Cui-Xiang

Cui-Xiang
翠香

3D printing models, VHS tape (found object), single-channel video on a projector (HD, black-and-white, sound, looped), single-channel video on a TV screen (HD, color, silent, looped) | single-channel video on a projector 11’ 50” | single-channel video on a TV screen 9’ 21” | 3D printing models (3 pieces in a set) 40×30×5 cm | 2017

3D 列印模型、VHS 錄影帶（拾得物）、單頻道動態影像投影（HD，黑白，有聲，循環播放）、單頻道動態影像以電視螢幕播放（HD，彩色，無聲，循環播放）

Cui-Xiang explores the use of VHS videotapes, which were once widely used for recording our personal life narratives. These tapes became a common format for archives. By working with an old family videotape discovered at home, the artist attempts to break away from the linear timeline of the tape’s images. Instead, they blend personal memories and artistic elements, leaving room for viewers’ imagination to participate. This exploration aims to understand the relationship between images and our perceptions, as well as the interplay between images and reality.

The title “Cui-Xiang” is the name of the artist’s deceased family member. In the artwork, the artist selectively keeps only the segments featuring Cui-Xiang, removing the rest of the content from the tape. These preserved segments are transformed into an installation that revolves around Cui-Xiang’s life narratives. The installation includes two moving images and objects arranged in a way that resembles an archival display.

One of the moving images is projected onto a screen and shows the black-and-white visual noise extracted from the gaps in the video tape. It is accompanied by a voice-over narration and subtitles. The voice-over describes the recorded content on the video tape, while the subtitles incorporate subjective descriptions related to Cui-Xiang. The other moving image is displayed on a television screen, featuring flickering glimpses of Cui-Xiang’s presence. Additionally, the artist transforms other footage featuring Cui-Xiang into 3D-printed sculptures, creating abstract and indistinct objects.

VHS 錄影帶作為曾經廣泛流通的影像格式，將我們部份的生命敘事紀錄在一種媒體的框架當中，成為常規的檔案形式。以一卷在家中找到的陳舊家庭錄影帶為基礎，藝術家在作品《翠香》中試圖打散錄影帶的線性時間軸上固有的影像敘事結構，交織個人主觀的記憶描述和造型元素，並以大量留白開放他人的想像參與其中。以此探討從影像到想像之間，或者從影像到真實之間，重組、碎裂和混雜的關係。

標題「翠香」是藝術家已逝親人的名字，藝術家去除錄影帶大部分的內容，僅保留翠香出現的片段，重製為以翠香的生命敘事為主的影像裝置。它包含兩部動態影像，以及仿造檔案擺放的物件。

其中一部以投影放映的影像是擷取錄影帶中空缺的黑白雜訊，搭配旁白和字幕。旁白講述著錄影帶紀錄的事物；字幕則穿插其它和錄影帶無關，卻和翠香有關的主觀描述。另一部以電視螢幕播放的影像是翠香不斷晃動的殘影。其餘翠香出現的畫面，皆以數位製造的方式轉化為 3D 列印雕塑，形成模糊不清的塊狀物體。

旁白｜黃崧瑀
收音｜楊傑懷
英文字幕｜張祖晨、蕭堯
3D 建模｜李金沛、竹工凡木
3D 列印執行｜蔡詠興
燈箱製作｜許家豪
視覺設計｜陳語軒
展場空間設計｜莊立豪