Tainan Art Museum | Crescendo: Three Generations of Tshun-Guân Art Studio

難得去一趟台南，除了奇美博物館，我也想要去台南美術館看看。美術館本身是個古蹟外，裡面的作品也是很多元。裡面有三個展覽讓我的印象很深刻，三個展都主要是展出在地台南藝術家的作品，其中一個是春源畫室。本來想要跳過去的展覽，也因為導覽讓我大開眼界，了解民俗彩繪的美。他們是有一百年歷史的家族畫室，台灣各地的大大小小廟宇都有他們的足跡。展覽的一開始就可以欣賞到他們著名的門神彩繪，經過時代的變遷，戰爭的侵蝕，他們還是可以繼續在台灣默默地為這塊土地創作著，我有著無限的敬佩。導覽跟我們說，老師父一直說自己的家族不是什麼藝術家族，只是會了餬口飯吃而已，真是太謙虛了！三代的師父們，為了養家活口，幾乎什麼工作都可以接，豪門家族的門廳壁畫，小說封面和山水畫等等。最後的展覽空間，策展人還很有巧思的擺出潘春源和潘麗水互相製作的雕像給大家看，兩個雕像都望著「孝」，跟畫室以善盡孝道的心而得以延續家業的思想互相呼應。

During my visit to Tainan, I not only explored the Chimei Museum but also wanted to see what the Tainan Art Museum had to offer. The museum itself is a historical site, and the diversity of artworks within truly impressed me. There were three exhibitions in particular that left a lasting impression on me, all of which primarily showcased the works of local Tainan artists. One of them was the “Tshun-Guân Art Studio.”

Initially, I thought about skipping this exhibition, but the guided tour opened my eyes to the beauty of folk art painting. The Tshun-Guân Art Studio is a family-run studio with a history spanning a hundred years, and their artistic influence can be found in temples of all sizes throughout Taiwan. The exhibition began with their renowned door god paintings. Despite the changing times and the impact of wars, they have continued to create art for this land, quietly contributing to Taiwan’s cultural heritage. I have immense admiration for their dedication. The guide told us that the master of the studio always humbly regarded his family as not an artistic one but just a family that knew how to make a living. This humility was truly remarkable.

Over three generations, the masters of the studio took on various jobs to make ends meet, including creating mural paintings for wealthy families, designing novel covers, and crafting landscape paintings, among others. In the final exhibition space, the curator creatively displayed sculptures made by both Pan Chun Yuan and Pan Li Shui. These sculptures faced the character “孝” (filial piety), echoing the studio’s commitment to carrying on their family legacy through their practice of filial piety.