AILANTHUS

樗—自然裡的美術館 (Ailanthus, or The Living Museum of Art by Nature) is an environmental installation made by Charif in Guandu Nature Park (Taipei), consisting in 66 artworks arranged as an exhibition in a natural museum without walls, open from 9th September to 31th December 2016.

MATERIALS

Second hand frames, hemp rope, found objects, wood, stones, eco paint and the natural landscape.

STATEMENT

I don’t know how to make a masterpiece, but I know that to learn how to paint or produce art is necessary first to learn how to see. The lines of a bark’s tree, the storm over the ocean, that design of the rainbow leaf beetle (or Chrysolina cerealis) are arguably expressions of the Universe in its subtle and spontaneous manners. In some way, it’s art from a natural talent who never was contaminated by art schools, trends or market.
I only found a museum of art in this natural space, in Guandu, and I stressing the lines using her elements (branches, leaves, stones), but also trash that I found in forests and rivers from different countries (like broken toys) because, as Zuang Zhou (莊子) teach us in that passage about the “useless” Ailanthus, uselessness is useful if we found the usefulness.
This project is strongly linked to my own life, in which I am more and more identify with the useless tree rather than the useful “artist”.
-Gustavo Charif, Taipei, October 2016.-

WORKS (click on thumbnails to enlarge the images)

01. [Detail with handmade title.] Enter the Unknown. / 進入未知。 [Foto: Te-Wei Chao.]

01. Enter the Unknown. / 進入未知。

01. [Detail.] Enter the Unknown. / 進入未知。

02. Warm Welcome. / 熱烈歡迎。

02. [Detail.] Warm Welcome. / 熱烈歡迎。

03. Love’s Stain. /愛的痕跡。

04. [Handmade title.] Happy Eye in a Crazy Diamond. / 瘋狂鑽石的快樂眼睛。

04. Happy Eye in a Crazy Diamond. / 瘋狂鑽石的快樂眼睛。

05. Joseph Carey Merrick (1862-1890). 約瑟夫·凱里·梅里克 (1862-1890)。（註：約瑟夫·凱里·梅里克是一位被稱作「象人」的身體畸形的英國人，他的善良和美德啟發了許多人。這是一件向約瑟夫致意的作品。）

06. The Most Expensive Artwork in the World. /最昂貴的藝術品。

07. Ovo della Francesca. / 弗朗切斯卡的蛋。(Original title in Italian.)

07. [Detail.] Ovo della Francesca. / 弗朗切斯卡的蛋。(Original title in Italian.)

08. Árbol herido. (Original title in Spanish. English title: “Wounded Tree”.) / 受傷的樹。 ※藝術家在樹上發現這根釘子，於是創作此件作品。

08. Árbol herido. (Original title in Spanish. English title: “Wounded Tree”.) / 受傷的樹。 ※藝術家在樹上發現這根釘子，於是創作此件作品。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

08. Árbol herido. (Original title in Spanish. English title: “Wounded Tree”.) / 受傷的樹。 ※藝術家在樹上發現這根釘子，於是創作此件作品。

09. From Outer Space. / 來自外太空。

09. [Detail.] From Outer Space. / 來自外太空。

10. La Gioconda di Guandu. (Original title in Italian. English title: The Mona Lisa of Guandu.) / 關渡的蒙娜麗莎。

10. La Gioconda di Guandu. (Original title in Italian. English title: The Mona Lisa of Guandu.) / 關渡的蒙娜麗莎。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

10. La Gioconda di Guandu. (Original title in Italian. English title: The Mona Lisa of Guandu.) / 關渡的蒙娜麗莎。

11. The Shout of the Owl. / 貓頭鷹的夜嚎。

12. Micro-Exhibition by a Micro-Artist. / 小藝術家的小展覽。

12. [Detail.] Micro-Exhibition by a Micro-Artist. / 小藝術家的小展覽。

13. It’s Not a Heavy Rain, It’s Just an Infinite Weeping. / 這不是雨，只是無盡的哭泣。

13. [Detail.] It’s Not a Heavy Rain, It’s Just an Infinite Weeping. / 這不是雨，只是無盡的哭泣。

14. Natural Vampire. / 大自然的吸血鬼。 [Detail of handmade title.]

14. Natural Vampire. / 大自然的吸血鬼。

15. [Detail of the handmade title.] Portrait of a Very Hairy Man. / 一個多毛男人的肖像。 [Photo by Te-Wei Chao.]

15. Portrait of a Very Hairy Man. / 一個多毛男人的肖像。

16. The Tree of the Ignorance. / 無知之樹。

16. [Detail.] The Tree of the Ignorance. / 無知之樹。

16. [Details.] The Tree of the Ignorance. / 無知之樹。

17. From Twilight to Starlight. / 從黎明到星夜。

18. Black Box of an Environmental Crash. / 環境崩毀的黑盒子。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

18. [Detail.] Black Box of an Environmental Crash. / 環境崩毀的黑盒子。

18. [Detail.] Black Box of an Environmental Crash. / 環境崩毀的黑盒子。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

18. [Detail.] Black Box of an Environmental Crash. / 環境崩毀的黑盒子。

18. Black Box of an Environmental Crash. / 環境崩毀的黑盒子。

18. [Detail.] Black Box of an Environmental Crash. / 環境崩毀的黑盒子。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

19. The Last Days of Spartacus. / 斯巴達克斯的最後幾天。 [Photo by Te-Wei Chao.]

19. [Detail.] The Last Days of Spartacus. / 斯巴達克斯的最後幾天。

19. The Last Days of Spartacus. / 斯巴達克斯的最後幾天。

20. Taipei Boogie Woogie. / 臺北市布基烏基。

21. A Man With Three Faces. / 有三張臉的人。

22. 自傳。 (English title: Autobiography.) [Photo by Te-Wei Chao.]

22. 自傳。 (English title: Autobiography.)

23. E.T. Falling Down in a Quicksand. / 掉進流沙的ET。

24. “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life”. / 《論處在生存競爭中的物種之起源（源於自然選擇或者對偏好種族的保存）》。 [Photo by Te-Wei Chao.]

24. “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life”. / 《論處在生存競爭中的物種之起源（源於自然選擇或者對偏好種族的保存）》。

24. [Detail.] “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life”. / 《論處在生存競爭中的物種之起源（源於自然選擇或者對偏好種族的保存）》。

25. [Detail of handmade title.] You Can Be Your Best Artwork. / 你就是絕世佳作。 [Photo by Lin Ya Han, a.k.a. Nemo Lin.]

25. You Can Be Your Best Artwork. / 你就是絕世佳作。

25. You Can Be Your Best Artwork. / 你就是絕世佳作。 [Photo: Charif protrayed by the assistant Pei-Pei Dai before the work.]

25. You Can Be Your Best Artwork. / 你就是絕世佳作。 [Photo: the assistant Pei-Pei Dai protrayed by Charif before the work.]

26. Winner of Nothing. / 全盤皆輸。

26. [Details.] Winner of Nothing. / 全盤皆輸。

26. [Detail.] Winner of Nothing. / 全盤皆輸。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

26. [Details.] Winner of Nothing. / 全盤皆輸。

27. Passengers in Transit. / 移動中的旅客。 [Photo by Sasimi Chen.]

27. [Detail.] Passengers in Transit. / 移動中的旅客。 [Photo by Sasimi Chen.]

27. [Detail.] Passengers in Transit. / 移動中的旅客。

27. Passengers in Transit. / 移動中的旅客。

28. Poetry From the Forest. / 森林之詩。

28. [Detail.] Poetry From the Forest. / 森林之詩。

28. Poetry From the Forest. / 森林之詩。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

29. Mutation. / 突變。

30. Why not? / 為何不？

31. Son of the Sun. / 太陽之子。

32. Geometric Landscape. / 幾何地景。 (On Ficus microcarpa.)

33. 我愛你，寶貝。（註：原標題即為中文。）(Original title in Chinese, able to be translated as “I love you, baby”.)

34. Do you like my pet? / 你喜歡我的寵物嗎？ [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

34. [Detail.] Do you like my pet? / 你喜歡我的寵物嗎？

34. Do you like my pet? / 你喜歡我的寵物嗎？

35. Tajo hacia otra dimensión. / 去另一個時空的砍。 (Original title in Spanish. English title: Slash Towards Another Dimension.)

35. [Detail.] Tajo hacia otra dimensión. / 去另一個時空的砍。 (Original title in Spanish. English title: Slash Towards Another Dimension.)

36. [Detail of the handmade title.] Her Ways Mesmerize Me. / 她的舉手投足使我著迷。 [Photo by Lin Ya Han, a.k.a. Nemo Lin.]

36. Her Ways Mesmerize Me. / 她的舉手投足使我著迷。

37. Mister Tiědàn, King of Tamsui. / 鐵蛋先生，淡水之王。 [Photo by Lin Ya Han, a.k.a. Nemo Lin.]

37. [Detail.] Mister Tiědàn, King of Tamsui. / 鐵蛋先生，淡水之王。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

38. WARNING. / 警告。

39. [Work in progress.] Iconoclast. / 反偶像崇拜者。

40. Speechless Poet. / 無言詩人。

40. [Detail.] Speechless Poet. / 無言詩人。

41. Golden Bird. / 金鳥。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

42. Don’t Worry About Me. / 別擔心我。

43. Our Lovely Totem. / 我們可愛的圖騰。

44. Face of a Tired Man. / 疲倦的臉。

44. [Detail.] Face of a Tired Man. / 疲倦的臉。

45. Animal Enjoying to Be Alive. / 享受生命的動物。

46. WE ARE BORN IN WEALTH. / 我們天生富有。

47. Hospitalized Tree. / 住院的樹。

47. [Detail.] Hospitalized Tree. / 住院的樹。

47. [Detail.] Hospitalized Tree. / 住院的樹。 [Photo by Lin Ya Han, a.k.a. Nemo Lin.]

48. Caravan. / 露營車。

49. Friendly Foreigner. / 友善的外國人。

49. Friendly Foreigner. / 友善的外國人。 || 50. Two Men Fighting for a Potato. / 為了馬鈴薯爭吵的兩個男人。

50. Two Men Fighting for a Potato. / 為了馬鈴薯爭吵的兩個男人。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

51. All Arguments Lead to the Sea. / 所有的爭吵都入海。 [Photo by Yi Fen.]

51. All Arguments Lead to the Sea. / 所有的爭吵都入海。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

52. Maelstrom in the Stones River. / 石頭河中的渦流。 [Photo by 莊雅惠 (Naffy).]

52. Maelstrom in the Stones River. / 石頭河中的渦流。 [Photos by 莊雅惠 (Naffy).]

53. Feral Child. / 野孩子。 [Photo by Te-Wei Chao.]

53. Feral Child. / 野孩子。

54. Don’t Look Now. / 現在別看。

55. Daughter of the Moon. / 月亮的女兒。

56. The Enthusiastic. / 狂熱分子。

57. L’homme qui rit. 笑面人。（註：原標題雨果小說《笑面人》的原法文書名。）

58. Pi-Pi, the Rabbit of Pei-Pei. / 皮皮，佩佩的兔子。

58. Pi-Pi, the Rabbit of Pei-Pei. / 皮皮，佩佩的兔子。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

59. [Detail of the handmade title.] Waiting for the Sun. / 等待太陽。 [Photo by Lin Ya Han, a.k.a. Nemo Lin.]

59. Waiting for the Sun. / 等待太陽。

60. My Family on Sundays. / 我在周日的家人。

61. Natural. / 自然的。

62. Hidden Heathen. / 隱藏的異教徒。

63. Black Horse Towards To The Black Moon. / 奔向黑月的一匹黑馬。

63. Black Horse Towards To The Black Moon. / 奔向黑月的一匹黑馬。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

64. “As I reach for a peach…” / 「我伸手拿了一顆桃子…」

65. You Can Find Your Own Artwork If You Keep the Focus on Life. / 只要你持續專注於生命，就會找尋到屬於你的作品。

66. Exit Music. / 終曲。

THANKS

The artist want to say special thanks to all the volunteers who helped him in the accomplishment of the works, 莊雅惠 (Naffy), Pei-Pei Dai, Shuang-Pu Tsai, Xing-Xing Tang, Pei-Chen Lin, Chen Ines, 李汶儒, 曾鈺文, 黃旭華, Caramel, TingTing, Anna Hsieh, Taresa Wang, Cassandra Yue, Mrs. Grace LinOu, Alice Li, Renee Yeh and the little boy Kai-Kai, but also thanks to all the Guandu Nature Park (關渡自然公園) authorities for the invitation to the 關渡國際自然藝術季 (Guandu International Nature Art Festival), and to Ellen Jan, Yen-ju Lai, Ashi, Winnie Yen, 曾雲龍 and all the team of the Park who helped in many ways, not only with resources and logistic. And special thanks to the good friend and talented artist Lin Ya Han (a.k.a. Nemo Lin) to be the first one who tell him about Guandu Park.

Gustavo Charif (standing, at the centre), the team of Guandu Park, and the other artists selected by the festival: Elena Redaelli (Italy), Lilli Tölp (Estonia), Matt Chun (Australia) and Chi-Hao Pai (Taiwan)

Also thanks to Charif’s family and friends 白濟豪 (Chi-Hao Pai), Martín Ramírez and María Inés Martínez.

Special thanks to 陳雅芬 (Yah Feng) and Victor Chu, from the Oficina Cultural y Comercial de Taipei in Argentina, and to His Excellency Mr. Huang Lien-Sheng (黃聯昇), ambassador of Taiwan in Argentina.

WORKS IN PROGRESS / TALK / OPENING DAY / CATALOGUE (click on thumbnails to enlarge the images)

Day one. Ready to work.

First days. Talking with photographer Kelvin Kang (康錫頂), sketch of the day’s plan according each artist and a Charif’s friend captured by the lens of Yenzi in the pocket of the artist. [Photos by Yen-ju Lai and Yenzi.]

First ideas in the Charif’s sketchbook. [Photo by Yenzi.]

With assistant Pei-Pei Dai. [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)]

Working in first ideas. [Photos by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang) and 莊雅惠]

Working in 熱烈歡迎 (“Warm Welcome”), recibing the visit of artist 白濟豪 (Chi-Hao Pai). [Photo by 莊雅惠.]

Installing 熱烈歡迎 (“Warm Welcome”), and talking with children visitors. [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

Working in 熱烈歡迎 (“Warm Welcome”), while Yenzi show one of the work (“Happy Eye in a Crazy Diamond” / 瘋狂鑽石的快樂眼睛) to a visitor. [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]

Process of “Micro-Exhibition by a Micro-Artist” (小藝術家的小展覽). [Photo by assistant Shuang-Pu Tsai.]

Working in “Taipei Boogie Woogie” (臺北市布基烏基) with volunteer Caramel [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang)] and volunteers 莊雅惠 (Naffy) and Grace LinOu.

Working in “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life”. / 《論處在生存競爭中的物種之起源（源於自然選擇或者對偏好種族的保存）》。 [Photo by 康錫頂 (Kelvin Kang).]