「這青春」─ 蔡淑惠刺繡複合裝置計畫 The Youth ─ An Embroidery Installation Project by TSAI Shuhui

石瑞仁/台北當代藝術館 執行總監

【「這青春」—蔡淑惠刺繡複合裝置計畫】利用當代館戶外廣場的玻璃櫥窗，展出1999 至2014這十五年間陸續完成的24件刺繡創作，每件作品的尺寸雖然不大，但是在材料、形式、內容的應用和表現上各有特色風貌，將這24件作品集結在一個 大櫥窗中展出，除了發揮「小中現大」的作用、見微知著的意義，實際很能讓觀者在近距離的左顧右盼之中，發現傳統式微的刺繡工藝，在蔡淑惠的手中，已經有了 洋洋灑灑的各種藝術新風貌。

藝術家蔡淑惠是1997年初，從美國留學歸來前後，即在台灣參與多項重要展覽，並多次舉 行創作個展，因為作品富涵有女性主張、社會意識、跨界連結、互動機制等特質，而備受矚目和好評的台灣當代女藝術家之一。2000年之前，她所公開發表的作 品往往訴諸整個展出場域的運用和氣氛營造，因而給人一種「雖然閨閣，卻也大氣」的印象。2000年至今，她似乎進入了沉潛創作的另一階段，期間雖因擔任台 灣女性藝術協會幹部而陸續參與多次聯展，但直到今年終又恢復了舉辦個展發表創作的活動。相對於她上世紀末展出作品常見的大規格和大氣勢，這次的個展或顯得 袖珍和小巧，但這也反映了一個創作者心路歷程的轉折變化，和藝術實踐從社會層面回歸自我心性的另一抉擇。

蔡淑惠的刺繡創作，以尖銳的針為主要工具，細小的色線為基本材料，結合應用了羊毛氈、版 畫、串珠、樹枝、微噴輸出、個人毛髮等不同素材，發展出了從極簡語言到繁複樣式的不同作品風格。本次展出作品中，以單純自由散置的點作為語言要素的如 《紅‧塵》；結合環環相扣的線圈和放射性直線的如《環》；並用了人體圖像、繪畫和花草紋樣刺繡的如《腹語Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ》、《山脊》；串聯了現成物與刺繡概念 的如《燒餅油條》…等等。這些形式多樣、風格丕變的作品具體顯示了，蔡淑惠多年來除了窮究刺繡作為表現性藝術的各種可能性，似乎也有意透過不斷變易的語言 來強化和表達一種核心的情感。這次展出的24件作品，如說是她目前所找到的24種答案，基於她這種庶幾「格物致知」的態度和實踐方式，我們自然可以期待她 將後續開創出更多的作品樣式或藝術版本。

「刺繡」作為一種創作表現方式，外人想來總是受限於方方寸寸之間，因而很難快意揮灑，但 是蔡淑惠從中體會了「一針一世界；一線一天堂」的美感和悸動，並透過多年的創作實踐發現了——原來能到達最遠的地方就是自己！十幾年來，她以刺繡進行藝術 探索，用刺繡書寫個人日記，將刺繡從傳統的民俗文化、式微的手做工藝發展成個人心聲絮語的表達、情感記憶的書寫，乃至於一種藝術治療和心理救贖的儀式。本 展也是當代館廣場的「當代藝術櫥窗」啟用以來，首次推出的當代刺繡藝術創作展，這片櫥窗，除了提供藝術家展示創作的成果，也希望能讓觀眾洞視創作者不凡的 心靈！

J.J. Shih, Director of MOCA Taipei

The exhibition features 24 embroidery works that the artist has created from 1999 to 2014, which are showcased in the Art Window display on the MOCA Plaza. The pieces are small in size, but notable features are presented through each piece for the distinctive materials, styles, and contents used and their unique expressions. The 24 pieces are collectively showcased in the large window display, and in addition to allowing a collective sense of grandness to emerge from the small details, it is also a way for the audience to browse the artworks from an up-close distance and for them to discover how TSAI has revived the dying traditional art of embroidery with the various artistic expressions she has created. 

Around her return to Taiwan in 1997 from studying abroad in the U.S., TSAI Shuhui immediately began to engage in many important exhibitions in Taiwan, with the presentations of several solo exhibitions taking place. Because of the feminism, social awareness, cross-disciplinary connection, and interactive mechanism incorporated in her art, she has since been recognized as one of the most distinguished Taiwanese contemporary female artists. The artworks she has publically showcased prior to the year 2000 mostly involved the use of the entire exhibition space, with a specific ambiance created. The impression she projected through her artworks was a feeling that combined feminine and private qualities yet also exuded a sense of grandness. Since 2000 to present, she seems to have entered into another artistic phase, and although she has also participated in several group exhibitions during this period through her active role in the Taiwan Women's Art Association, TSAI is finally once again presenting her works in a solo exhibition this year. Compared to her large-scale and grand artworks from the late 20th century, this year’ssolo exhibition is comparatively petite and delicate, which reflects the shifts and turns that the artist has experienced, with her artistic practice reflecting her choice to revert from social aspects to a more personal internal approach.    

TSAI’s embroidery works are predominantly created with sharp needles and thin colored threads, with the incorporation of slivers, prints, beadings, branch, inkjet prints, artist’s hairs, and other various materials, resulting in a variety of styles composed with simple rhetoric and complex forms. The artworks featured in this exhibition include the Mortal Dust created mainly with freely dispersed dots; Ring created with interconnecting circular lines and radiating straight lines; Episode of Abdomen I, II, III and Ridges composed of images of the human figure, drawings, and embroidered patterns of flowers and vegetations; and Sesame Seed Cake and Fried Breadsticks comprised of readymade and embroidery. These diverse artworks show that in addition to her devotion in exploring the artistic possibilities with embroidery, TSAI is also dedicated in using continuously changing rhetoric to fortify and express a central feeling. The 24 artworks featured in this exhibition can be regarded as 24 answers she has come up with. From her relentless pursuit of knowledge to the way she actualizes her vision, we can expect many more diverse artworks from the artist in the future.           

To create art with embroidery is likely to be perceived by others as a rather restricting way to express oneself, with the gestures of the artist quite limited; however, along her creative journey, TSAI has experienced and realized what it means “To see a world in a needle-point, and a heaven in each thread.” Through her years dedicated in making art, she has come to the realization that through the self is the best way to reach the farthest destination! In over a decade of exploring art through embroidery and to write her personal journal through embroidery, TSAI has turned the dying craft of embroidery into a way to voice her inner thoughts and to record her personal memories; it has also become a ritual of art therapy and emotional salvation for her. This exhibition also marks the first time for the Art Window to exhibit contemporary embroidery works. In addition to showcasing artworks, we hope that this window will also offer a way for the audience to gaze into the extraordinary soul of more exhibiting artists!
 

創作自述

對我來說只要還有熱情，就是「青春」。

2004年醫師宣布我得了精神分裂症，每天都要按時服藥控制病情。出院後，重新開始了規 律的手工刺繡勞動。剛開始並不容易，雙手笨拙，繡線時常穿不過針孔，繡針時常不小心掉到滿地，繡線也糾結纏繞成一團…。好不容易繡完了，才發現問題…，一 切又要重新來過。就這樣繡完了拆、拆完了繡，來來回回好幾次才完成一件作品。

艱困的處境，一年、一年過去…，有一天覺得舒服、享受了，才發覺繡上了癮！ 在我生命經驗中，最驚喜和震懾的部分來自大自然。我想男女之愛也是屬於大自然的一部分。也許是刺繡時的沉寂，讓我重新面對了曾經歷的一段戀情：從我的身體 經驗開始，慾念竄流的交衝糾葛，兩次墮胎的傷痛咎責。這邊體會狂喜，那邊身陷囹圄。兩端極端矛盾的情感衝擊，交織穿引成一件件自傳式創作。透過刺入穿出的 手工針線勞動，吐洩身心的情累，沉澱清澄心念感知，為20年前的一段戀愛捧拾繡縫。嘗試在一次愛戀的舛誤後，一針一線再摸索出自己的輪廓，像是誕生了一個 又一個孩子。

因為無處躲藏，期盼20年後能為「這青春」作一註腳，映照了一段青春恣意、愛索纏縛的時 空，也是這些年對刺繡創作的實驗探索，將人生悲劇演成喜劇，從創作中獲得心靈的自在和釋放。猶如中國作家魯迅曾說：「遇見深林，可以闢成平地的；遇見曠 野，可以栽種樹木的；遇見沙漠，可以開掘井泉的。」

Artist Statement

As long as there is a passion, there is youth. 

In 2004, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia which could only be treated by regular medication. Being discharged from the hospital, I led a routine life with embroidery handwork. It was not easy at the beginning with my clumsy hands – neither could I thread nor hold a needle properly, leaving me with piles of tangled threads. Even if a piece of embroidery was barely made, I would find some problems that I had to unthread and redo, stitch by stitch, day by day, until the work was completed.

The moment I walk out of those doomy days, I feel relieved. I also realize I am addicted to embroidery!

My experiences in life have taught me that the Mother Nature inspires us with awe and wonder. To me, the intimacy between men and women is also part of the nature. The quiet moment during embroidery allows me to confront a relationship I once had: it incited my body to untamable desires as well as invincible pain and guilt caused by abortion twice. At times I was ecstatic but most of the time struggled. Two conflicting ends pulled off each other and interweaved into works of my own stories. Through the process of stitching, sufferings rooted in my soul for two decades have been discharged and a serene state of consciousness is reclaimed. Due to the mistake in love affair, I attempted to discover myself again by needles and threads. I created my works as if I gave birth to my children.

Nowhere on earth can I hide anymore. Therefore, after twenty years, I take this exhibition, The Youth, as an annotation to the time of passion and devotion as well as a celebration of my carefree and releasing soul. Embroidery is a journey that turns a tragedy in life to a comedy. A quote from Chinese writer Luxun crosses my mind: I see land for cultivation in woods; I see plantation in wilderness; I see wells dug in deserts.