錯中錯．連環夢—陳春祿攝影典藏研究展

Labyrinth of Time : The Research Exhibition of CHEN Chun-Lu's Photography Collection

>>電子導覽手冊

展覽總說

陳春祿的創作挑戰什麼樣的攝影觀？他如何轉化龐大的記憶形構更繁複的時間迷宮？

臺灣攝影藝術家陳春祿於1956年出生於臺南，1985年畢業於日本東京寫真學校，作品長年於國際間巡迴，持續不輟地為臺灣觀念攝影注入豐沛的能量。1985年至1995年的十年間，前後以《風》與《冥色呼吸》系列於臺北市立美術館舉辦三次個展；1991年開設「第五階黑白工場」，精湛的沖印技術在業界擲地有聲；1993年至2000年間，陳春祿偶然因一次藥水錯誤顯影，發現前所未有的色彩變化，開啟耗時七年不使用相機、改變化學原則、直接破壞底片等手法成就驚心動魄的《開天》系列；2010年起以大量個人收藏融合攝影、繪畫、拼貼等手法打造萬花筒般的《收藏童年》系列；2022年起醞釀臺灣宮廟主題的《廟可廟》系列，拍攝各地知名廟宇與五光十色的廟會活動，不可能同時發生的事件以陌異化的嶄新樣貌重現世人眼前。

本館自2013年至2024年間，陸續入藏陳春祿《開天》與《收藏童年》系列，現為國內典藏陳春祿《開天》與《收藏童年》兩大系列最完整的館舍。從一個偶然錯誤創生的絢麗宇宙、從一個夢的胚胎傾瀉時光銀河，展名以「錯中錯」烘托《開天》伊始實驗強度的連續孳生；以「連環夢」表述《收藏童年》重構回憶幻夢的無窮迴圈。陳春祿的創作生命也讓我們得以一窺六〇年代至今臺灣社會歷經經濟起飛與政治轉型的時代顯影。

本館2024年委託攝影學者姜麗華教授、呂筱渝博士與無米樂影像工作室進行「視覺文化脈絡下的陳春祿攝影美學」研究案，姜麗華教授將陳春祿近半世紀以來的創作分為五大階段「仿造——塑造——製造——構造——捏造」，本展奠基於展覽顧問臺灣資深攝影家莊靈、姜麗華教授研究團隊與藝術家陳春祿的鼎力支持，首次同時展出其五大系列作品——《風》、《冥色呼吸》、《開天》、《收藏童年》、《廟可廟》，以三個子題「回憶 ∞ 復返」、「哲思 ∞ 啟蒙」與「差異 ∞ 重複」進一步強調陳春祿獨具風格的攝影美學，彰顯臺灣攝影史珍貴的啟蒙時刻。

What photographic conventions does CHEN Chun-Lu’s work challenge? How does he transform vast memories into an intricate labyrinth of time?

Taiwanese photographic artist CHEN Chun-Lu, born in Tainan in 1956, has exhibited his works internationally since graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography in 1985, continuously injecting vibrant energy into conceptual photography scene in Taiwan. Between 1985 and 1995, he held three solo exhibitions at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, showcasing his “Wind” and “Breaths in Profound Hues” series. In 1990, he founded “Zone Five Studio”, gaining acclaim for his exceptional printing techniques. Since 1993, a serendipitous mistake in the development process led to unprecedented color variations, inspiring the creation of his “The Creation” series in the following seven years. Instead of using a camera, he experimented with chemical alterations and direct film manipulation to achieve stunning effects. From 2010, CHEN began integrating his personal collections with photography, painting, and collage techniques to create the kaleidoscopic “Collecting Childhood ” series. In 2022, he embarked on the “Temple can be Marvelous” series, documenting renowned Taiwanese temples and vibrant religious festivals, reconstructing impossible moments into unfamiliar yet striking imagery.

Between 2013 and 2024, the Tainan Art Museum acquired CHEN’s “The Creation” and “Collecting Childhood” series, making it the most comprehensive collection of these works in Taiwan. The exhibition title, Labyrinth of Time, reflects the experimental intensity of “The Creation” and the dreamlike, cyclical reconstruction of memories in “Collecting Childhood.” Meanwhile, CHEN’s work offers a glimpse into the evolving social landscape of Taiwan, from its economic rise to political transformations since the 1960s.

In 2024, the museum commissioned photography scholars Prof. CHIANG Li-Hua, Dr. LU Hsiao-Yu, and Let It Be Visual Art Studio to conduct a research titled “CHEN Chun-Lu’s Aesthetic of Photography within the Context of Visual Culture.” Prof. CHIANG categorized CHEN’s nearly half-century of work into five stages: Imitation – Formation – Creation – Construction – Fabrication. Grounded in these research findings and with the strong support of exhibition consultant, renowned senior Taiwanese photographer CHUANG Ling, Professor CHIANG Li-Hua’s research team, and artist CHEN Chun-Lu, this exhibition marks the first time all five of CHEN’s major series——“Wind,” “Breaths in Profound Hues,” “The Creation,” “Collecting Childhood,” and “Temple Can Be Marvelous”——are presented together. Divided into three thematic sections——“Reminisce ∞ Return,” “Philosophy ∞ Enlightenment,” and “Difference ∞ Repetition”——the exhibition highlights CHEN’s distinctive photographic aesthetics and illuminates pivotal moments in Taiwan’s photography history.

子題一、回憶 ∞ 復返

陳春祿1956年出生於臺南，是家中老么，父親和他的朋友合開鋁工廠，父子感情很好，父親常把陳春祿帶在身邊，帶他去買黑膠唱片回家一起聽音樂。長大之後，為了父親又去把熟悉的黑膠唱片蒐購回來，聽著懷舊音樂的同時，也回憶那段無憂無慮的童年時光。

在許多因緣際會下，陳春祿2010年開始從跳蚤市場或網路蒐購1960年代的物品，包含黑膠唱片、老照片、童玩、民藝品、早期的生活用品等。他以自身童年記憶出發，從實體物件的蒐集與影像拍攝的行為，結合攝影、繪畫、拼貼，將其收藏的老物件和不同來源的多張照片合成、集錦，以再創作方式打造童年時光的萬花筒，逐一填補時光流逝所造成的心靈空洞，凝視過往時代的感動，追憶補足個人童年經驗在心理與精神上匱乏的慾望。

「我的創作緣於我的收藏，我的收藏源自我的童年」本子題展示陳春祿《收藏童年》系列中，集結了童年時代的場景和收藏品的影像，以及陳春祿的收藏品。邀請您跟著陳春祿，一起返回他的童年時代。

Reminisce ∞ Return

CHEN Chun-Lu, born in 1956 in Tainan, is the youngest in his family. His father, who co-owned an aluminum factory with friends, shared a close bond with him. They often spent time together, browsing record shops and bringing home vinyl records to enjoy. As he grew up, driven by nostalgia and love, CHEN sought out those familiar records once again. As the melodies of the past filled the air, they transported him back to the carefree days of childhood.

Serendipitously, in 2010, CHEN began collecting cultural artifacts from the 1960s via flea markets and online platforms, including vinyl records, old photographs, childhood toys, folk crafts, and everyday household items. Rooted in his own childhood memories, his process of collecting and photographing these objects became an artistic act in itself. Through photography, painting, and collage, he assembled his treasured objects and layered multiple photographs from different sources. This act of re-creation turned his collection into a kaleidoscope of childhood, filling the emotional void left by the passage of time. In gazing upon these relics of the past, he rekindled a sense of wonder, piecing together fragments of his youth and fulfilling an inner longing for what was once absent.

“My creations were shaped by serendipitous encounters with my collections, and my collection traces back to my childhood.” This section presents CHEN Chun-Lu’s “Collecting Childhood” series, where imagery of childhood scenes intertwines with his cherished collectibles. Visitors are invited to journey back in time with the artist to relive the innocence and wonder of his youth.

子題二、哲思 ∞ 啟蒙

陳春祿的青年時期，是一段充滿轉變與成長的歲月。他自世界新聞專科學校公共關係科畢業後，並未立即投入攝影，而是先經歷服役、短暫的廣告公司任職，甚至創立旅行社嘗試創業，這些經歷為他日後的攝影之路埋下伏筆。然而，內心對攝影的渴望如同樹苗般悄然萌芽，終究讓他毅然地赴日本學習，展開影像創作人生的轉捩點。

在東京寫真專門學校商業攝影科求學階段，自主的吸收攝影知識，並在「堀內專業現像所」磨練暗房技術。這段期間持續精進暗房技巧，更開始探索攝影的本質，以及影像與感知的交互關係。留學時光是陳春祿的一場高強度學習修練，勤奮的付出是對自己決定的承諾。早期的《風》系列作品，展現異鄉漂流的情懷與對影像清晰度的反思，透過模糊的影像，試圖捕捉空氣的流動感，展現出他對攝影的獨特視角。

返臺後，陳春祿在永準公司（柯尼卡代理商）擔任技術指導，並在因緣際會下指導師大攝影社學生，將在日本所學的攝影知識與概念，啟發學生對攝影的思考。透過《冥色呼吸》系列作品，將他日常登山的體悟融入攝影教學，引導學生思考攝影的內在力量，並探索個人內在情感的表達，鼓勵學生找到屬於自己的攝影之路。這段時期的陳春祿，從學習者蛻變為傳道者，他勤於學習並將所學轉化，保持攝影技術的精進，更將攝影視為一種自我表達與啟發他人的媒介。他以「樹人」的精神，將攝影的種子播撒在學生心中，期待他們如同樹木般茁壯成長，也為他日後獨特的攝影美學奠定札實的基礎。

Philosophy ∞ Enlightenment

CHEN Chun-Lu’s youth was a period of transformation and growth. After graduating from the Department of Public Relations at the Shih Hsin Technical School of Journalism, he did not immediately pursue photography. Instead, he experienced military service, a brief stint at an advertising company, and even ventured into running a travel agency. These seemingly disparate paths would later lay the groundwork for his photographic journey. Yet, beneath it all, his passion for photography, like a quietly sprouting seed, ultimately led him to study in Japan, marking a turning point in his creative life.

During his studies in the Department of Commercial Photography at Tokyo College of Photography, CHEN immersed himself in the technical and artistic depths of the medium, while honing his darkroom skills at the esteemed “Horiuchi Color LTD.” Not only did he master photographic techniques, but he also began to probe the very essence of photography and its relationship with perception. His time abroad became a rigorous training ground, a commitment to the path he had chosen. His early Wind series reflects both the transient emotions as a drifter in a foreign land and a contemplation of photographic clarity. Through intentional blurring, he sought to capture the sensation of airflow and movement, revealing his distinct perspective on the nature of photography.

Upon returning to Taiwan, CHEN worked as a technical consultant at U-GEM Corporation (the local distributor of Konica) and, by chance, began mentoring students at the National Taiwan Normal University’s photography club. He shared his knowledge and insights from Japan, inspiring them to think critically about photography. Through his Breaths in Profound Hues series, he infused his daily mountaineering experiences into his teaching, guiding students to explore the inner power of photography and the expression of personal emotions. He encouraged students to carve out their own photographic paths. This period marked CHEN’s transition from a learner to a mentor. He continuously refined his techniques while embracing photography as a medium for self-expression and  a way to awaken others. With the spirit of a cultivator, he sowed the seeds of photography in his students’ hearts, nurturing their growth and strengthening the foundation of his own distinctive photographic aesthetics.

子題三、差異 ∞重複

1993年，陳春祿在數十年如一日的暗房工作，因一次藥水錯誤顯影偶然發現前所未有的色彩變化，自此開始顛覆原本穩定的科學原則，在4×5底片上培養細菌、以擠、壓、搓、揉等技巧，對彩色底片的片基與其上藍、黃、綠、紅等敏感層及濾層進行腐蝕與破壞，釋放各種色彩錯合的無限可能，如宇宙大爆炸瞬間的時刻無限孳生，同時戲劇性地凝縮於長達七年的《開天》系列。

《開天》系列可分為四個階段：(一)無相機攝影，養菌破壞底片，顛覆化學原則。(二) 以暗房後製古美術與寺廟相關影像。(三)以同樣手法重構冰封多年的影像。(四) 對好友林添福一系列中國攝影進行再創作。

2010 年後的陳春祿除持續創作《收藏童年》外，2022 年起醞釀臺灣宮廟文化主題的《廟可廟》系列，拍攝知名廟宇與五光十色的廟會活動，作品中每個局部都是某個瞬間的微小斷面，陳春祿「異位構詞」（anagram）的手法，將原本不可能是同一件事的影像組裝重構，陌異化熟悉的日常景象，打亂我們的認知，一則則嶄新敘事從宛如人性劇場的影像迸發，直衝腦門。

「異位構詞」在文學上，原指某一詞彙的字母重新排列後產生截然不同的語意。製造影像的方法那麼多種，陳春祿的不同在哪裡？陳春祿不停歇的重複辯證不斷向我們指向差異所在：構圖、顯影、規則、時空…表面上難以理解的影像奇觀，恰恰由一股挑戰極限的思想運動所貫穿，一種更為純粹的時間性由此誕生。

Difference ∞ Repetition

For years, Chen Chun-Lu’s days in the darkroom unfolded in an unchanging rhythm of chemical precision——until a fateful mistake shattered the routine. In 1993, a chance mistake in the developing process revealed an unprecedented explosion of color, defying the rigid principles of photographic science.  From that moment on, he began to overturn conventional methods, cultivating bacteria on 4×5 film, while pressing, rubbing, and kneading to corrode the film base and its blue, yellow, green, and red-sensitive layers. The color layers broke apart and reassembled, releasing infinite possibilities of chromatic mutation. Like the instant of the Big Bang, an infinite creation unfolded and was dramatically condensed into the seven-year journey of his “The Creation” series.

The “The Creation” series can be divided into four phases: (1) Cameraless photography ———— in which film is not exposed but altered by bacteria, subverting conventional chemical processes in the darkroom; (2) Darkroom manipulations reconstructing images of ancient art and temple culture; (3) Reconstructing long-forgotten images using the same techniques; and (4) Reinterpreting the China-themed photography of his friend LIN Tian-Fu.

Beyond The Creation, CHEN’s creative journey continues. Since 2010, he has worked on Collecting Childhood, and in 2022, he embarked on “Temple Can Be Marvelous”, a series exploring Taiwan’s temple culture. His works capture renowned temples and the dazzling energy of temple festivals, where each fragment is a fleeting cross-section of time.

In literature, an anagram is the rearrangement of letters to form a new meaning. But in CHEN Chun-Lu’s hands, it is the structure of images that is reassembled. In doing so, he reconstructs daily rituals into dreamlike narratives——sudden, striking, and raw. The resulting images defamiliarize the familiar, presenting new ways of seeing reality.

CHEN’s work continually challenges photographic conventions——composition, development, time and space, and so on. Through repetition, he relentlessly guides our gaze toward the essence of difference. Beneath the surface of these seemingly incomprehensible visual spectacles runs a single thread: the urge to push artistic and conceptual boundaries. And from this pursuit, a purer temporality is born.

展覽顧問：莊　靈
研究主持：姜麗華
策展團隊：湛文甫、凃倚佩、謝雨芸

特別感謝：陳春祿、顏蘭權、呂筱渝、無米樂影像工作室

Curatorial Consultant: CHUANG Ling
Principal Investigator: CHIANG Li-Hua
Curatorial And Executive Team: CHAN Wen-Fu, TU I-Pei, HSIEH Yu-Yun

Special Thanks to CHEN Chun-Lu, YEN Lan-Chuan, LU Hsiao-Yu, Let It Be Visual Art Studio