17世紀初，臺灣先民普遍以「煎煮法」製鹽；荷蘭統治時期，臺南成立「瀨口鹽田」（今臺南鹽埕），明鄭時期，陳永華於永曆19年（1665）改良以天日曬鹽，開啟臺灣製鹽「淋鹵法」里程碑。此後200多年間由於風雨水災，鹽田曾北遷至洲仔尾（永康鹽行）、七股、佳里、北門、布袋等地，往南抵高雄鹽埕、大林蒲、彌陀。日治時期恢復食鹽專賣制度後，七股、北門成為重要鹽分產業帶，直至2002年停產，結束臺灣338年的鹽業歷史。

日治時期，臺南州「北門郡」（今佳里、學甲、北門、將軍、七股、西港等）除佳里鎮外多位於濱海、溪埔地區，土壤鹽分積沉嚴重。1930年嘉南大圳完工，農作收益提升，「鹽分地」醞釀出新的生命力。此前，北門郡各地詩社已興盛，漢學家吳萱草創辦「白鷗吟社」，其長子吳新榮（1907-1967）曾於詩作〈鹽分地帶の春〉寫到：「同志呀，要前進。鹽分地帶是我們的故鄉。讓真理的花朵。來開在這塊荒地上。」1935年，佳里青風會成立「臺灣文藝聯盟佳里支部」，宣言中的「鹽分地帶」漸成為共識。北門郡與鹽分土地緊密連結，詩人與作家寫實地描述鹽鄉生活，文學史家遂將之歸為「鹽分地帶文學」，可惜隨日文詩沒落與二二八事件後的政治氛圍而逐漸消退。

相反的，美術創作卻在此際升溫，先後伴隨日治與中華文化的南渡，歷經殖民美術的現代啟蒙、「正統國畫」的論辯、1970年代的鄉土認同，再隨西方潮流的引入，呈現出流派變動的當代發展與社會時局的脈動。臺南本地藝術家如郭柏川、顏水龍、劉啟祥、陳永森、洪通、陳奇祿等，各具風格與代表性。

鹽分地帶的少年們家境普遍困乏，畫畫塗鴉多半是興趣與老師的鼓勵，宮廟的彩繪、雕刻、交趾陶、剪黏是他們的美術館。廟會的神將陣、野台戲、布袋戲尪仔，甚至中醫開藥方的毛筆字都成為取法對象。他們循著前賢先後離鄉就讀美術學校、留在大城市發展，即使離鄉多年、已成美術界要角，也從未忘卻血緣裡的鹽。20世紀上半場，文學家在貧瘠的鹽分地帶綻開繁花；後半場，則由美術人燃起燦爛火光，產生更全面性的影響。

「鹽分地帶」一詞過去意指地理上的北門郡、文學史的地域風格或鄉民的堅毅韌性；如今則在美術表現上擴展身分與區域定義，也梳理這段離散的藝術風貌。人們會發現：「啊！原來他們都來自鹽分地帶，難怪喔⋯⋯！」雖與詩人們成長於同地，他們卻因出外發展後釋放更強能量，並讓榮耀歸返故里。

In the early 17th century, ancient Taiwanese primarily adopted the “fry and boil” method to produce salt. After establishing control over Taiwan, the Dutch colonial government built the Laikou Saltern (present-day Yancheng in Tainan). Chen Yong-hua refined the salt-producing process to sun-drying method using salt domes and brickbats in 1665, marking a key milestone in Taiwan’s adoption of the brine leaching technique. Over the following two centuries, due to frequent wind disasters and flooding, salt fields had been relocated northward to Jhouzihwei (Yanhang in present-day Yongkang District, Tainan), Cigu, Jiali, Beimen, and Budai, and southward to Yancheng, Dalinpu, and Mituo in Kaohsiung. The salt monopoly system was later reinstated during the Japanese colonial period. Since then, Cigu and Beimen remained major centers for salt production until operations ceased in 2002, bringing an end to Taiwan’s 338-year salt-making history.

The “Beimen District (Gun)” of Tainan Prefecture under Japanese Rule comprises six present-day administrative areas, namely Jiali, Syuejia, Beimen, Jiangjyun, Cigu, and Sigang Townships. Except for Jiali Township, most regions were prone to severe saline salinization due to their proximity to the coast and rivers. In 1930, the Chianan Canal was inaugurated, this land improvement project increased the crop yields of salt-resistant rice and sugarcane, allowing the once-barren “saline land” to gradually nourish remarkable vitality.

Beforehand, poetry societies had already been booming throughout Beimen District. Wu Hsuan-tsao, a sinologist, founded the White Gull Poetry Society. His son Wu Hsin-jung (1907-1967) wrote in a column titled Spring of the Saline Land, “Do move forward, my friends. The Saline Land is our homeland. Let the flowers of truth bloom upon this barren ground.” In 1935, Jiali Youth Association founded the Jiali Branch of Taiwan Alliance for Literature and Arts, with the term “Saline Land” from the founding declaration gradually becoming a shared reference among the society members. Considering the close ties between poets and writers from Beimen District and the Saline Land as well as their vivid portrayals of life and landscapes in this salt-producing region, literary scholars define their works as Saline Land Literature. Unfortunately, following the decline of Japanese poetry and the repression and political impact of the February 28 Incident, this literary style ultimately disappeared in the Taiwanese literary world.

On the contrary, the spark of artistic creation gradually ignited. From the Japanese Colonial Period to the southern migration of Chinese culture, the Taiwanese art world experienced fluctuations, reorganization, and maturation. Through the modernist awakening under colonial art, the debate over “orthodox national painting,” and the 1970s movement of local identity in Taiwan, the introduction of Western trends further spurred stylistic shifts and contemporary developments—revealing the sociopolitical currents. Artists born in Tainan—Kuo Po-chuan, Yan Shuei-long, Liu Chi-shiang, Chen Yung-sen, Hung Tung, Chen Chi-lu—all stand as highly representative icons.

These young people living in the Saline Land came from modest backgrounds. Their artistic journey began either from a genuine interest or encouragement from teachers. The colorful paintings, carvings, Koji pottery, and fragmented ceramic works adorning temples constituted a museum in their eyes, while the deity procession during temple fairs, folk operas, glove puppetry (Budaixi), and even the calligraphy characters on traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions served as inspirations for artistic creation. Following the footsteps of the previous generation, these young artists left their hometown to study at art schools before settling in major cities to develop their aspirations. After leaving their homeland for decades and ultimately becoming well-known figures in Taiwan, these artists have never forgotten the “salt” in their blood. If the first half of the 20th century was a time when writers cultivated the barren “Saline Land” and laid a solid foundation for Literature of Tainan, the second half was marked by flashes of brilliance ignited by artists, exerting a broader, more far-reaching influence.

The term “Saline Land” referred to the literary style originating from Beimen District from a geographical perspective or signified the resilience of the locals amid barren conditions. Today, the definition of this term has been expanded—encompassing both a sense of identity and a broader regional scope in terms of artistic expression. We have also traced and pieced together the fragmented features of its art from that period. As a result, one might now say, “Oh! They grew up in the Saline Land? That explains everything…” Despite growing up in the same region with the poets, artists from the Saline Land have demonstrated greater vitality thanks to their experiences abroad and the decision to return to their hometown.

藝術家：卜茲（陳宗琛）、呂淑珍、李重重、李義弘、涂璨琳、翁美娥、張金蓮、許坤成、許雨仁、郭博州、陳水財、陳牧雨、黃才松、黃才郎、黃信堯、楊式昭、顏頂生、羅清雲

Artists: Bu Zi (Chen Zong-shen), Lu Shu-chen, Lee Chung-chung, Lee Yih-hong, Tu Tsan-lin, Ueng Meei-er, Chang Jin-lieng, Shiu Kuen-cheng, Hsu Yu-jen, Kuo Bor-jou, Chen Shui-tsai, Chen Mu-yu, Huang Tsai-sung, Huang Tsai-lang, Huang Hsin-yao, Yang Shih-chao, Yen Ding-sen, Luo Ching-yun

策展人：吳繼濤

Curator: Wu Chi-tao

指導單位：臺南市政府

Supervisor: Tainan City Government

主辦單位：臺南市美術館

Organizer: Tainan Art Museum

展覽執行：蕭楷競、廖冠敏

Coordinator: Hsiao Kai-ching, Liao Guan-min

贊助單位：臺鹽實業股份有限公司 

Sponsor : Taiyen Biotech Co., Ltd.

特別感謝：高雄市立美術館、國立臺灣美術館、嘉義市立美術館、采泥藝術、尊彩藝術中心、華瀛藝術中心、朱宗慶、汪世堯、劉太乃

Special thanks: Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Chiayi Art Museum, CHINI Gallery, Liang Gallery, Golden Aries Art Center, Ju Tzong-ching, Albert S Y Wang, T.N Liu