台北當代藝術館 官方網站 Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei

「大自然不需要人類，人類需要大自然。」～保護國際組織


有些研究顯示，許多戰爭來自環境變遷，開始是缺水，接著食物短缺、遷徙、種族紛爭、信仰差異、歧視、戰爭。由於歷程長久，以致於我們只看到表面而找不到最初的原因了。二十世紀下半葉，臺灣的土地開始出現經濟發展與環境破壞的矛盾：化工廠汙染溪流、農場違建民宿、原住民土地被掠奪與不當開發、火力發電廠大量排放廢氣，這一切所造成的環境負擔與土地不正義，使得社會衝突全面展開。其他如農地不農用、土地液化造成地震災害、漁港密集開發造成海岸線水泥化、國家公園範圍內水泥公司炸山採礦等等。這些事件還持續發生著。每一個事件背後隱藏的都是無知和貪婪，土地成為這一場權力遊戲的犧牲品，而最終的後果則是由全人類共同承擔。

《還原─土地之歌》展覽邀請來自東台灣的創作者王郁雯、伊命‧瑪法琉、李翎、林琳、林瑞玉、劉曉蕙、饒愛琴及陳若軒的作品共同展出，以不同創作媒材及型態代替土地發聲：「我們有自然風，不要電風扇」、「盤子上的食物是水泥飛魚嗎？」、「後遺症出現了」、「狂舞吧，憂鬱！」、「土地如何劃分呢？」…他們透過詼諧、反諷、自省或詩意的語彙來表達環境的現況、表達台灣人對於環境現狀的不滿與隱憂，期待大家 可以試著聆聽大自然的聲音，並重新思考對於土地的使用，停止沒頭沒腦的開發。

除了上述七位藝術家的作品外，攝影師陳若軒的作品，則忠實記錄與側寫了土地守護者們，在長期抗爭的過程中，露宿街頭，發出怒吼，臺灣各地的藝術家用行動支援他們，同時也表現藝術家、原住民對於人和自然的原始契約如此緊密，從遠古到現在一直在叮嚀：不要忘記！不要忘記！ Nature doesn’t need people, people need nature. ~ Conservation International


Some studies indicate that many wars in history were the results of environmental changes. The process started with a lack of water, and consequently the shortage of food, migration, racial conflicts, religious differences, discrimination, and eventually resulted in the outburst of wars. Because the process might take a rather long period of time, people could not see the underlying reasons other than what have been happening on the surface. After the second half of the 20th century, contradictions and conflicts have emerged on the land of Taiwan due to economic development and environmental damage—chemicals from factories polluting rivers and streams; illegal farm-styled B&Bs; exploitation and unlawful development of indigenous peoples’ land; air pollution from thermal power plants, etc. All these have largely increased the burden of our environment and led to land injustice, precipitating full-scale social contention. Other similar situations are still taking place, including farmland being used for other purposes, liquidation of land that increases earthquake hazard, intensive construction of fishing harbors that seals up the island’s shoreline with concrete, cement company blowing up mountains for mining in a national park, etc. Behind each of these events lies human ignorance and insatiable greed whereas land is sacrificed in this power game. Eventually, the consequences are to be shouldered by the entire humanity.

Reduction─Nature is Speaking features eight artists from the east coast of Taiwan, including Wang Yu-Wen, Iming Mavaliw, Lee Ling, Malay Makaluwan, Lin Jui-Yu, Liu Hsiao-Hui , Rao Ai-Chin and Chen Ro-Hsuan. These artists have made the voice of the land heard by using different media and art forms, presenting works such as We Have Natural Wind and Do Not Need Electric Fans, Is That Concrete Flying Fish on the Plate?, Here Comes the Consequence, Dance, Melancholy!, How Could You Divide the Land?, etc. With a humorous, sarcastic, self-reflecting or poetic tone and language, the artists delineate the current environmental condition and express the discontent and concerns of Taiwanese people living on the east coast. It is their sincere hope that audiences can try to listen to the voice of Mother Nature, and reflect upon our use of land to stop the endless, ridiculous development projects.

In addition to the seven artists mentioned above, photographer Chen Ro-Hsuan faithfully documents and describes the continuous fight of the land protectors, including their nights on the streets and their angry roar against the injustice. Artists from all over Taiwan have supported them with actions, which demonstrate the close and strong bond between humanity and nature observed and embraced by artists as well as indigenous peoples. Since the ancient time until the present day, they have been reminding people: Do not forget! Do not forget!