Robinson
FILE FESTIVAL SAO PAULO 2016

source: fileorgbr

Abstract:
The piece “Robinson” is part of Ting-Tong Chang’s new body of work investigating the history of automatons in Europe as a means of exploring utopian visions. The word “automaton” is often used to describe self-moving machines, especially those that have been made to resemble human or animal actions. From Jacques de Vaucanson’s Digesting Duck (1739) to Andreas Jakob Graf Dietrichstein’s Mechanical Theatre (1752), automatons have entertained kings and princesses, taught moral lesson to citizens and raised deep philosophical questions. Above all, they are a technical sophistication that embodies utopian visions and political dreams. By creating automatons, Ting Tong constructs talking automatons presenting absurd dialogues, which explore socio-politically loaded issues, whilst a series of drawings chart a journey through a mythical landscape. Various characters and personalities feature, disclosing their private fates and universal fears: hooligan jaguar warriors, chav tribal wars, council huts, Western Union and NHS shaman.
Biography:
Ting-Tong Chang was born in Taiwan and received his MFA at Goldsmiths, University of London. He currently lives and works in London. He creates large-scale installation works that look to analyze the relationship between science, technology and society. He has exhibited and received a number of awards internationally. Recent solo shows include theEdinburgh Sculpture Workshop (2014), the Manchester Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (2015), the Christine Park gallery London (2016) and the Asia House London (2016). Group exhibitions include the 6th Taipei Biennial (Taipei Fine Arts Museum, 2008), the Forum Biennial (Taipei Contemporary Art Center, 2010) and the European Performance Art Festival (Warsaw Centre for Contemporary Art, 2011). Chang received the Edinburgh Creative Initiative Award 2013, the RBS Bursary Award 2015 and the RISE Award 2016 at the Art Central Hong Kong.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: fileorgbr

Abstract:
A peça “Robinson” faz parte do novo trabalho de Ting-Tong Chang, que investiga a história dos autômatos na Europa como um meio de explorar visões utópicas. A palavra “autômato” é frequentemente usada para descrever máquinas automoventes, especialmente as que foram feitas para lembrar ações animais ou humanas. Do pato mecânico de Jacques de Vaucanson (1739) ao teatro mecânico de Andreas Jakob Graf Dietrichstein (1752), os autômatos têm entretido reis e princesas, ensinado lições de moral a cidadãos e levantado questões filosóficas profundas. Acima de tudo, eles são uma sofisticação tecnológica que incorpora visões utópicas e sonhos políticos. Ao criar autômatos, Ting Tong constrói autômatos falantes que apresentam diálogos absurdos e exploram assuntos sociopolíticos, enquanto uma série de desenhos mapeia uma jornada através de um panorama místico. Vários personagens e personalidades aparecem, revelando seus destinos privados e medos universais: Jaguar Warriors hooligans, guerras tribais chav, shaman da Western Union e do NHS (sistema de saúde do Reino Unido).
Biography:
Ting-Tong Chang nasceu em Taiwan e fez sua pós-graduação na Goldsmiths, University of London. Atualmente mora e trabalha em Londres. Ele cria instalações de grande escala que almejam analisar o relacionamento entre ciência, tecnologia e sociedade. Seu trabalho foi apresentado internacionalmente e recebeu diversos prêmios. Trabalhos solos recentes incluem: o Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop (2014), o Manchester Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art (2015), a Christine Park Gallery London (2016) e a Asia House London (2016). Trabalhos em grupo incluem: a 6o Taipei Biennial (Taipei Fine Arts Museum, 2008), a Forum Biennial (Taipei Contemporary Art Center, 2010) e o European Performance Art Festival (Warsaw Centre for Contemporary Art, 2011). Chang recebeu o Edinburgh Creative Initiative Award 2013, o RBS Bursary Award 2015 e o RISE Award 2016 no Art Central Hong Kong.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: vimeo

本展覽「Clockwork Dreams」為張碩尹於華人當代藝術中心（Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art, CFCCA）的個展計劃，華人當代藝術中心於1986成立，數十年來在曼徹斯特耕耘華人當代藝術，2003年獲選為英國藝術委員會（Arts Council England）的國家重點獎助單位（National Portfolio），隨之藝術中心之規模擴大，營運目標也隨之轉變．今日的華人藝術中心服務對象廣涉英國當地藝術環境、及國際的華人藝術家，包括所有來自中國、香港、澳門、台灣的藝術工作者．其年度活動包括藝術家駐村、跨國合作策展、幫助新銳藝術家舉辦個展、與在兩岸三地的考察活動與文化交流等等．此外，機構亦設有研究型策展人，專司開發各式計劃，旨在挖掘新人、引領藝術家進入藝壇．
本展覽以歐洲中世紀的「原型機器人」（automata）為起點，「原型機器人」的發展來自於中世紀歐洲，隨著曲輪的發明、煉鐵技術的精進、水磨、鐘錶齒輪業助益之下興起．在宮廷貴族的資助下，歐洲大城市如巴黎、倫敦、阿姆斯特丹開始出現日新月異、不斷產出的「機器人」，其結合了解剖學、動力學、紡織、雕塑等技術，尤其在「曲輪」的發明下，「機器人」得以進行複雜的動作與數個不同的行為模式．從1739年法國工程師賈克·德·佛肯德（Jacques de Vaucanson）所造之「消化鴉」、至主教安德烈亞斯·雅各布·格拉夫迪特里希施泰（Andreas Jakob Graf Dietrichstein）建於1752年的「機械劇場」（Mechanical Theatre），一個又一個世代的「機器人」接續由工匠手中完成，這些「機器人」不僅為之後人工智慧的發展定下基礎，同時也影響了後續世代對於科技文明的思考，更重要的是，「原型機器人」也提供人對自身存在的思考、與對烏托邦之想像．
本展覽中，張碩尹製作三件以「原型機器人」為啟發的機械裝置．他將參照數個「機器人」的設計草稿與運作原理，使用現代科技予以重製．在電腦建模、與物理運算（physical computing）的輔助之下，這些機器人擁有人/動物之外觀，能夠自由移動、說話並與觀眾產生直接互動關係：這些「說話的機器人」包含詭異、無厘頭之對話與敘事，以探索數個政治/科技/哲學之議題—從死亡的意涵、數學演算法到都市生活的無奈等等機器人的每段對話，通常都以自我抵消、自我嘲諷的矛盾句作結，張碩尹透過這些機器人之口、以探索當代的烏托邦世界．本展覽的開幕並有新作「So Far So Good」的揭幕儀式，此裝置將在展覽後留置在藝術中心，成為永久保存的常設作品．
張碩尹（1982年、台北），2011年倫敦大學金匠學院 (Goldsmiths University of London) 畢，其早期散佈於臺北四處之模板塗鴉為主要創作方式（Bbrother），在其藝術碩士 (MFA in Fine Art) 畢業後，以往塗鴉的街頭性轉往機械裝置，張碩尹創造出各種機器，時而具實際功用、時而破損故障、時而爆破自毀。他的創作方式、著重在討論工業生產之下人與機械、社會與生產機制的關係，與每個物件背後的生產邏輯與歷史意義。張碩尹現居住與工作於倫敦，展覽資歷包括台北雙年展 (2008)、台灣美術雙年展(2010)、論壇雙年展 (臺北當代藝術中心，2010)、 歐洲表演藝術節（華沙當代藝術中心，2011)、莫斯科雙年展（國立現代美術館，2012)、伯明罕歐洲藝術節（2013）、布里斯托雙年展（2014），2014年，張碩尹獲頒愛丁堡新人創作獎，並於愛丁堡雕塑中心、與馬修藝廊舉辦雙個展，2015年，繼德國萊比錫發電廠藝術中心個展、與臺北美術館群展「製造X意義」之後，他在英國曼徹斯特華人當代藝術中心呈現新個展計劃：「Clockwork Dreams」，2015年九月，張碩尹將在美國內部斯加州貝敏斯當代藝術中心進行個展與駐村計劃。