攝影在數位年代的普及已經凌駕電影之上,儼然成為最重要的藝術了。如何學習影像思考、判斷與操作愈形重要。華語世界首度舉辦麥柯里個人攝影展因而有著雙重意義:一方面讓臺灣與全球攝影藝術語境對話接軌;另一方面重新定位麥柯里攝影與當代藝術的關係。展覽名稱「晃影 ─’S Wanderful | Making Pictures」以麥氏漫遊世界拍照為意象,強調他喜歡東晃西晃,即興捕捉人性的深層意義。英文標題結合好奇漫遊(wander)與驚異奇觀(wonder) – 亦即無奇不遊(no wander no wonder),並隱含百老匯蓋希文的(Gershwin)名曲「’S Wonderful」來指涉攝影中的音樂性。
麥柯里攝影感動人心,成名作《阿富汗少女》召喚人們加入義工去幫助難民,影響深遠。好照片除了過目難忘,賦與生命軌跡以形象之外,並形塑記憶結構,經典作品甚至能以影像表達歷史縱深與當代關連。麥氏跨越許多文化與世代,從攝影記者到以影像說故事,從膠片到數位,不變的是他對人性本質行為之捕捉與呈現。他說肖相:「要有情感,要說出其人特質,要不同而難忘,更要表現出人性的共相」。不啻是美學判斷(sensus communis)哲學家康德的代言攝影師。麥氏人物攝影銳利地凝視著你,彷彿來自亙古宇宙角落的眼神(sub specie aeternitatis), 並充盈著巴特(Barthes)強調的刺點(Punctum),亦即感受每張照片無法控制的關鍵。弗立得(Fried)攝影新論融合影像的劇場性(Theatricality)與自足性(Absorption),將無意識的情感刺點與有意識的表演安排結合並置,而麥氏攝影已先行多年了。
本展以影像之取像(making picture),成像(rendering image)及in/印象(innervating impression) 三階段為軸,設計包含12件裝置藝術的展覽空間,探求、解答並提出更多攝影藝術與哲學問題。例如:攝影的本質是什麼?攝影藝術史的理論與實踐進程對當代創作的啓發為何?攝影藝術如何能提昇全民美感教育並培養創造力?期待「晃影」觀展後能顯其所以然,提高視覺思考及美感判斷力,那麼我們對影像藝術創新的展望就不僅始於漫遊。電影「迷魂記/Vertigo」中詹姆斯史都華搭訕金露華,約她一起漫無目的地晃晃,金回答:「一個人會去漫遊晃晃,兩個人一起就會去某個地方了(One wanders, two are always going somewhere) 。」 有麥柯里同行,我們會比較有方向感要往哪裡晃去晃來。
The ubiquity and democratization of photography in digital era has elevated its position above cinema, making it “the most important art”, which is why it is increasingly imperative to learn how to think, analyze, and make images to communicate. Hence the significances of the first Steve McCurry solo photography exhibition in Chinese-speaking worlds are two-fold: on the one hand, the McCurry at MoCA, Taipei exhibition connects and engages Taiwan to the discourses of global photography art, on the other hand, the exhibition intervenes, reconsiders and repositions the relationship between McCurry’s photography and contemporary art. Title of the exhibition, ’S Wanderful | Making Pictures, refers to McCurry’s photo journeys around the world, highlighting his fondness for wandering and the profound meanings behind his serendipitous capturing of humanity. The title coinage combines “wander” and “wonder”, suggesting a notion of “no wander no wonder”, while also alludes to the musicality embodied in photography by referencing classic Broadway song, “’S Wonderful”, composed by George Gershwin.
McCurry’s photography touches hearts and moves people, his iconic Afghan Girl has inspired people to volunteer and join refugee relief forces, and its impacts are far-reaching and continue to resonate. Memorable photographs impress upon you with indelible imprints of beauty, visualize human experiences by giving life forms, and structuring memories; some iconic works even convey layers of historical depths and contemporary connectedness. McCurry traverses space and time as he transcends different cultures and generations, from a photojournalist to an artist telling stories through images, from the medium of film to the digital. What remains unchanged is how he captures and makes visible human nature and behaviors in poesis. McCurry believes that a portrait should have emotions, tell of the person’s notable features, it must be different, unique and unforgettable, and yet, above all, it must also showcase the universality of humanity. In that regard, McCurry’s photographic aesthetics not only embody philosopher Kant’s aesthetic judgment - sensus communis, the individual sensibility that communicates with all mankind, but also makes him a Kantian photographer par excellence. McCurry’s portraits gaze sharply at you, with looks that seem to come from corners of the universe, transport you through perspectives of eternity - sub specie aeternitatis. Full of Barthesian punctum, the points that trigger involuntary reaction in experiencing each photograph.
McCurry’s photography has been exemplifying for decades what art critic Michael Fried tried to theorize, to integrate the absorption and theatricality in photography that juxtapose and combine unconscious emotional pathos with conscious performative ethos.
This exhibition consists of three cohering themes about photography: “Making picture”, “Rendering image”, and “Innervating impression”. Twelve installation artworks extend the exhibition space to explore, answer, and challenge issues of photography, art and philosophy, including: What is the essence and sine qua non of photography? What inspires contemporary art that transpires theories and practices in the art history of photography? How would the art of photography elevate aesthetic education and foster creativity? It is our aspiration that McCurry’s pictures in ’S Wanderful | Making Pictures, would make some of the answers and more of the questions apparent while nudging in visual thinking and aesthetic judgment as habit. Through the process of making photography art, our prospectus for visual art will expand beyond the initiating wander. In the movie Vertigo, James Stewart asks Kim Novak to wander together. Novak replies: “One wanders, two are always going somewhere.” Accompanied by McCurry, we would have a better sense of direction for where to wander.