2023 台北國際藝術博覽會 (五) / ART TAIPEI 2023 (Part 5)

台北國際藝術博覽會其實佔地蠻大的，展覽的藝廊及周邊商店也蠻多的，突然進去，可能不知道從何逛起，當然可以隨著心情，想逛那裏就逛那裏，不過，假如有個熟門熟路的人引領的話，逛起來，更可以知道自己在幹甚麼，不過，因為會場太大了，而可以看的東西又太多了，我們常常在裡面逛一逛，就走失了，反正，藝術這東西很主觀，可以不受他人的影響，自己逛，也是不錯。

假如你和我一樣是藝術門外漢的話，大會也設有大眾導覽服務，只要在導覽集合點集合，會有專人針對展場幾個主要作品做講解，讓人們不會霧裡看花，也能了解作者創作的心情及想要呈現的想法，每次導覽時間大約一個小時，當然也有數場專家分享的專題講座，不過講座需要事先預約，直接到現場是無法入座的。

此外，現場的大型公共藝術，也是一個重要看點。今年展出由伊日藝術計劃帶來日本藝術家平子雄一的大型作品，近三公尺高的木造雕塑，在體感與視覺中，塑造藝術穿梭人們精神世界的奇幻氛圍，作品就放在走道上，非常搶眼，也是熱門拍照打卡熱點之一，在逛藝廊的當下，剛好和幾位日本藝廊的參展人員小聊了一下，沒有深談藝術，只是閒聊，沒想到，他們都很喜歡台灣的美食，這五天只要下班後，他們就到處去品嚐道地的台灣小吃，台灣真不虧是美食之島啊！

有些畫廊或藝廊的活動，總是以藝術、美酒、美食相佐，希望能過美學、美酒及美饌與賓客展開交流，讓有品味的藝術愛好者，在微醺當下，欣賞美麗的事物，我猜想，活動單位可以是想以酒精及美食來麻醉客戶的感官，讓他們放鬆地打開錢包，多買一些藝術作品，總之，這次，我觀察到這是展覽會的現場，也有幾區，設有類似酒吧的空間，並提供酒精飲料，而貴賓休息室內有免費輕食，無限享用，沒有過重味道，只是吃個絕妙口感的輕食，在這樣的場合，真是再適合也不過了，回家後，看了臉書後才發現，有個做私廚的朋友，剛好就是這次展覽會內輕食的提供者，世界真是小啊！

ART TAIPEI 2023 is quite spacious, with numerous art galleries and surrounding shops. When you suddenly enter, it can be overwhelming, and you might not know where to start. Of course, you can explore wherever you like based on your mood, but having someone familiar with the event can help you navigate and understand what you're looking at. However, due to the sheer size of the venue and the multitude of things to see, it's easy to get lost. In any case, art is subjective, and you can explore it on your own without being influenced by others, which is also a good option.

If you, like me, are not well-versed in the art world, the fair provides public guided tours. You can gather at the designated tour meeting point, and there will be experts explaining the main artworks on display, ensuring that you don't feel lost and helping you understand the emotions and ideas the artists want to convey. Each tour typically lasts about an hour. There are also special lectures by experts, but these need to be reserved in advance, and you can't just walk in.

Additionally, the large-scale public art on-site is a significant attraction. This year, the exhibition includes a massive artwork by Japanese artist Yuichi Hirako, brought by the E-Day Art Project. The nearly three-meter-high wooden sculpture creates a surreal atmosphere that immerses people in both the sensory and visual aspects of art. The artwork is placed in the hallway and is quite eye-catching, serving as a popular spot for photographs.

While exploring the art galleries, I happened to have a brief chat with a few Japanese gallery staff members. We didn't delve deep into art but had casual conversations. It turns out they all love Taiwanese cuisine. After work, they explored the local authentic Taiwanese street food, and Taiwan truly lives up to its reputation as a food paradise!

Some of the gallery events often combine art, fine wine, and cuisine, aiming to facilitate connections between art enthusiasts and patrons through aesthetics, fine wine, and delightful dishes. I suppose the event organizers may use alcohol and cuisine to enhance the sensory experience and encourage customers to relax and open their wallets to purchase more artworks. In any case, during this event, I observed that there are several areas resembling bars with alcoholic beverages, and the VIP lounge offers complimentary light snacks for unlimited enjoyment. The flavors are not too heavy; they provide exquisite textures for a perfect occasion. When I got home and checked Facebook, I realized that a friend who is a private chef was the one providing the light snacks at the art fair. The world is indeed small!