Diamond Rhino | 鑽石金鋼
| 語音導覽 | 青銅 Bronze 126 x 41 x74cm |
鑽石是經過琢磨的金剛石，是具有宗教色彩的崇拜、畏懼，同時又被視為勇敢、權力、地位和尊貴的象徵。而在遠古，犀牛是帝王的象徵，這和鑽石的寓意不謀而合，犀牛角更有「唯我獨尊」之意，故此，把這隻獨特幾何切割造型的犀牛命名為《鑽石金鋼》。如今鑽石已是尋常百姓頸上腕間的日常飾品，這也符合作者想要他的犀牛雕塑走進城市的公共場所，和每一個普通人親近的初衷，更是作者賦予犀牛角全新的拇指造型和指紋圖案的內涵意義所在。一顆鑽石原石，扔在人面前也很難引起注意，但是精密的切割卻能賦予它第二生命，讓它折射出絢麗的光芒。《鑽石金鋼》外型採用了幾何切割及硬邊造型的雕塑語言，及分割放線等鑄造工藝，這就是給犀牛的第二藝術生命，也吻合了鑽石切割比例，拋光，修飾度三項工藝。
A raw diamond may go unnoticed when thrown in front of people. However, precise cutting techniques can give it new life and allow it to refract dazzling light. "Diamond King Kong" is created using a sculpture language that features geometric cutting and hard-edged modeling, along with casting techniques such as segmentation and line placement. This not only gives the rhinoceros a second chance at artistic expression but also corresponds to the three essential crafts of diamond cutting: proportions, polishing, and modification.
Looking at Shih Li-Jen's rhinoceros works, one may notice concentric circles resembling "target rings" on the rhinoceros horn. This choice may be due to the rhinoceros horn being both a weapon to protect its life and a vulnerability that contributes to the rhinoceros becoming an endangered species. It is a contradiction of life and death. Therefore, regardless of the rhinoceros' style, the artist intentionally depicts this concentric circle on the rhinoceros horn as a totemic symbol of the animal.
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