咱的塑膠夢
ISLAND OF PLASTIC DREAM漫長的人類歷史中，木頭、金屬、玻璃、石頭、橡膠及獸骨毛皮等自然資源的分配不均勻造成了難以取得及造價昂貴，它們天然的特性（如堅硬、沉重、容易破裂或變質）也難以滿足人類的慾望。我們需要一個新的材料，於是塑膠（一種聚合材料）出現了。因第二次世界大戰龐大的軍事需求而急速發展的塑膠，在戰後飛快地進入了消費市場，它的輕盈與堅固超越了人類的想像，低廉的價格讓許多產品由上流階層流向底層社會，質地顏色和形狀的可塑性更是大大地讓追求美學的設計師和消費者過足了癮。「它能形塑桶子，也能打造珠寶。永恆的驚奇感由此而生。」羅蘭巴特在1957年這樣評論。那時候，塑膠是美麗和平等的代名詞。
不久以前的臺灣，是不是也環抱著這樣的塑膠夢？
《咱的塑膠夢》為曾彥婷於2020年發起的創作計畫，以生活中的塑膠為引，紀錄石化產業的發展如何在三代之內徹底改變臺灣的日常風景。
Throughout history, the standards of human living have been limited by the distribution of natural resource materials, such as wood, stone, metals, etc. That is until the introduction of plastic in the mid 20th century. Plastic - sturdy, lightweight, efficient and affordable - seemingly the answer to humanity’s aspiration towards a better living, enjoyed by both the rich and the poor. As Roland Barthes puts it, “ [It] can become buckets as well as jewels. Hence a perpetual amazement, the reverie of man at the sight of the proliferating forms of matter….”
But what now…?
ISLAND OF PLASTIC DREAM is a creative project initiated by artist Yenting Tseng starting in 2020. It looks at the role of plastic in daily life, and documents how the petrochemical industry has transformed the life of Taiwanese people within three generations.