Da-Hong Wang’s Idea of Monumentality: Focusing on 'Ideas for Architecture and Architects'

摘要

Through this essay, Wang tells the focus of expression of monumentality should be the purpose of a monument, but not how the monument appears. He mentions monument should satisfy the needs of spirit and monumentality, which can be considered as not being functional. Wang also shows a position that the meaning of symbols should be intelligible, without extensional meanings. Selene project tells a different way to consider the value of a monument in the period of 1960s in Taiwan. As above-mentioned, in the middle of Chinese Cultural Renaissance, fine art has the responsibilities to represent and carry forward Chinese culture, which is an abstract idea. Also, 1960s’ Taiwan was also in the middle of highly development, being functional might be the basic concept of industrialization. Hence, like Sun Yet-Sen memorial hall, not only for memorizing a great man, but also being functional. Selene project can regard as a work that Wang shows his critiques to the cultural movement and also to the industrialized society of 1960s Taiwan. Wang’s standpoints that monument should be monument itself and monument should be functionless, may tell his idea of art, which including architecture. Especially the idea of “ being functionless” might be the essential idea. This paper studies the meaning of monument and also lead to the subject of Wang’s idea of art, which will be studied in the future.