夠從中發現與自身共鳴的痕跡，進而回應其個別身分歸屬與存在的價值。藉由一張餐桌、一場盛宴，《 THE FEAST 》開啟對於觀看世界的另一個討論。本次參展藝術家雖來自各種不同的文化背景，卻能透過與人們重疊的身分而對作品產生更多思考的視角，我們期望觀者完整的沈浸在空間裡，享受這場充滿記憶律動的深度饗宴。RIVER ART GALLERY will hold the group show “THE FEAST”, bringing together eight overseas Asian artists, including Lili Lee, Mai Ta, Ness Lee, Peter Chan, Stanley Chen, Tessar Lo, Timothy Bair, and Yi-Shuan Lee, to initiate a refined art gathering.Read more
The core concept of “THE FEAST” is to gather resonance and self-awareness of identity. Looking through the keyhole implies the exhibition’s strong intention of immersing, while candles ignite a ritual that shapes the diaLogue space with the viewers. The Long dining table, as a symbol of condensing collective memory and carrying traditional class consciousness, becomes a platform where these overseas artists with distinctive fluid identities serve various delicacies, attempting to break free from constraints through their creations. Yet, the “Asian” quality enables viewers to discover traces of resonance within themselves, responding to the individual values of their own identity and existence. Through a table and a feast, “THE FEAST” opens up another discussion on how we perceive the world. Despite coming from diverse cultural backgrounds, the participating artists, through their identities overlapping with the viewers, can offer different perspectives that encourages deeper reflection on the artworks. We hope that viewers can fully immerse themselves in the space and enjoy this profound feast filled with the rhythm of memories. -
再述的隱喻
The Metaphors of Restorying Feb 10 - Mar 31, 2023《再述的隱喻》集結8位藝術家，看似不同的表現方式，暗藏著許多不謀而合的隱喻，從童年記憶的講述，到自我價值與世代文化的反映，甚至對於生命及大環境的體悟，藉由作品的再詮釋，披著截然不同的敘事掛毯，說著你我皆可能面對的當代議題。“The Metaphors of Restorying” brings together eight artists whose seemingly different expressions conceal many coincidental metaphors, from the narrative of childhood memories, to the reflection of self-value and generational culture, and even the understanding of life and the environment. With the reinterpretation of the artwork, it is like to drape a tapestry of a very different narrative, speaking about contemporary issues that you and I may face.Read more
