見證者—楊子弘個展
Witnesses — Yang Tzu Hung Solo Exhibition
● 開幕時間 Opening：2015.01.10 (Sat.)
開幕茶會Opening Reception19:00
舞蹈表演Performance 20:00
● 展覽時間Date：2015.01.10 – 02.01 11:00－18:00 (週一公休 Closed：Monday)
● 展覽地點Venue：台北國際藝術村百里廳 Taipei Artist Village Barry Room
● 藝術家名稱Artist：楊子弘 Yang Tzu Hung
此展覽是2014年由「台北藝術進駐國內人才出訪計畫」獎助至日本橫濱BankART1929駐村的成果發表。
展覽場地以我在駐村期間，遇到的兩件影響我當時創作上的轉捩點做為切割，並非強調個人原先的創作脈絡，
而以個人駐村的生活經驗闡述自然、文化與距離的衝擊，其一為太陽花學運，其二則是被暴風雪覆蓋的城市。
遠在他鄉，如何透過藝術創作與社會運動連結？以一種曾在現場的姿態與之產生關聯？
展覽名稱源自於我哥哥在2014年3月25日太陽花學運期間，抗爭民眾與他被警方用水柱驅離後，
在臉書上刊登的一則動態消息「見證」：
我是一個爸爸，有一個1歲半的男孩。
當晚見到行政院被攻佔，二話不說先告知老婆又即將北上，其後打給我老闆請假(立場堅硬擺明著要罷工)，
立刻集結同志們北上，身邊的人都會跟我說你有家有孩子的人為什麼要跟著去？ 去成大靜坐也很好啊？
經過這個晚上，可以確確實實地回答這些人的質疑。
如果不在現場，無法確認國家腐爛到什麼程度。
如果不在現場，無法體會30年前參與美麗島需要多少勇氣。
如果不在現場，不知道身後有數百同胞手握的有同樣的價值、信念。
驅離一人只要五秒鐘，犧牲的目的是爭取黎明升起。
如果不在現場，無法在人生銀行累積民主精神，在孩子懂事後將種子埋在心裡。
「見證」 By 楊子玄
以這段文字做為開端，我將學運當時的實事、相關網路訊息、個人情緒與美術知識結合，做為展覽中畫作紀錄的材料。
觀者不論是否曾經到過現場，也不論過去、現在或未來，結合日本宗教中手持蠟燭進入洞穴中修行的習俗展示尊重與關懷，
讓觀者手持蠟燭做為「見證者」見證台灣民眾這段爭取民主的歷程；
倘若沒有觀者，就失去了留下這段歷史的意義，也顯示了民主與公民之間密切的關係；
「見證者」此次回台灣再次展出，做為一個見證過去的展覽，加入舞蹈重新闡述當時的心境。
學運發生前，於該年2月8日我遇到日本媒體號稱十幾年來最大的一次暴風雪，
生平第一次親身經歷在被雪覆蓋的城市裡，雪堆改變了生活周遭習以為常的事物，重新活躍在我的腦海裡，
並結合駐村時一個人隻身在國外時的孤獨感受，透過創作重新闡述雪堆風景在我腦中被活絡的想像。
The exhibition was realized in Yokohama, Japan in 2014 during my residency at BankArt1929 supported by the Artist-In-Residence Taipei. The exhibition reflected two major incidents I came across during the residency: one of them being the Sunflower Student Movement, and the other a city enshrouded in snowy thunderstorm, which posed immense natural, cultural, and geographic shocks to me instead of emphasising my own creative context.
How does one connect art and social movements when he is away from hometown? And how does one picture himself in the actual scene and related to it? The name of the event originated from a newsfeed titled “witness” from my brother’s Facebook page in response to the mass police attack on the protesting throng with fierce water streams on March 25, 2014.
I am a father of a boy, who is one and a half years old. The night I saw the Executive Yuan being occupied, I dropped a quick message for my wife and left in no time for the scene. I also summoned a herd of my fellow pals and called my boss for permission of a long leave, which was a firm request for a strike though. Many people were curious about my impulse, given I am a man with a family to take care of. They wondered why I didn’t just kick off a sit-in protest at NCKU.
The night provided crystal answers to skepticism of many. If I weren’t there, I wouldn’t have realized how rusted this country is. If I weren’t there, I wouldn’t have recognized how much valor it took to participate in the Formosa Incident 3 decades ago. If I weren’t there, I wouldn’t have been touched by the deep, firm value and belief shared by thousands of my fellow people. It takes only a second or two to dismiss a person. The goal of our sacrifice is a dawn of hope.
If I weren’t there, I would have opened my democracy account and deposited valuable spirits in it, which I then could pass on to my offspring.
The Witnesses
Yang Tzu Hhsiuen
I included all the facts, online messages and personal feelings with the crystallization of my aesthetic knowledge as ingredients of my paintings. Whether the audience have been in the scene or not, they are asked to hold candles, as those Japanese religious practitioners paying tribute and care in caves, as witnesses of the entire democratization experience. The saga would have lost its historical significance without the witnesses, illustrating the proximity between democracy and the citizens. The exhibition Witnesses is now back in Taiwan, serving a testimony of the past and recounting the spiritual repercussions with a dance performance at the exhibition opening.
On February 8, just before the Student Movement, I came across a storm in Japan, which was considered by local media the most atrocious in the past decade or so. It was the first time I was ever stuck in a city covered by snow. The snow changed everything I felt familiar with and refreshed my memory, invigorating the loneliness of an artist living abroad on his own. I then interpreted my imagination of snow through creation.
Therefore, X=X. 
