慢品藝術之美 (三) / Savoring the Beauty of Art (Part 3)

路過一間攤位時，我看到某件玉器，順手把玩一下，就被攤主叫住，詳細地幫我介紹這件玉器，玉器上刻了我看不懂的古文，攤主解釋上面刻的是管仲論，只要台幣五十萬就割愛給我，我聽了嚇一跳，不說，我對古玉不熟，而且，我應該也拿不出那麼多錢買件玉器，只能找個藉口脫身離開，沒想到，在這樣的展會，還會碰到這麼有意思的事情。

在某攤位展出一些古董作品，我覺得某些木雕作品，古色古香，多看了幾眼，攤位的解說員就很熱情的解釋，他說，每一塊漂流木的形狀、色澤與質地都不相同，所以，藝術家在創作時並非強行改造，而是順應其自然姿態，讓木材原本的彎曲、裂縫與紋理成為作品的一部分，難怪，我覺得有些作品很突兀，好像突然冒出一件不相干的物件，不過，我尊重創作者的想法。

藝術也可以於公益結合，大會特別隔出一塊展區，展示兒童慈善繪畫大賞的作品，創作者是百所國小的學生，這些得獎作品展出並義賣，些義賣所得將捐贈給慈善團體，不但鼓勵兒童動手創作，並親身體會藉由藝術創作幫助別人，這些作品當然無法和真正的藝術大師相較，不過，重點是做愛心，我相信，這些作品最後一定會被善心人士或組織認購。

看完整個展場下來，我發現，這場展覽，不是以藝廊為主角，而是由協會、組織或獨立藝術家居多，所以，我個人感覺到，專業度有下降，但是，多樣性與親近性被放大，創作者或小型組織，都帶著自身鮮明的特色與故事，他們的作品不一定遵循市場潮流，但是，藝術從來就不是理性的，是感性的，反正我也不專業，是個門外漢，這樣的策展方式，我是可以接受的。

While passing by one booth, I spotted a piece of jade and casually picked it up to take a closer look. Immediately, the booth owner stopped me and started giving me a detailed introduction. The jade had inscriptions carved on it, but I couldn’t read the ancient text. He explained it was an excerpt from Guan Zhong’s Discourses, and then he said he’d “let it go” for just NT$500,000. I was shocked! Not only am I unfamiliar with antique jade, but there’s no way I could afford something that expensive. I quickly made an excuse and slipped away. Still, I didn’t expect to run into something this amusing at an exhibition.

At another booth, they were displaying some antique pieces. I was drawn to a few wooden sculptures that had an old, rustic charm, so I lingered a bit longer. That’s when the booth’s guide enthusiastically explained that every piece of driftwood has its own unique shape, color, and texture. Artists don’t forcefully reshape them but instead work with their natural form, letting the curves, cracks, and grains become part of the artwork itself. No wonder some of the pieces looked a bit abrupt to me, almost like random objects appearing out of nowhere. Still, I could respect the creator’s vision.

Art can also be tied to charity. The event had set aside a special section to showcase works from a children’s charity painting contest. The young artists were elementary school students from across a hundred schools, and the winning pieces were on display for charity sale. The proceeds would be donated to charitable organizations. The idea wasn’t just to encourage kids to create art, but also to let them personally experience how creativity can help others. Of course, these works couldn’t really compare to masterpieces by professional artists, but that wasn’t the point. It was all about giving back. I’m sure those pieces would eventually be bought by kind-hearted individuals or organizations.

After walking through the entire exhibition, I realized this event wasn’t dominated by galleries. Instead, it featured associations, organizations, and independent artists. Personally, I felt the level of professionalism was a bit lower, but at the same time, the diversity and accessibility were much greater. Each creator or small group brought their own unique style and story. Their works didn’t necessarily follow market trends, but art has never been about pure logic—it’s about emotion. And since I’m just an outsider, not an expert, I could appreciate this kind of curatorial approach just fine.

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