-
現地創作｜參展者
Artists
本鄉芳哉 Yoshiya Hongo
《存在》Existence
創作材料 Material： 鋁、酸洗劑 Aluminum, Pickling Agent
年代 Year： 2026
《存在》以一顆看似平凡、沒有明確形象的石頭為創作起點，探討生命、時間與存在之間的關係。石頭是自然界最沉默的存在，歷經漫長歲月，不斷改變自身形貌，卻始終保有內在的完整性。藝術家以一顆沒有特定指涉的石頭，引導觀者回到最純粹的觀看經驗，重新思考「存在」的意義。
作品保留石頭自然生成的不規則輪廓，不刻意修飾，也不賦予特定的象徵符號，而是讓材料本身成為時間的載體。表面的紋理與痕跡記錄著自然力量與歲月的累積，在有限的形體中，呈現持續延展的時間感與生命力。 當作品置於公共空間，時間仍持續作用於其中。光線、天候與四季更迭改變著作品的樣貌，人們的經過、停留與觸摸，也不斷為它累積新的痕跡與記憶。雕塑因此不再只是靜止的形體，而是在與環境的共同變化中，持續延展其生命與存在。
《存在》以簡潔的形式回應關於存在的命題，邀請觀者在安靜的凝視中感受自然、時間與生命的重量，重新思考自身與世界之間的關係。
"Existence" takes a seemingly ordinary stone, without any distinct or recognizable form, as its point of departure to explore the relationships between life, time, and existence. Stone is one of the most silent presences in nature. Over the course of countless years, its form continually changes, yet it retains an inherent sense of wholeness. Through a stone without any specific reference, the artist invites viewers to return to the purest experience of seeing and to reconsider the meaning of “existence.”
The work preserves the stone’s naturally formed, irregular contours without deliberate refinement or the addition of symbolic signs, allowing the material itself to become a vessel of time. Its surface textures and traces record the accumulation of natural forces and passing years, revealing within a finite form a sense of time and vitality that continues to unfold. When placed in a public space, time continues to act upon the work. Shifting light, weather, and seasons alter its appearance, while people passing by, pausing, and touching it continually add new traces and memories. The sculpture is therefore not simply a static form, but one that continues to extend its life and presence through its ongoing transformation with the surrounding environment.
Through its restrained form, "Existence" responds to the fundamental question of existence itself. It invites viewers, in moments of quiet contemplation, to sense the weight of nature, time, and life, and to reconsider their relationship with the world.
畢業於沖繩縣立藝術大學雕塑系，並取得東京藝術大學大學院雕塑專攻碩士學位。創作以金屬雕塑為核心，透過焊接、鍛造、切割及複合媒材等方式，持續探討「存在」、「邊界」、「時間」、「記憶」與「自然」等命題，透過材料在製作過程中留下的痕跡，思考人與世界之間的關係。本鄉芳哉認為，創作不只是形體的建構，更是一場關於「人如何存在」的持續提問。
近年活躍於日本及國際藝術舞台，曾於日本、臺灣、中國、泰國、韓國、冰島、西班牙、美國等地舉辦個展及參與國際藝術節、雙年展與公共藝術計畫。作品融合東方哲學思維與當代雕塑語言，以簡潔而富張力的空間，引導觀者重新感知身體、空間與環境間的互動，為日本當代金屬雕塑的重要代表藝術家之一。
Yoshiya Hongo graduated from the Department of Sculpture at Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts and received his MFA in Sculpture from Tokyo University of the Arts. Working primarily with metal sculpture, he employs welding, forging, cutting, and mixed media to explore themes of existence, boundaries, time, memory, and nature. Through traces left on materials during the making process, his practice reflects on the relationship between human beings and the world.
Hongo has exhibited internationally and participated in art festivals, biennials, and public art projects across Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, South Korea, Iceland, Spain, and the United States. Blending Eastern philosophical perspectives with contemporary sculptural language, his work creates restrained yet dynamic spatial experiences that invite viewers to reconsider the relationships between body, space, and environment.
