策展介紹

撰文：葉明勳

前言

走在無人的海濱，海風和浪濤接連襲來。空氣中除了濕與鹹外，還多了消毒用酒精和不知哪來的人工香氛味道。低頭看，是個被遺棄的口罩。

世界似乎因這場疫情而沈潛了下來，你看著眼前充滿皺褶的時間之海，沈吟著此次人類的迂緩與低潮究竟還要持續多久？究竟何時才能再一次，呼吸到自由的空氣？

這一切從不同尺度上觀看的起伏與進退，在生命的歷程裡都是皺褶：從具象的風浪洶湧和星軌往返，到抽象的人生起伏與歷史洪流。每一次的停頓、後退看似重演，卻是在另一個向度上的折疊。

因此我們可以看到吳寬墩醫師近年來的創作主軸，從疫情下無人的海濱和山景，到神蹟寓言的天啓與救贖；從帝國文明的競擇與消亡，到白色恐怖後的正義與撫慰。一手聽診，一手執筆，透過吳醫師筆下那些符號象徵和寓言隱喻，我們看到每一筆生活的停頓，每一畫歷史的交疊，都是一道道生命的皺褶。這些作品讓我們沈思，讓我們反省，讓我們在每一個生命皺褶之間，找到光能照進來的縫隙。

或許，當我們從美學角度檢視法國後結構主義大師德勒茲（Gilles Deleuze）的「皺褶理論」（Le Pli）時，那畫布上每一個交點與相疊，無論是細膩抑或粗獷，其實都讓我們的心靈與智識在每條生命線密密交織下，隨風展開飛向自由的羽翼。

皺摺

「我第一次的畫展大概都是非常個人的，除了自己親人的受難以外，對社會的議題著墨非常少。所以想說一個藝術家，或者是一個用藝術來表達你對於各種事情的看法的人，應該做什麼事情？」－藝術家吳寬墩醫師

或許對大多將「藝文創作」當作工作之餘閒暇做為興趣發展的人來說，「創作」充其量能夠作為壓力的抒發或是生活的紀錄，已是難得。但對吳寬墩醫師來說，在藝術創作專業上的長期訓練與深入思考，早已超出「閒暇興趣」太多。

手執畫筆近五十年的時光裡，吳寬墩醫師累積的不只是作品的數量而已，還有生活的經驗、生命的轉折、觀點的切換、以及生命的體會。就像所有花很長時間持續不斷地做某件事的人一樣，無論是創作主題、技巧運用、或形式轉變，吳醫師也遇到停頓、思索、或是亟需突破的困境。事隔多年繞了一大圈，再就同樣主題發揮，會創作出截然不同的景象。因此，當開拓新疆土後再重新出發時，從上方往下俯視，看似繞了一圈回到原點。但從側面來看，卻已盤旋而上，進入新的領空。這盤旋而上的不只是技巧，更多、更深刻的是眼界、是思想的自由、更是藝術高度的積累。

因此，在吳醫師的繪畫創作裡，你會看到風景、靜物、人物、還有更多的超現實或藏有大量符號意象的主題創作。吳醫師不斷地創作，將他關注的各種生活與社會議題，透過不同的形式來呈現。而這一次次不斷的來回積累，早已層層堆積出深刻的生命體悟。

作為策展人，在面對這用藝術層層堆積出來的生命塊壘時，我倒像是一個地質學家，試著緩緩切開眼前的山巒，從剖面解析吳醫師是如何透過畫筆來「看」我們也同樣「看到」的世界，才發現在那層層疊疊不斷來回盤旋而上的皺褶裡，有頓悟、有反思、有困頓的低語、也有自由的呼求。我看到的，不是一個將「藝文創作」當作工作之餘閒暇興趣發展的醫師，而是將畢生所學所聞，以及從醫路上與社會各階層大量對話後的生命體悟，化作藝術創作的藝術家。一手拿聽診器、一手拿畫筆，吳醫師對生命與藝術的態度、對繪畫技巧與境界的追尋，以及那種願意與病人對話、聆聽並同理不同社會階層聲音、並嘗試不同創作主題素材的開放心胸，成為我眼前這每一道皺褶，能夠不間斷、堆積成真誠反映藝術家心與眼所看到世界的緣由。

於是當我開始思考，要以怎樣的角度來策劃吳醫師此次的個展時，吳醫師那以「熨斗」為主題的「撫平」系列新作，恰好給了我主題的靈感。吳醫師在該系列作品中，將「熨斗」化作各種不同的意象：有為家人付出親情的意象、有新與舊的傳承與對抗、有執政者用來壓抑人民突出思想與聲音的工具、更有歷史與失去的傷痕要如何撫平的探求……。當吳醫師以熨斗作為一種多重隱喻的符號時，我便嘗試用「皺褶」的各種具象與抽象意涵來呼應，在不同尺度下，從文明、環境、歷史、最後回到個人生命與精神自由的角度，用四大皺褶主題來闡述吳醫師在藝術創作上，不同面向剖面後所展開的各種生命皺褶。

除文字外，我亦嘗試運用個人在影像創作上的專業，以吳醫師訪談的紀錄資料為基底，結合現代舞蹈的詮釋，用影像創作出一支多層次的視聽呈現。期待能透過這不只是紀錄的「另一種皺褶」，從策展人的角度，帶給觀眾觀看吳寬墩醫師畫作，一種獨特的視角。

Written by: Yeh Ming-Hsun

Preface

Walking along the deserted seaside, the sea breeze and waves strike one after another. In the air, besides the dampness and salt, there is also the scent of disinfectant and some unknown artificial fragrance. Looking down, I see a discarded face mask.

The world seems to have sunk into stillness due to this pandemic. You gaze at the wrinkled sea of time ahead, pondering how long this human slowdown and low tide will last. When will we once again breathe in the air of freedom?

These fluctuations and retreats, viewed from different scales, are all wrinkles in the journey of life: from the tangible surging waves and the movement of stars, to the abstract rises and falls of human existence and the currents of history. Every pause and retreat seems to repeat itself, yet it is a fold in another dimension.

Thus, we can see the central themes of Dr. Wu Kuan-Dun’s recent works—ranging from the deserted beaches and mountain landscapes during the pandemic, to divine allegories of revelation and salvation; from the competition and collapse of imperial civilizations to the justice and healing after the White Terror. With one hand holding the stethoscope and the other the paintbrush, through Dr. Wu’s symbols and allegorical metaphors, we see every pause in life and every intersection of history as a wrinkle in the fabric of life. These works make us reflect, make us introspect, and allow us to find the gaps where light can enter between each wrinkle of life.

Perhaps, when we view the “Fold” theory of French post-structuralist philosopher Gilles Deleuze from an aesthetic perspective, we realize that every intersection and overlap on the canvas, whether delicate or bold, allows our hearts and intellects to unfold, woven together by the many lines of life, catching the winds and soaring freely like wings.

Wrinkles

“My first exhibitions were very personal, focusing little on social issues except the suffering of my own family. So I thought, as an artist or someone who uses art to express their views on various matters, what should they do?” – Artist Dr. Wu Kuan-Dun

For most people who treat “artistic creation” as a hobby outside of work, “creation” might only serve as a way to relieve stress or record daily life, which is already a rarity. But for Dr. Wu Kuan-Dun, the long-term training and deep thought involved in artistic creation have long surpassed the level of a mere “hobby.”

In his nearly fifty years of holding the paintbrush, Dr. Wu has accumulated not just the quantity of works, but also life experiences, turning points, shifts in perspective, and a deeper understanding of existence. Like anyone who spends a long time continuously working on something, whether it be creative themes, techniques, or forms, Dr. Wu has faced pauses, contemplation, or the urgent need for breakthroughs. After many years, revisiting the same theme can result in a completely different image. Therefore, after venturing into new territories and starting again, from a high vantage point, it may seem like a return to the original point. But from the side, one would see that it is a spiral upward into new territory. This upward spiral is not just about technique, but more about vision, the freedom of thought, and the accumulation of artistic depth.

Thus, in Dr. Wu’s paintings, you will see landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and even surreal works filled with symbols and metaphors. Dr. Wu continues to create, presenting various aspects of life and social issues through different forms. Each time he revisits these topics, they have already layered and accumulated into profound insights about life.

As a curator, facing these layers of life accumulated through art, I feel like a geologist, slowly cutting through the mountain ranges before me, analyzing how Dr. Wu, through his paintbrush, “sees” the world that we also “see.” I realize that within those overlapping layers of continuous spirals, there are moments of epiphany, reflections, the murmurs of struggles, and the cries for freedom. What I see is not an artist who treats “artistic creation” as a hobby outside of work, but rather an artist who transforms a lifetime of knowledge, experiences from his medical journey, and dialogues with various social strata into artistic creations. With one hand holding the stethoscope and the other the paintbrush, Dr. Wu’s attitude toward life and art, his pursuit of painting techniques and realms, and his willingness to engage in dialogue with patients, empathizing with voices from different social classes, and experimenting with different creative themes and materials, all contribute to the layers of wrinkles that accumulate, ultimately forming a sincere reflection of the world as seen through the artist’s heart and eyes.

Thus, when I began to think about how to curate Dr. Wu’s solo exhibition, his new series of works, themed around the “Iron” and titled “Pressing,” gave me the inspiration for the theme. In this series of works, Dr. Wu transforms the “Iron” into various symbolic meanings: the dedication of family affection, the confrontation between the new and the old, the tools used by rulers to suppress people’s outspoken thoughts and voices, and the exploration of how to soothe the scars of history and loss. When Dr. Wu uses the iron as a multifaceted metaphor, I try to use the various concrete and abstract meanings of “wrinkles” to correspond. On different scales, from the perspectives of civilization, environment, history, and ultimately back to personal life and spiritual freedom, I use the four major wrinkle themes to explore Dr. Wu’s various life wrinkles as reflected in his artistic creations.

In addition to the text, I also try to use my expertise in visual media, basing the work on the interview records with Dr. Wu, combining modern dance interpretation, and creating a multi-layered audiovisual presentation. I hope to offer the audience a unique perspective on Dr. Wu Kuan-Tun’s paintings through this “other wrinkle” that is not just a record, but a curator’s interpretation.