VOYAGE: 2022 Naufal Abshar First Solo Exhibition in Taiwan
文｜大雋藝術
Voyage這個詞對我而言就像在汪洋中進行一段悠長的旅程，蘊含對於生命持續探索的意義。
“ I believe Voyage is the word of a long journey in the big ocean, a metaphoric explanation of the life discovery.” －Naufal Abshar
人的一生彷彿行駛在未知大海上，偶澄靜，偶跌宕，不斷推陳出新的故事線，從一個章節跳到下一個章節，從一個場景跳到下一個場景，不斷創造新的記憶。藝術家期盼作為主宰「Voyage」掌舵長的我們，能夠持續對生命懷抱熱情，如同他與時俱進的創作，隨心所欲在這場冒險航旅中探索、神遊。
Life is like sailing on the sea of the unknown, where one experiences serenity, turbulence, and new narratives, creating new memories as we proceed from one chapter to another, from one scene to the next. As captains of the “voyage,” the artist hopes that we can have an unending passion for life, continuing to develop, explore, and wander throughout the process, just like his artworks.
About HAHA Series
2013年是Naufal Abshar《HAHA》系列發展方向的創作元年，首度發表便取得印尼藝術文化節（Indonesia Arts Festival）即席創作大賽首獎，至今發展近九年，被視為最經典代表系列。其系列靈感源於他讀到法國哲學家亨利·柏格森（Henri Bergson）《笑》一書中闡述著對「笑」在人類心理表象的各種形式及在社會發揮的功效，無論是看上去多自然的笑，與被笑者間總意味著某種互通、神秘的關係。而佛洛伊德（Sigmund Freud）提出「幽默」被視為釋放維持社會必要束縛的精神能量之概念，更成為他的探究動因。
The HAHA Series began in 2013, and throughout the nine years since the works were first introduced to the public, it has been recognized as a signature masterpiece of the artist. The series was inspired by the book Laughter by French philosopher Henri Bergson and how “laughter” has different forms and functions psychologically and socially. All laughter, no matter how natural it may seem, are forms of mysterious connectivity and communication between the laughing individual and the recipient. Sigmund Freud introduced the idea that “humor” releases psychological energy from necessary restrictions that exist to maintain social order, a concept that also became his research motive.
藝術家加入大家所熟悉的「HAHA」符號及多個標語，暗示時下大眾普遍的行爲模式與事件，以輕鬆幽默的語境揭露生活乃至社會中的乖謬現象，期盼成為化解人們壓力的宣洩出口。
By adding the familiar “HAHA” symbol and several slogans into the works, Abshar alludes to common behaviors and incidents that appear among people and discloses the absurdity of life and society through humor, hoping to become an outlet for the pressure that people experience.
在觀點詮釋基礎上，他亦試圖擺脫傳統平面畫作的觀看方式，畫布採不規則拼接賦予抽象玩味性質。其中以「機器人」造型為首的創作裡，更進一步加入按鈕互動裝置，增擴為雙向體驗，打破過往大眾對平面畫作的既定印象。在Naufal Abshar的創作世界裡，沒有嚴肅的口吻，沒有絕對的律條，隨心、任性、盡情的笑吧！
As for the basis of interpretation, Abshar attempts to break free from the viewing methods of traditional two-dimensional paintings, and the canvas is pieced together irregularly to exude a novel sense of abstraction. The works centering around the “robot” take a step further and are added with buttons, making the works interactive installations that allow two-way experiences, expanding viewers’ impressions of paintings. There are no strict tones of voice in the creative world of Abshar, nor are there absolute guidelines. Laugh freely, stubbornly, and to your heart’s content!
About Time Series
全球人類歷經兩年的考驗，因為疫情的緣故，我們變得無法行動自如，對於時間流逝感，感到更加深刻，遙望復甦彼岸之際，《時間》系列（Time Series）誕生了，Naufal Abshar更多的是向內求索與對話，對他而言，時間創造故事、創造生命，任何情緒轉折或是情節都只有發生在此時此刻，下秒便化作歷史。他透過一連串揭露時間相關可能性的探索與實驗，彰顯它的珍貴，本次在台發表的芭雷主題裡，藝術家用帶模糊感的刷痕再現腦海中舞者的動態殘像，體現生命的瞬息萬變，曼妙舞姿伴隨優美樂音在靈魂深處持續迴盪，彼時彼刻的感動將在心中流轉發酵。
Due to the pandemic, the people of the entire world have endured challenging circumstances throughout the past two years. We are forbidden from moving freely and have become more aware of the passing of time. The Time Series was born as we glance towards a time in the future when everything will be resuscitated, and the works seem more like inners inquiries and dialogues. For the artist, time is the creator of stories and life, and any emotional or plot changes merely exist in the here and now, becoming history in the next instance. Through a series of explorations and experiments that disclose the possibilities of time, Abshar guides our attention to the value of time. The works centering around ballet that the artist is presenting in Taiwan depict fractured images of ballet dancers through blurred brushstrokes, showcasing the constant changes of life. The graceful dance moves are accompanied by elegant music that lingers in the depth of the soul, fermenting the heart-touching moments of the past.
ABOUT ARTIST
Naufal Abshar 1993年印尼萬隆出生， 2015年取得新加坡拉薩爾藝術學院與倫敦大學金匠學院雙學位，2019年暑期曾駐村紐約藝術學院，目前居住於雅加達及新加坡，為東南亞藝術界具知名度的新起之秀，作品型態包含繪畫、雕塑、互動裝置等，展覽足跡遍佈全球，如印尼、新加坡、香港、義大利威尼斯、美國華盛頓/紐約及立陶宛等，更曾與HP惠普、NESCAFÉ雀巢咖啡等多間知名國際品牌跨界合作。
Naufal Abshar was born in 1993 in Bandung, Indonesia, and was awarded duo diplomas from LASALLE College of the Arts and Goldsmiths, University of London, and he was a resident artist at the New York Academy of Art during the summer of 2019. Abshar currently lives in Jakarta and Singapore and is an acclaimed young artist in the Southeast Asian art world. Abshar’s works include paintings, sculptures, and interactive installations, and he has held exhibitions worldwide, including in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Venice (Italy), Washington/New York (USA), and Lithuania. Abshar has also collaborated with several well-known international brands such as HP and NESCAFÉ.
