STAGE
沈昭良攝影作品展
2013年11月23日至2014年1月12日
香港獨立攝影展覽空間The Salt Yard將會2013年11月23日至2014年1月12日期間，展出由資深台灣攝影創作者沈昭良作品《STAGE》（舞台車）。沈昭良於2006至2012年間遊走台灣各地，拍攝當地以綜藝團、歌舞團、康樂隊等為名的演出團體所使用的流動舞台。
綜藝團為台灣特有的移動式演出團體，自1970年代，即活躍於台灣社會的各式婚喪喜慶場合。初期演出的內容以歌舞表演為主，後來為滿足顧客需求及吸引目光，不斷推陳出新，除了影視歌星、跑場歌手的載歌載舞之外，亦提供鋼管舞蹈、雜耍、魔術、民俗技藝、猛男秀和反串秀等演出。演出舞台隨著時代進步，加上經營者和觀眾對於優質燈光音響設備的視聽需求，逐步發展成現今摺疊油壓式開展的現代化舞台車。 逐漸將包含東、西方內容與型式，諸如帆船、祥龍、涼亭、蝴蝶、馬車、雪梨歌劇院、白宮、歐式城堡、自由女神、太空穿梭機、摩天輪，乃至於吸引孩童的吉蒂貓、比卡超等具像圖騰，結合霓虹燈條和新款絢麗的LED燈光，以噴繪形式搬上舞台，作為視覺表現的主體。
這些舞台車成為了台灣民眾集體記憶的載體，也是其獨有的通俗的庶民文化。沈昭良用大畫幅照相機細緻地呈現這些耀眼的舞台影像，所在的周邊場境卻多是杳無人跡，突顯了幻影和現實的對照，在喧鬧與凝視，動態與靜態，現代與傳統，進一步連動觀者對此在地娛樂產業的另一種文化視角與持平觀照。
「 沈昭良的《STAGE》如果是一張張的「肖像」，這些魔幻舞台，或可視為對台灣農業、農村、農民的現實復魔幻之臉的轉喻。這些舞台場景的「無人」，只有如紀念碑般靜靜矗立的「肖像」，也就意在影外了。台北都會裡的學術文化菁英，在讚揚台灣這種文化生命力與創造力時，會不會正好以一種「國內之異國情調」的凝視，正當化、政治正確化此種台灣文化的同時，也繼續跟它保持著疏遠的、不真正在乎的「美感」距離呢？這是沈昭良的《STAGE》，讓我聯想到的一些問題，也是他的攝影傑作在藝術成績之外，讓我覺得格外有價值的地方。」~ 政治大學傳播學院副教授／郭力昕
招待酒會將於12月7日下午六時至八時舉行，攝影師沈昭良屆時將會出席，他並於同日下午四至六時主持講座，為大家分享多年來從事紀實攝影創作的心路歷程，歡迎公眾參加。
藝術家簡歷
沈昭良，1968年生於台灣台南，畢業於台灣藝術大學應用媒體藝術研究所。歷任報社攝影記者、副召集人及中央大學專任駐校藝術家。自1993年起，沈昭良即投入數個專題式影像創作，2001年首度推出《映像‧南方澳》系列專輯，其後陸續出版《玉蘭》、《築地魚市場》及《STAGE》等長篇攝影著作，殷實細緻的紀實影像風格與嚴謹的攝影集製作，普遍受到肯定。
曾於2000、2002及2012年獲頒行政院新聞局暨文化部雜誌攝影類金鼎獎，2004年日本相模原攝影亞洲獎，2006年韓國東江國際攝影節最佳外國攝影家獎，2010年台北美術獎優選獎，美國紐約Artists Wanted : 2011年度攝影獎，2012年美國IPA國際攝影獎-紀實攝影集職業組首獎等國內外獎項。
相關系列作品除於國內外刊物發表，並曾受邀於美國、加拿大、法國、英國、西班牙、荷蘭、塞爾維亞、秘魯、巴西、瓜地馬拉、日本、韓國、新加坡及中國大陸等地展出，目前除從事專題影像創作、評述與研究，同時兼任台灣科技大學、淡江大學助理教授。
個人網頁 : www.shenchaoliang.com
STAGE
Solo Exhibition by Shen Chao-liang
23 Nov, 2013 - 12 Jan, 2014
The Salt Yard, an independent art space, will exhibit "STAGE" by veteran Taiwanese photographer Shen Chao-liang from November 23, 2013 to January 12, 2014. Travelled around Taiwan between 2006 and 2012, Shen pictured mobile stage trucks used by performing groups in the form of cabaret, song and dance ensemble as well as recreational band.
Cabaret is a unique mobile performing group in Taiwan that it has been active in various occasions, including weddings and funerals since the 1970s. In the early days, dancing and singing were the main performances but new elements have been introduced in order to attract more audience. In addition to celebrities and singers putting on exhilarating shows, pole dancing, acrobatics, magic, folk arts, large-scale music shows, or even man strip shows and drag shows, are also performed. The stage also evolves over time. The thirst for quality audio visual effects from business owners and audience lead to the development of foldable hydraulic trucks. The content and styles of the East and the West begin to merge as well. Sailboats, dragons, pavilions, butterflies, horses, Sydney Opera House, the White House, European-style castles, the Statue of Liberty, space shuttles, Ferris wheel and even kiddy figures like Hello Kitty and Pikachu are entering the stage as spray-painted backdrop with the help of neon lights and new luminous LED lights.
These stage trucks have become the collective memory of the Taiwanese and the distinctive culture of Taiwan’s plebeian society. Using view cameras, Shen delicately portrayed these dazzling images that were mostly a no-man’s landscape incorporating the surrounding environment. Contrast of illusion and reality, silence and uproar, motion and stillness, moderns and traditions were highlighted to inspire the audience about the cultural value of this Taiwanese entertainment industry.
“If Shen Chao-liang’s STAGE are portraits, these magic stages will be the fascinating faces against the realistic faces of Taiwan’s agricultural industry, farming villages and famers. More meaning could be denoted from these pictures that not a man was found on these stages that they were like portraits of monuments. Academic elites of Taipei are praising the liveliness and creativity of this culture. But are they looking at and justifying it like an ‘exotic culture’ that they are keeping a distance from it? This is the question that Shen’ s STAGE bring to me. And it is the additional worth on top of the artistic value of his exceptional photographic works.”
~ Associate Professor, Department of Radio and Television, National Chengchi University, Kuo Li-hsin.
A reception will be held between 6pm to 8pm on December 7th (Saturday). Shen will attend the event; he will also host an artist talk regarding his documentary photography between 4pm and 6 pm the same day. Member of the public are welcomed.
About the Artist
Shen Chao-Liang was born in Tainan, Taiwan, in 1968. He obtained his master degree from the Graduate School of the Applied Media Arts, National Taiwan University of Arts. He worked as a photojournalist and Vice Convenor for the Entertainment, Art and Literature News Center of the Liberty Times, and the Artist in Residence at National Central University, Taiwan. Shen has been dedicated to feature photography since 1993. From his early works of Reflections of Nan-Fang-Ao (2001) to the latter series of YULAN Magnolia Flower (2008), Tsukiji Fish Market (2010) and STAGE (2011), he has been recognized by his sophisticated style of image creation and commitment to documenting the evolution of Taiwan society.
Shen won the Golden Tripod Award of Best Photography (magazine category) of R.O.C(Taiwan) in 2000, 2002 and 2012, the Asia Award in Sagamihara, Japan (2004), the Dong-gang Photography Award, Korea (2006), the Artists Wanted: Photography Category Award, NY, USA (2011), and the IPA (International Photography Award) (PRO), Book of Documentary Category 1st Place, LA, USA (2012), respectively.