洪通曾經是一代人的記憶，也是臺灣歷史上重要的社會象徵意義，他代表了一個鄉野樸素、未經學院訓練的畫家，藉由對創作的熱情與決心，傳奇性的獲得了廣大的成功與回響。他所象徵的精神，是在刻苦的環境、有限的資源與先天條件的限制下，靠著自己的熱愛尋找突破困境的方法，實踐自己的理想。洪通，在1970年代崛起時被英文雜誌冠為「瘋狂藝術家（The mad artist）」，藝文雜誌與媒體則稱他為「素人／鄉土藝術家」，但不論外界如何稱呼他，洪通仍是專注於自己的世界內全心創作。



　　2020年是洪通百歲，在他離世33年後的今天，若先不考慮當年的時代背景，而是以純粹的眼光再次欣賞洪通的作品，會發現他的作品仍是如此新穎、動人且富有吸引力。然而，是什麼原因讓他的藝術超越了時代，在每次觀賞時仿若初見的感動？故此，進而提問洪通的藝術高度是否就只能被框於「素人／鄉土藝術家」？他的作品中那不可解的神祕符號，是否就能以他曾經有學習「乩童」的經驗概括而論？洪通的創作深受臺南北門鄉南鯤鯓的鄉野景色與代天府的廟宇藝術融合的「風土」所影響，又是如何成為藝術家的視覺經驗與轉化為創作時觀看世界的方式？另外，洪通作為一個藝術家的養成可說是個「素人」，若相對「素人」概念的「學院」是提供一套完整思考訓練、技術養成、資源累積的系統化教育，那未經學院訓練的洪通，是如何努力成為一個專業藝術家？



　　「再現傳奇—洪通百歲紀念展」是洪通第一個正式在美術館的個展，本展分為「經典的形塑」與「風格與時代」兩個展區。「經典的形塑」精選洪通作品，讓不認識洪通的人邂逅他作品的魅力，讓已經認識洪通的人再次發現作品跨越時代散發的力量與張力；本區也陳列洪通的素描本與速寫，搭配他生活於南鯤鯓的風土介紹，讓觀眾瞭解他天分的養成與努力的過程。展區「風格與時代」試圖疏理洪通創作的風格，諸如他對鄉野風情的抒懷、對喪子之痛的表現。本區也嘗試用圖像學、身體性與宮廟藝術文化之間的關聯來分析他在繪畫裡的空間感與造形轉化來源，同時展示洪通熱潮時相關的文件資料與名人訪談，試圖讓觀眾更能理解當時的時代背景，並能再對應我們身處的時代，思考「洪通」的當代象徵與意義。





Re-presentation of a Legend : Centennial Celebration of HUNG TUNG

Hung Tung was a figure in the collective memory of a generation and an important social symbol in Taiwan’s history. He was a simple, rustic painter without formal training who, through his passion and determination to create, became legendary for the great success and public praise he gained. The spirit he symbolizes is relying on one’s passion to find a way to overcome difficulties and realize ones ideals despite the constraints of a harsh environment, limited resources, and inherent disadvantages. During his rise to prominence in the 1970s, Hung Tung was dubbed "the mad artist" by English magazines; art magazines and the media referred to him as an “amateur/folk artist”. But no matter what the outside world called him, Hung Tung remained in his own world, completely focused on his art.



2020 is the year that Hung Tung would have turned 100 years old. Today, 33 years after his death, one will find that his works are still fresh, touching, and full of appeal if we disregard historical context for a moment and look at them again with a purely appreciative eye. And yet, what is it about his art that allows it to transcend time and makes each viewing seem like a first encounter? Therefore, one has to ask whether it is right to confine Hung Tung to being an “amateur/folk artist”. Can the incomprehensible and mysterious symbols in his works be summed up as the result of his being a spirit medium in the past? Hung Tung's works were deeply influenced by the “terroir”of his homeland: a fusion of the rural scenery of Nankunshen in Beimen Township, Tainan as well as the temple art of Nankunshen Temple. How did it become a part of the artist's visual experience and translate into the way he saw the world while creating his art? In addition, Hung Tung’s training as an artist can be said to be that of an amateur. Unlike self-taught amateurs, academies provide a systematic education with a complete set of training in thinking, technical development, and resource accumulation. How did Hung Tung, who had not received any academy training, work to become a professional artist?



Re-presentation of a Legend: Centennial Celebration of Hung Tung is Hung Tung's first official solo exhibition in a museum, and it will be divided into two sections: “Formation of Classics” and “Styles and Eras”. “Formation of Classics” features a selection of Hung Tung's works, allowing those who do not know him to become familiar with the charm of his art and those who already know him to rediscover the power and tension in his art radiating across the ages; Hung Tung’s sketchbooks and sketches are also displayed in this section, along with an introduction to the local scenery of Nankunshen, the place where he lived, so that viewers can gain an understanding of how he developed his talent and the hard work he put in. “Styles and Eras” is an attempt to clarify Hung Tung's creative style, such as the way he depicts rural scenery and expresses the pain of losing his son. This section also tries to analyze the origins of the sense of space as well as the transformation of forms portrayed in his paintings by using the relationship between iconography, physicality, and temple art culture. In addition, it displays documents and celebrity interviews from the Hung Tung boom to give viewers a better understanding of the historical context, and to offer an opportunity to reflect on the era we live in and think about the symbolism and meaning of “Hung Tung” in a contemporary setting.