【展覽活動】

◆ 9/28 Sat.
15:00 藝術家對談 Artist Talk
克里斯多夫．庫克 x 宋曉明 (台灣師範大學美術學系副教授)
Christopher COOK x SONG Sheau-Ming (Associate Professor at Department of Fine Arts, NTNU)
16:00 開幕 Opening

◆ 10/12 Sat.
15:00-16:30 專題講座 Lecture
主講人：陳貺怡 (台灣藝術大學美術學系教授)
Speaker: CHEN Kuang-Yi (Professor at Department of Fine Arts, NTUA)

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【展覽論述】

對英國藝術家克里斯多夫．庫克來說，「覓者」一詞所形容的是他的生活態度，也是其繪畫過程中的關鍵面向。透過國際展覽、藝術家／學者駐村和調研旅行的機會，庫克得以經常造訪新的文化和情境，他便是在一次探訪印度的旅途中，開始轉向獨特的液態石墨創作。這種被庫克稱為「石墨畫」的單色調創作，在其圖像成形的過程中，帶給他一種推測式的自由。

庫克的創作方法源於二十世紀初的超現實主義，他將超現實主義手法改編成自己的創作方法，透過想像轉化真實世界的內容，以及兩者之間的相互影響，並在引人注目的圖像中融合了創造、意外、預示等元素。我們可以在庫克的作品中看到東方水墨畫的影響，不僅是因為畫面以單色呈現，更由於石墨在使用礦物油稀釋後，會產生如墨水般的質地，這讓他的作品具有流動感與明顯的即興痕跡。

不過，這看似隨興所至的表象或許並非真實。庫克的圖像必須經歷一連串的反覆「彩排」。對庫克來說，這種看似徒勞的時間，猶如為了邁向圖像最終「演出」而做的準備。有時這種彩排會在工作室持續數日、數週之久，直到庫克捕捉到心中的圖像。在這他稱之為「專注下的不滿足」中，即是本展所欲揭示的意涵——雖然圖像看似流暢而隨興，但它經常是在長時間尋覓下，才終能識得的。

本展作品分為二類，一類是庫克2023年在台北創作的圖像，另一類則精選自他在英國的作品，這些作品反映了他的台北經驗，以及受到波斯細密畫傳統啟發、融入人類活動影響的神話傳說與自然世界。


For British artist Christopher Cook, the term "Seeker" describes not only his approach to life but also a crucial aspect of his painting process. Through opportunities afforded by his international exhibitions, artist/academic residencies and research trips, Cook has been able to frequently immerse himself in new cultures and environments. It was one such period in India that caused him to shift to what has now become his distinctive liquid graphite process, in which monochrome provides him with a speculative freedom during the formation of the image.

Cook’s creative process draws from early 20th-century Surrealism, which he adapts into his own artistic method. By transforming the content of the real world through imagination and exploring the interplay between the two, Cook integrates elements of creation, chance, and foreshadowing into compelling images. In Cook’s work, we can observe the influence of Eastern ink painting. This influence is not only due to the monochromatic nature of the works but also because graphite, when thinned with mineral oil, acquires an ink-like quality that imparts a fluid texture and evident spontaneity.

However, this seemingly casual appearance may not reflect the reality. The images undergo a series of repeated "rehearsals." For Cook, this seemingly futile time in the studio is akin to preparation or rehearsals for the final "performance" of the image. Sometimes these rehearsals can last for days or even weeks until he finally captures the image in his mind. This "dissatisfaction with focus," which is the essence revealed in the exhibition title, underscores that while the images may appear fluid and spontaneous, they are often the result of hard work and extended searching.

The works in this exhibition fall into two categories, the first involving images made whilst working in Taipei in 2023, and the second a selection of works made in the UK. These pieces reflect Cook’s experiences in Taipei and are inspired by the tradition of Persian miniatures, incorporating elements of mythological narratives and the natural world influenced by human activity.

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■ 覓者 — 克里斯多夫．庫克
Seeker - Christopher COOK
2024.09.28-11.10

REFERENCE

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