天堂島：阿里・貝瓦吉個展

藝術家阿里・貝瓦吉(Ari Bayuaji)出生於印尼，大學畢業後前往歐洲求學，而後定居在加拿大法語區的蒙特婁。

跨文化的成長過程使他累積了豐富的生活體驗，也因此創作中總是充滿著文化交融的語彙。長期以來，貝瓦吉省思著大自然與人類的共存關係。他認為，我們的環境中所發生的一切，已表明大自然就像是一個完善的檔案櫃，處處反映著不同時代的更迭以及人類文明的變遷。由於他個人對於原石、礦石、玉石等大自然元素充滿熱愛，因此在過去的數年間，他藉著受國際重要駐村機構邀請時接觸了更加多元的環境，並從世界各地搜集了以自然礦石為主的各種設計物件。他以這些或新或舊的物品建立起一系列屬於自已的媒材資料庫，從自然與人造元素的對比中思考著人類文化的奧秘之處。

Born in Indonesia, artist Ari Bayuaji currently works and lives in Montreal, Canada. Having a rich life experience of studying and traveling abroad has revealed a cross-cultural artistic expression from his works of creation. From ARTJOG, Kunsthal Rotterdam, to Montreal Museum of Art, Ari Bayuaji was invited to participate in multiple residency programs and to present solo shows in renown international institutions around the world. Holding a passion for natural elements, Bayuaji has been collecting various natural materials and cultural products for inspirations while visiting these places. He analyzed these natural-made and synthetic materials with his keen interpretation of cultures, pondering over the changes of different epochs as well as the coexistence of men and Nature. Having been invited to his residency here in Taiwan by Nunu Fine Art, Bayuaji has combined his discoveries about this nation with the mixed elements he collected long ago. After his onemonth residency, his first solo exhibition in Taiwan, “Island of Paradise” has opened on the 1st of July at Nunu Fine Art.

印尼藝術家阿里・貝瓦吉在《天堂島》一展中，展出了他在台期間的複合媒材創作，這些精緻而極富詩意的作品呈現了藝術家對於文化產物的重新詮釋與洞見。貝瓦吉就人文與自然的相對應關係做討論，以自然及人工產物的並置反映古今人們生活與消費型態的轉變。擅長運用各式媒材與顏色的他，在十六件新作中運用了玉石、珊瑚、獸骨、等天然媒材，加上玻璃、塑膠、解構自廢棄物的纖維等人造材料營造出精巧而多元的空間構圖。在交織了豐富媒材的畫面中，藝術家的風格看似隨性灑脫，然而大至畫布本身的皺褶，小至縫製珠玉的塑膠纖維所產生的光影，作品每一個角落實則都蘊含了藝術家精準掌握的平衡與律動。

In his solo exhibition, “Island of Paradise,” Indonesian artist Ari Bayuaji displays his mixed media artworks created in Taiwan. The delicate and poetic artworks have shown the artist’s reinterpretation and insight toward cultural products as he talks over the correspondence between human and Nature, and reflect on the changes of people’s consuming behavior over times by juxtaposing artificial materials along with natural ones. Being good at applying different media and colors, Bayuaji created exquisite compositions in his sixteen new works by combining nature materials such as jades, corals, animal bone with artificial products like glass, plastics, fibers from found objects, etc. On the surface filled with plentiful media, Bayuaji’s style seems free and casual, however, it is not hard to notice that every detail in his works, from the creases on canvases to the shadow of plastic fiber used to attach beads, implies a balance and rhythm accurately controlled by the artist.

在台灣生活的期間，藝術家貝瓦吉用心發掘了台灣文化在他這個外來人眼裡種種迷人的景致。城市裡物資豐沛的市場、早晨叫賣的攤販、沉靜莊嚴的廟宇、以及絢麗奪目的戲曲表演都成了他的靈感來源，促成了〈朝顏｜Morning Glory〉、〈墜入情網｜Falling in Love〉、〈中國戲曲的追憶｜Remembrance of Chinese Opera〉等浪漫之作。他說，這個充滿著溫暖人情以及豐富食材的城市十分令人驚奇，他日復一日見到樸實而慷慨的人們，彷彿就生活在天堂一樣的地方。因此，藝術家將他首次在台灣的個展命名為《天堂島》，獻給這才不過一個月的時間便已讓他愛上的島嶼。

During his stay in Taiwan, Bayuaji attentively discovered the beauty of Taiwanese culture as a foreigner who finds everything so attractive. The traditional markets with a variety of goods, the peddling vendors in the mornings, the solemn temples which bring peace to ones’ mind, and the eye-catching splendid Chinese Opera performance have all become inspirations to Bayuaji’s creative practice and given birth to romantic works like “Morning Glory,” “Falling in love,” and “Remembrance of Chinese Opera” among others. According to Bayuaji, this city filled with the warmness of the people and ample delicacies is truly amazing as he meets people so sincere and generous from day to day just like living in a paradise. Therefore, entitled his first solo exhibition here in Taiwan as “Island of Paradise,” artist Ari Bayuaji whishes to dedicate this show to this island which he has fallen in love in such short period.