一萬只螞蟻構(gòu)成的巨型裝置，頂著暑期酷熱的陽光和午後突來的西北雨，將臺北當代藝術(shù)館的門面和建筑層層包圍，透過視覺的放大與數(shù)量的繁多，藝術(shù)家陳志光用大眾熟悉的符號，意欲傳達他看世界的視角與方式。這些以赤鐵打造而表面長著褐黃銹斑的螞蟻大軍，是陳志光繼之前膾炙人口的電鍍七彩蟻和超大不銹鋼蟻之後，從去年開始發(fā)展，一個別具新風、充滿視覺張力和時代意象的創(chuàng)作新系列。

A gigantic installation comprised of one thousand ants surrounds the front and the museum building under the scorching summer sun and the sudden afternoon showers. Through its giant size and massive number, Chen Zhiguang employs a symbol that the public is familiar with to display his way of viewing the world. This army of ants cast in red iron with brown spots on the surface is a fresh, visually stimulating series that symbolizes our time after the artist has presented the electroplated, iridescent ants and the stainless steel mega-sized ants.

這個以「烏合之眾」為名的藝術(shù)螞蟻大軍，除了以低調(diào)素樸的生物樣態(tài)象徵著各式各樣的小人物和社會群眾，藝術(shù)家也表明了此次希望藉用質(zhì)樸價廉的赤鐵材料，特別打造一批最終可讓一般人士持分共享，而不是只能被少數(shù)收藏家壟斷獨擁的藝術(shù)螞蟻；另外，鐵打的螞蟻大軍看似傾巢而出，群聚在一座美術(shù)館門前和廣場，除了形成一種奇觀和勝境，也賦與了一些聯(lián)想的意義，例如，它們或許也代表著眾多孜孜不倦地往上爬、想要爭取機會出頭，在藝術(shù)機構(gòu)和殿堂展現(xiàn)自我，被社會大眾接納的藝術(shù)家們，換言之，這也可視為一個「登上藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作頂端、邁向歷史文化顛峰」的寓言裝置！

This artistic army of ants, titled Herd of Ants, embodies a vast array of ordinary people in a low-profile and unadorned manner. The artist hopes to use this inexpensive material of red iron to create a bunch of artistic ants that could be shared with the general public rather than being monopolized by a handful of art collectors. Moreover, the iron-cast ant army gathering in front of a museum and on its plaza has formed a spectacular site and created an opportunity of free association. For example, they could represent the diligent, hardworking artists who are endeavoring for a chance to show themselves in art institutions and be accepted by the public. In other words, the work could also be viewed as an allegorical installation that epitomizes "climbing to the top of artistic creation and soaring to the peak of history and culture."

陳志光一九六三年生於漳州，於福建師范大學美術(shù)系畢業(yè)後，從架上繪畫轉(zhuǎn)向雕塑藝術(shù)的自我研發(fā)，二ＯＯ三年以螞蟻雕塑奠定了獨特的造形體系與美學脈絡(luò)。在生物學上，螞蟻的種類超過一萬一千七百多種，印證了它們呼應(yīng)外在不同環(huán)境而機轉(zhuǎn)適應(yīng)的強大本能；在藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作中，陳志光藉由蟻族表徵人類不同的心理狀態(tài)與行為現(xiàn)象，歷年完成的每只放大版的螞蟻，也因此都有著不同的心理參照與肢體語匯。

Born in Zhangzhou, China in 1963, Chen graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Fujian Normal University and shifted from painting to sculpture after graduation. In 2003, the ant sculptures established a unique form and aesthetic context of his own. Biologically speaking, there are actually over ten thousand and seven hundred types of ants, proving their powerfully adaptability to different environment. In terms of artistic creation, Chen uses the ants as a metaphor for individual human psychology and behavior. Each enlarged ant that he has completed throughout the years stems from varying psychological state and body language.

做為陳志光雕塑藝術(shù)核心的『概念性』，先後演繹發(fā)展出了蟻族，荷池，戱臺，靜物供桌...等不同的作品系列，也普獲許多策展人的肯定和各地機構(gòu)的展覽邀約，這當中，唯獨螞蟻雕塑不斷衍變發(fā)展而從未間斷---螞蟻無疑已成為其雕塑藝術(shù)的旗標和美學認同的符號；而正如螞蟻之繁衍不息，陳志光對螞蟻藝術(shù)的創(chuàng)作發(fā)展，也有著源源不絕的靈感，從單體造型，英姿昂揚的獨立螞蟻雕塑，轉(zhuǎn)向呈現(xiàn)一種叢集的生命樣態(tài)，乃至於一種戲劇化的群聚行動，使作品進而與不同空間場域互相呼應(yīng)，并在作品和不同時空與文化背景的觀賞者之間，預設(shè)了一些引發(fā)主動閱讀和積極對話的機制；綜合以上幾個不同論點，陳志光這次在臺北當代藝術(shù)館「登場而不入室」的『烏合之眾』鐵雕螞蟻裝置大展，是相當具有「社會雕塑」意涵的！

Artistic concept has always been at the core of Chen's sculpture, and he has developed various series, including the ants, lotus pond, opera stage, still life on the altar, etc. His work has been positively received by many curators and have been shown in exhibitions around the world. Among these series, the ant sculpture is the only one that has kept evolving—ants have undoubtedly become his sculptural signature and symbol of aesthetic identification. Like the constant propagation of ants, Chen also has continuous inspiration for his creation of ants. From a single ant sculpture that is heroically free-standing, to the representation of ants in groups, to the dramatic collective action of ants, these works echo their surrounding space and invite reading and dialogue from their viewers of different age and cultural background. Therefore, Chen's exhibition of the iron ants in front of the MOCA, Taipei, which "visit but not enter the museum," could actually be viewed as a kind of "social sculpture."

『烏合之眾』也是陳志光首次在臺灣舉行的個展，一萬只螞蟻爬向臺北當代藝術(shù)館這座古蹟建筑的創(chuàng)作構(gòu)想，以及反諷的展覽名稱，敢情也傳達了他對於藝文生態(tài)現(xiàn)象的個人解讀，和一種自我解嘲的態(tài)度。對專程來訪或不經(jīng)意遇見這個展覧的所有觀眾，藝術(shù)家誠摯的期待則是，每個人可以很輕松自在地，從視覺的相逢邂逅，延伸到精神意義的提煉和分享，乃至於情感內(nèi)涵的共鳴與交流。

Herd of Ants is Chen's first solo exhibition in Taiwan. The creative idea of thousand ants crawling towards the museum as well as the sarcastic exhibition title in Chinese convey his personal interpretation of the artistic and cultural environment and his humorous attitude. Whether visitors come to the exhibition to see the work or simply happen to pass by, the artist sincerely hopes that everyone could have a relaxing time to enter a viewing process of first seeing the artwork, receiving and sharing its meaning, and eventually enjoying an inner resonance and exchange of feelings.