李勇志 Lee Yung-Chih

2023 烤漆鐵板、金屬支架、噴霧系統
Baking Enamel Iron Plate, Metal Support, Misting System
W250XD150XH230cm

《掉漆夕陽》將當代已落入符號化的「夕陽」圖象，重新賦予了物質生命，並召喚2010年代網路次文化「蒸氣波」的未來懷舊主義。以烤漆塗裝的鐵製看板其平整光滑的原貌，因水霧裝置被刻意加速了表面鏽蝕的進程。隨著時間推進，塗裝表面逐漸衰敗，「圖」也慢慢成為了「物」。台語「掉漆」一語雙關，除了是表面塗裝的磨耗，也帶有失誤、失準的衍生義。

李勇志延續過往創作中對於虛構歷史感的關注，2022年起更進一步從金屬鏽蝕耗損的材料實驗中，延伸出對於物質衰敗及表面意義的思考。這個水霧瀰漫中的《掉漆夕陽》顯得意義曖昧，在指涉了時光將逝的感傷同時，也展示著一種人造的歷史感。如今，我們距離唐代詩人李商隱詩句：「夕陽無限好，只是近黃昏」背後那種寄情於景的深刻感傷已很遙遠了。在當代媒體文化中，這一切轉化成對於時間感性的速成消費。感傷變成了類型化的經驗，彷彿一個隨時可點播的心情播放清單，允許我們無限重覆播放。

*感謝王東浩提供影片片段

Sunset of Lak-Tshat reinvigorates the contemporary “sunset” imagery that has long been regarded as a mere clichéd symbol, giving it a fresh materialization, while it also recalls the retro-futurism characteristic of the 2010s internet subculture, Vaporwave. In this installation, the intentional employment of a misting machine accelerates the decay of the smooth, lacquered surface of the iron billboard. As time elapses, the varnish breaks down, and the “picture” ends up being more and more like an “object.” The wordplay “lak-tshat” in Taiwanese signifies the deterioration of the varnish on the surface, while also suggesting errors or imprecision.

Expanding upon his previous exploration of fictive historicity, Lee Yung-Chih began experimenting with metal corrosion in 2022 as he delved into the relationship between material decay and perceived meanings. The misty and moist Sunset of Lak-Tshat appears particularly ambiguous and bewildering. It refers to a sense of loss for fleeting moments, meanwhile conveying an artificially constructed historicity. Nowadays, we are distant from the profound melancholy expressed in Tang-dynasty poet Li ShangYin’s imagist line, “The sunset is magnificent / But dusk is near.” Contemporary media culture converts everything into rapid consumption of commodified sentiments. Sorrow is transformed into a genrefied experience, as if it were a playlist of emotions for us to play at any time in infinite loops.

*Thanks for Supporting Video Clip by Dong Haw Wang