Concept of “A 100km Walk” (Art Basel Hong Kong 2017 Promotion, written by Mind Set Art Center):
Shi Jin-Hua began "A 100km Walk" in 2012 during his residency at National Changhua University of Education, completing 10.54 kilometers over four sessions. In late 2016, he resumed the project at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, eventually reaching 98 kilometers. The final kilometers were completed live during the 2017 Art Basel Hong Kong exhibition, where Shi walked on site to reach a cumulative distance of 100 kilometers.
Continuing his lifelong investigation into “measurement” and “walking,” Shi fixed two 10-meter-wide canvases—one to the wall, one to the floor. Holding a pencil, he walked in front of the wall, drawing lines across the vertical canvas, while simultaneously walking atop the canvas on the ground, leaving behind footprints. Each time the pencil lead wore down, he used a blade he carried with him to sharpen it by hand. The pencil shavings were collected in a glass jar. Each session lasted several hours. Once he had completed 100 kilometers, the work was considered finished.
The uniqueness and significance of "A 100km Walk" lies in its return to the most fundamental conditions of artmaking and of the artist: Shi uses his body to move back and forth, combining the most basic act of drawing—a line—with the most basic form of movement—walking. From a single line as point of origin, he accumulates an extraordinary visual phenomenon through immense duration and endurance. The work radiates a quiet intensity through its disciplined repetition. With nothing but walking and lines, Shi creates something of overwhelming scale and resonance—a deeply moving feat.
“What can walking 100 kilometers accomplish? What kind of insight can it offer?
Shi Jin-Hua uses the act itself to explore the profound force of body and spirit.”
Each kilometer was achieved by walking 50 laps in front of the canvas. A photo was taken for every kilometer completed. These 101 images were assembled into a time-lapse video, accompanied by the sounds of pencil-on-canvas recorded during the sessions. In the beginning, standing before the vast blank canvas, Shi walked lightly and quickly; his lines were horizontal and steady. The audio recorder affixed to his arm captured the sharp, continuous sound of pencil scratching against canvas. As his pace slowed, the sound softened. Ultimately, Shi selected a segment featuring a slow walking pace and deliberate pencil pressure for the final audio: the sound was like wind sweeping across a desert—low and expansive.
Over the long course of "A 100km Walk", Shi encountered artistic turning points and unforeseen challenges that led to new revelations.
“When I began, I really didn’t know what the final outcome would be,” he admitted.
“During the Changhua phase, similar to *Pencil Walker*, the lines were mostly straight and level, with only occasional small or medium waves—overall very focused and stable. But at some point, something shifted in me, and I began drawing large waves. Stepping back to look from afar, I realized that when the lines intersected at different angles, it formed a striking abstract composition.”
This discovery opened new possibilities, prompting him to consider the aesthetic potential and relational dynamics between differing line forms. To create these dramatic 45-degree curves, his movements expanded beyond the wrist and elbow to involve his entire body—squatting and rising, he used full-body motion to drive the pencil. Through these physical exertions, delicate contact between pencil tip and canvas produced undulating lines charged with rhythm, strength, and speed.
Whereas "Pencil Walker" is rooted in spiritual ritual and repentance, "A 100km Walk" emphasizes visual beauty—an integration of performance and aesthetic practice. Through layered, overlapping lines, Shi distilled the essence of abstraction. The accumulation of lines on the canvas gave rise to spatial depth and imaginative interpretation: the image evoked the sea, or even the cosmic vastness of the Milky Way. To further articulate this profound depth, Shi deepened a band approximately 30cm tall across the horizontal center of the canvas, intensifying the graphite without creating an opaque wall. This balance proved difficult. He switched to softer, darker pencils (7B, 8B), but the canvas fibers could absorb no more graphite, and the layers began to compress and reflect light. After many attempts, he finally achieved the desired result using fixative spray and carbon pencils.
On the wall-mounted canvas, the lines overlapped and compressed, interweaving a spatial sense of depth and temporality. Time left its mark in the layers of graphite, transforming the canvas into both a spatialized record of time and a temporal dimension of space. Meanwhile, the canvas on the ground recorded the footprints of his journey—initially clean and white, gradually darkened by graphite and carbon powder. The thousands upon thousands of steps eventually formed a deep black river. Under the pressure of time and movement, both canvases, initially taut and stiff, softened, sagged, and wrinkled.
Thus, "A 100km Walk" is not only an expression of aesthetic achievement through physical labor; it is also a profound meditation on time, repetition, effort, and existence. The weight of distance, the labor of the body, the discipline of repetition, and the forging of spirit—all are imprinted and drawn onto the limited surface of these two canvases.
作品簡介（2017香港巴塞爾藝術展文宣）
石晉華2012年於彰化師範大學駐校期間開始了《行路一百公里》，於四次行走中累積了10.54公里，並在2016年下半年於高雄市立美術館進行第二階段的創作，藝術家於此階段行走累積至98公里，最後將於2017年3月在香港巴塞爾的會展期間，於展會現場走完100公里的里程。延續石晉華長期以來的創作主軸「測量」以及「行走」，石晉華將10公尺寬的兩張畫布分別固定在牆上與地上，手執鉛筆於牆上的畫布走畫線條，同時行走於鋪在地上的畫布上，留下行路的腳印。每當鉛筆筆芯磨盡，藝術家即以隨身的刀片削出筆芯，繼續行走，筆屑則置入一玻璃罐保存，每次持續數小時，當藝術家走滿一百公里，也就完成了這件作品。
《行路一百公里》的獨特與可貴之處，在於將創作帶回到藝術和藝術家的最初狀態，石晉華以身體的來回行走，輔以素描中最基本的線條走畫，以一條線做為起點，採取最單純的線條和行走為基本元素，透過漫長的時間與強大的毅力在畫布上堆積出一種罕見的奇觀，作品和行為本身散發出涓滴的專注而達到強大的感染力量。石晉華僅僅透過行走與線條如此簡單的元素，竟能成就這麼龐大的成果，著實令人震懾。
「一百公里的步行，可以成就什麼？又能帶來什麼樣的啟發？石晉華以親身的實踐，探尋身體與心靈的深刻力量。」
藝術家在畫布前來回行走五十趟即為一公里，每一公里取一張紀錄相片，一百公里所累積下來的一百零一幀相片將集合成為一部縮時攝影，配以行路期間錄下的走筆聲響。一開始面對偌大的空白畫布，藝術家走得輕盈且快速，線條水平而穩定，固定於手臂上錄音筆錄下了鉛筆尖磨擦畫布持續而尖銳的聲音；隨著藝術家的步伐放慢，聲音隨之平緩低沉；最終，藝術家選擇了一段行走速度緩慢但執筆有力道的錄音配合縮時攝影，那聲音如同沙漠中吹來的風，深沉而廣闊。
在進行《行路一百公里》的漫長過程中，石晉華經歷了創作轉折以及未曾預期的難題，從而獲得了新一層的體悟。
「開始這項創作時，我其實不太知道最後會走成怎麼樣。」石晉華坦言：「在彰師的階段，和《走鉛筆的人》類似，主要以平穩的水平線為主，間或有一些中、小形的波浪，不多，基本上是很平穩專注的。但不知道哪根筋不對，我開始走了大波浪那樣的線條，停下來遠遠看的時候，發現當線條以不同的角度交錯，那是一幅很美的抽象畫。」石晉華在這過程中發現了新的可能性，進一步思索不同線條之間的關係以及美學構圖的潛在可能。而為了走畫出接近45度角的大幅度波浪，運筆從手肘、手腕的動作擴大到整個身體，他必須運用整個身體蹲下、站起的動作來帶動手中的筆，在身體的收縮與伸展之間，透過筆尖那微小的接觸點，於畫布上揮灑出綿延起伏、蘊藏著律動、力量與速度感的線條。
相對於《走鉛筆的人》蘊涵宗教精神、著重懺悔儀式的行為，《行路一百公里》他更注重視覺美感一些，試圖在這項創作裡兼顧行為與美學的雙重實踐。他透過層疊起伏的線條提煉抽象之美，於是，單純的線條元素在堆疊之間形成了透視與想像空間，深淺層次之中，浮現了海的意象，或者有如銀河般的深遠遼闊。為了更深刻地傳達那深邃之美，石晉華在畫面中間水平約莫30公分的範圍內不斷地加深墨色，同時又必須保有通透性，避免走成一堵密不透氣的牆，這一段，藝術家走得很為難。他一路將手中的鉛筆換到質地最黑的7B、8B，然而畫布的孔隙已難以吸附更多的石墨，且層層疊疊的石墨粉也已經被壓實至反光，多次嘗試之後，終於透過噴膠與碳精筆，才達到了心中想要的效果。
固定於牆面的畫布上，線條不斷重疊重壓，交錯出前前後後的空間向度；同時也在疊加的過程之中，時間留下痕跡，於是形成了一個既是時間性的空間，亦是一種空間性的時間。另一方面，地上的畫布則累積了藝術家行路的腳印，混合著過程中落下的石墨、碳粉，漸漸地由淨白轉灰，腳步混合了多於藝術家預期的大量黑色粉末，幾千幾萬步的腳印終至深深踩踏出一道墨黑的長河。而在時間的鍛鍊下，兩塊原本蹦硬的畫布，也質變為柔軟、鬆垮、皺褶的畫布。於是，《行路一百公里》不僅僅是藝術家花費一百公里完成的美感表達，藝術家在這一百公里的行走裡，關於時間與體力的累積、關於重複的勞動、關於身體的活動與心靈的鍛鍊，以及關於自身存在的問題，都印、畫在這兩塊有限的畫布之上。
Shi Jin-Hua began "A 100km Walk" in 2012 during his residency at National Changhua University of Education, completing 10.54 kilometers over four sessions. In late 2016, he resumed the project at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, eventually reaching 98 kilometers. The final kilometers were completed live during the 2017 Art Basel Hong Kong exhibition, where Shi walked on site to reach a cumulative distance of 100 kilometers.
Continuing his lifelong investigation into “measurement” and “walking,” Shi fixed two 10-meter-wide canvases—one to the wall, one to the floor. Holding a pencil, he walked in front of the wall, drawing lines across the vertical canvas, while simultaneously walking atop the canvas on the ground, leaving behind footprints. Each time the pencil lead wore down, he used a blade he carried with him to sharpen it by hand. The pencil shavings were collected in a glass jar. Each session lasted several hours. Once he had completed 100 kilometers, the work was considered finished.
The uniqueness and significance of "A 100km Walk" lies in its return to the most fundamental conditions of artmaking and of the artist: Shi uses his body to move back and forth, combining the most basic act of drawing—a line—with the most basic form of movement—walking. From a single line as point of origin, he accumulates an extraordinary visual phenomenon through immense duration and endurance. The work radiates a quiet intensity through its disciplined repetition. With nothing but walking and lines, Shi creates something of overwhelming scale and resonance—a deeply moving feat.
“What can walking 100 kilometers accomplish? What kind of insight can it offer?
Shi Jin-Hua uses the act itself to explore the profound force of body and spirit.”
Each kilometer was achieved by walking 50 laps in front of the canvas. A photo was taken for every kilometer completed. These 101 images were assembled into a time-lapse video, accompanied by the sounds of pencil-on-canvas recorded during the sessions. In the beginning, standing before the vast blank canvas, Shi walked lightly and quickly; his lines were horizontal and steady. The audio recorder affixed to his arm captured the sharp, continuous sound of pencil scratching against canvas. As his pace slowed, the sound softened. Ultimately, Shi selected a segment featuring a slow walking pace and deliberate pencil pressure for the final audio: the sound was like wind sweeping across a desert—low and expansive.
Over the long course of "A 100km Walk", Shi encountered artistic turning points and unforeseen challenges that led to new revelations.
“When I began, I really didn’t know what the final outcome would be,” he admitted.
“During the Changhua phase, similar to *Pencil Walker*, the lines were mostly straight and level, with only occasional small or medium waves—overall very focused and stable. But at some point, something shifted in me, and I began drawing large waves. Stepping back to look from afar, I realized that when the lines intersected at different angles, it formed a striking abstract composition.”
This discovery opened new possibilities, prompting him to consider the aesthetic potential and relational dynamics between differing line forms. To create these dramatic 45-degree curves, his movements expanded beyond the wrist and elbow to involve his entire body—squatting and rising, he used full-body motion to drive the pencil. Through these physical exertions, delicate contact between pencil tip and canvas produced undulating lines charged with rhythm, strength, and speed.
Whereas "Pencil Walker" is rooted in spiritual ritual and repentance, "A 100km Walk" emphasizes visual beauty—an integration of performance and aesthetic practice. Through layered, overlapping lines, Shi distilled the essence of abstraction. The accumulation of lines on the canvas gave rise to spatial depth and imaginative interpretation: the image evoked the sea, or even the cosmic vastness of the Milky Way. To further articulate this profound depth, Shi deepened a band approximately 30cm tall across the horizontal center of the canvas, intensifying the graphite without creating an opaque wall. This balance proved difficult. He switched to softer, darker pencils (7B, 8B), but the canvas fibers could absorb no more graphite, and the layers began to compress and reflect light. After many attempts, he finally achieved the desired result using fixative spray and carbon pencils.
On the wall-mounted canvas, the lines overlapped and compressed, interweaving a spatial sense of depth and temporality. Time left its mark in the layers of graphite, transforming the canvas into both a spatialized record of time and a temporal dimension of space. Meanwhile, the canvas on the ground recorded the footprints of his journey—initially clean and white, gradually darkened by graphite and carbon powder. The thousands upon thousands of steps eventually formed a deep black river. Under the pressure of time and movement, both canvases, initially taut and stiff, softened, sagged, and wrinkled.
Thus, "A 100km Walk" is not only an expression of aesthetic achievement through physical labor; it is also a profound meditation on time, repetition, effort, and existence. The weight of distance, the labor of the body, the discipline of repetition, and the forging of spirit—all are imprinted and drawn onto the limited surface of these two canvases.
作品簡介（2017香港巴塞爾藝術展文宣）
石晉華2012年於彰化師範大學駐校期間開始了《行路一百公里》，於四次行走中累積了10.54公里，並在2016年下半年於高雄市立美術館進行第二階段的創作，藝術家於此階段行走累積至98公里，最後將於2017年3月在香港巴塞爾的會展期間，於展會現場走完100公里的里程。延續石晉華長期以來的創作主軸「測量」以及「行走」，石晉華將10公尺寬的兩張畫布分別固定在牆上與地上，手執鉛筆於牆上的畫布走畫線條，同時行走於鋪在地上的畫布上，留下行路的腳印。每當鉛筆筆芯磨盡，藝術家即以隨身的刀片削出筆芯，繼續行走，筆屑則置入一玻璃罐保存，每次持續數小時，當藝術家走滿一百公里，也就完成了這件作品。
《行路一百公里》的獨特與可貴之處，在於將創作帶回到藝術和藝術家的最初狀態，石晉華以身體的來回行走，輔以素描中最基本的線條走畫，以一條線做為起點，採取最單純的線條和行走為基本元素，透過漫長的時間與強大的毅力在畫布上堆積出一種罕見的奇觀，作品和行為本身散發出涓滴的專注而達到強大的感染力量。石晉華僅僅透過行走與線條如此簡單的元素，竟能成就這麼龐大的成果，著實令人震懾。
「一百公里的步行，可以成就什麼？又能帶來什麼樣的啟發？石晉華以親身的實踐，探尋身體與心靈的深刻力量。」
藝術家在畫布前來回行走五十趟即為一公里，每一公里取一張紀錄相片，一百公里所累積下來的一百零一幀相片將集合成為一部縮時攝影，配以行路期間錄下的走筆聲響。一開始面對偌大的空白畫布，藝術家走得輕盈且快速，線條水平而穩定，固定於手臂上錄音筆錄下了鉛筆尖磨擦畫布持續而尖銳的聲音；隨著藝術家的步伐放慢，聲音隨之平緩低沉；最終，藝術家選擇了一段行走速度緩慢但執筆有力道的錄音配合縮時攝影，那聲音如同沙漠中吹來的風，深沉而廣闊。
在進行《行路一百公里》的漫長過程中，石晉華經歷了創作轉折以及未曾預期的難題，從而獲得了新一層的體悟。
「開始這項創作時，我其實不太知道最後會走成怎麼樣。」石晉華坦言：「在彰師的階段，和《走鉛筆的人》類似，主要以平穩的水平線為主，間或有一些中、小形的波浪，不多，基本上是很平穩專注的。但不知道哪根筋不對，我開始走了大波浪那樣的線條，停下來遠遠看的時候，發現當線條以不同的角度交錯，那是一幅很美的抽象畫。」石晉華在這過程中發現了新的可能性，進一步思索不同線條之間的關係以及美學構圖的潛在可能。而為了走畫出接近45度角的大幅度波浪，運筆從手肘、手腕的動作擴大到整個身體，他必須運用整個身體蹲下、站起的動作來帶動手中的筆，在身體的收縮與伸展之間，透過筆尖那微小的接觸點，於畫布上揮灑出綿延起伏、蘊藏著律動、力量與速度感的線條。
相對於《走鉛筆的人》蘊涵宗教精神、著重懺悔儀式的行為，《行路一百公里》他更注重視覺美感一些，試圖在這項創作裡兼顧行為與美學的雙重實踐。他透過層疊起伏的線條提煉抽象之美，於是，單純的線條元素在堆疊之間形成了透視與想像空間，深淺層次之中，浮現了海的意象，或者有如銀河般的深遠遼闊。為了更深刻地傳達那深邃之美，石晉華在畫面中間水平約莫30公分的範圍內不斷地加深墨色，同時又必須保有通透性，避免走成一堵密不透氣的牆，這一段，藝術家走得很為難。他一路將手中的鉛筆換到質地最黑的7B、8B，然而畫布的孔隙已難以吸附更多的石墨，且層層疊疊的石墨粉也已經被壓實至反光，多次嘗試之後，終於透過噴膠與碳精筆，才達到了心中想要的效果。
固定於牆面的畫布上，線條不斷重疊重壓，交錯出前前後後的空間向度；同時也在疊加的過程之中，時間留下痕跡，於是形成了一個既是時間性的空間，亦是一種空間性的時間。另一方面，地上的畫布則累積了藝術家行路的腳印，混合著過程中落下的石墨、碳粉，漸漸地由淨白轉灰，腳步混合了多於藝術家預期的大量黑色粉末，幾千幾萬步的腳印終至深深踩踏出一道墨黑的長河。而在時間的鍛鍊下，兩塊原本蹦硬的畫布，也質變為柔軟、鬆垮、皺褶的畫布。於是，《行路一百公里》不僅僅是藝術家花費一百公里完成的美感表達，藝術家在這一百公里的行走裡，關於時間與體力的累積、關於重複的勞動、關於身體的活動與心靈的鍛鍊，以及關於自身存在的問題，都印、畫在這兩塊有限的畫布之上。
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A 100km Walk, 2012-2017
