近鄉情怯：台灣近現代視覺藝術發展中本土意識的三種面貌

Abstract

台灣近現代視覺藝術發展中「本土」的概念曾經出現於日據時期及解嚴前後三個不同的政治社會時空之中，並扮演著重要的角色。這些特定的創作風格與論述內容隱含著台灣視覺藝術乃台灣人物風土語境下所培育出來的特定文化面貌。「本土」不僅是地方主題的描寫、紀錄與表現，而是一種具有主體建構的意義。從本土出發，台灣的過去、現在與未來以其特定的方式連結起來，逐漸形成一個具有自主性的思維架構，在中華文化、外來文化與本土文化維度中編造一個整合的、尚在不斷變動中的台灣文化與台灣認同。本文所關心的是，在不同的時代背景下，「本土」的概念為台灣視覺藝術開創了什麼、局限了什麼，同時也牽動了什麼，可能塑造了什麼樣的「台灣特性」(Taiwaness)。這種批判的、關係性的觀察有助於思考台灣視覺藝術的文化實體，也可以檢視「何謂本土」、「為何一定要本土」、「本土的時代性功能」；更重要的，「本土如何重構」及其內涵的探討。在時間的維度上，本土的關懷焦點是過去、現在還是未來？真正的本土是否一定和「過去」、「鄉土」、「台灣意識」有一種明確的、純粹的關係，並且宣稱為文化認同的核心？本文發現，日據時期的「地方色彩」固然為新興的藝術界帶來提綱挈領的效果，並受到殖民統治者的鼓勵，但膚淺地鑽入地方題材的尋找與描寫，反而僵化了「地方色彩」所應有的藝術與文化上的積極意義，甚至淪為殖民關係的一種默許。1970年代鄉土主義運動激發了藝術鄉土議題的探討，在鄉土美學論述中，民俗題材的創作與創作者被推許為發揚鄉土精神的英雄，但成功的例子是融合中西、接納傳統與現代的席德進與朱銘，不是洪通或直接引進西方的照相寫實主義風潮。1990年代台灣的前衛創作相當異質而多元，其特色是以更激進的方式反映社會現狀並且和世界藝術潮流接軌，但在全球化的網絡中，國際展中的「台灣館」仍然面臨了文化認同表演的問題。 透過近百年來台灣近現代視覺藝術發展的檢視，對本土的表現，顯然並不是一種回到原鄉的運動軌跡，而是一種詮釋與再詮釋的動作。沒有人永遠是「原鄉」的主人，而主人與客人之間的身分差別並沒有如想像中有那麼清楚的、固著的界分。文化如果是人們在一種時間與空間旅行時的產物，文化的變遷時時刻刻都讓人們對原來的出發之處感到「近鄉情怯」。

The concept of the native (native soil) consciousness has always played a central role in Taiwanese modern art history. Certain types of art creation and discourse certainly existed in the periods of the Japanese Occupation (1895-1945) and after the Second World War (1945-). Such artistic developments illustrate quite literally the ”MADE IN TAIWAN” phenomenon-a problematic term with historical complexities. Furthermore, the meaning of the native is not merely the description of local customs or local subjects, but also includes a construction of subjectivity. Starting from native consciousness, Taiwan's past, present, and future are organically connected together and gradually form a thought process for subjectivity. As a governed Chinese culture, outer cultures and native culture weave an integral, but still changing Taiwanese culture and identity. This is similar to the current concepts of ”imagined community” and the ”invention of tradition.” The native therefore is not a fixed, closed, or even oldfashioned concept, but a fluctuating, updated cultural matrix. The concept of native consciousness continuously plays a positive role in the process of construction of identity and formation of subject, which is deeply embedded in the cultural framework of Taiwanese culture. Such a changing characteristic is also true to Taiwanese history. 'Unsettling' not only depicts Taiwan's historical sadness, but also is a reflection and construction of the identity and subjectivity. With regard to the native consciousness, Taiwanese art contains ”local color” in the colonial period, a debate of the vernacular movement after the Second World War, and the emergence of Taiwan consciousness after the lifting of martial law in 1987. The three stages reflect crucial aspects of Taiwanese modern art in terms of aesthetic significance and conception of creation. The concept of the native consciousness reflects a dialogue with the outer cultures (such as western culture or imperialism) and its reflection upon it. This is also an epitome of some Asian countries, which try to survive and look for self-identity under a harsh environment. In conclusion, modern art in Taiwan, echoing with the development of the modern Asian art and the artistic thinking of globalization, has brought forth key issues in relation to its native consciousness.