Whenever we look around in response to a need, attempting to locate a suitable object in the world capable of realising the functional forms we envision for our tools, the concept of "material" may already have vaguely surfaced in our consciousness. Yet, what precisely is material? Is it mere matter that can be molded into any arbitrary form? Or a unique and exclusive essence? Or, perhaps, something that, while possessing fixed properties, yet can transformed and elevated through specific methods? Plato once sought to distinguish between the "philosopher" and the "sophist": the former guides the soul toward elevation, while the latter teaches others the art of argumentation. Alchemists named the legendary miraculous catalyst for a mysterious material capable of transforming and enhancing the inherent properties of metals.
Today's practitioners are no longer obsessed with the pursuit of a singular, essential substance. Instead, they increasingly utilise the materials in hand in order to speak for other materials. The exhibition, borrowing from the conceptual pair of the "philosopher" and the "sophist", titles the nowadays practitioners' on material as the Sophist's Stone. It invites viewers to consider how contemporary craft and art not only revolve around material as a central locus of creative inquiry, but also operate through strategies in which the inherent properties of one material are mobilised to articulate the dynamics and agencies of others. This exhibition further asks how such practices can avoid being enclosed within the impasse of "truth to materials", while drawing from "alchemy" to bridge the modern crisis of experiential rupture ─ the disconnection regarding "things" caused by the tension between "textural veneers" and "virtual materiality".
Hydrography
The concept of “material” originates in a particular kind of insight: the belief that all things that appear different on the appearance are composed of a homogenous underlying source. This intuition arises from observations of water’s transformations across its three states; thus, “water” may be understood as humans’ primordial imagination of material. The section Hydrography brings together Wang Yin, Crystallize Object art studio (Wu Yu-Jung + Yen Yu-Tien) and Chao Yung-Hue, who respectively employ “metal” and “fibre” to give voice to the distinctive properties of “water”.
Biomimicry
Water nurtures life, enabling plants and animals to grow. The Latin root materia (material) originally denoted “timber”, derived from mater (mother), carrying connections of "nurturing" and “growth”. The section Biomimicry invites Chang Yao-Chang, Yang Deng-Lin, and Wu Li-Wei to respectively use “soil” and “metal” in order to speak for the distinguishable properties of “plant and animal fibres”.
Stratification
The continuity of life depends not only on water, but also on earth. Earth’s capacity for stratification enables life to construct spaces of shelter and protection. The section Stratification brings together Huang Hsiao-Ju, Nelson Lim (Lim Sang-Choon), and Katies Strachan, who work with “soil” to articulate the distinct properties of “fibre” and “metal” respectively.
Memory
With the emergence of cities and the need to transmit large amounts of information, humans invented writing. Viewed through mythological and lenses, the birth of writing is inseparable from earth. The section Memory invites Tien Hsin-I, Chen Yu-Xing, and Tung Pin-Yuan to employ “concrete”, “paraffin wax”, “paint”, “moving image”, and “print” in order to give voice to the distinctive properties of “soil”.
Antagonism
The kiln-firing techniques of ceramic practice form the foundation of metallurgical smelting. The hardness, toughness, and sharpness of metal, however, can only be verified through antagonistic relations with other materials. The section Antagonism brings together Chan Zong-Jhe and Lee Jyun-Yi, who utilise “soil” and “wood”, respectively, to speak for the distinct properties of “metal”.
Virtuality
Fire is capable of initiating irreversible transformations in matter: it turns water into vapor, reduces plant and animal fibers to ash, sinters clay, and melts metal. Rising heat can generate mirages ─ solar flares on land and optical illusions at sea. Today, through the combustion of fossil fuels, produces electrical energy that indirectly sustains the virtual digital world. The section Virtuality invites Sung Hsiang-Pang and Huang Tzu-Yu to use “stone” and “metal” respectively, in order to articulate the distinctive properties of “fire”.