ISBN 978-986-97269-4-8

「我跟系統生了一個小孩」

國際標準書號 ISBN (International Standard Book Number)是國際通用的書籍代碼，由各國的相關圖書機構配發，以辨認和記錄已出版的書籍。一個ISBN書號只對應一本出版物。

Son Ni作品《ISBN 978-986-97269-4-8》以ISBN書號為名，並以書號作為內容，本書即為自身在系統裡的記認。由於書籍記錄系統有其登記、建檔和分類的方式，系統化處理資料，所以當《ISBN 978-986-97269-4-8》之書名及內容均等同ISBN書號時，本書將以最接近原始資料的方式被載入系統裡。作者將書籍系統視為對象，並介入其中，Son Ni說：「就像我跟系統生了一個小孩。」

在台灣，申請ISBN書號時，負責的國家圖書館部門一般要求先有書名才能配發書號。然而本書是一個想法的實現，遞交申請時未知書號，故產生「未有書名，沒法給予編號」的存在問題。幾經商議，本書方能成事。這過程，也實在是以書籍系統為對象，並介入其中的體現。

一本只有ISBN書號的書，去蕪存菁還原為書本純粹的結構，只剩下乘載書號的紙頁，和保有重新編排的裝釘結構，創作者提供了思考及美感的表達。

"I have a baby with the system."

ISBN, International Standard Book Number, is a common numeric system to identify and record published books. Publishers obtain ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency. One ISBN number is assigned to one edition of books.

Son Ni's ISBN 978-986-97269-4-8 takes its own ISBN as the book title, and the content consists only of the ISBN number. The book becomes an identifier that denotes itself.

As ISBN 978-986-97269-4-8 is both the name and content of the book, the whole book reduces and exists inasmuch as raw data when input to the ISBN record system. The artist takes the book system as the subject and engage in it. "It's like I have a baby with the system", says Son Ni.

In Taiwan, when applying for an ISBN number, the National Library requires that the book has to have a book title in order to assign the ISBN number. However, for Son Ni's book is a realization of the idea, the book's title was yet an unknown during application because the number was still waiting to be assigned. It raised the existential question - "The book has no title, how can we assign an ISBN number?" Fortunately, after negotiations, the book finally is born with the name ISBN 978-986-97269-4-8. It is in another sense that the artist "has a baby with the system."

With only its ISBN number, the book is reduced to its essential form. The papers, and the binding. The binding coil allows a free navigation of the numbers. The book indeed carries thoughts and beauty.