EXHIBITION

胡彥艾大約四十來歲，天生的娃娃臉，讓他看起來比實際年齡年輕許多，工作性質是服務業，專業性質高、收入優渥的那一類 (他始終不願意透露公司名稱），工作上總要接觸人，私底下的他喜歡自己一個人看看書、聽音樂、下廚做飯。問到興趣，他偏頭想了下：「看展覽吧，假如這可以算是興趣的話。」

一開始，他出遊時喜歡去人少的地方，那些地方大部分是博物館，看過各式各樣的展覽後，漸漸傾向美術類展覽，到後來，美術展覽成為他出遊的目的，美術館、藝廊、藝術博覽會、雙年展⋯⋯「有目標，比較單純，也比較充實。」他靦腆道。

什麼時候開始買作品的？他說自己不記得了，也不像其他藏家，清楚記得收藏的第一件作品，記得那個怦然心動的時刻，他是個物欲很低的人，從來不覺得有什麼東西非擁有不可。「出國總會帶紀念品，買著買著，有天發現帶回來的東西原來是所謂的作品。」只買國外的作品嗎？他搖頭：「有些朋友會介紹藝術家，看他們生活得辛苦，自然會想贊助他們繼續創作，所以我總覺得自己買的是未來的作品。」到底總共收藏了幾件作品啊？他這次想了更久。「大概三四百件吧，我習慣按照藝術家的系列收，每個系列五六件左右，各種媒材都有，我工作的地方有間閒置庫房，平常作品都放在那裡，每隔一段時間會載幾件回家擺放，輪流出來見見光。」

問他偏好哪一類的藝術家，他聳聳肩說：「這個問題就像問我是哪一類的人，不知道耶，關於我是誰，我自己其實也不太清楚。」

訪談結束，我們看著胡小姐挑出來展覽的作品，隱約映出他的影子，但是他清淡的笑容裡，又看見莫名熟悉的其他人的影子，還想問更多問題，但他急著要走，臨走前丟下一句：「其他的問題，讓作品幫我回答吧。」

此次展覽，胡彥艾稱自己從收藏中精心挑選出五位藝術家：Nicole Dufour (法國)、柯慕一、吳芊頤、徐美月、小倉薰(日本)，至於為什麼是這五位？與他又有什麼關聯？這些問題將於展覽期間的《認識胡彥艾》三場座談中解答⋯⋯

《認識胡彥艾》的三場座談

3/16 17:00  關於身體 柯慕一 v.s. 林芷帆

3/31 15:30  關於找尋 林芷帆 v.s. Joy

Hu Yanai is in his/her 40’s, but looks younger than the real age because of his/her baby face. (S)he serves people, the kind of service requires profession and brings in fat incomes. (the company name was never mentioned) In works, (s)he has to meet people; at leisure time, (S)he prefers to stay alone, enjoying reading, music or cooking. Speaking of hobbits, (s)he hesitated before answering, ‘Maybe visiting exhibition? If this could count one.’

At the beginning, his/her reason to visit museums was because there was always less crowd. Gradually, (s)he found himself/herself preferring fine art type of exhibition after seeing so many. Eventually, visiting art exhibitions become his/her reason of travel. ‘It’s easier when you have a goal, and the trip will be richer, too.’ explained (s)he shyly.

When did (s)he start buying artworks? (S)he said (s)he doesn’t remember exactly. Unlike other collectors, (s)he couldn’t remember the exact piece or the moment that (s)he got hit by a work and felt like (s)he has to possess it. (S)he has never been a materialist. ‘Maybe it’s more like buying a souvenir from each trip, and little by little, I found myself buying art.’ (s)he continued ‘friends also introduce artists to me. Some of the works in my collection could be called “future art” because I bought them for sponsoring the artists, I wish they can carry on creating.’

How many works in his/her collection? (S)he claims to have about 400 pieces. ‘I like to collect by series, about five or six works per series, I like all kind of material. There is a warehouse in the company, in which I use to store my collection. I’ll bring couple works back home at predefined interval.’

Which type of artists would (s)he prefer? (S)he shrugged, ‘It’s like asking which type of person I am, to be honest, I have no idea. About who I am, I really don’t know.’

(S)he didn’t answer our question but there’s a faint image of Hu when looking into his/her collection. In his/her calm smile, there are also images of many others. (S)he refused to say more, eventually left with the last sentence: Let my collection answer for me.

Thanks to Hu Yanai, we are able to bring together five artists from the collection: Nicole Dufour (France), Ke Mouyi, Wu Chien-Yi, Hsu Mei-Yueh, Kaoru Ogura (Japan). Bu why them? What’s the connection between these 5 artists and Hu? The questions might be answered in the upcoming 3 talks.

Talks on Meeting Hu Yanai

17:00 March 16 / Talk about body

15:30 March 31 / Talk about searching

16:00 May 4 / Talk about collections