2025，礦泥色料於構樹皮，28x785cm
Mineral pigment on paper mulberry bark, 28x785cm
Artwork commissioned by Hong-gah Museum
在南島語系中，「5」這個數字常以 lima 表達。在排灣族語裡「pu」表示「擁有」，pulima 便意指「擁有許多手的人」，引申為「巧手善於工藝之人」，如今更成為「藝術家」的代稱；世界各地遠古壁畫中常見的手印群，彷彿在視覺上與此概念產生了某種呼應。構樹製作的樹皮布，是太平洋南島民族重要的物質文化之一。科學家透過其 DNA 系譜分析，為「南島語系源於台灣」這一跨領域假說提供了有力佐證。在阿美族語中構樹被稱為 lolang，而其字根 lolol 含有「回復、歸還、再造」之意。我們或許難以完全理解與想像遠古南島民族橫跨萬里大洋的遷徙歷程，以樹皮乘載一個探路的旅程，如航行者的古老圖卷，記錄著手的軌跡與意志，引領我們向尚未命名之地前行。
Within the Austronesian language family, the number “five” is often expressed as lima. In the Paiwan language, “pu” signifies “to possess”; thus pulima denotes “one possessing many hands”, extending to mean “a person skilled in craftsmanship”, it has evolved into a synonym for “artist” now. The clusters of handprints frequently found in ancient rock art worldwide seem to visually resonate with this very concept. Bark cloth woven from paper mulberry constitutes a vital material culture among Pacific Austronesian peoples. Through DNA genealogical analysis, scientists have provided compelling evidence supporting the interdisciplinary hypothesis that ‘the Austronesian languages originated in Taiwan.’ In the Amis language, paper mulberry is termed lolang, its root lolol carrying connotations of ‘restoration, return, and rebirth.’ We may struggle to fully comprehend or imagine the ancient Austronesian peoples' transoceanic migrations spanning vast seas. Using bark as a vessel for a pioneering journey, like an ancient navigator's scroll, it records the traces and will of hands, guiding us towards unnamed lands yet to be discovered.
