自2001年起，每兩年一次的「高雄國際貨櫃藝術節」，除了是城市的節慶，也同時呈現了這座海港城長年積累的文化底蘊。第12屆的高雄國際貨櫃藝術節以「海口味」為想像，將「大港」鮮明的意象和「貨櫃」、「港」、「城」以及「海洋」重新連結，創造一個訴說著海港語言的藝術節慶。
 
回望高雄的歷史，始終與海洋及海港有關：19世紀時「打狗」開始築港，縱貫而穿的「哈瑪星」載著物料直直地駛向港口。藉由鐵路、港灣的發展帶動了聚落、市町的建設。駁船、斑斕的舊市街構築了這塊土地的根基。隨著大時代的演進，當小小的沙洲海灣成長為碩大的商港，「打狗」訴說的故事也成了「港都」的曾經。縱然港口的風貌幾經流轉，從未曾改變的是這座城市與海洋、與港口的關係；「港口」成為了這塊土地極其重要的城市風景，也宣告著臺灣的「大港」之名。作為臨港城市，傍海而生、倚海而居，城市的性格與海洋早已融為一體。
 
循著這樣的思路，我們以「海口味」為題展開本次貨櫃藝術節的想像。「海口味」（hái kháu bī） 是大眾耳熟能詳的用詞。這一用詞也被廣泛延伸：形容食物的鮮味、聲口中獨有的「口氣」，也可以是沿海的風景、氣味，乃至地方人文、海島風土累積起來的一切日常。它自感官的描述而開始，進一步成了一種所有人都能共享、一種貼近庶民的土地經驗，「海口味」訴說著一種認同、一種群體與個人意識並存的概念。並在這個概念之下，以「引水入港」、「向海而歌」、「五米停留」及「鮮『未』！」四個港口意象化為創作的子題詮釋海港的風貌。
 
除了藉由藝術的演示刻畫這塊土地的肌理，我們也希望「高雄國際貨櫃藝術節」與這座城市如同海港與海洋的關係，成為文化匯流的碼頭，持續扮演城市對未來的想像、創意的彰顯，以及公眾對話的重要平台，提供「港都」如浪般未曾間斷，無止盡的生命能量－持續變革、綿延翻轉的動能。


SEA FLAVOURED－Sway forward in Waves with Takao
 
The biannual Kaohsiung International Container Arts Festival since 2001 has stood for the city art celebration also highlighting cultural layers deep-rooted in this long historical port town.  By picturing “sea flavoured” of imagination, the 12th Kaohsiung International Container Arts Festival 2023 refreshes connections for the dynamic images of the Great Port to “containers”,  “harbour”, “city” and “ocean” so to speak as a carnival of sea art.
 
Without doubt, Kaohsiung history relates to the ocean and harbour from where it started: Back in the 19th century when “Takao” built its first harbour, engine “Hamasen” made its way straight through, carrying stocks to the destination at the harbour.  Constructions of towns and cities followed the booming of the railway and harbour. Transporting boats and abundant town streets piled up the foundation of the land.  As time evolves, the small sandbank bay has grown into a large-scale trading harbour; consequently, the old storytelling “Takao” became the memory of the constantly innovative “Port City”. Despite the continually transitional port landscape, the city has an everlasting link with the ocean and harbour. This particular land being a synthesis of the port and the city earns its fame and name, the Great Port of Taiwan. To survive and live closely on the seaside, the oceanic characteristics of the city as a port is destined.  
 
Following this cultural and historical context, we expand imaginary output under the title “Sea Flavoured” for the current Arts Festival.  As a folk phrase commonly used, “Sea Flavoured” has various extensive meanings.  It interprets the fresh flavour of food, a certain tone of speaking and the seaside scenery or smell.  It can even refer to all daily impressions of local people and places on the island surrounded by the sea.  Based on sensational descriptions, it carries furthermore down-to-earth life experiences shared among ordinary people on the same land.  “Sea Flavoured” embodies a notion of identity, collective memories, and individual state of mind (or consciousness) that juxtaposes with each other.  The embodiment spreads into four subtopics of imaging harbours, each representing a unique port view: “Pilot into Harbour”, “Ode to Ocean”, “Safety Stop” an “Fresh Future”.
 
To carve on the body of culture with art thoughts and forms is not the sole objective of Kaohsiung International Container Arts Festival.  Like harbour to the sea, the Arts Festival also targets as a pier to the city where cultures converge. It serves a long-term key platform that motivates dreams for the future, practice of creativity and mass conversations in the means of continuously cycling and revolutionary energy activation. May the Port City keep it up with ceaseless waves of life.

策展人
陳柏年、藍鈺樺

參展藝術家
盧明德
hellobastworkshop
步里赫森
林志峯建築師事務所
草原市務所
黃沂雯
JUN ONG
許愷玲

特別感謝│都市藝術工作室杜昭賢、高辰寧
指導單位│文化部、高雄市政府
主辦單位│高雄市政府文化局
策劃&承辦單位│高雄市立美術館
協辦單位│高雄市政府海洋局、都市芸術
贊助單位│百國金屬
場地合作│台灣港務股份有限公司、高雄流行音樂中心


Curators 
Bo-Nian CHEN, Yu-Hua LAN

Artists 
Lu Ming-Te
hellobastworkshop
HOZEN Studio
ML Architect Studio
U-Meadow & Partners Design Studio
Yi-Wen HUANG
JUN ONG
Kai Ling HSU

Special Thanks│Jamie TU, Chen-Ning KAO
Supervisors│Ministry of Culture, Kaohsiung City Government
Organiser│Bureau of Cultural Affairs Kaohsiung City Government
Organiser│Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
Co-executives│Marine Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, Urban Art Studio
Sponsors│BAI GUO METAL ENGINEERING Co,. Ltd
Venue Supports│Taiwan International Ports Corporation, KAOHSIUNG MUSIC CENTER



展覽推廣活動 

● 貨櫃的故事-藝遊海口之味 專場導覽
2023/12/23 (六)  15:30-16:30
2023/12/24 (日)  15:30-16:30
2024.1.6 (六) 16:30-17:30
2024.1.27 (六) 16:30-17:30
導覽：策展人 & 參展藝術家

● 港都小夜曲－夜遊貨櫃藝術節 專場導覽
2023/12/30 (六) 19:30-20:30
2024.1.20 (六) 18:00-19:00
2024.1.27 (六) 18:00-19:00
導覽：策展人 & 參展藝術家

● 特別企劃－「打狗 vs. 雞籠」- 錯落的藝術與海港  專家座談
2024/1/6 (六)  14:00-16:00
主講人：黃祺瑋（高雄港｜港都認識王）、林書豪（基隆港｜星濱山共創工作室）
地點：海邊的卡夫卡