Art without Borders: 2015 Very Fun Park Art Exhibition

“Art is not just about what we see, but about what our eyes are willing to perceive.”

NTU Center for the Arts Chief Director Tung Shen

Starting now until May 3, the work of 15 artists from Taiwan, U.S. and France can be seen throughout the NTU campus. The event is part of NTU President Pan-Chyr Yang's (楊泮池) continued efforts to promote and encourage arts and culture within the University.

For the second consecutive year, NTU's Center for the Arts launched the Very Fun Park art exhibition in collaboration with the Fubon Art Foundation. This year's exhibition was subtitled after the words of late NTU professor of philosophy Hai-Guang Yin (殷海光) who once wrote, "To live is to seek truth," and "Intellectuals are the eyes of the times." Through their artwork, Very Fun Park artists present what they view as the respective truths of their times. Expounding upon these words, NTU Center for the Arts Chief Director Tung Shen (沈冬) further noted, "Art is not just about what we see, but about what our eyes are willing to perceive."Her remark encourages us to pay attention to the hidden messages behind each and every unique work of art.

From sculptures, photographs, crochet art, to interactive media displays, the Very Funk Park artworks are being displayed in various locations across the NTU campus. With the physical borders being removed, the art reaches not only a wider viewer, but also allows for the imagination to roam freely.

Very Fun Park also features a series of lectures as well as guided tours of the exhibits. For more information, please refer to the 2015 Very Fun Park Website.

2015 Very Fun Park Artists

1. Ting-Ruei Syu (許廷瑞)

Attempting to bring warmth to metal material, Syu transforms the cold, hard medium into a lovable scottish terrier.  "Adult life is filled with way too much confusion and frustration…" says, Syu, therefore he conveys the power of simplicity through direct, fun, and handmade sculptures!

2. Séverin Millet

The French illustrator's fun and fascinating figurines depicting the faces of various cultures are bringing color to the NTU campus. Who are these people and where are they from? Millet hopes to leave these questions answered by the spectator's imagination.

3. Li-Zhen Zhang (張麗真)

Snails, vines, and mysterious creatures of the forest, crochet artists Li-Zhen Zhang's work is inspired by the little things of Nature. Intertwined beneath the soft and gentle textures are the strength of an artist who maximises her imagination to the fullest!

4. Teng-Yuan Chang (張騰遠)

Thousands of years after the demolition of earth, Parrot Man and his team of archeologists set out on an expedition to study human's long-lost civilization. What the outer space creatures think of mankind may inspire us to look at our culture from a whole new perspective!

5. Lin Chuan-Chu (林銓居)

This is a series of photography, painting, and installation artwork created by Lin when he returned to his hometown after the passing of his father. "The River" serves as a symbolic axis in which the confinements of time are transcended by the similar experiences Lin and his father had shared.

6. Hsin-Wen Hsu (許馨文)

Before becoming an artist, Hsu worked as animation and visual designer for many years. While incorporating this experience into her artwork, Hsu has also deconstructed the physical confinement of graphics in creating picturesque works of art. The "Sounds of the Vein" series asks the viewer to reflect upon the self as well as the social and educational systems.

7. Han-Hong Tai (戴翰泓)

Much like the light that exists to others only through cracks, Tai describes himself as an artist who survives within the margins of society. The margins, however, serve as a perfect space for philosophical contemplation of life, identity, and unidentified possibilities. "Peeking Light," on the one hand, is the artist's attempt to reach out to the world; on the other, it is his personal search for his inner self.

8. Biaugust (兩個八月) - Owen Chuang (莊瑞豪) & Cloud Lu (盧袗雲)

Biaugust is a two person art workshop formed by Owen Chuang (莊瑞豪) and Cloud Lu (盧袗雲). The "Good Hearted Man" is an ambassador from outer space who has come to study man's environment. The mirror beneath the piece shows the Man's a smiling face, which sits in sharp contrast with the large amount of garbage gathered from earth. Through this piece, which was created entirely with recycled material, the designers hope to raise concern for the environment in which we live.

9. Hsin-Chien Huang (黃心健)

Using an interactive infrared camera, "Expression Chassis" turns the spectator into the performer as the mechanic face changes its expression according to the spectator's facial movement. The piece attempts to catch the specific moment in which the watcher suddenly realises that he/she is being watched.

10. Magda Sayeg (瑪格妲‧賽耶)

Magda Sayeg is an internationally recognized artists from the United States whose crochet/knitted artwork has been featured in the streets of many counties. In coming to Taiwan, Sayeg gave new life to a traditional Taiwanese street-food cart. Located in the 1st Student Activity Center cafeteria, the vibrant cart has created some interesting dialogues among NTU students.

11. Pao-Chun Liu 劉柏村

The almighty Buddhist Warrior is the incarnation of all that is strong and powerful. Yet in Liu's work, the paper-created god, with its fluid lines and curvy figure, features both strength and tenderness. Meanwhile, the leaf in its hand stands for human's dialogue with nature.

12. Fang-Yi Chu (朱芳毅)

Featuring soil as the main medium, Chu's work takes the form of images and sculptures. The "Pseudo-Object" series explores the relationship that objects and symbolism have with reality, structure and simulacra. It also encourages the viewer to contemplate the body's instinctive and most initial reactions upon the reading of unknown images.

13. Iyo Kacaw (伊祐‧噶照)

Using natural driftwood, Iyo Kacaw's recent artwork convey the belief that roots serve as the source of life as well as the key element to the tree's stability and sustainability. Even when roots perish, the remains nourish the soil, allowing for the birth of the next generation to come.

14. Chin-Ting Chou (邱君婷)

In this piece, the images of Chou's daydream jumps out of the frame and into our campus environment. In letting her imagination run wild, Chou creates a perfect world where mystic creatures of all sorts live in peace and harmony.