THE FEAST

一場宴會不僅是社交連結與慶祝的場所，更與身份建構和文化象徵意義密不可分，是與歷史和記憶傳承相關之場域。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。

 

韓國藝術家 Lili Lee 的創作著重於創作過程的儀式感與韓國薩滿（Shaman）的治療精神，以護身符簶上的特殊視覺符號，構築內在心靈世界；越南藝術家 Mai Ta 則是透過「thick skin」系列，從人的黑暗面切入，讓觀眾直面心中，探討羞愧與道德之間的平衡。Ness Lee 為加拿大籍華裔客家人，作品強調對人類心理的研究，非物理形式，而是情感的共鳴和存在感，專注於脆弱、不適與接受的時期之間的親密和自愛關係。加拿大籍華裔藝術家 Peter Chan，憑藉精緻的技術表現和熟悉的視覺敘事（例如來自香港經典電影的場景），力圖與觀眾建立自傳式的聯繫，促使觀眾思考流行文化如何影響我們對城市生活的理解和對社會身份的感知。澳籍華裔藝術家 Stanley Chen，則是專注於其多元身份的表現，描繪物品與人之間的移情，試圖捕捉情感的流動性，揭示慾望如何偽裝成壓抑的形式。加拿大籍印尼華裔藝術家 Tessar Lo，其作品藉由不斷在主基調（朝著觀眾駛來的蒸汽火車）上疊加各種顏色與線條，訴說一種在現實和想像的時間中移動的體驗。美籍華裔藝術家 Timothy Bair，擅長研究自我經歷與集體歷史的交集，對於人們如何感知、解讀與回應他們接收到的數據和信息著迷，藉由生活中的各類偏見與謠言，以獲得反思與靈感。加拿大籍華裔藝術家 Yi-Shuan Lee，本展作品有著濃厚的達達主義韻味，無關乎刺激視覺的美學形式，而是與概念及觀眾的心理有關，試圖以「物件」存在最純粹的形式來引發衝突，回應自身的狀態，甚至啟發更深入的思考。

 

在這個快速變遷的時代，人們來到展覽現場狼吞虎嚥的飽餐一頓，漸漸失去過濾消化等內化過程。藝廊作為品質把關角色，為人們精心篩選展出作品；而藝術家也同時在各展區藉由作品，提醒人們放慢腳步自我檢視，反身觀照與世界的關係。最後展區的長餐桌，則是呼應本展概念，除了作為文化匯聚的意象，也邀請各位成為這場宴會的嘉賓，一同品嚐享受，細嚼各有風格的藝術佳餚！

 

A feast is not just a place for social connections and celebration, but also cLosely intertwined with the construction of identity and cultural symbolism, representing a realm connected to history and the transmission of memories. 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.

 

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.

 

Korean artist Lili Lee’s creations focus on the ritualistic aspect of the creative process and the healing spirit of Korean Shamans. Through the use of special visual symbols on talismans, she constructs an inner spiritual world. Vietnamese artist Mai Ta, on the other hand, delves into the dark side of human nature with her “thick skin” series, confronting the viewers with their own inner selves and expLoring the balance between shame and morality. Ness Lee, a Chinese-Hakka Canadian artist, emphasizes the investigation of the human psyche through her work, not in the physical form but through emotional resonance and presence, focusing on the intimacy and self-Love in period of vulnerability, discomfort, and acceptance. Peter Chan, a Chinese Canadian artist, strives to establish an autobiographical connection with viewers through intricate technical execution and familiar visual narratives (such as scenes from iconic Hong Kong films), prompting viewers to contemplate how popular culture influences our understanding of urban living and perception of social identity. Stanley Chen, a Chinese Australian artist, focuses on the expression of his diverse identity. He portrays the transference between objects and people, attempting to capture the fluidity of emotions and revealing how desire disguises itself in repressed forms. Tessar Lo, a Chinese-Indonesian Canadian artist, overlays various coLors and lines on a dominant theme (a steam train approaching the viewer) in his artworks, creating an experience that moves between reality and imagination. Timothy Bair, a Taiwanese American artist, specializes in expLoring the intersection of autobiography and collective history. He is fascinated by how people perceive, interpret, and respond to the data and information they receive. Through biases and rumors found in everyday life, he seeks reflection and inspiration. Yi-Shuan Lee, a Taiwanese Canadian artist, presents artworks in this show that exude a strong flavor of Dadaism. The focus is not on visually stimulating aesthetics, but rather on the connection between concepts and the psyche of the audience. The aim is to provoke conflict by presenting the purest form of “objects”, reflecting on one's own state and even inspiring deeper contemplation.

 

In this era of rapid Change, people rush to exhibition venues and eagerly devour a meal, gradually Losing the internal processes of filtering and digestion. However, as a role in quality control, the gallery carefully selects and showcases artworks for people; the artists, through their artworks in different exhibition areas, also serve as a gentle reminder for people to sLow down, introspect, and reflect upon their relationship with the world. In the last exhibition area, the Long dining table echoes the concept of this exhibition. It not only serves as a symbol of cultural convergence but also invites everyone to become guests of this feast, to savor and appreciate the diverse artistic delicacies, each with its own unique style!