Artworks / Writings
“Per/Con-ceptual Body” is composed of two sets of video images in juxtaposition. In this work, I throw and catch a small ball to and from myself. The simple actions of throwing and catching a ball actually involve a series of very complicated sensory operation - visual, touch and the motor control of the activities of the body. However, all these are personal perceptual experiences. It cannot be described objectively. To transform one’s own perceptual experience into messages that can be communicated with the other, a process of shared conceptualization is needed. With regard to the action of throwing and catching an object, it is the understanding of the actions through concepts such as speed, direction, distance and so on, all based on our own perceptual systems
The action of throwing and catching is presented as imagery through the medium of video. This involves a process of materialization. It transforms the action of throwing and catching from the perceptual experience by the self to a phenomenon that is ‘illustrated’. When this phenomenon is communicated to the perceptual system of the audience - the other, through visual imagery unaccompanied by motor actions, the circuit of Perception, Conception and Expression is activated (the interpretation of the audience is his/her expression). Thus, meaning is formed in this conceptual framework of understanding the work.
“Per/Con-ceptual Body” makes use of two sets of video images to keep repeating the action of throwing and catching by two “I”s. The two bodies move back and forth endlessly to capture the pathway of the movement of the small ball in the air. This embodies the restriction of time and space on the body. It is a kind of Sisyphusian helplessness[1]. However, whenever the small ball is thrown out of the frame, goes beyond it and falls into another frame, an unknown and unseen field between the two frames is formed. It seems that time and space cannot have any effect here because the activity of the small ball in time and space is cut off. Only imagination can perceive this as continuing. To me, the visible visual presentation of this work may be used to manifest this invisible field of the imagination.
[1] From the Myth of Sisyphus in ancient Greek, Sisyphus’ punishment for defying the Gods was to roll a huge boulder up a mountain, except that once he reached the top, the boulder would roll back down the hill for him to start again, so his task was never-ending.
《感知/身體/概念》由兩組並置的錄像畫面所構成,顯示我自已向自已拋接一個小球的動作。簡單的拋接動作,其實涉及一連串相當複雜的感官操作(視覺、觸覺以及身體能動力的整體調控)。但這一切只限於個人的感知經驗,它甚致不能被客觀描述。要將自身感知經驗,轉化成能夠與他者溝通的訊息,往往需要一個概念化conceptualization的過程(正如在知覺現象學的進路一章中提到,幾何學作為一種概念,有助我們了解空間經驗,並就此進行溝通)。就拋接物件的動作而言,就是以速度、方向、距離等概念去理解動作。
拋接動作作為一種影像在錄像媒介中呈現,亦是一個物質化materialization的過程,它使拋接動作由自身的感知經驗,轉變為可以被陳述的現象,當這現象以不同的感官訊息(在錄像作品中,就是視聽訊息)傳到觀眾(他者)的知覺系統,知覺、概念與表達的迴路就被啟動(觀眾的詮釋就是他/她的表達),意義就在此理解作品的概念框架中得以形成。
《感知/身體/概念》以兩組錄像畫面不斷重覆兩個我之間的拋接動作,兩個身體無止地前後移動以捕捉小球在空中活動的軌跡,體現了時間與空間對身體的限制,是一種薜西弗斯Sisyphus式的無助感。然而,每當小球被拋出畫面frame,經過畫面以外,再跌進另一個畫面,兩個畫面之間,就形成一個未可知;不可見的界域field,時間與空間彷彿不能在此發生作用(因為小球在時空中的活動被截斷),能夠發生作用的,就只有想像力。對我而言,這件作品可見的視覺呈現,或許就是用以顯示這不可見的想像界域(field of imagination)。