ARTISTS
The Ever First
The Ever First is a blend of the most unfamiliar and the most familiar. Nine artists born in the 80s are invited to explore to the first firsts and archetypes that have evolved in the new media era of contemporary art in Taiwan. Their works narrate the real evolution of artistic life, evoking the sense of existence kindled by the 鈥渇irst time鈥�, 鈥渏ust right鈥�, 鈥渘o more鈥�, 鈥渦ltimate鈥� feelings that we can鈥檛 explain but are infinitely drawn to.
In the story of life, there are always plot points that unexpectedly change the course of how we look at life. Some firsts have a deep impact on us well into the future.
Why do we want the one and only? Why do we pursue what others don鈥檛 have? Why do we seek something even when it means a sacrifice? Because they are the precious firsts! I have always liked 500 Days of Summer (2009). The protagonist鈥檚 struggles for love transcend into the motivation for love only after he faces it with true honesty鈥攐nly when he gives his sincere blessings does he realize that it鈥檚 the first time he鈥檚 dabbled in the game of love. Kikujiro, a 1999 Japanese film starring, written, and directed by Takeshi Kitano, is a re-discovery of himself after he finally understood his father. When you think about it, he was only able to get a complete reflection when he returned to the simplest moment. Kitano once said, 鈥淲e become truly mature when we realize that being parents are not so easy.鈥� Only when things have changed that we realize how precious they are. That鈥檚 why we are all still pursuing and looking forward to those ever firsts again and again.
We鈥檒l never know the reason why we fall in love with someone or something. It鈥檚 as mysterious as how we can鈥檛 stare straight into the sun, yet it offers us such warmth. How long do we have to think and how much proof do we have to look for, and how many memories do we have to stir up before we can interpret that palpitating excitement of being at the moment? As Ivan Turgenev put it, 鈥溾�elt all through my being a sort of intense blissfulness that verged on imbecility鈥�, it鈥檚 the sense of being thoroughly powerless and not being able to do anything when you can only head in one single direction and everything arises in that direction. Once this organic life situation happens, it is as precious as first love. Marina Abramovi膰 recalled her epic break-up with Ulay in her memoir Walk Through Walls. In 1988, in what was supposed to be a performance The Lovers: The Great Wall, they walked from opposite sides of the Great Wall, met in the middle, but continued to walk on in opposite directions. Then 22 years later, the two would finally meet again as they gazed at each other at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. In that one minute, they picked up the residual Rest Energy of 1980 when they gazed at each other with a drawn bow and arrow. One long line perfectly interpreted her authenticity. Life goes on. All sorts of first experiences鈥攖he overwhelming physical and spiritual engagement incapable of pulling out, the kind of uncontrollable extreme, radical reactions, the powerful neutralizing shock鈥攃an only quietly explode after things settle down and we have something to compared to.
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The Ever First is a blend of the most unfamiliar and the most familiar. Nine artists born in the 80s are invited to explore to the first firsts and archetypes that have evolved in the new media era of contemporary art in Taiwan. Their works narrate the real evolution of artistic life, evoking the sense of existence kindled by the 鈥渇irst time鈥�, 鈥渏ust right鈥�, 鈥渘o more鈥�, 鈥渦ltimate鈥� feelings that we can鈥檛 explain but are infinitely drawn to.
In the story of life, there are always plot points that unexpectedly change the course of how we look at life. Some firsts have a deep impact on us well into the future.
Why do we want the one and only? Why do we pursue what others don鈥檛 have? Why do we seek something even when it means a sacrifice? Because they are the precious firsts! I have always liked 500 Days of Summer (2009). The protagonist鈥檚 struggles for love transcend into the motivation for love only after he faces it with true honesty鈥攐nly when he gives his sincere blessings does he realize that it鈥檚 the first time he鈥檚 dabbled in the game of love. Kikujiro, a 1999 Japanese film starring, written, and directed by Takeshi Kitano, is a re-discovery of himself after he finally understood his father. When you think about it, he was only able to get a complete reflection when he returned to the simplest moment. Kitano once said, 鈥淲e become truly mature when we realize that being parents are not so easy.鈥� Only when things have changed that we realize how precious they are. That鈥檚 why we are all still pursuing and looking forward to those ever firsts again and again.
We鈥檒l never know the reason why we fall in love with someone or something. It鈥檚 as mysterious as how we can鈥檛 stare straight into the sun, yet it offers us such warmth. How long do we have to think and how much proof do we have to look for, and how many memories do we have to stir up before we can interpret that palpitating excitement of being at the moment? As Ivan Turgenev put it, 鈥溾�elt all through my being a sort of intense blissfulness that verged on imbecility鈥�, it鈥檚 the sense of being thoroughly powerless and not being able to do anything when you can only head in one single direction and everything arises in that direction. Once this organic life situation happens, it is as precious as first love. Marina Abramovi膰 recalled her epic break-up with Ulay in her memoir Walk Through Walls. In 1988, in what was supposed to be a performance The Lovers: The Great Wall, they walked from opposite sides of the Great Wall, met in the middle, but continued to walk on in opposite directions. Then 22 years later, the two would finally meet again as they gazed at each other at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. In that one minute, they picked up the residual Rest Energy of 1980 when they gazed at each other with a drawn bow and arrow. One long line perfectly interpreted her authenticity. Life goes on. All sorts of first experiences鈥攖he overwhelming physical and spiritual engagement incapable of pulling out, the kind of uncontrollable extreme, radical reactions, the powerful neutralizing shock鈥攃an only quietly explode after things settle down and we have something to compared to.
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