ISONATION
「島嶼」，意指被水環繞的土地。台灣這座四面環海的島嶼，因其獨特的地理位置，展現出多重面貌，同時與當代的政治、文化符號、社會氛圍密不可分。
眼中的島嶼承載著一種孤立與孤獨的情緒，而生活其上的人們，則展現出一種無法複製的獨特性——他們不受拘束、不可取代，既獨立又堅韌的群體，構成這片土地最鮮明的主體性。
在拍攝的過程中，尋覓那些曾經存在卻已消逝的空間地景，或經歷人為與自然的介入，使得我所認知的日常風景，正在不斷重組與變化。
取名「ISOLNATION」，更能貼近這座島嶼的沉默無聲，在前往尋找風景的過程，看作是一場永無止盡的旅途，有時更喜歡一個人，進入那種放空的狀態，拍下感受性的事物。
“Island” refers to a piece of land surrounded by water. Taiwan, an island surrounded by ocean, reveals diverse facets through its unique geographical position and remains inseparable from contemporary politics, cultural symbols, and social atmosphere.
The island carries a sense of isolation and solitude, while the people who live here embody an irreplaceable uniqueness—they are unrestrained, resilient, and independent, forming the most vivid subjectivity of this land.
During the process of photographing, I search for spaces and landscapes that once existed but have now vanished, or those reshaped by human and natural interventions, which continually reconstruct and transform the everyday scenery I recognize.
I titled the work ISOLNATION to better capture the island’s silent stillness. The act of seeking landscapes becomes an endless journey.At times, I prefer to be alone, entering a state of emptiness, capturing things that resonate through feeling.
Book Size：21 x 29.5 cm
Printing ：Color
Pages：72 pages
Language：Mandarin
Year：June.2025 - First Edition
Publisher: Self-Published
Advisor：Philosophy Photography Studio
Cooperation : Shū Hé Zhì
在《ISOLNATION》一書中，孤獨的尺度從個人、他者或社會延伸至國家──整個島嶼的孤獨，影像由大量的肖像和地景交織，情緒時而濃烈又轉為靜僻，在視角和場景間多重變換，使人不禁自問：究竟該將自己置身何處？又該以哪種心情面對這樣的困惑？
「有時潛意識會指引我去拍攝那些即將消失的場景。」
趙世勳大學時期的第一份影像作品是從拍攝移工肖像開始的，當時的經驗使他體會到，原來攝影首先能作為人和人對話的介質。後來，他轉向關注具時間流動性、無可回復的現場。對他來說，時間驅使他於內在湧起一股義無反顧的責任感，為那些將不復存的場景留下影像，像是大園航空城或其他社會運動現場；影像則另被他賦予外在的意義，必須有超越時間的價值、符號與社會性，那些現場會成為可一再被觀看、記得並傳承的記憶。
In the book ISOLNATION, the scale of solitude extends from the individual, the other, and society, to the nation itself—the solitude of the entire island. The imagery interweaves numerous portraits and landscapes, with emotions shifting between intensity and stillness, and perspectives and scenes constantly shifting, prompting one to ask: Where should I place myself? And with what state of mind should I face such confusion?
“Sometimes the subconscious guides me to capture scenes that are about to vanish.”
Chao Shih-Hsun’s first photographic project during his university years began with portraits of migrant workers. That experience made him realize that photography can first and foremost serve as a medium of dialogue between people.
Later, he turned his focus to sites marked by temporal flow, irreversibility, and disappearance. For him, time evokes an unshakable sense of responsibility to document those scenes destined to vanish—such as the Dayuan Aerotropolis or other social movement sites.
On an external level, he also endows images with meanings beyond time: they must embody value, symbolism, and social relevance, transforming those sites into memories that can be revisited, remembered, and passed on.
