Artists
Photo Credit: NIU Chun-Chiang
YANG Wan-Yi
YANG Wan-Yi
| Location | Czech Republic / Český Krumlov |
|---|---|
| Residency | Egon Schiele Art Centrum |
| Year of the Grant | 2009 |
| Work | Consciously, Unconsciously – Wanyi Yang’s Solo Exhibition |
Artist Statement:
Creating is in general a conscious act. It is the combination of an artist’s ideas and techniques. Would the product of creation still be meaningful, however, when the artist ceases to think during the artistic process? Is the content of an artwork developed before creating, or given after the work is made? Is attempting not to
think in fact a way of thinking itself? Would unconsciousness simply be a boastful state of mind?
I visited the Czech Republic in 2009 as a grantee of the Ministry of Culture’s Artist Residency & Exchange Program. Egon Schiele Art Centrum is located in the Southern Czech town of Český Krumlov. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Český Krumlov is known for its unique culture and history. The center is over five hundred years old and was remodeled from an ancient winery.
The Vltava River winds through Cesky Krumlov, cradled by rolling hills of emerald green forests. Red bricks and tiles of town dwellings spot green fields like precious ornaments. Incessant arts programs kept my eyes and ears busy. During breaks in my residency, I would walk through narrow streets, alleys, and roadside bushes, feeling the consciousness of beauty and humanity internalize within me.
My formal training in philosophy and animation kept my thinking logically and rationally. The words and images I produced were realistic and practical as well. However, working in this beautiful, unfamiliar town in the Czech Republic allowed me to free my mind and simply create, resulting in unique and unprecedented works.
My solo exhibition in Taiwan, Consciously, Unconsciously is a collection of a few dozen forms that are somewhat lifeless yet organic. Each form is quirky but lovely, possessing a certain eerie quality.