第18屆台新藝術獎，視覺、表演及年度大獎揭曉

台新藝術獎視覺藝術得獎作品《委託製作》，藝術家陳以軒（左一）；年度大獎得獎作品再拒劇團《明白歌》，領獎人曾彥寧、黃思農、林欣怡（左二至左四）；表演藝術獎得獎作品《群眾》，領獎人李慈湄、王序平、Heimi Fita與田孝慈（右一至右四）

以獎勵卓越藝術性、人文關注與時代精神的台灣當代藝術指標性獎項「台新藝術獎」，6月6日從17組入圍作品當中，揭曉「第18屆台新藝術獎」得主，分別為獎金各100萬元的視覺及表演藝術獎，以及獎金150萬元的年度大獎：

視覺藝術獎 │ 陳以軒《委託製作-陳以軒個展》
表演藝術獎 │ 王世偉《群眾》@2019 松菸Lab新主義
年度大獎 │ 再拒劇團《明白歌│走唱白色記憶：未竟的故人事與未來歌》

由於全球性疫情影響，今年決選團首度全數由國內委員組成，由紀錄片導演也是首屆台新藝術獎得主黃明川擔任主席，獨立策展人徐文瑞、舞蹈學者陳雅萍、劇評人陳正熙、鋼琴家王佩瑤，以及本屆提名團代表─文化評論人吳介祥與劇評人白斐嵐等專業人士組成決選團，兩日決選會議中，七位委員針對入圍作品展開多輪辯論，從作品藝術性、思維與形式之創新、與受眾的能量動態、環境空間的運用，同時思索作品如何反映藝術之於當代社會的映照關係，三大獎項由此應運而生。

第一個揭曉頒布的「視覺藝術獎」，由陳以軒於鳳甲美術館個展《委託製作》獲獎，是藝術家試圖反轉委託主與接案者，俗稱甲方與乙方之間關係的幽默之作；反應出當前藝文工作者時常面臨的主顧關係與生存樣態。評選團認為：「陳以軒的《委託製作》從藝術家的創作處境出發，反思藝術生態現實，藝術家們彼此連結奧援，除了反映在日常生活的同儕情誼外，也在創作生涯上，共同形成一個橫跨不同文化生產領域的斜槓世代，是藝術界的現實切面，更是當代社會的縮影。作品結合參與式的共作、誇張的表演、對「專業格式」的反諷、流動的鏡頭、細膩搭配音樂與動作影像，讓錄像裝置空間變成電影畫面般的生動場景，把現實世界帶入美術館，也使藝術空間交纏在影像社會的網絡中。」


視覺藝術獎作品  陳以軒《委託製作-陳以軒個展》


林曼麗董事頒發獎項予視覺藝術獎得主－陳以軒《委託製作》

第二個揭曉頒布的是「表演藝術獎」，由劇場導演王世偉主創，與編舞家田孝慈、聲音設計李慈湄、及燈光設計Helmi Fita共同完成的劇場作品《群眾》獲獎， 評選團認為：「王世偉主創的《群眾》集結優秀藝術家，發揮豐沛創作能量，精彩實踐集體創作，整體製作完整卓越，並能充分運用空間潛能；由遠觀欣賞到近身相伴，邀請觀眾鼓勇面對社會運動中，幽微的個人生命情境，在激昂對抗與孤獨壓抑之間，召喚繼續堅持的希望。演出真摯動人，並能從獨特視角，切入審視個人在群體中的自我意識，激情、疏離，又不落入政治表態窠臼，謹慎避免沈溺自憐，回應騷動的全球局勢，體驗並重新省思抗爭之個人與社會意義。」


表演藝術獎  王世偉《群眾》@2019 松菸Lab新主義


吳靜吉董事(左一)頒發獎項予表演藝術獎作品－《群眾》，由共創團隊代表(左二至右) 舞者田孝慈、製作人王序平、聲音設計李慈湄、燈光設計Heimi Fita領獎，現場並與位於巴黎的王世偉連線

「年度大獎」由再拒劇團《明白歌│走唱白色記憶：未竟的故人事與未來歌》從十七組入圍作品中獲得桂冠。《明白歌》由黃思農身兼導演及編劇，蔣韜負責音樂設計暨樂手，同時也參與編劇，與促進轉型正義委員會合作，走訪當年故事現場，將信件、自白書、遺書、審訊筆錄等白色恐怖政治檔案與歷史口訪紀錄，藉由民間唸歌、說書並結合當代戲劇形式，串接成多音交響的對話場域。評選團一致認為：「再拒劇團《明白歌》 將沉重的白色恐怖文獻，轉化為流暢深刻、節奏明晰的聲音劇場。作品結合口語文化、民謠唸唱和報告劇，以簡易的舞台、準確的符號意象，與四位表演者的靈活調度，藉由說演與吟唱再述無數受難者檔案，素樸地還原文獻的原始視角，傳遞了複雜糾纏的時空因素和政治環境。《明白歌》重返現場，讓個體的傷痛在經歷時代噤聲之後，明白召喚出以聲述史的傳承力量，抗拒遺忘與冷漠，舉重若輕地完成艱困的歷史敘事。」


年度大獎  再拒劇團《明白歌｜走唱白色記憶：未竟的故人事與未來歌》


台新藝術基金會創辦人吳東亮 (右一) 揭曉並頒發年度大獎予再拒劇團《明白歌｜走唱白色記憶：未竟的故人事與未來歌》 (左起) 行銷曾彥寧、製作人林欣怡、編導黃思農

劇場導演李建常擔任今年頒獎典禮現場總策劃，以環形劇場的結構，參與式錄影棚的形式，賦以繽紛溫馨的色彩，帶來團聚與春天的意象；曾獲金鐘獎綜合節目主持人獎的曾寶儀擔任今年典禮主持人，典禮現場表演節目，邀請布拉瑞揚舞團以2019年獲台新藝術獎年度大獎作品《路吶Luna》中重要橋段《我的報戰功》，轉化為儀典特別演出，八位舞者在現場古調繚繞，藉由作品也祝福所有的入圍者。「第18屆台新藝術獎」專網可欣賞頒獎實況影片，並追蹤了解所有入圍及得獎作品。


第18屆台新藝術獎頒獎典禮邀請布拉瑞揚舞團演出去年大獎作品《路吶Luna》中重要橋段《我的報戰功》


第18屆台新藝術獎頒獎典禮環形劇場設計


第18屆台新藝術獎頒獎典禮─ 三大獎得主與台新藝術基金會董事、評選委員合影


第18屆台新藝術獎專網：http://award.taishinart.org.tw/
第18屆台新藝術頒獎典禮實況：https://youtu.be/UL8g0UVXcKo
第18屆台新藝術頒獎典禮側記：https://talks.taishinart.org.tw/award/bulletin/2020060803
台新銀行文化藝術基金會Facebook 粉絲專頁:https://www.facebook.com/TAISHINART/

The 18^th Taishin Arts Award Announced Laureates of
Visual and Performing Arts Awards and Annual Grand Prize

Against Again Troupe’s White Clear Song Takes Home the Annual Grand Prize for Its Seemingly Light Yet Penetrating Singing of Heavy History.

The Three Awards Reflect Contemporary Social Issues.

 Known for honoring outstanding artistry, humanistic engagement and contemporary spirit, Taiwan’s benchmark contemporary arts award, the prestigious Taishin Arts Award, announced the laureates of the 18^th Taishin Arts Award, selected from seventeen finalists on June 6. They are:

The Visual Arts Award: CHEN I-Hsuen, Commissioned—I-Hsuen Chen Solo Exhibition (NT$ 1 million monetary award)
The Performing Arts Award: WANG Shih-Wei, Masses (NT$ 1 million monetary award)
The Annual Grand Prize: Against Again Troupe, White Clear Song (NT$ 1.5 million monetary award)

Due to the impact of the global pandemic, this year’s jury committee was entirely formed by jurors from Taiwan. Chaired by documentary director and the recipient of the first edition of the Taishin Arts Award, HUANG Ming-Chuan, the professional jury committee included independent curator Manray HSU, dance scholar CHEN Ya-Ping, theater critic CHEN Cheng-Hsi, pianist WANG Pei-Yao, and two representatives of this year’s nominators, cultural critic WU Chieh-Hsiang and theater critic Siraya PAI. During a two-day meeting convened for the final selection, the seven jurors entered in multiple rounds of debate about the works, discussing their artistry, the innovativeness of the creative concept and form, the dynamics among the audience and the use of environment and space, along with how these works have reflected the relationship between arts and contemporary society. Through such a process, the three awards were born.

The first award announced and presented was the Visual Arts Award, which was given to CHEN I-Hsuen’s Commissioned—I-Hsuen Chen Solo Exhibition staged at Hong-gah Museum. The artist reversed the roles of commissioners and those that were commissioned, creating a humorous portrayal of the relationship between the so-called “Party A” and “Party B” in ordinary contracts while reflecting the employer-employee relation and common situations encountered by contemporary arts and cultural workers. According to the jury committee, “Commissioned—I-Hsuen Chen Solo Exhibition departs from the artist's working conditions and reflects on the art eco-system, where the artist and his peers are interconnected and mutually supportive in daily life, and belong together to a generation of “slashies” across various cultural production fields in their creative careers. This is not only the reality of the art world but also a microcosm of contemporary society. Intermingling participatory co-productions, extravagant actions, sarcasms of "professional formula," flowing shots, delicately synched music and motion images, Chen turns the video installation into a vivid movie scene, bringing the real world into the museum, while entangling the art space in the cobweb of image society.”

The Performing Arts Award was announced next, and was awarded to the theatrical work, Masses, created by theater director WANG Shih-Wei with choreographer TIEN Hsiao-Tzu, sound designer LEE Tzu-Mei and light designer Helmi FITA. The jury committee gave the following comment, “Wang Shih-Wei’s Masses is a collective performance featuring abundant creative energies of four outstanding artists. The production fully exploits the spatial potential of the venue. Watching from afar or immersed in close range, the audience is invited to bravely face the nuances of personal life amid street protests. Caught in between fierce confrontation and solitary repression, the sole protester calls for hope to persist. The performance sincerely examines the self-awareness, passion and alienation of individuals in the mass, without falling into the cliché of blatant political statement or self-indulgence. While responding to the global unrest, Masses takes the audience to re-experience and re-think the personal and the social of being in a street struggle.”

Out of seventeen finalists, Against Again Troupe, with their work White Clear Song, became this year’s laureate to take home the Annual Grand Prize. White Clear Song was directed and written by Snow HUANG. CHIANG Tao, who also took part in the playwriting of this work, designed the music and was a musician in the performance. Collaborated with the Transitional Justice Commission, the troupe visited sites of stories from the past and employed folk singing, storytelling and the contemporary theatrical form to interweave archives and oral history records of White Terror, including letters, confessions, farewell notes and depositions, constructing a polyphonic site of dialogue. The jury committee unanimously agreed that “transforming the heaviness of White Terror archives into a fluent, profound sound theater, Against Again Troupe’s White Clear Song is an artful blend of story-telling, folk songs and reportage theatre. The work recounts the stories of victims through monologues, dialogues and singing on a makeshift stage with effective symbolic images and flexible mise-en-scène by four performers. It unadornedly restores the original perspectives of the archives to convey the complex and entangled realities of our past. White Clear Song revisits history to relieve the individual's grief after decades of silencing, to clearly summon the power of oral history, and to resist oblivion and apathy. As the sound lingers, the work materializes a difficult narrative of history with an amazing light touch.”

Theater director Lakuz LEE served as the ceremony’s chief producer. Adopting the structure of circular theater and the form of participatory TV studio, the ceremony exuded splendid and warm colors, conveying the imagery of reunion and springtime. TSANG Bowie, the winner of Best Variety Show Host of the Golden Bell Awards, was this year’s ceremony host. During the ceremony, Bulareyaung Dance Company performed an important part called “Mapulaung” (literally, “my battle achievements”) from Luna, which won the Annual Grand Prize of the 2019 Taishin Arts Award, transforming the rite into a special performance. Immersed in ancient indigenous tunes, the eight dancers performed their work while wishing all finalists the best in the ceremony. The live recording of the award ceremony can be viewed on the website of “The 18^th Taishin Arts Award,” where more detailed information about the finalists and their works can be found.

Official website of the 18^th Taishin Arts Award: http://18award.taishinart.org.tw/
Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture FACEBOOK fan page: https://business.facebook.com/TAISHINART/?business_id=237325613499441&ref=bookmarks