Kaohsiung Container Art Festival Open Exhibition in Genoa and Los Angeles / 高雄藝術貨櫃至熱內亞和洛杉磯港參展
Kaohsiung Container Art Festival Open Exhibition in Genoa and Los Angeles
◎Text by Hsin-Yi Peng
◎Photo courtesy of Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
The Kaohsiung Container Art Festival is a cultural event that celebrates creative originality and strong local character. Since its launch in 2001, the biennial exhibition has become a signature art fiesta in Kaohsiung, sounding off the unique culture of this port city. Eight years and four exhibitions later, Kaohsiung residents have become accustomed to the sight of decorated containers as part of the backdrop of their city. It is time to share with other port cities around the world that this unassuming material can become artful creations! Last year, after the 2007 exhibition closed, the containers returned to the sea once more, however, they were on a different mission. This time, they served the important roles of cultural and sports ambassadors, advertising Kaohsiung's art achievement and the World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung. Carrying its environmentally-friendly theme from the 2007 exhibition, the containers onboard the container ship provided by Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation embarked on a journey to share the love for the Earth and the environment from Kaohsiung to the world.
The Theme of the 2007 Kaohsiung Container Art Festival was "Sustainable Cosmopolis: Eco-container Art Project". Invitations to the exhibition were extended to artists around the world who utilize all types of visual effects and decorative textures to transform the bland, inorganic containers into splashing artwork. With the collaboration between the host of the festival - Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts and the main sponsor of the event - Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp., the art containers departed from Port of Kaohsiung and made a stop in Genoa, Italy to share the container culture and art with this fellow port city between May 26th and June 10th, 2008. Each container is one of a kind and the blooming imagination and endless possibilities attracted the eyes of local people.
"Fifteen art containers from Kaohsiung stood at the harbors, on the streets, and in the plazas of Genoa, Italy, a port city not unlike Kaohsiung. The art containers came all the way from distant Kaohsiung, not only to advertise the World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung, but also to deliver a caring message about the Earth and the environment. Locals got a chance to reflect on their own lives from these containers, to appreciate the creativity that turned these cold steel boxes sitting at the docks into fun-filled art pieces that not only gave the onlookers a whole new impression but also inspired unlimited possibilities of imaginations...." said Fang-Ling Tseng, the event coordinator of Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, who went all the way to Genoa for the embarking press conference. The art containers from Kaohsiung, Taiwan will join another 24 containers from the European group "Container Art" to celebrate this container art festival.
Between September 5th and 25th, another art container will reach the Port of Los Angeles, also sponsored by Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. This container displays "It's a small world" in Chinese, English, Japanese, Thai, and Italian corresponding to the theme of the Los Angeles County Fair which focuses on children and life. With bright colors and playful, comic-like strokes, this container features a painting of people of all sizes, shapes and colors joined hand-in-hand which represents the beautiful image of different cultures and races coexisting peacefully in our global village. This container is highly favored by adults and children alike; it is the embodiment of the spirit of Kaohsiung: confident, energetic, and brimming with happiness. The message is clear: Come to Kaohsiung for the World Games 2009! We look forward to seeing you there!
高雄藝術貨櫃至熱內亞和洛杉磯港參展
◎文／王雅湘
◎圖片提供／高雄市立美術館
自2001年起，兩年一屆的高雄國際貨櫃藝術節，具有強烈的在地性與獨創性，已成為高雄別具特色的藝術活動，亦為這個海港城市高雄獨樹一幟的文化發聲。度過了四屆的貨櫃藝術節，民眾早已習慣變裝後的貨櫃為城市的一部份，但是其他港灣城市是否也看過熟悉的貨櫃變成藝術創作呢！去年貨櫃藝術節落幕後，它們再度回到海上，但這次扮演的角色變了，是以文化與運動大使的身分宣揚高雄貨櫃的藝術創作與2009世運在高雄的重要任務。透過陽明海運集團將貨櫃藝術作品自高雄港啟航，隨著貨櫃輪航向世界，讓去年以關懷地球環境為訴求的貨櫃作品傳遞出去。
透過向全球藝術家徵件，原本冰冷的貨櫃被賦予各種豐富的視覺元素和材質。以「永續之城：生態貨櫃創作計劃」為策展議題，主辦單位高雄市立美術館在陽明海運的贊助下，得以讓裝載著藝術貨櫃的貨櫃船，從高雄港啟航，於2008年5月26日至6月10日，與沿途的港口城市─義大利熱內亞城市交流分享同屬港口城市的貨櫃文化與藝術，這一只一只令人驚艷又新奇的藝術貨櫃，展現了無限可能的創意與想像，吸引當地民眾的目光。
「15只來自高雄的藝術貨櫃，矗立於義大利熱內亞人來人往的港口、街道上和廣場上，這個與高雄同為港口城市，藉由遠從高雄來的藝術貨櫃，傳達2009高雄世運以及關懷地球生態環境的各種訊息，讓當地人民得已從藝術貨櫃自我反思。對於平日在碼頭才能看得見的貨櫃，透過創作將冰冷的鐵盒變成充滿趣味的藝術品，付予觀賞者全然不同的感受和無限的想像空間。...」遠赴熱內亞港出席出航記者會的高美館展覽組組長同時也是出航行動策畫人曾芳玲表示，來自台灣高雄港的貨櫃藝術與歐洲Container Art 團體所策劃的另外８只貨櫃結合，24只貨櫃匯聚成一場貨櫃藝術盛宴。
9月5日至25日，著有中、英、日、泰、義文印記的「小小世界」藝術貨櫃，同樣由陽明海運免費運送至洛杉磯L.A.港，參與當地以節慶兒童與生活為主題的港口藝術節，這只運用粉嫩鮮明色彩，以漫畫式的活潑俏皮筆觸，勾勒大小不一人形手牽手，表現世界地球村，不同文化族群和平相處的美好意象的貨櫃，吸引大小朋友親密接觸，散發著高雄人的自信、活力與滿滿的幸福感，並傳達歡迎明年到高雄參與2009高雄世運的熱情訊息。