『 M A G I C - E Y E S 魔法的眼睛 』 剛果個展
2014.4.10 - 5.4
從魔法人的眼裡.看見了…
現代人流行用鳥卦、塔羅牌來占卜，我們的老祖宗用龜殼上的紋路來占卜，而來自非洲部落的魔法人被視為擁有神秘的力量和權威﹔剛果人認為，一個人要有專門知識或超自然能力，才能成為儀式專家。
儀式專家是具有專門知識和超自然能力的人，藉由各種儀式化解疑難雜症，帶來吉祥。儀式專家可以是占卜者，治病者，在非洲人生活中的作用非常突出，也是非洲部落文化的一部分。
基本上來說，這種雕像通常是木雕的男子立雕，女性也有，但極少見。男雕像，形容威猛，雙手插腰，女雕像，雙手置於腹部，代表生育的泉源，通常塗以紅色。其它也有部分神話祖先或動物的形態，以狗最常見，其中可見雙頭狗狀。也因此會為雕像附加各種來自大自然的動植物或礦物的物品，使他得到力量，成為力量象徵的雕像。可以保護人、帶來好運和驅趕邪惡。
剛果地區的許多地方醫術治療往往與酋長的地位相連，統治者的授權儀式表現出許多與治療有關的特徵，它們的身上往往要塗敷各種的藥物。酋長們輪流使用他們的醫術能力來對抗邪惡勢力，保護自己和自己的族民。
剛果人所做的雕像，最令人驚訝且形體強而有力的，無疑是NIKISI 形象。人們把鐵釘或其它鐵器敲打入雕像身上，使之帶有力量，並對它的超自然力量表示尊崇。鐵器在剛果為極為珍貴的物品，剛果人認為鐵器具有特別的意涵，因此剛果人在祈福、訂立契約、宣誓、許願往往使用鐵器來增加其力量。此外，鏡子在剛果雕像中亦佔有重要地位，剛果人認為它可以將自然的能量置於雕像中。
魔法人在剛果算是一個很特殊的雕像，因為是占卜師使用﹔雕像特別在於用不同物品混搭，腹部有玻璃的材質比喻可透過玻璃看到未來的預言。為了增強或改變它的法力，可以加附或掛上額外的物品。它們可以是內藏法力物品的小捆包、布袋或空心蘆葦，也可以是形狀特異的木塊或是動物的角、齒、爪、羽毛之類的東西。
這類型作品以動物描繪的狗雕像也具有法力，因為犬類的感覺敏銳，尤其超乎人類的視覺，所以儀式專家用狗的雕像來對抗邪惡力量，保護家宅和村落。
無論如何，剛果雕刻之中，即使最微小的細部也都有特殊的意義，今天我們對作品意義多番的猜測，純粹是由於不能完全了解當時的文化而已。像所有插上金屬物件的雕像一樣，這些雕像應是社會共有的財物，由儀式專家負責，用來祈福、訂立契約、宣誓、許願等等。
以人類學的角度來說.魔法人象徵著部落間的法官.形同正義的代表.
Modern people tend to use Tarot to predict the future and our ancestors divined the future by the vein on turtleback while the NIKISI from African tribe is regarded as the power of authority and mystery. The Congo people consider the ritualists must possess expertise and supernatural abilities.
The ritualists possess expertise and supernatural abilities to resolve the difficulties through diverse rituals and bring luckiness. They could be diviner or curer. They are a part of African tribal culture which is meaningful to the daily life of African people.
Basically, the male figures are more common than female figures, the latter is very rare. The male figures are typically carved with hands on waist and powerful features. The female figures are generally depicted with hands on belly and colored red which represents the fountain of fertility. There are some statues carved as the mythical ancestors or animals. The most common animal statue is two-headed dog. These statues are adorned with plants or mineral from Mother Nature which are considered to turn them into powerful statues. People believed that this kind of statue can protect tribes and bring luck.
The medical therapy in Congo is related to the chief’s rulership. During the authorization ceremony , the chief need to be applied several ointment which is bound up with the medical cure and use their medical skill to fight with the evil spirit and protect their people.
The most astonishing and powerful figures made by Congo people called “NIKISI NKONDE”. People hammered nails or other ironware into the statues in this way they become powerful and be worshipped by tribespeople. The ironware is scarce in Congo therefore they are believed to have supernatural power, as a result of it, the Congolese usually use it during blessing, vowing and concluding a treaty. Another important stuff among Congo culture is mirror, they think mirrors could lock supernatural power in the statues.
NIKISI is a typical statue as it is used by diviners. They are characterized by varied adornment stuff, for instance, their belly are made by glass which symbolizes the future is visible to the glass and moreover, the additional ornamentations are believed to enhance the power of the statues. They could be a pouch with magical stuff, some reeds or some particular shape of woods or animal’s horns, teeth, claws and feathers or anything like this.
The dog figures are as magical as human figures because of their keen sense, therefore the ritualists use dog figures to protect tribes from evil power. In any case, even the tiny part of Congo sculpture is meaningful. What we guess about these statues is due to the fact that we cannot completely comprehend their ancient culture. For instance, statues with metal decorations belong to the whole society which are only used by ritualists.
From the perspective of anthropology, NIKISI represents not only the judge of tribe but also the symbolization of justice.
現代人流行用鳥卦、塔羅牌來占卜，我們的老祖宗用龜殼上的紋路來占卜，而來自非洲部落的魔法人被視為擁有神秘的力量和權威﹔剛果人認為，一個人要有專門知識或超自然能力，才能成為儀式專家。
儀式專家是具有專門知識和超自然能力的人，藉由各種儀式化解疑難雜症，帶來吉祥。儀式專家可以是占卜者，治病者，在非洲人生活中的作用非常突出，也是非洲部落文化的一部分。
基本上來說，這種雕像通常是木雕的男子立雕，女性也有，但極少見。男雕像，形容威猛，雙手插腰，女雕像，雙手置於腹部，代表生育的泉源，通常塗以紅色。其它也有部分神話祖先或動物的形態，以狗最常見，其中可見雙頭狗狀。也因此會為雕像附加各種來自大自然的動植物或礦物的物品，使他得到力量，成為力量象徵的雕像。可以保護人、帶來好運和驅趕邪惡。
剛果地區的許多地方醫術治療往往與酋長的地位相連，統治者的授權儀式表現出許多與治療有關的特徵，它們的身上往往要塗敷各種的藥物。酋長們輪流使用他們的醫術能力來對抗邪惡勢力，保護自己和自己的族民。
剛果人所做的雕像，最令人驚訝且形體強而有力的，無疑是NIKISI 形象。人們把鐵釘或其它鐵器敲打入雕像身上，使之帶有力量，並對它的超自然力量表示尊崇。鐵器在剛果為極為珍貴的物品，剛果人認為鐵器具有特別的意涵，因此剛果人在祈福、訂立契約、宣誓、許願往往使用鐵器來增加其力量。此外，鏡子在剛果雕像中亦佔有重要地位，剛果人認為它可以將自然的能量置於雕像中。
魔法人在剛果算是一個很特殊的雕像，因為是占卜師使用﹔雕像特別在於用不同物品混搭，腹部有玻璃的材質比喻可透過玻璃看到未來的預言。為了增強或改變它的法力，可以加附或掛上額外的物品。它們可以是內藏法力物品的小捆包、布袋或空心蘆葦，也可以是形狀特異的木塊或是動物的角、齒、爪、羽毛之類的東西。
這類型作品以動物描繪的狗雕像也具有法力，因為犬類的感覺敏銳，尤其超乎人類的視覺，所以儀式專家用狗的雕像來對抗邪惡力量，保護家宅和村落。
無論如何，剛果雕刻之中，即使最微小的細部也都有特殊的意義，今天我們對作品意義多番的猜測，純粹是由於不能完全了解當時的文化而已。像所有插上金屬物件的雕像一樣，這些雕像應是社會共有的財物，由儀式專家負責，用來祈福、訂立契約、宣誓、許願等等。
以人類學的角度來說.魔法人象徵著部落間的法官.形同正義的代表.
Modern people tend to use Tarot to predict the future and our ancestors divined the future by the vein on turtleback while the NIKISI from African tribe is regarded as the power of authority and mystery. The Congo people consider the ritualists must possess expertise and supernatural abilities.
The ritualists possess expertise and supernatural abilities to resolve the difficulties through diverse rituals and bring luckiness. They could be diviner or curer. They are a part of African tribal culture which is meaningful to the daily life of African people.
Basically, the male figures are more common than female figures, the latter is very rare. The male figures are typically carved with hands on waist and powerful features. The female figures are generally depicted with hands on belly and colored red which represents the fountain of fertility. There are some statues carved as the mythical ancestors or animals. The most common animal statue is two-headed dog. These statues are adorned with plants or mineral from Mother Nature which are considered to turn them into powerful statues. People believed that this kind of statue can protect tribes and bring luck.
The medical therapy in Congo is related to the chief’s rulership. During the authorization ceremony , the chief need to be applied several ointment which is bound up with the medical cure and use their medical skill to fight with the evil spirit and protect their people.
The most astonishing and powerful figures made by Congo people called “NIKISI NKONDE”. People hammered nails or other ironware into the statues in this way they become powerful and be worshipped by tribespeople. The ironware is scarce in Congo therefore they are believed to have supernatural power, as a result of it, the Congolese usually use it during blessing, vowing and concluding a treaty. Another important stuff among Congo culture is mirror, they think mirrors could lock supernatural power in the statues.
NIKISI is a typical statue as it is used by diviners. They are characterized by varied adornment stuff, for instance, their belly are made by glass which symbolizes the future is visible to the glass and moreover, the additional ornamentations are believed to enhance the power of the statues. They could be a pouch with magical stuff, some reeds or some particular shape of woods or animal’s horns, teeth, claws and feathers or anything like this.
The dog figures are as magical as human figures because of their keen sense, therefore the ritualists use dog figures to protect tribes from evil power. In any case, even the tiny part of Congo sculpture is meaningful. What we guess about these statues is due to the fact that we cannot completely comprehend their ancient culture. For instance, statues with metal decorations belong to the whole society which are only used by ritualists.
From the perspective of anthropology, NIKISI represents not only the judge of tribe but also the symbolization of justice.
