2014年關渡國際自然裝置藝術季
作品名稱：島嶼
創作者：李蕢至
地點：芝山文化生態綠園，臺北市，臺灣
(25.104315N, 121.531885E)
材料：樹枝、草、土、種子
年代：2014
此作為"Meander"系列作之一，訴說著土地與人之間微妙的關係。"Meander"中文的字義有曲折、漫步、迂迴、緩慢而彎曲的流動、漫談的意思。而"彎曲是直的必需，也是大河必經的過程"。
臺北有一個迷人的故事，是關於台北湖的故事。除了地震說之外，最有力的記載來自於郁永河的"裨海記遊"與相關文獻，至今"台北湖"的存在與否，因缺乏直接證據或規模大小的確定，目前仍是人們心中的大疑問與口耳相傳的傳說故事。芝山岩隨著地殼運動臺灣露出海面後未完全改變，忠實記錄著臺北盆地的滄海桑田。這次在"芝山文化生態綠園"的特定場域進行創作，延續過往"漂浮島嶼"的概念之外，將該地特殊的歷史背景與想像挹注進作品中，同時間也是種棲地的再造。土地對我來說就像是能進行生命活動的有機體，也是植物能量龐大的儲存庫。在城市持續的發展與擴張之下，我們享受它所帶來的好處之外，人與自然之間的斷裂似乎越來越劇烈。一塊塊的土地像大樹般地被連根拔起，懸浮在水塘上、陸地上。彷彿在跟人類進行一場無止境的漫談對話與深刻的記憶連結。
作品共五座島嶼，坐落於水生池及其周邊。在水生池裡的三座島嶼與過往的"古臺北湖"故事想像(在六千年前，古臺北盆地還是一個鹹水湖，當時露出湖面的僅有芝山、圓山、寶藏巖三處較高之小山丘，也就是三座島嶼，其餘地方全被湖水淹沒。)作一直接連結，暗示著臺北盆地的演變。而陸地上延伸的兩座島嶼更指出環境是個整體，也訴說著陸地與水的不可區分。每座島嶼上分類預埋的種子，則回應出"芝山文化生態綠園"保護該地植物基因的重要，也是土地能量的喚醒。
2014 Guandu International Outdoor Sculpture Festival
Title: Meander Island
Artist: Lee, Kuei-Chih
Location: Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden, Taipei city, Taiwan
(25.104315N, 121.531885E)
Materials: Branches, Grass, Soil, Seeds
Year:2014
“Meander Islands” is part of the series “Meander”. It tells the story of a vital relationship between land and people.The word “meander” has several different meanings in Mandarin including bending, wandering, detouring,slowly flowing and rambling. In order for straightening to happen, bending is essential. It is also an indispensable process for a river to meander.
There’s a fascinating legend of a missing lake that used to cover the entire Taipei Basin. In addition to the geological evidence, we can find some trace of this lake in ancient literature like Yu Yonghe‘s Small Sea Travel Records. Though we need more proofs to confirm the existence of this lake, it has become a big inquiry and a popular legend among people. The hill of Zhishanyan offers a record of Taipei’s history ever since the formation of the island now known as Taiwan. I try to continue the previous idea of floating islands while creating this site-specific installation. Combined with the specific history and imagination of this place, it becomes a regenerated habitat at the same time. For me, the land can be seen as a kind of organism with its own vitality, a huge storage for the energy of plants. The continuous development and expansion of cities have brought many benefits to our lives, but human has also become more and more disconnected from nature. Several pieces of land are uprooted and float upon the pond and ground as if the land wants to have an endless conversation with us and reminds us the deep connection in our memory.
There are five islands in total. The three islands installed in the pond symbolize the three hills: Zhishanyan, Yuanshan, and Treasure Hill which were once the only three islands in the lake six thousand years ago. It implies the evolving history of Taipei Basin.The two islands extended on the land emphasize that the environment is a total entity. They also represent that land and water are inseparably to each other. Seeds are planted on each island to recall the importance of Zhishan Cultural and Ecological Garden as a local plant gene pool and the energy of the land.
