化廢為寶 TRANSFORMING TRASH INTO TREASURE

從前不懂珍惜大自然，現在生活於石屎森林才渴望歸園田居。

I DID NOT CHERISH NATURE THEN WHEN IT WAS ABUNDANT AROUND ME, BUT I LONG FOR RURAL LIFE NOW THAT I LIVE IN A CONCRETE JUNGLE.

科技發達雖然使生活品質提高，但也同時製造大量電子垃圾。當電子產品失去本身的功能時，在我們眼中就成為了廢物，藝術家林佑森（L2-04）卻不是這樣看的。

電路板當畫板，電線化作樹。曾獲得藝術公社《出爐2010》「傑出藝術新秀獎」，作品廣受收藏家及博物館歡迎的林佑森將被遺棄的產品收集回來重新組裝、上色，讓「廢物」重生之餘，也變成獨特的風景，化腐朽為神奇。

Technological advancement remarkably improves our quality of life, however, it also generates a volume of electronic waste. Once electronic products lose their original functions, they become useless trash to most people. Artist Lam Yau-sum (L2-04) thinks otherwise.

“New Trend Award” winner Lam Yau-sum is known for transforming circuit boards into canvasses and electric wires into trees, creating artworks which are widely acquired by collectors and museums alike. Through collecting, assembling and painting on materials derived from electronic waste, he breathes new life in trash, constructing a new cityscape with his unique artistic vision.

Q1. 對於藝術有甚麼追求？為何會選擇以電路板、電子零件和五金廢料作創作素材？ What do you pursue in art? Why use circuit board, electronic parts and metal scraps as your source of materials?

其實我於香港藝術學院主修的是繪畫，但相比平面畫布，電子產品的世界對我以言更吸引。因為舅父從事電器維修的關係，我從小便沉迷於「拆機」，會拆出摩打製作小玩意。讀書時，為了人工智能這個專題，嘗試結合電路板和繪畫。畢業後就着手以電子零件和五金廢料製作立體雕塑。

《空間地圖》是我第一件於電路板上繪畫的作品。電路板的線路驟眼看恍如城市地圖中複雜的交通網絡，那些光點陣列則像夜空中的星星會閃爍，畫面很美，細看也像兩個重疊的空間。起初我以油畫的方式融合山水畫的意象和電路板的線條創作《再製山水》，後來則逐漸由抽象走向具象，從電路圖聯想出公雞、魚等動物的圖案。

除了將電路板作畫板外，我亦嘗試以其不同零件拼砌出各種組合，例如將其組件提煉出錫，作雕塑底座的物料。

I started my art training as a painting major at Hong Kong Art School. Compared to the flat surface on canvas, however, I find the world of electronic parts more appealing. My uncle works in repairing electrical appliances, thus I have always been immersed in and fascinated with disassembling appliances since I was young, and attempted to make all sorts of gadgets with the motors I extracted. For a school project on artificial intelligence, I integrated circuit board in my paintings. After graduation, I began creating sculptures from various electronic components and metal scraps.

Spatial Map is my first attempt to paint on a circuit board. The circuits resemble a complex transportation network on a city map, while the array of LEDs are like twinkling stars in the night sky. Thus, the work looks like two overlapping spaces. Initially, my works are more abstract, for example in Landscape,– I fused oil painting with the imagery of Chinese landscape and the routing on circuit boards. Later, I gradually turned from abstract to concrete, and conjured up animal patterns such as rooster and fish from the circuits.

In addition to painting on circuit boards, I also mix and match different components like “Lego bricks” to create sculptural works. I have even extracted tin from the boards and remoulded it to form the base of another sculpture.

Q2.如何運用它們營造獨特的「盆景」，當中的趣味又是甚麼？ How did you come to create these unique “bonsai” works? What is special about them?

A2. L 一開始並沒有想到「盆景」，只是喜歡用銅電線製成樹，而USB插座及電源插頭剛好可以盛載它們，並能隨意組裝，機動性甚大，讓收藏者可以自行搭配並自組移動城市。可是銅樹給人的感覺像枯枝，缺乏生氣，因此我便每天給它們澆水，銅樹慢慢氧化產生銅綠，彷彿重新注入生命。

The idea of “bonsai” did not enter my mind initially. I just like to make trees out of copper wires, and USB sockets and power plugs are ideal containers for them, making them modular and portable. Collectors could assemble them as they like and create a mobile city of their own. However, I thought the copper branches looked a bit dead and so the idea came to me to start watering them every day, until a green patina gradually formed on them due to oxidation, as if they have become organic and alive

Q3.作品的靈感來自哪裏？ Where do you find inspiration for your works?

那時候在觀塘合租工作室，窗外的景致盡是一片石屎森林，看不見天空。我便想對於城市人來說，甚麼是風景？有趣的是對面大廈外牆喉管的接駁位因為長年滲水而長出植物，而且看上去像山水畫般有層次，這啟發我以銅喉、冷氣機散熱器等配件創作《樹塔》、《鐵樹》和《圓》系列*。

我亦經常逃離城市到郊外遠足，因此有了《郊遊探勝》系列。當中的一件作品用上舊式大排檔可見的大光燈，是我在深灣露營時的發現。前年的超強颱風山竹亦促成了《大樹底下好遮蔭？》系列的一些作品，藉此思考：斷掉或枯毀的樹還可以為我們遮蔭檔雨嗎？

My studio used to be located in an industrial building in Kwun Tong, with views of no sky but just a concrete jungle of row upon row of other similar buildings. I could not help but wonder what landscape means for city dwellers. However, plants were thriving around the leaky joints of the external pipes on the façade of the opposite building, creating a layered effect quite like a Chinese landscape painting. This inspired me to create Tree Tower, Metal Tree and Yuanseries*, using components such as copper water pipes and air conditioner radiators.

As a getaway from the city, I often go hiking in the countryside, which inspired my creation of the Country Explorer series. One of the works included part of a large paraffin lamp I found when camping at Sham Wan. The super typhoon Mangkhut in 2018 also inspired me to create some of the works in A Tree Protects? series, which explored whether broken or withered trees could still provide shelter for people.

Q4.如何收集創作物料？ How do you go about collecting the materials?

A4. L 創作物料多數來自回收，例如裝修剩下的廢料、朋友準備扔掉的收音機、電腦、錄影機等，甚至曾有人送我一堆沒用的記憶體。有時候我也會到鴨寮街尋寶。

Mainly from recycling, including leftover scraps from renovation projects, and radios, computers and video recorders I salvaged from my friends bins. Someone even gave me a bunch of useless RAM sticks. I sometimes go treasure hunting at Apliu Street as well.

Q5.知道你曾參與多個本地及海外展覽，可以分享當中的一些體會或經歷嗎？

Could you share with us your insights or experiences from the many local and overseas exhibitions that you have participated in?

A5. L 最深刻的經驗是參與臺灣富邦藝旅的駐場計劃，他們把舊員工宿舍翻新成旅舍讓藝術家進駐，為期三個月。搞笑的是原來睡床能摺合，旅房與工作室合二為一，平日的旅房會逢週末收起，變身成工作室開放予住客參觀，也有舉辦市集。我在臺灣不但尋獲一些有趣的零件，亦完成了數件作品，同時期我也剛好在臺北的秋刀魚藝術中心舉辦了個展。

臺灣人給我的印象是熱情、健談的，他們非常熱衷於藝術，曾有人告訴我：臺灣藝術家比農民還要多。相比內地和香港人，他們亦比較有耐性去了解你的作品。

作品能找到知音是一件令人感動的事。我之所以能夠參與多個本地及海外展覽，也要感激嘉圖畫廊這十年來的支持。

My most memorable experience was a three-month artist-in-residency at Taiwan’s Folio Hotel, which was renovated from a staff dormitory. Funny enough, the beds in the hotel room would be folded up on weekends so the rooms could be opened up for studio visits and markets stalls. During my stay, I was able to collect some quirky components, complete several works and presented my solo exhibition at Taipei’s Fish Art Centre.

My impression of the Taiwanese is a people that are enthusiastic and talkative. They are very passionate about arts, as someone once told me: there are more artists than farmers in Taiwan. When compared to people in mainland China and Hong Kong, they have more patience in understanding your works.

It is indeed touching to meet like-minded people that appreciate your works. I am also grateful for the support from Grotto Fine Art over the last decade, which made my participation in many local and overseas exhibitions possible.

Q6.可以告訴我們更多關於你將在元創方舉行之個人展覽「似山似林」的內容嗎？ Could you tell us more about “Floating Mountains”, your upcoming solo exhibition at PMQ?

展覽作品包括一束花和五棵樹。花以銅片製成並置於燈泡內，可發光。樹林則通過「焫雞」把一絲絲電線連接而成。透過這些以現成物創作的雕塑，我希望探討變異中的城市生態。

The exhibition will feature a “flower bouquet” and five “trees”. The flowers of Light and Life are made of copper plates which emanate fascinating hues when lit inside light bulbs. The trees/forest are made of electric wires that have been delicately soldered together. Through these sculptures created by ready-made objects, I wish to probe into the mutating city habitats.

Q7.你如何看待大自然？What do you think of nature?

小時候我在鄕下長大，一出家門就看到田野，會去拾竹枝製作玩具，例如蜻蜓捕捉器和炮仗發射器。從前不懂珍惜大自然，現在生活於石屎森林才渴望歸園田居。我閒時會在家中的露台種植不同的植物，例如森樹和仙人掌，以及青椒、苦瓜、桃等蔬果。

I grew up in the countryside when I was a child. My house then was surrounded by farmland, and I would collect bamboo branches to make toys such as dragonfly traps and firecracker launchers. I did not cherish nature then when it was abundant around me, but I long for rural life now that I live in a concrete jungle. In my spare time, I take care of the various plants on my balcony, including chinaberry, cactus, peaches, and vegetables like green peppers and gourds.

作品能找到知音是一件令人感動的事。 IT IS INDEED TOUCHING TO MEET LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE THAT APPRECIATE YOUR WORKS.

Q8.未來有沒有其它計劃？ Any plans for the future?

接下來十一月我會在臺灣舉行「露之花」個展。我亦正在準備明年於東莞覔書店的展覽合作，我希望作品可以多一點互動元素，例如人們走近時，會引發移動感應，從而看到某些信息。

*《圓》、《樹塔》和《鐵樹》於2015年參與CHINA 8，在德國哈根奧斯特豪斯博物館展出。

I will have a solo exhibition “Dewflower” in Taiwan in November 2020. I am also preparing for a collaboration with Reading Mi, a bookstore in Dongguan next year. Hopefully, I could include more interactive elements in my works; one that I am currently working on involves a motion detector which projects messages when people come close to the work.

*Yuan, Tree Tower and Metal Tree were selected for “CHINA 8: Zeitgenössische Kunst aus China an Rhein und Ruhr” in 2015, and exhibited at Osthaus Museum Hagen, Germany.

鳴謝：JCCAC 團隊

原文：https://www.jccachappenings.com/article/october/