“Refinement & Reflection—Kang Tai-sen Narrative Photography Exhibition” organized by National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Ministry of Culture, will be held at Chungshan National Gallery from today to September 28. The opening ceremony was held today (August 20). The distinguished guests attending the ceremony included former Minister of Culture Hung Meng-chi, Honorary Chairman Chuang Ling of Society of Photographic Museum and Culture of Taiwan, former Chair Wang Che-hsiung of Department of Fine Arts of National Taiwan Normal University, and Chairman Su Hsien-fa of Tainan Art Museum. The exhibition selects 123 works of photography from 69 sets and tells stories in the combination and arrangement of the series through rich colors and clever composition. Many transient daily life situations and atmospheres are turned into eternity through photography as the witness to history.
Minister of Culture, Lee Yung-te, arrived earlier to pay special tribute to the exhibition. He quoted from Kang’s words: “The city is like a stage. There is no need for a director.” He expressed his gratitude to Prof. Kang for leading us to see the memories and stories of cities and life through his camera.
Director-general of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Wang Lan-sheng, said there are many beautiful photos on IG and Facebook, but few of them can touch people’s hearts. After communicating with Prof. Kang before the exhibition, Director-general Wang concluded that there are three requirements for a good photographer: sharp eyes, quick hands, and careful mind—to observe, narrate, and tell stories. He presses the shutter at the moment when seeing something worth recording. Finally, he makes use of the mind and concept to tell the stories with the photographic equipment. Turning photography into a coding process and decoding its content is the factor to make touching works. Each piece of Prof. Kang’s exhibition is a good one that touches people’s hearts. Welcome to appreciate the works.
At the opening ceremony, Prof. Kang mentioned two stories happening when he was teaching at school many years ago. One of them happened on the eve of one exhibition. He asked a professor to take a look at the arranged works. However, the processor gave the suggestion of major adjustment and asked him to make revisions all night. The next day, he found the result of the professor’s suggestion was really better. Therefore, he realized that accepting and reflecting on others’ criticism would lead to personal growth. The other story is about his failure in promotion because a professor had the thought: “What is photography? It’s just pressing the shutter.” But after that, he started to think about the thematic and creative expression and was successfully promoted after two years. The exhibition is arranged with four subjects: “Flower Love,” “Abstract and Concrete Impression,” “Life Code,” and “Freeze Frame of City” in order to make the viewers understand the imagination and thinking in the creative concepts better. Prof. Kang also stressed that he welcomed everyone’s criticism because it would be the power for his refinement and reflection.
National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall pointed out that Prof. Kang Tai-sheng was born in Chiayi, Taiwan, in 1951. Used to