當我們為了生活奔走，通常是有事發生，我們才會注意到週遭環境的動態。我們的休閒時間愈來愈少，久久不曾用五官及記憶真實的去感受我們所在的環境。
台灣的經濟快速發展，如同亞洲其他國家一樣，城市架構的發展已超出了它本身所能負荷的能力。醫學證明，人類在如此快速的都會發展中，須要付出很大的代價，狹隘的生活空間造成嚴重的身體與心理壓力，生活的品質亦將受到嚴重的傷害。因此，目前已受國際上肯定的，好的公共空間設計，加上人性感觀的公共藝術，可以成為撫平無形創傷的良藥。
空間的感知能力，是人類與生俱來的。對於自然空間的缺乏，每個人的忍耐程度不同。我們自主性的選擇為群居動物，但在現實生活中，若這樣的選擇已變成重大的壓力，是否值得？不同的人們，各自找到適應環境而衍生的解決辦法，例如：都市高牆內大大小小的釣魚場、釣蝦場；大台北市民於節慶週休時回鄉，有如現代遊牧民族一般，希望在繁忙的生活步調中，找尋屬於自己的根源；流行的休閒娛樂場所，也不停快速的變換以符合廣大族群的需求；大批海外旅遊人口，探訪國際間各大自然國家公園及文化城市，有如尋夢之旅，以餵養心靈的需求。這所有的動作，都是在警告我們內在心靈能量的耗損程度及速度。有什麼是我們每天能做的，不需每個假期長途拔涉，或一年一度遠渡重洋，只為補給心靈能量，營造均衡良性的人際互動，協助個人的生活步調及共存共樂的居住品質。
都市規劃者做了很多努力，提醒當政者關注此問題，開始調整並回饋都市經濟發展所需的代價，例如已通過的“公共藝術百分比條例”。由各不同領域的思想家，在當下環境的條件下，共同提出具開創性並能與都市經濟發展達到平衡點的解決方案，希望找到協助每個個體及全體在地共存的辦法；然而，解決辦法的先覺條件是，一定要有在地環境的元素，在地使用者，以及層層歷史背景元素的注入。
向來以「國際思考，在地行動」為運作主軸的竹圍工作室，與國際策展人卡特琳．古特博士，共同邀請國內外六位藝術家與竹圍在地社區居民，希望透過三個不同主題的探討，找到與在地環境相關，並且能與當下及未來產生關聯性，透過這個藝術介入竹圍社區空間計畫的執行，找到與社區對話的管道，同時探討公共空間中的藝術價值。
此計畫分三步驟來評估藝術介入公共空間的可能性：
國際論壇：找出藝術與空間關係的概念，藝術影響我們日常生活的方式，藝術如何促進社區認同感。台灣在快速發展之下，很多歷史建物，自然環境，愈來愈不見其原來的定位，環境的平衡點在經濟效益的考量之下，土地已顯然被過度開發。
社區知覺：竹圍社區與淡江大學建築系希望透過此計畫的執行共同提出最近大量開發社區的空間問題，感受新近開發之社區所遭遇的問題。希望社區再評有限空間的瓶頸及機會。
藝術介入：此展覽計畫共邀請三位國際藝術家(馬瑟‧丁那耶、法比恩‧勒哈、鈴木昭男)，一位台籍藝術家(林怡年)及兩位淡水在地藝術家(吳瑪悧、王德瑜)。希望透過此計畫的執行，透過他們的感受，呈現“竹圍”，引導社區居民走出社區，到捷運鐵道的這一邊來，接近河岸，廣闊的草地，甚至到河裡去。
我們抱著很大的期待，希望透過居民及淡江大學的參與，找尋到新的空間規律，同樣希望透過快樂演出者的聲音行動，如同神笛一樣，帶我們容易達到捷運鐵道另一方的自然空間，竹環境術節只是一個小小的嚐試，藉由半天的活動，讓居民感受淡水河的能量及觀音山的祝福。
今年是文建會公共藝術年，已有許多關心此議題的相關單位舉辦了研討會並作深入研究，竹圍工作室希望透過此計畫的舉辦，為公共藝術年的尾聲表達一點關注的心意。我們要感謝許多單位，使蕭麗虹及卡特琳．古特女士兩位策展人理念得以呈現，因為許多公部門及基金會的支持與協助，企業與學界專業材料的贊助與配合，最重要的居民對我們的信心，相信我們，打開家門，共同面對空間的可能性，才能使此計畫圓滿進行。
Where are our innate sensibilities?
While running about in our daily life, we may be made aware to look around us, it is often drawn because there is a spectacle of movement in front of us. However, beating the time clock, passing along the way to our destination, we have less and less time and leisure to soak in the real landscape around us, its context within the five senses, plus the memories elicited into our mindscape.
The fast economic development of Taiwan, as is the case for many Asian development sectors, is creating exponential stress to the inner cities infrastructures. Much medical documentation is proving the price for such fast development of the urban spaces as too high in its impact on quality of life. These vertical cubicles of living spaces created many physical and psychological stresses to many. Thus it is accepted that well implemented design of public spaces plus public art with innate humane sensibilities is the healing balm to this invisible pain.
The sense of space is innate in all of us; it is the matter of tolerance to accepting the lack of natural space for our personal comfort. Each person’s acceptable norm is different, though we are communal creatures by choice, however, do we have to be under such stress? We all have found our own individual solution: Observe the unique presence of public fishing ponds within the high walls of the new tall structures that have arisen near the peripheries of our cites; the mass migration of Taipei citizens to their home or ancestral roots down south on festivals and long public holidays; observe the ever changing trend seekers of the weekenders to the newest leisure and entertaining spots; notice the great trend of going overseas to national parks, to cultural cities for these wondrous tours to feed the spirit in us. All these actions showed us our innate nature calling us to replenish the depleted energy reserve. What can we do on a daily basis that can replenish ourselves and not wait till the weekend traveling for miles with thousand others on the highway, nor have to wait till we jumpstart our sensibilities back to life on annual holiday overseas, we need to be in a balanced living environment in our normal daily life.
City planners have made enormous stride to bring awareness of this issue to the government; the economic price to pay for our development is now being re-addressed by the new policies of % for public art. Creative solutions are needed and creative thinkers in all discipline have the real alchemy to do much magic in a contemporary context, to readjust the problem without sacrificing the needs of economic development. We seek solutions for each individual and simultaneously for all individuals into a bonded unit within that site. None-the-less, elements for the solution will not be forth coming without the input from the environment, the local user and from the layered memories from the site itself.
With the motto of “think globally, but act locally”, the Bamboo Curtain Studio, working with French curator of art and public space Dr. Catherine Grout, has invited six local and international artists to work together with the local community of Chuwei, to investigate in three realms. We hope to find works that are specific to the site, its relationship with the environment, the past, present and future of the location. Through the intervention of site specific art works, to find a direct dialogue with the community. This will be an investigation of the real intrinsic value of art in public spaces.
This project uses a three-prong approach to evaluate the possibilities of artist’s intervention in the public domain:
International Conference: to locate the concept of art in its relationship to the site, the way art affects our daily life, and how art itself can help in bonding a community identity. These topics are vital for the fast development of Taiwan, with many historical and natural sites loosing its identity and environmental stability amidst the economic stress of intensive land use.
Community Awareness: The Community of Chu-wei, together with the Tam Kang Architecture Department, will try to bring awareness to the open space problem of the newly redeveloped town, through a temporary reorganization of the local spatial possibilities. It is hoped that the community will reassess their own limitations and opportunities within its present spaces.
Art intervention: There will three international artists, (Marcel Dinahet, Fabien Lerat, and Akio Suzuki) one Taiwanese artist (Lin Yi-Nian) and two local Tamshui artists ( Wu Mali and Wang Te-Yu), to present their interpretation of the way they see Chuwei within our fives senses and our memories layered within this “bamboo enclosure” Through their project, it is hoped that they can create a movement within this densely populated suburbia along the train track, to the green belt along the Tamshui riverbank, and specifically to the river itself.
With much hope, together with the local participation, and the architecture team of the Tam Kang University, we will attempt to bring a new sense of order, though transient, to the main street of ChuWei. Similarly, from the first taste to the joy of our performers, their sound and action can be the magic pipes leading us back to the easily accessible elements of nature just across the train track, plus and also. This Festival of Art and Environment at Chuwei is just a small initiation for testing the waters of the possibilities all within half a day to reopen the special qualities across the MTR, to see, smell and touch the Tamshui river and seek the blessing of our Kuan Yin Mountain.
This being the year of public art for the Council of Culture, there have been many conferences and researches initiated already, we wish to give it a last glimpse globally and locally. There are many many that we have to thank for making this project possible by their affirmation of our join curators’ premise. This abstract concept was brought to reality by our accreditation of the various government ministries and foundations, assistance in unique technical and material sponsors from corporations and academies. But most important of all, we thank the faith of the local community to entrust us to have this first attempt to address this issue of open space within their own front door.
蕭麗虹
藝術家、竹圍工作室負責人、中華民國視覺聯盟理事、美術理論研究與相關工作者
畢業學校：美國加州柏克萊大學經濟系
專長：綜合媒材; 裝置; 陶藝
經 歷：
中華民國視覺聯盟;中華民國女性藝術協會;中華民國藝術文化環境改造協會;
香港亞洲網路;美國藝術村;台北市現代藝術協進會
經紀畫廊：竹圍工作室
著作或論文[1]：2002「閒置空間再利用國外案例彙編：文化空間創意再造—國際案例研究」行政院文化建設委員會
著作或論文[2]：1999「藝術創作與交流的磁場：全球藝術村實例」行政院文化建設委員會
策展記錄[1]：2002 年10月主辦【城市與河流的交會--竹圍環境藝術節】
策展記錄[2]：2001年2月主辦「文化空間再利用國際交流研討會」
研究領域： 國際：文化政策 ;文化交流 ; 藝術村; 空間再利用