出生於臺南下營的顏水龍，年幼父母早逝，與姊姊及祖母生活，因此養成獨立自主的個性。十四歲從教員養成所畢業後，即進入學校擔任教職，因此結識同事澤田武雄，受其鼓舞，而決定前往日本學習美術。他努力籌錢買下前往東京的船票，義無反顧地踏上通往世界的藝術學習之路。

東京美術學校及法國的繪畫學習經驗，養成顏水龍對於美的敏銳感知，及宏觀視野。旅外多年返回臺灣後，有感於人民整體素質缺乏「美」的感受力，因此開始推行「生活即是美」的觀念，強調日常生活中美感的重要性。顏水龍重視本土特有的手工藝，於是走遍臺灣各地訪查紀錄，並進行本土手工藝研究推廣之理念。他持續參訪各國，將所見藝術新知帶回台灣。顏水龍大半時間都是隻身默默的耕耘，持續著工藝推廣的工作，因此獲得「臺灣工藝之父」的榮譽。

顏水龍對藝術的執著，體現於出外旅行，速寫本不離手，所見所聞透過畫筆直觀的描寫下來。他曾在自述中提及繪畫是他生命中的摯愛，不管白天工藝研究所的工作多麼繁忙，他總是在夜深人靜時提起畫筆創作，畫下他所喜愛的人、事、物及臺灣風景，尤其是原住民族的文化及生活風景。

本次展覽以顏水龍各時期的速寫為主，搭配臺南相關主題油畫作品及工藝設計作品，呈現其多元的成就。期望藉此讓觀眾對顏水龍創作過程與脈絡有初步的認識與理解。

Yen Shui-long was born in Tainan’s Xiaying District. He lost his parents at a young age and lived with his sister and grandmother, experiences which gave him an independent and strong-willed personality. After graduating from a teacher training institute, he took a teaching post at a school. It was during this time that he met one of his colleagues, Takeo Sawada, who inspired him to pursue art studies in Japan. Yen Shui-long worked hard to save money to buy a ticket to Tokyo, and embarked on his journey into the world of art without looking back.

Through his experience at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and his subsequent painting studies in France, Yen Shui-long cultivated a keen perception of beauty and a broad perspective. Upon returning to Taiwan after years abroad, he noticed a lack of sensitivity to beauty among his fellow countrymen, and thus began advocating for the concept of "Life as Beauty," emphasizing the importance of aesthetics in everyday life. Still, he held a deep appreciation for the unique crafts of his homeland, and practiced his ideals by traveling extensively across Taiwan to document, research and promote local craftsmanship. Though he continued to visit other countries, discovering new artistic knowledge, and bringing it back with him to Taiwan. Most of his time was spent quietly and diligently working on the promotion of Taiwanese craftsmanship, earning him the title of: "the Father of Taiwanese Crafts."

Yen Shui-long has been active in the art world since early. He once remarked that painting was the true love of his life, and no matter how busy his work at the Craft Research and Development Institute was during the day, he would always pick up his brush in the peace and quiet of the night to create depictions of the people, events, objects, and landscapes he cherished. He was particularly focused on the cultures and ways of life of Taiwan's indigenous peoples. Yen Shui-long's dedication to art was evident in his passion for sketching while traveling. He always carried a sketchbook with him, so that he could capture his observations and experiences with his drawing tools.

This exhibition primarily focuses on Yen Shui-long's sketches from various periods, oil painting works exploring themes related to Tainan, and craft design products. Through this exhibition, we hope to provide the audience with an initial understanding and recognition of Yen Shui-long's diverse achievements, and also his creative process and context.

指導單位：臺南市政府

主辦單位：臺南市美術館

策畫執行：本館展覽企劃部

特別感謝：國立臺灣工藝研究發展中心、臺南市立博物館、瓷揚窯、顏水龍家屬

Advisor: Tainan City Government

Organizer: Tainan Art Museum

Curatorial & Executive Team: Curatorial Department of the Tainan Art Museum

Special Thanks: National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, Tainan City Museum, Tzu Yang Ceramics , The Yen’s Family

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