在繪畫藝術的世界中，絕大部分藝術家經由手持的畫筆透過不同的媒材展現出繪畫藝術的旺盛生命力。1827年，法國發明家約瑟夫．尼塞福爾．尼埃普斯（Joseph Nicéphore Nièpce）拍下史上第一張照片，當時作品曝光竟要超過八小時才能完成。1839年，法國畫家達蓋爾 (Louis J M Daguerre)發明的銀版攝影法誕生。1886年，英國人彼得亨利．艾默生(Peter Henry Emerson)發表了一篇名為「攝影：一種繪畫藝術(Photo：A Pictorial Art)」的論文，因而催生了「畫意攝影主義(Pictorialism)」，至此也開始了攝影藝術的討論行為，而在長達將近快兩百年演進，從膠卷、相機、膠片、相紙、顯示器、攝像機、錄像機、輸出機、數位相機、影像處理軟體......等，不勝枚舉的快速演化，讓攝影藝術日新月異，也因此人們開始對此門藝術有了眾多不停的論述、見解及派門。但唯一不變的是絕大多數的攝影影像藝術需要靠攝像鏡頭才得以成就攝影師的獨到藝術創作；鏡頭可以說是攝影藝術家盡情揮灑的那隻畫筆，至於藝術家透過鏡頭後選擇哪種媒材展現創作者自我攝影藝術風格，而被群眾接納、擁戴，端看藝術家個人，也因此透過鏡頭所詮釋的攝影創作作品，未來是否可以成為與繪畫相抗衡的藝術呢？這個部分至今應該沒有答案，唯一可以確認的是人類在科技的演化過程中，攝影這門科學卻是比繪畫藝術更具多元科技表現素材。

Can photographic works interpreted through the lens become a form of art that rivals paintings in the future?
In the realm of paintings, most artists express the vitality of their art through the use of various media, employing a hand-held brush as their primary tool. In 1827, the French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce captured the world's first photograph, an impressive feat that required an exposure time of over eight hours. The birth of daguerreotype photography took place in 1839 when the French painter Louis J M Daguerre introduced the silver plate copper photographic process. In 1886, the British photographer Peter Henry Emerson published an academic paper titled “Photo: A Pictorial Art,” giving rise to the movement known as “Pictorialism.” This marked the beginning of discussions on photographic art. Over the course of nearly two centuries, the evolution of photography has encompassed numerous advancements, including film, cameras, negatives, photographic paper, displays, camcorders, video cameras, printers, digital cameras, image processing software, and more. The rapid evolution of photographic technology, marked by an array of innovations, has led to constant discourse, perspectives, and schools of thought surrounding this art form. Yet, the one constant is that the majority of photographic artistic expression relies on the photographer's unique creative vision through the lens. The lens can be seen as the tool akin to a paintbrush, enabling photographers to express themselves freely. The selection of the medium for presenting the artists' unique photographic styles, as well as the recognition and admiration they garner from the public, ultimately lie in the hands of the artists. Thus, the question of whether interpretative photography through the lens can evolve into an art form that competes with painting remains unanswered. What is definite is that, throughout the technological evolution, photography as a scientific field provides a broader range of technological expressive materials compared to traditional painting.

美感藝術一直存在人的生活空間，現今台灣社會影像逐漸取代文字的閱讀方式，人們開始透過影像的呈現，讓自己沈浸在比文字更貼近自己的感官感受，而台灣曾經有那麼一段時間一直陷入接受單純的攝影藝術與進化後的數位攝影表現模式中，對於多元藝術來說兩者都沒錯，只是攝影藝術單純的從作品自我意識風格創作的分類，開始加入了媒合科技後，攝影藝術是否也就開始像繪畫、雕塑......等藝術般有了「媒材」這個議題元素的加入；當攝影藝術有了多元的媒材加入後，除了原有的點，相信這個鏡頭中產生的藝術波動，將從點在台灣泛起更大漣漪效應，而這樣廣納鏡頭中的藝術爆發力前提下，台灣的攝影影像藝術已經凝聚了一股蓄勢待發的攝影影像藝術新風潮。

The burgeoning photography visual arts scene in Taiwan
Artistic expression has consistently found its place in human living environments, and in contemporary Taiwanese society, visual imagery is gradually superseding traditional reading practices. People are now immersing themselves in sensory experiences through visual presentations, which convey a sense of intimacy surpassing that of textual communication. For a period in Taiwan, there was a tendency to embrace both traditional and evolved forms of photography, with a focus on the simplicity of photographic art and its digital evolution. In the expansive realm of diverse art, both approaches hold validity. Nevertheless, as photography, traditionally characterized by self-awareness and stylistic creations in works, assimilates technology, a question arises about whether photography, akin to painting or sculpture, now encompasses the additional dimension of “medium.” With the integration of various media into photographic art, the artistic impact originating from the lens is anticipated to create larger ripples in Taiwan. With the explosive force of artistic expression captured through the lens, Taiwan's photography and the visual arts scene is now entering a new and dynamic apex.

創見攝影影像藝術蓬勃發展，是每一位攝影影像藝術創作者的共同目標，「SKM PHOTO 新光三越國際攝影系列活動」自2007年創辦以來，旨在提供攝影同好盡情揮灑的舞台及攝影藝術推廣，每年吸引超過10萬名參觀人次、攝影愛好者共同參與，並深獲各界好評，除每年舉辦「SKM PHOTO 國際攝影大賽」獎掖攝影新秀外，並增設「吳東興攝影贊助計畫」讓攝影愛好能能充分表達自己攝影技術及理念；2024年更增設展演交流平台參展機制 「ART TAIWAN｜ SKM PHOTO 台灣 SKM 攝影博覽會」，向台灣及國際上獨具個人風格攝影師加入展演、並建立一完善攝影作品典藏制度，增添台灣攝影影像藝術發展的全面性與多樣性，更期待透過百貨商場多元性的空間集結相關產業，讓攝影藝術得到更多迴響，並增進其市場潛力，開闢台灣攝影藝術成為華人指標性的活動，共同創見台灣攝影影像藝術蓬勃發展。

ART TAIWAN - SKM PHOTO
The thriving development of creative photography and visual arts is a shared goal for every photograph and visual arts creator. Since its inception in 2007, the “SKM PHOTO Shin Kong Mitsukoshi International Photography Series” aims to provide a stage for photography enthusiasts to freely express themselves and promote photographic art. Drawing over 100,000 visitors and photography enthusiasts annually, the event has garnered widespread acclaim. In addition to hosting the “SKM PHOTO International Photography Contest” to nurture emerging photographers, the event has introduced the “Wu Tung-Shing Photography Sponsorship Program” to allow photography enthusiasts to fully showcase their technical skills and artistic philosophies. In 2024, a new exhibition and exchange platform, the “ART TAIWAN | SKM PHOTO,” has been established. This platform invites photographers with distinctive styles from Taiwan and around the world to participate in exhibitions. It also aims to create a comprehensive system for collecting photographic works, enriching the overall diversity of Taiwan's photography and visual arts development. Utilizing the varied space of department stores, the initiative seeks to bring together related industries, garnering more attention for photographic art and expanding its market potential. The overarching objective is to establish Taiwan's photographic scene in a prominent position in the Chinese-speaking world, contributing to the dynamic growth of photography and visual arts in Taiwan.