潘顯仁 (b.1963~)
生於基隆，現居南投
2006 東海大學美術學系碩士班藝術學碩士(M.F.A)
創作自述
這次展覽所展出的，大部分是近年新作，另將幾件2016、2017年所作，尚未發表的作品重新整理一併展出，作為對照，也趁機對稍作梳理。
我的創作歷程起步比同儕晚，且因工作關係，長期處在一種斷斷續續的狀態，直到2016年離開職場之後，才可以用較長時間、專注地將自己投入在創作的情境中。幸運的是，從地方藝術中心、替代藝術空間到美術館的藝術行政經歷，有機會得以近距離觀察許多精采的作品與展覽，結識多位優秀的創作者、策展人，並參與上世紀90年代末期以來的台灣藝術脈動。
「直線」，是我的作品中主要構成元素，最早可追溯到2005年至2010年間的《永》系列作品。當時主要是以幾何切割來重構漢字字元，並運用單純的黑、白線條繪畫（stripe painting）來強調畫面結構的相對關係，比較著重在繪畫形式上的思考。多年來，造形或形式依然常是我構思作品的起始點，但純粹形式透過視覺所引動的感知（perception）往往會遠超過預期，這也是我目前創作所較為關注的面向。當這些有形、無形線條的組合不斷地重複、排比、轉折、漸層，往往會在畫布表面產生空間或光線等視覺幻覺的變化，進而帶出許多複雜的訊息，讓人們可以重新組織，並依個人理解與經驗與作品進行連結。這樣的連結可能是情緒、情感層面，或是理智、思辨層面，抑或是社會、現實層面，而讓純粹形式的繪畫作品，有一種開放性的溝通的可能。
感知（perception），是邁入作品的第一道門，就看作品能帶著觀眾進入到多深。
後記：關於作品中的「光」
「光」是畫不出來的，繪畫無法製造光，只能不斷地加黑，運用明度的變化來呈現類似像光的視覺經驗。作品中許多最亮的部分是保留下來的底色，與其說畫「光」，事實上畫的是黑，是暗。對我而言，唯有用心處理深沉的黑，光的呈現才有可能。繪畫如此，現實人生亦然。
Pan Hsien-Jen (b.1963~)
Born in Keelung , lives and works in Nantou.
2006 M.F.A. Tunghai University, Taichung
Artist’s Statement
The majority of the works featured in this exhibition are recent creations from the past few years. Additionally, several works dating from 2016 and 2017, which have not previously been exhibited, have been revisited and included for comparison, providing an opportunity to bring order to my artistic body of works.
My creative journey began comparatively later than my peers, and was marked by intermittent progress due to professional obligations. It was not until I left the workforce in 2016 that I was able to dedicate extended periods of time and focus to immersing myself in the creative process. Fortunately, my experience in art administration – from local art centers and alternative art spaces to art museums – has allowed me to closely observe many outstanding works and exhibitions, engage with talented artists and curators, and participate in the dynamics of Taiwan’s art scene since the late 1990s.
The “straight line” is a primary structural element in my works, first appearing in the Yong series from 2005 to 2010. These early works reconstructed Chinese characters through geometric segmentation, and emphasized the relative relationships of the visual structure using simple black and white stripe painting. At that time, my focus was primarily on the formal aspects of painting. Over the years, form has remained a starting point for my creative process, but the sensory perceptions evoked by pure forms often exceed initial expectations. This dimension has become a central concern in my current practice.
When the tangible and intangible combinations of lines in my works are repeated, arranged, inflected, and graduated, they often generate visual illusions of space or light on the surface of the canvas. These illusions, in turn, convey complex messages that invite viewers to reorganize and connect with the work based on their individual understanding and experiences. These connections might be emotional, intellectual, or even relate to societal or real-world contexts, offering the possibility of open communication through purely formal painting.
Perception serves as the first gateway to immersion in a work, the depth of which depends on how far the artwork can lead the viewer.
Postscript: On “Light” in My Works
“Light” cannot be painted. Painting cannot create light; it can only deepen blackness and utilize variations in luminosity to evoke a visual experience akin to light. Many of the brightest areas in my works are actually the remaining base layer. Rather than painting light, I am, in fact, painting darkness, or shadow. To me, it is only by thoughtfully handling deep blackness that the representation of light becomes possible. And this applies not only to painting, but also to life itself.