Circles in the City

城市中的圓

都市裡的人好像湯姆熊裡那臺推幣機裡的銅板，一堆銅板堆在兩層前後移動的平台，從沒有停止過。我們身處一個尷尬的位置，後方的人一直往前推，但前方的人也卡著無法前進，然後銅板越推越高，壓力越來越大。唯一不改變的是後方那個規律在前後移動的平台，我稱它為時間吧。

在這種推擠與對於未來的渴望中，我發現圓形是一個很特殊的造型，它很難用徒手畫得漂亮，用手畫圓總是畫得不太圓滿，七歪八扭的。不知道是不是因為這樣，台灣人特別喜歡圓形，我們過年總喜歡坐在一個大圓桌上吃飯。

有時候我走在路上，低頭看著地上的人孔蓋，抬頭看著大樓外面的室外機，以及從我口袋掏出的銅板，圓形卻又幾乎無所不在，似乎圓形才是能容納萬事的容器。我想畫出這些存在於擁擠城市之中不完美的圓形，我們接受了那份心中的不完美，才能看見圓形那形而上的意義；它們與人的密度關係一樣，凌亂、有機而擁擠。

Circles in the City

People in the city are like the coins in a "Tom’s World" coin pusher. A mountain of coins sits on two platforms that slide back and forth, never stopping. We are caught in an awkward position: those behind us keep pushing forward, yet those in front are jammed and cannot move. The coins pile higher and higher, and the pressure continues to build. The only thing that remains constant is that platform in the back, moving rhythmically back and forth I choose to call it Time.

Amidst this pushing and the longing for the future, I discovered that the circle is a very unique shape. It is notoriously difficult to draw beautifully by hand; freehand circles always end up flawed and uneven. Perhaps this is why people in Taiwan have such a deep affinity for circles—how we cherish gathering around a large round table to share a meal during the Lunar New Year.

Yet, as I walk through the streets, looking down at the manhole covers and up at the air conditioning units on the buildings, or feeling the coins in my pocket, I realize that circles are almost omnipresent. It is as if the circle is the only vessel capable of containing all things. I want to capture these imperfect circles that exist within our cramped cities. Only when we embrace the imperfections within our hearts can we truly see the metaphysical meaning of the circle. Like the density of the city’s people, they are messy, organic, and beautifully crowded.