一次又一次渡河，陳威廷的彼岸追尋 Crossing Rivers: Chen Wei-ting

無限的圓點在畫布上延伸、擴散，最終融入宇宙般的視覺場域中，在草間彌生的《無限網》系列裡，以重複的符號探問生命的本質，試圖理解個體在浩瀚宇宙中的定位。這種對存在意義的永恆追問，在當代藝術中不斷被重新詮釋。2024年，台南出生的藝術家陳威廷以《彼岸PARAMITA》為題，延續了這場關於生命本質的探索，只是這一次，答案藏在色彩與童話意象之間。

Infinite dots extend and diffuse across the canvas, ultimately merging into a universe-like visual field. In Yayoi Kusama's 'Infinity Net' series, repeated symbols probe the essence of life, attempting to understand the individual's position in the vast universe. This eternal questioning of existential meaning continues to be reinterpreted in contemporary art. In 2024, Tainan-born artist Chen Wei-ting, under the title 'PARAMITA,' continues this exploration of life's essence, but this time, the answer lies between fluorescent colors and fairy tale imagery.

陳威廷個展《彼岸Paramita 》| 11/9~12/29 | 高雄市立美術館B1 Kspace | 策展人：曾學彥

跨越邊界的凝視 A Gaze Across Boundaries

從台南出發，現居東京的陳威廷，像是在重現草間彌生年輕時期離鄉追夢的軌跡。擁有視覺藝術與中國文學雙重背景的他，在2023年自東京藝術大學畢業後，持續在東方哲思與當代視覺語彙間尋找平衡點。如果說草間彌生用圓點編織她的無限網絡，陳威廷則以詩意的符號構築他的精神世界。

Born in Tainan and now based in Tokyo, Chen Wei-ting seems to be retracing Yayoi Kusama's early path of leaving home to pursue artistic dreams. With his dual background in visual arts and Chinese literature, after graduating from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2023, he continues to seek balance between Eastern philosophy and contemporary visual vocabulary. If Kusama weaves her infinite networks with dots, Chen constructs his spiritual world with poetic symbols.

陳威廷個展《彼岸Paramita 》 | 攝影：黃覺深

展場被規劃為「此地」、「生相」、「彼岸」與「書寫」四個區域，彷彿一場從物質世界到精神境界的冥想之旅。這樣的空間安排不僅是作品的分類，更暗示著他對精神超越的追求。

The exhibition space is divided into four zones: 'Here,' 'Life Forms,' 'The Other Shore,' and 'Writing,' resembling a meditative journey from the material world to the spiritual realm. This spatial arrangement is not merely a categorization of works but also suggests his pursuit of spiritual transcendence.

在可愛與深沉之間 Between Cute and Profound

在「此地」和「生相」區域，充滿卡漫風格的角色首先映入眼簾。不論是畫作《Our Childhood》(2014)、《Without Body》(2015)，或是雕塑《You'll see》(2019) ，在這些可愛的作品下，都似乎隱藏著對成長的思考。如同草間彌生以圓點掩蓋內心的不安，陳威廷巧妙運用「嬰兒圖式」理論，以大眼睛、圓臉等特徵，在討喜外表下探討深刻的生命課題。

In the 'Here' and 'Life Forms' sections, cartoon-style characters first catch the eye. Whether in paintings like 'Our Childhood' (2014), 'Without Body' (2015), or the sculpture 'You'll see' (2019), beneath these charming works lies a contemplation of growth. Just as Kusama uses dots to mask inner anxiety, Chen skillfully employs 'baby schema' theory, using features like large eyes and round faces to explore profound life themes beneath appealing appearances.

陳威廷 | Our Childhood, 2014 | 壓克力 畫布

陳威廷 | Without Body, 2015 | 壓克力 彩色鉛筆 畫布

展覽的核心「彼岸」區域，源自佛教詞彙 PARAMITA（波羅蜜多），指向超脫生死輪迴的涅槃境界。在《Manjusaka》(2022)和《The illusive Moon》(2024)等作品中，二元對立的空間結構與海(水)的意象，共同演繹著存在與消逝的永恆辯證。

The exhibition's core section 'The Other Shore,' derives from the Buddhist term PARAMITA, pointing to the nirvana state that transcends the cycle of life and death. In works such as 'Manjusaka' (2022) and 'Two Moons' (2024), the binary spatial structure and water imagery together interpret the eternal dialectic between existence and dissolution.

陳威廷 | Manjusaka, 2022

陳威廷 | The illusive Moon, 2024 | 壓克力 畫布

「看海的時候，山逐漸消失的過程令我感動。」陳威廷在接受其他媒體採訪時說。這種對存在狀態的敏銳觀察，讓人想起草間彌生對宇宙無限的凝視。在他的作品中，海洋承載了多重象徵：它是自我探索的場域，也是淨化與救贖的媒介。

When looking at the sea, the process of mountains gradually disappearing moves me,' says Chen. This keen observation of states of existence recalls Kusama's gaze into the universe's infinity. In his works, the ocean carries multiple symbols: it is both a realm of self-exploration and a medium of purification and redemption.

最後的「書寫」區域，透過手稿、塗鴉與文字創作，為觀眾打開了理解藝術家思維的另一扇窗。這些看似隨意的筆記，如同草間彌生反覆書寫的日記，記錄著藝術家對生命意義的持續思考。

The final 'Writing' section opens another window into the artist's mind through manuscripts, sketches, and textual works. These seemingly casual notes, like Kusama's repeatedly written diaries, document the artist's ongoing contemplation of life's meaning.

陳威廷個展《彼岸Paramita 》| 書寫區一隅 | 攝影：黃覺深

永無止境的探索 An Endless Exploration

陳威廷的作品已在國際舞台嶄露頭角，但對他而言，藝術創作更像是一場永無止境的自我探索。「『彼岸』是哀悼，也是致敬過去與不可言喻的明天。」每一件作品都是一次渡河的嘗試，而展覽空間則成為邀請觀眾共同思考生命本質的場域。

While Chen's works have begun to make their mark on the international stage, for him, artistic creation is more like an endless journey of self-exploration. ''PARAMITA' is both a mourning and a tribute to the past and the ineffable tomorrow.' Each work represents an attempt to cross the river, and the exhibition space becomes a realm inviting viewers to collectively contemplate the essence of life.

如同草間彌生透過無限的圓點尋找永恆，陳威廷以當代的視角和東方的哲思，為生命的永恆課題提供了新的思考維度。在他創造的藝術世界裡，每個觀眾都能找到屬於自己的答案，或者更重要的是，找到屬於自己的提問。

Just as Kusama seeks eternity through infinite dots, Chen offers new dimensions to life's eternal questions through a contemporary lens and Eastern philosophy. In the artistic world he creates, each viewer can find their own answers, or perhaps more importantly, their own questions.

---附帶一題的分隔線 Side Note ---

陳威廷也有為畫中角色出盲盒公仔，除了將「Happy Birth Day」畫作中的蠟燭狗改為《困惑的蠟燭狗》以外，還有《正在哭的熊藝術家》、《從夢裡逃跑的羊》、《海上幽靈》(分為紅蘋果和金蘋果兩版) 和《蒲公英與白貓》，都超可愛ㄉ！

Chen Wei-ting has also created blind box figurines of characters from his paintings. In addition to transforming the candle dog from 'Happy Birth Day' into 'The Puzzled Candle Dog,' there are also 'The Crying Bear Artist,' 'The Sheep Escaping from Dreams,' and 'The Ghost at Sea'.