馮穎君台灣駐村心得
Vivian FUNG – thoughts on the artist-in-residency in Taipei
九零年代時是個白領，在台北住了三年，幫外資公司打江山。那時捷運才開始興建，國民政府還未政黨輪替。我家住剛開發的信義計劃區，上班在南京東路，活動範圍多集中東區，西區不熟，到過龍山寺及饒河街觀光一次起兩次止，沒有踏足過南萬華區。那個是打拼的經貿年代，誠品開始發行股票、電信市場剛剛開放，台灣的資訊科技（尤以晶圓晶片微處理器等硏發及生產）在國際舞台上舉足輕重，「快、狠、準」是台商的經營標記，藉以擠身亞洲四小龍經濟體之列。
二十年後的今天，現在的港人羨慕的不再是那一個台灣，而是她民主、人文、農作與慢活的她，可算是完全相反的面貌。這次應香港藝術到家之邀請到台北水谷藝術駐村一個月，我渴望以另一個身份叧一個角度，體驗台灣的另一個面向。
突兀的「日常」
重遊舊地，一百五十三公頃的信義已完全發展起來，通機場的高鐡剛開通，捷運已有五個主缐，覆蓋台北新北。但在我進駐的南萬華區，看到的仍是倒流四十年的風光。老區是六七十年代才開始發展，因此景物、建築、氣味及人文生活於印象中兒時住過的的香港黃大仙鳳凰新村十分相似。由於捷運還未鋪到南萬華區，驟眼看，那種若在香港可能已消失了的温馨社區景象，尚得以倖存。再看清楚點，幾幢劃破建築群高度線的二十層高豪華屋苑，行人路上每天被移走及填平的樹床，及被圍封禁用的跨主幹道粉綠色行人天橋⋯⋯那是捷運將至南萬華區的線索，是舊區終於也要踏進都市更新的臨界點 。
抵歩之初，天天走在萬大路上，有幾個畫面在腦海中揮之不去：
二十年後的今天，現在的港人羨慕的不再是那一個台灣，而是她民主、人文、農作與慢活的她，可算是完全相反的面貌。這次應香港藝術到家之邀請到台北水谷藝術駐村一個月，我渴望以另一個身份叧一個角度，體驗台灣的另一個面向。
突兀的「日常」
重遊舊地，一百五十三公頃的信義已完全發展起來，通機場的高鐡剛開通，捷運已有五個主缐，覆蓋台北新北。但在我進駐的南萬華區，看到的仍是倒流四十年的風光。老區是六七十年代才開始發展，因此景物、建築、氣味及人文生活於印象中兒時住過的的香港黃大仙鳳凰新村十分相似。由於捷運還未鋪到南萬華區，驟眼看，那種若在香港可能已消失了的温馨社區景象，尚得以倖存。再看清楚點，幾幢劃破建築群高度線的二十層高豪華屋苑，行人路上每天被移走及填平的樹床，及被圍封禁用的跨主幹道粉綠色行人天橋⋯⋯那是捷運將至南萬華區的線索，是舊區終於也要踏進都市更新的臨界點 。
抵歩之初，天天走在萬大路上，有幾個畫面在腦海中揮之不去：
靠近萬華車站那邊，商舖店面外，介乎機車停泊與行人路間的八吋高金屬防撞欄上，站了一頭十多吋高的鷹。鷹的雙腳鎖了腳鐐，單邊纒着一條兩尺長的繩索，扣在防撞欄上。
萬大國小外正被清拆的六十年代粉綠色行人天橋，橋底行人路上都間歇地鋪了不同顏色及尺寸舊床褥，承接着天橋掉落的碎片，保䕶着着陸地。
德昌街交界油站外全德里導引圖旁的兩樹中，繋了一條紅白兩色的布橫額，標着「您捐血·我送樂透」的大字，及主辦機構及參加辦法等資料，面向途人車輛，迎風飄揚。
萬大國小外正被清拆的六十年代粉綠色行人天橋，橋底行人路上都間歇地鋪了不同顏色及尺寸舊床褥，承接着天橋掉落的碎片，保䕶着着陸地。
德昌街交界油站外全德里導引圖旁的兩樹中，繋了一條紅白兩色的布橫額，標着「您捐血·我送樂透」的大字，及主辦機構及參加辦法等資料，面向途人車輛，迎風飄揚。
內心充滿弧疑，是不是文化差異，讓我覺得這些日常景像突兀 ？
沒有籠，大鳥看似自由，但真要起飛的時候才知道身不由己⋯⋯
是不是主人的才智？
原本處於室內，讓身體休息的床褥，現在放到室外用來保護路面⋯⋯
是不是承建商為避免封路來降低清拆成本的巧計？
捐血本是無私奉獻，但收了樂透又讓捐贈者有中彩的機會⋯⋯是不是主辦單位的推廣奇招？
是不是主人的才智？
原本處於室內，讓身體休息的床褥，現在放到室外用來保護路面⋯⋯
是不是承建商為避免封路來降低清拆成本的巧計？
捐血本是無私奉獻，但收了樂透又讓捐贈者有中彩的機會⋯⋯是不是主辦單位的推廣奇招？
三個畫面是不是全是欺騙？還是一種潤飾？在這條即將出現重大變化的路上，從幾個意像上矛盾的畫面，我閱讀到支配人自我陶醉 (self-absorbed) 的語言，也感受駐村是一個透過生活去學習的過程。
白立方以外
三月中由當地藝術家朋友帶着，走到凱達格蘭大道，在總統府前夜訪不是藍營也非綠營，而是幾十位卑南族原住民維持着的臨時社區，希望推翻行政院二月十八日剛刊憲由原住民族委員會訂定的「原住民族土地或部落範圍土地劃設辦法」，將私有土地排除在原住民傳統領域外。爭議點是《劃設辦法》通過後，在原住民傳統領域範圍內推行大型開發案，從此不必再按原住民族群的「諮商同意權」方法。原住民族權益因而大大受損，如：野外狩獵這種已傳千年的傳統習俗，便會因土地用途的更改已面臨失傳的可能。當連狩獵的空間也消失，原住民還可如何繼續一直以來的生活方式？
站在凱道上，長期受壓迫似乎是目睹景象的潛台詞。台灣外交上長期受着中共壓迫，力量又以蔡英文總統去年五月就職後加大。原住民是長時間在台受壓迫的一群，他們由最初為蔡英文站台，到今天總統上任後感受到被騙 的傷痛，然而他們選擇的抗爭方式，不是聲嘶力歇的吶喊或暴力手法，而是每日定時在凱道營陣裡開班向路人教授消失中的卑南語、唱着他們的歌、説着他們的家庭軼事。面對政府攤開法律文件解釋土地業權之時，他們從家園搬來幾百塊經歷時間洗禮的圓潤的大石（有些直徑一尺長），和大家一起實習原住民藝術，在石頭上畫畫，一一在凱道上展視開來。
相對周末白天在西門町捷運站外隔着繁忙馬路的「台灣自決」與「只要對台灣人民好」的旗海對壘，原住民的表達方式是一種不直接的軟銷。受壓者在極難改變現況下，藝術成為他們的出路。透過藝術及表演等，告訴別人他們的感受。看似軟弱的表達方法，希望收得教育之效。
起碼，在我身上是湊效的。單看石頭陣的視覺語言，讓我想起了愛斯基摩人有五十多個詞語描述「雪」的說法，視覺的力量凌駕了言語的溝通。那景像教我反思每日耳聽「本土」和「排他」議題的不同層次，離開凱道後仍繼續追查原住民的情況與歷史。「藝術到家」把藝術及活動帶到白立方以外的公共空間進行的目的，相信也是同樣是希望激發對在地環境及時事的反思。
當代與廟宇的「交陪」
月底專程到台南郊區蕭壠文化區看以《近未來的交陪》為題的《2017蕭壠國際當代藝術節》。這個月來與走路草農藝工作室及水谷藝術的策展人交流，發覺幾位都對在台灣得以承傳的廟宇、祭祀及慶典等中國傳統文化素有硏究，那是我在香港的成長環境中較少接觸的範疇，正好透過參觀這個結合台灣民間廟宇文化史和當代藝術的展覽，多點了解。
「交陪」，台語；共聚、交往、交流之意。「交陪境」是清代以來民間有往來的地方廟宇的組織、網絡或平台。總策展人龔卓軍與他的團隊陳盈瑛、高森信男、陳伯義及陳宣誠，與三十八組台灣及海外的藝術家把「交陪境」的概念，以當代藝術的媒介，呈現在前身是日治時期建成的臺南佳里糖廠倉庫群的蕭壠文化園區內。作品以不同形式探討廟宇傳統和文化的創造、使用以及生活等面向。其中不乏震撼的紀實作品，林柏樑把廟宇的精萃、姚瑞中把宗教和社區的關係、沈昭良把台灣特有的婚喪喜慶用移動式舞台車、陳伯義把民眾求安的魄力，一幕一幕地搬到蕭壠的長廊及展覽空間裏。縱使我不熟悉這個課題，但展現的媒介讓我能在短時間內捕捉到台灣（尤其南部）的社會脈絡及文化精萃，又加深了對「走路草」的了解。
其中許家維的《神靈的書寫》錄像裝置，紀錄了藝術家透過馬祖神轎會村民，與據說生於一千四百年前江西省的鐵甲元帥的「交陪」，冀重塑祂原來駐於武夷山的寺廟，並同時陳示了根據元帥通靈神轎撞擊神桌寫下神明指示的動態捕捉而轉化而成的3D動畫和廟宇場景。作品一口氣展示了策展人所描述的三重「交陪境」：傳統民間藝術、傳統文化實踐、結合當代科技。老遠跑到台南，站在鄕郊，實在地觀看這個交陪着兩重超自然的情景（神明的國度及電腦虛擬的世界）的作品，忽然意會到當代藝術能建立對話。藝術家透過其轉化的功力，把一些突兀的狀況以另一語境呈現，能在平常生活及慣用語言之外提供另一種方式的解讀以至對談的可能性。
結語
帶着幾個星期的觀察再回到台北，處理自己位於水谷藝術的駐村展，從居住的房間的角落出發，運用七十年代生產的絲襪及萬大路上被拆掉的行人天橋的碎片，重塑跨越四樓及三樓的作品，回應藝術空間辦的上一檔展覧。
白立方以外
三月中由當地藝術家朋友帶着，走到凱達格蘭大道，在總統府前夜訪不是藍營也非綠營，而是幾十位卑南族原住民維持着的臨時社區，希望推翻行政院二月十八日剛刊憲由原住民族委員會訂定的「原住民族土地或部落範圍土地劃設辦法」，將私有土地排除在原住民傳統領域外。爭議點是《劃設辦法》通過後，在原住民傳統領域範圍內推行大型開發案，從此不必再按原住民族群的「諮商同意權」方法。原住民族權益因而大大受損，如：野外狩獵這種已傳千年的傳統習俗，便會因土地用途的更改已面臨失傳的可能。當連狩獵的空間也消失，原住民還可如何繼續一直以來的生活方式？
站在凱道上，長期受壓迫似乎是目睹景象的潛台詞。台灣外交上長期受着中共壓迫，力量又以蔡英文總統去年五月就職後加大。原住民是長時間在台受壓迫的一群，他們由最初為蔡英文站台，到今天總統上任後感受到被騙 的傷痛，然而他們選擇的抗爭方式，不是聲嘶力歇的吶喊或暴力手法，而是每日定時在凱道營陣裡開班向路人教授消失中的卑南語、唱着他們的歌、説着他們的家庭軼事。面對政府攤開法律文件解釋土地業權之時，他們從家園搬來幾百塊經歷時間洗禮的圓潤的大石（有些直徑一尺長），和大家一起實習原住民藝術，在石頭上畫畫，一一在凱道上展視開來。
相對周末白天在西門町捷運站外隔着繁忙馬路的「台灣自決」與「只要對台灣人民好」的旗海對壘，原住民的表達方式是一種不直接的軟銷。受壓者在極難改變現況下，藝術成為他們的出路。透過藝術及表演等，告訴別人他們的感受。看似軟弱的表達方法，希望收得教育之效。
起碼，在我身上是湊效的。單看石頭陣的視覺語言，讓我想起了愛斯基摩人有五十多個詞語描述「雪」的說法，視覺的力量凌駕了言語的溝通。那景像教我反思每日耳聽「本土」和「排他」議題的不同層次，離開凱道後仍繼續追查原住民的情況與歷史。「藝術到家」把藝術及活動帶到白立方以外的公共空間進行的目的，相信也是同樣是希望激發對在地環境及時事的反思。
當代與廟宇的「交陪」
月底專程到台南郊區蕭壠文化區看以《近未來的交陪》為題的《2017蕭壠國際當代藝術節》。這個月來與走路草農藝工作室及水谷藝術的策展人交流，發覺幾位都對在台灣得以承傳的廟宇、祭祀及慶典等中國傳統文化素有硏究，那是我在香港的成長環境中較少接觸的範疇，正好透過參觀這個結合台灣民間廟宇文化史和當代藝術的展覽，多點了解。
「交陪」，台語；共聚、交往、交流之意。「交陪境」是清代以來民間有往來的地方廟宇的組織、網絡或平台。總策展人龔卓軍與他的團隊陳盈瑛、高森信男、陳伯義及陳宣誠，與三十八組台灣及海外的藝術家把「交陪境」的概念，以當代藝術的媒介，呈現在前身是日治時期建成的臺南佳里糖廠倉庫群的蕭壠文化園區內。作品以不同形式探討廟宇傳統和文化的創造、使用以及生活等面向。其中不乏震撼的紀實作品，林柏樑把廟宇的精萃、姚瑞中把宗教和社區的關係、沈昭良把台灣特有的婚喪喜慶用移動式舞台車、陳伯義把民眾求安的魄力，一幕一幕地搬到蕭壠的長廊及展覽空間裏。縱使我不熟悉這個課題，但展現的媒介讓我能在短時間內捕捉到台灣（尤其南部）的社會脈絡及文化精萃，又加深了對「走路草」的了解。
其中許家維的《神靈的書寫》錄像裝置，紀錄了藝術家透過馬祖神轎會村民，與據說生於一千四百年前江西省的鐵甲元帥的「交陪」，冀重塑祂原來駐於武夷山的寺廟，並同時陳示了根據元帥通靈神轎撞擊神桌寫下神明指示的動態捕捉而轉化而成的3D動畫和廟宇場景。作品一口氣展示了策展人所描述的三重「交陪境」：傳統民間藝術、傳統文化實踐、結合當代科技。老遠跑到台南，站在鄕郊，實在地觀看這個交陪着兩重超自然的情景（神明的國度及電腦虛擬的世界）的作品，忽然意會到當代藝術能建立對話。藝術家透過其轉化的功力，把一些突兀的狀況以另一語境呈現，能在平常生活及慣用語言之外提供另一種方式的解讀以至對談的可能性。
結語
帶着幾個星期的觀察再回到台北，處理自己位於水谷藝術的駐村展，從居住的房間的角落出發，運用七十年代生產的絲襪及萬大路上被拆掉的行人天橋的碎片，重塑跨越四樓及三樓的作品，回應藝術空間辦的上一檔展覧。
As a white-collar worker in 1990s, I stayed in Taiwan and assisted a foreign company in market expansion for three years. It was a time when Taipei Metro began operate and when there was no party alternation in Taiwan. I lived in Xinyi-Special District and worked on Nanjing East Road. I was unfamiliar with the west of Taipei because my basic activities took place in the east of Taipei. I only visited Lungshan Temple of Manka and Raohe Street once or twice, but never went to the south of Wanhua District. During this era of economic boom, the Eslite Bookstore started to sell its share in the stock market, the market of telecommunication opened, Taiwan’s information-technology industry became an important player in the global market, especially in the development and production of wafer and chip. The style of Taiwanese business was known as “fast, resolute and accurate”, which was the key to being one of the Asian Tigers.
These nevertheless are not the Taiwanese characteristics that
Hongkongers look upon twenty years after in 2017. It is her democracy, humanity, agriculture, and slower lifestyle that Hongkongers envy very much nowadays. Invited by Art Together, I joined the artist-in-residency program in Waley Art in Taipei for a month. With this different role, I was expecting to experience a different side of Taiwan.
Paradox
Revisiting the same sites, I see that the 153 hectare Xinyi district has been developed, Taoyuan Airport MRT is in operation, and Taipei metro has extended to New Taipei City with five metro lines already. However, the south Wanhua District, where I resided in, has stuck in the scenery of 40 years ago. The old district begun to develop in 1960-70s. Hence, the view, architectures, smell and living style in this district reminds me of my childhood in Fung Wong New Village, Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong. The cozy neighborhood persists well here, because south Wanhua District has not been covered by metro yet. However, there are still hints of the metro’s arrival, for example, the 20-story grand residence estate surrounded by the low-rise buildings, the trees removed from the streets, and the forbidden pastel green footbridge across the trunk road. Bit by bit, this old district is entering the beginning of the urban renewal.
At the beginning of the residency, a few pictures got stuck in my head:
These nevertheless are not the Taiwanese characteristics that
Hongkongers look upon twenty years after in 2017. It is her democracy, humanity, agriculture, and slower lifestyle that Hongkongers envy very much nowadays. Invited by Art Together, I joined the artist-in-residency program in Waley Art in Taipei for a month. With this different role, I was expecting to experience a different side of Taiwan.
Paradox
Revisiting the same sites, I see that the 153 hectare Xinyi district has been developed, Taoyuan Airport MRT is in operation, and Taipei metro has extended to New Taipei City with five metro lines already. However, the south Wanhua District, where I resided in, has stuck in the scenery of 40 years ago. The old district begun to develop in 1960-70s. Hence, the view, architectures, smell and living style in this district reminds me of my childhood in Fung Wong New Village, Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong. The cozy neighborhood persists well here, because south Wanhua District has not been covered by metro yet. However, there are still hints of the metro’s arrival, for example, the 20-story grand residence estate surrounded by the low-rise buildings, the trees removed from the streets, and the forbidden pastel green footbridge across the trunk road. Bit by bit, this old district is entering the beginning of the urban renewal.
At the beginning of the residency, a few pictures got stuck in my head:
Outside of a store near Wanhua Station, there was a about 10-inch tall hawk standing on the metal parapet over the sidewalk. It was being locked and linked with a 20-foot long rope to the parapet.
Near the primary school in Wanhau District, the pastel green footbridge built in 1960s was being demolished. Under the bridge, there were old beddings in different colors and sizes to protect the ground from the falling debris.
The red and white banner was attached on the trees on Dechang Street. “You donate blood. I give you lottery” was written on the banner towards the street.
I was a bit puzzled why I would feel so awkward about these daily visuals. Is it because of the cultural difference?”
Living without a cage, the big bird seems to be free until it wants to fly for real… Is this owner’s wisdom?
Beddings, supposed to be indoor for people to rest on, are now moved to open space to protect the ground… Is this the smart cost reduction scheme of the contractor?
Blood donation, which should be the act of selfless devotion, is now connected with an opportunity to be rewarded in the lottery… Is this the organizer’s stratetic publicity plan?
Are these lies? Or merely embellishments? On the street that will face rapid changes, I can see the self-absorbed language in this paradox, and start to understand that artist-in-residency is a learning process of study through living out there.
Outside of the white cube
In the middle of March, I followed Taiwanese artist friends to visit Ketagalan Boulevard. There was the temporary community of Puyuma people, one of the indigenous groups of Taiwanese aborigines in front of the President’s office, rather than the protest hosted by Pan-Blue groups or Pan-Green groups. They were here to fight against newly approved constitutional article that excludes any private land from being designated as the indigenous territory. The controversy lies in the fact that is article allows development plans on the indigenous territory not to “consult and obtain consent by indigenous peoples or tribes” at all. Indigenous groups’ rights would be damaged. For example, they will lose area for hunting area that has been their tradition for thousand years. How can they proceed with their lifestyle without hunting area?
The scene on Ketagalan Boulevard seemed to imply a very long-lasting oppression suffered by the people. Since the inauguration of TSAI Ing-Wen as the president in May last year, Taiwan has faced more diplomatic oppression by China. At the very beginning, indigenous groups, who had been suppressed for a long time, stood for TSAI Ing-Wen in the president campaign. However, now they feel being betrayed by TSAI. Instead of yelling or expressing themselves through violent actions, they taught passers-by Pinuyumayan, sang their folk songs, and shared stories about their families everyday at the protest site. Besides, they exhibited hundreds of big rocks from their homeland in response to land titles explained by the legal document. (The diameter of some rocks was one foot long) Participants can learn the indigenous art and drew on the rocks placed on Ketagalan Boulevard.
It reminded me another scene I saw in the previous weekend. There was a sea of two different flags, written “Self-determination for Taiwan” and “Just be nice to Taiwanese”, outside of Ximen metro station. Compared with the scene on Ketagalan Boulevard, indigenous peoples’ expression was a soft sell. Art becomes the outlet when the suppressed one faces the virtual impossibility. Through arts and performance, audience can understand their feelings. Such an indirect and soft medium for expression turns out to be an effective education tool.
At least, the rocks moved me. The visual language of the rock installation reminded me that Eskimo language has around fifty words to describe “snow”. At a moment, the visual power transcended any spoken language. Questions about different levels and layers of the ideas of “Localism” and “Particularism” came to my mind during this visit of the indigenous group. After leaving Ketagalan Boulevard, I still kept searching more and more about their status and history. I believed that the purpose of Art Together bringing art to public place outside the white cubes is also about encouraging audience to reflect upon various current issues within a specific context.
Contemporary arts and temple
In late March, I visited to Soulangh Cultural Park in Tainan for the exhibition “Kau-Pue, Mutual Companionship in Near Future”. I found that Walking Grass Agriculture and curator of Waley Art all have closely studied the cultural elements of temples, worship and other rituals in festive celebrations. Growing up in Hong Kong, I personally am not familiar with these aspects. Through visiting this exhibit, I hoped to acquire more knowledge of such.
“Kau-Pue” literally means getting together or communicating in Taiwanese. “Kau-Pue Realm” is the organization of the folk temples since Qing dynasty. Chief curator GONG Jow Jiun led his curatorial team, together with 38 local and overseas artists to work on the idea of “Kau-Pue Realm” at the Soulangh Cultural Park, which was Meiji Sugar Corporation‘s first modern sugar refinery. Artists have explored the tradition and culture of temples in different media. Some of these were impressive documental works, for example, LIN Bo-Liang represented the essence of temples, YAO Jui-Chung discussed the relationship between religion and society, SHEN Chao-Liang used the moving stage for the solemn occasion in Taiwan, and CHEN Po-I recorded the spirit of Taiwan populace when praying. Although I was not familiar with these, I learnt much more about the society and culture of Taiwan (especially Tainan) and Walking Grass Agriculture in this exhibition in a short period of time.
In this exhibition, HSU Chia-Wei’s video installation “Spirit-Writing” documents his own “Kau-Pue” experience with the god Marshal Tie Jia, born 1400 years ago in China’s Jiangxi Province, with the help of villagers from the Matsu Divination Chair Association. HSU invited Marshal Tie Jia through the divination chair ritual, which is practiced by the villagers to make decisions about many matters in life. He followed the god’s instructions to construct a 3D temple to worship the god. The artist also transformed the motion throughout the ritual to be a 3D animation. There were three layers of “Kau-Pue Realm” in HSU’s artwork: folk art, cultural practice and technology. In the countryside of Tainan, I watched these surreal “Kau-Pue” scenes (the country of gods and the world simulated by computer) and realized such a dialogue can be developed by contemporary art. Through the artists’ transformation, awkward situations can be represented in different contexts, and, therefore, help provide more possible language to describe and read the world.
Epilogue
After the visit, I went back to Taipei and started to prepare my artist-in-residence exhibition in Waley Art. Starting from the corner of the room I stayed at, I used the 70s stockings and the debris of footbridge on Wanda Road to reconstruct the work across third to fourth floor. Through the artwork, I responded to the previous exhibition took place in the same space.
Outside of the white cube
In the middle of March, I followed Taiwanese artist friends to visit Ketagalan Boulevard. There was the temporary community of Puyuma people, one of the indigenous groups of Taiwanese aborigines in front of the President’s office, rather than the protest hosted by Pan-Blue groups or Pan-Green groups. They were here to fight against newly approved constitutional article that excludes any private land from being designated as the indigenous territory. The controversy lies in the fact that is article allows development plans on the indigenous territory not to “consult and obtain consent by indigenous peoples or tribes” at all. Indigenous groups’ rights would be damaged. For example, they will lose area for hunting area that has been their tradition for thousand years. How can they proceed with their lifestyle without hunting area?
The scene on Ketagalan Boulevard seemed to imply a very long-lasting oppression suffered by the people. Since the inauguration of TSAI Ing-Wen as the president in May last year, Taiwan has faced more diplomatic oppression by China. At the very beginning, indigenous groups, who had been suppressed for a long time, stood for TSAI Ing-Wen in the president campaign. However, now they feel being betrayed by TSAI. Instead of yelling or expressing themselves through violent actions, they taught passers-by Pinuyumayan, sang their folk songs, and shared stories about their families everyday at the protest site. Besides, they exhibited hundreds of big rocks from their homeland in response to land titles explained by the legal document. (The diameter of some rocks was one foot long) Participants can learn the indigenous art and drew on the rocks placed on Ketagalan Boulevard.
It reminded me another scene I saw in the previous weekend. There was a sea of two different flags, written “Self-determination for Taiwan” and “Just be nice to Taiwanese”, outside of Ximen metro station. Compared with the scene on Ketagalan Boulevard, indigenous peoples’ expression was a soft sell. Art becomes the outlet when the suppressed one faces the virtual impossibility. Through arts and performance, audience can understand their feelings. Such an indirect and soft medium for expression turns out to be an effective education tool.
At least, the rocks moved me. The visual language of the rock installation reminded me that Eskimo language has around fifty words to describe “snow”. At a moment, the visual power transcended any spoken language. Questions about different levels and layers of the ideas of “Localism” and “Particularism” came to my mind during this visit of the indigenous group. After leaving Ketagalan Boulevard, I still kept searching more and more about their status and history. I believed that the purpose of Art Together bringing art to public place outside the white cubes is also about encouraging audience to reflect upon various current issues within a specific context.
Contemporary arts and temple
In late March, I visited to Soulangh Cultural Park in Tainan for the exhibition “Kau-Pue, Mutual Companionship in Near Future”. I found that Walking Grass Agriculture and curator of Waley Art all have closely studied the cultural elements of temples, worship and other rituals in festive celebrations. Growing up in Hong Kong, I personally am not familiar with these aspects. Through visiting this exhibit, I hoped to acquire more knowledge of such.
“Kau-Pue” literally means getting together or communicating in Taiwanese. “Kau-Pue Realm” is the organization of the folk temples since Qing dynasty. Chief curator GONG Jow Jiun led his curatorial team, together with 38 local and overseas artists to work on the idea of “Kau-Pue Realm” at the Soulangh Cultural Park, which was Meiji Sugar Corporation‘s first modern sugar refinery. Artists have explored the tradition and culture of temples in different media. Some of these were impressive documental works, for example, LIN Bo-Liang represented the essence of temples, YAO Jui-Chung discussed the relationship between religion and society, SHEN Chao-Liang used the moving stage for the solemn occasion in Taiwan, and CHEN Po-I recorded the spirit of Taiwan populace when praying. Although I was not familiar with these, I learnt much more about the society and culture of Taiwan (especially Tainan) and Walking Grass Agriculture in this exhibition in a short period of time.
In this exhibition, HSU Chia-Wei’s video installation “Spirit-Writing” documents his own “Kau-Pue” experience with the god Marshal Tie Jia, born 1400 years ago in China’s Jiangxi Province, with the help of villagers from the Matsu Divination Chair Association. HSU invited Marshal Tie Jia through the divination chair ritual, which is practiced by the villagers to make decisions about many matters in life. He followed the god’s instructions to construct a 3D temple to worship the god. The artist also transformed the motion throughout the ritual to be a 3D animation. There were three layers of “Kau-Pue Realm” in HSU’s artwork: folk art, cultural practice and technology. In the countryside of Tainan, I watched these surreal “Kau-Pue” scenes (the country of gods and the world simulated by computer) and realized such a dialogue can be developed by contemporary art. Through the artists’ transformation, awkward situations can be represented in different contexts, and, therefore, help provide more possible language to describe and read the world.
Epilogue
After the visit, I went back to Taipei and started to prepare my artist-in-residence exhibition in Waley Art. Starting from the corner of the room I stayed at, I used the 70s stockings and the debris of footbridge on Wanda Road to reconstruct the work across third to fourth floor. Through the artwork, I responded to the previous exhibition took place in the same space.
香港策展人簡歷
Biography of Participating Hong Kong Curator
馮穎君，現居香港，1992年獲澳洲麥覺理大學文學士，在商界打滾廿年後重投學院，2016年獲香港藝術學院高級藝術文憑及香港浸會大學視覺藝術碩士，作品多以過氣物品探討人性的力量，亦嘗試策展。2017年3月，第一次駐村。
Vivian FUNG is a Hong Kong-based artist and curator graduated at Macquarie University with majors in Psychology and Sociology in 1992. After working for the business sector, she went back to university and received a master degree of Visual Arts at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2016. Her artworks, often involving found objects that are dated, enquire about the essence of strength and humanity. She also attempts to curate It was the first time she joined a residency program.
Vivian FUNG is a Hong Kong-based artist and curator graduated at Macquarie University with majors in Psychology and Sociology in 1992. After working for the business sector, she went back to university and received a master degree of Visual Arts at Hong Kong Baptist University in 2016. Her artworks, often involving found objects that are dated, enquire about the essence of strength and humanity. She also attempts to curate It was the first time she joined a residency program.