Venue: Gallery 402 Curator：Chen Chun-Wen Team：Hsu, Xiaoniu Suchu, Lin Chun-Chi, Lin Ya-Fang, Lin Yu-Jen, Ji Vinci, Jerry Chiang Participate artist: Scott Draves, Wang Chih-wen, Wang Jun-Jieh , Wang Ching Tsung, Wang Teyu , Chu Teh-I, Chiang Yang Huei, Yu Peter,Yu Burge, Lee Kuang Wei, Lee Akibo, Lee Jihong, Lin Chi-Wei, Yao Jui-chung, Ji Vinci, Yuan Goang-ming, Tsui Kuang-Yu, Chang Shuang Feng, Hsu Xiaoniu Suchu Chen Chun-Hao, Chen Chu-Yin, Tseng Juliette Jii-rong, Yang Chuang Hsin, Liou Louis, Ou Carrie Hsiao Ya-chuan, Chien Yin-Ru, Wei Robin, Su Shou Cheng Web Site：http://cat.tnua.edu.tw/techart2013/ In 1992, Taipei National University of the Arts, formerly known as National Institute of the Arts, established the Center for the Study of Art and Technology, which is the first research unit in Taiwan to promote the integration of technology and art. The Center is involved in the TechArt exhibitions held during the Kuandu Arts Festival. At the time, these were the only regularly-held exhibitions in the country to be related to such a field. Furthermore, the Center acts as a cradle for the field of TechArt in Taiwan, giving birth to the careers of many well-known contemporary Taiwanese media artists. For many years now, TechArt has been developing at TNUA to reach new levels of achievement and success. To capture the creative spirit of pioneers as they struggle during their initial stages, this exhibition takes a look back at the course of development for TechArt by showcasing the original works and historical documents of participating artists during that time. By re-learning classical knowledge, Renaissance artists developed a new rational approach to foster educational reform. In short, by promoting innovative changes through a revival in classical thought, richly splendid results in culture and art can be attained that are worthy of history. At the end of the twentieth century, the rapid growth of information and media technology provided artists with even easier access to all sorts of handy tools. Amidst this trend, people began to contemplate methods for integrating technology and art starting from basic research. However, this proved to be a time consuming task. It was during this colorful period that the Center was established to grasp basic principles of technology and art, while promoting new originality in art and educational reform. TechArt is not just an art form in which technology is used for its creation. In 1923, the first exhibition to be organized by the early twentieth century German school, Bauhaus, was titled,
Art and Technology - A New Unity”, which emphasized the complete integration of art and technology. For its curriculum, Bauhaus not only invoked an artistic attitude towards industrial products, but also focused on a direct study of artisan techniques in an attempt to cultivate talents in merging art and technology. During Bauhaus’ later years, some alumni began to gain positions to teach in the school. A Renaissance man does not just mean a person who lived during that time. Instead, it refers to being an erudite like Leonardo da Vinci who is highly proficient in a wide range of fields. Perhaps, modern technology has already provided an objective precision necessary for art. But, methods on the flexible use of technology still require a deep level of understanding regarding the integration of technology and art. This defines the goal that the Center hopes to achieve. By displaying representative works, this exhibition showcases the course of development for alumni, teachers, and artists involved in the Center during that time. These include the video installation, Fish on Dish, by alumni and professor, Goang-ming Yuan; the concept installation, Neon Urlaub, by artist and professor, Jun-Jieh Wang; the experimental theater art
Ta-Da-Na” by alumni and professor, Jui-chung Yao; the pendulum photo by professor, Shou Cheng Su; the computer graphics in the Computer series by professor, Teh-I Chu; the computer graphic cover designs by alumni and professor, Akibo Lee. Furthermore, the exhibition also displays essential works by teachers, students, and artists presented at TechArt exhibitions over the years. These include photokinetic forms, video installations, single channel video art, short films, computer animation, and other types of works. This exhibition also features media devices used during that period, such as traditional video editing equipment, an SGI workstation, a film-type computer image output machine, and historical records documenting preparatory and planning periods. The Transformation of the Center for Art and Technology 1990-2000 The integration of art and technology serves as an important direction for contemporary culture. To develop this global trend, Taipei National University of the Arts established the first
Center for the Study of Art and Technology” in Taiwan. Then, in 2006, it changed its name to
Center for Art and Technology” to expand the scope of its development. The Center takes on the task of opening up the field of art and technology integration in Taiwan, and serves an important role as a node to an international network of links. During that time, the president, Youyu Bao, showed a particular care about future trends in the development of art. In 1990, he founded the Preparatory Office for the Center for the Study of Art and Technology, which was headed by Professor Shou Cheng Su. The Center took on media device planning, talent cultivation, and other tasks. By the end of July 1991, the new school president, Shui-long Ma, officially moved the university out of Luzhou and into Kuandu. The Preparatory Office for the Center became stationed on the first floor of the Administration Building (presently, the office of the Cashier Section). In February 1992, the Center for the Study of Art and Technology was officially established. Professor Shou Cheng Su took on the position of the director for the Center. With new space and media equipment, the Center began to take shape. Working in conjunction with National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in the same year, the Center held
The International Biennale in Nagoya – ARTEC ‘91” at the school library’s exhibition hall. This event invited Japanese and American professors, Yamaguchi Katsuhiro and Otto Piene, respectively, to conduct a series of lectures. In 1992 later, Professor Xiaoniu Suchu Hsu joined the school and began conducting research at the Center. Also during the same year, alumni Jui-chung Yao and classmates formed a pioneer cross-fields experimental theater group
Ta-Da-Na”. The Center had supported their performance for several times. In 1993, the Center held Art and Technology 1993 at the library exhibition hall. TechArt works by the school’s students and teachers were displayed for the first time along with computer graphics, animation, electronic images, photokinetic forms, video installations and other various media created by the software and equipment of the Center. The diversity and completeness of the content were featured, marking an important milestone in the development of TechArt. In 1994, Art and Technology 1994displayed works that included video art, computer art, light art, video installations, fractal art and other formats, which continued the rich and exquisite character of the previous year’s exhibition. Furthermore, important domestic and foreign art research institutions participated and featured their works, including Carnegie Mellon University; School of Visual Arts; and Communication and Multimedia Laboratory, CSIE, NTU. In 1995, the Center organized Art and Technology 1995, Electronic Images in Kuandu, which aimed to present the rich possibilities and accessibility of electronic images through a diverse content in story, form, concept, record, and other formats. In 1996, Art and Technology 1996 - New Paradise of Images and Imagination focused on using a wide variety of imaging technology. During this event, works by students of Professor Daw-Ming Lee’s course, Moving Images, were presented along with the results ofVideo Dance Workshop held by Professor Danny Su. All of these works presented a high degree of experimental features. In 1997, Art and Technology 1997 - Computer vs. Art showcased experimental artworks derived from advancements in computer science. It invited high-level computer science and technology research groups to present their works, while creating a positive environment for dialogue between art and technology. They were Communication and Multimedia Laboratory, CSIE, NTU; Information and Communications Research Laboratories, ITRI; Pratt Institute; MIT Media Lab; C. S. Group; Institute of Applied Arts, NCTU; and National Taiwan College of Arts. In September 1997, the new Research Building was completed and opened. The Center had long planned to move into the first and third floors of the Research Building. The larger space was divided for the functions of video editing, computer imaging, computer music, light form, and other main experimental fields. In 1998, the Center began to prepare for its application as
Graduate School of Arts and Technology” for the School Year 89 (2000). During the same year, Art and Technology Forum 1998invited French, American, and Japanese professors, Michel Bret, Roger B. Dannenberg, and Katsushiro Yamaguchi, respectively, to come join a broad and in-depth discussion with the school’s teachers and students. Before the commencement of the forum, Prelude to Art and Technology Forum 1998, invited three representative figures of media art, Jun-Jieh Wang, Goang-ming Yuan, and David Kung, to share their creative experiences. During the same year in August, professor Hwang-long Pan, took over asdirector. Then, in August 1999, professor Xiaoniu Suchu Hsu obtained the position. In 2000, Graduate School of Arts and Technology received official approval from the Ministry of Education and began enrolling students the following year. The following stories will have to be determined and told by the Center for Art and Technology and the Department of New Media Art.