Taichung gears up for Asian art exhibition

2015/09/21

A biennial Asian art exhibition enhancing public awareness of changes throughout Asia in the face of globalization is set to kick off Sept. 19 in Taichung City.

Staged at National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, the event features 140 pieces by 28 artists and groups from 17 countries and territories. It comprises installations, paintings, photography, sculptures and videos.

Curator Iris Huang said the exhibition themed Artist Making Movement represents concerns for contemporary social phenomena such as ineffective policymaking, population mobility and the visibility of Asia in the global community. “The artists are trying to break through the status quo via creative works from an aesthetic perspective, in hope of attracting attention to such matters.”

Talents featuring at the event include Yao Jui-chung and Lost Society Document of Taiwan, Irwan Ahmett and Tita Salina from Indonesia, Ayad Alkadhi of Iraq, Lee Wen from Singapore and Okin Collective of South Korea.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is “Mirage: Disused Public Property in Taiwan” by Yao and Lost Society Document. The piece comprises 300 photos of deserted public buildings nationwide serving no other purpose than to act as mosquito breeding grounds.

Yao, who taught courses on contemporary photography and performance at National Taiwan Normal University and Taipei National University of the Arts, commenced the project in 2010. With the assistance of Lost Society Document, comprising a number of his students from the two institutions, he captured the attention of the public and even prompted the central government to restore or demolish some of the structures.

Another piece of note is Ahmett and Salina’s “Salting the Sea,” which documents a one-month journey by the Jakarta-based duo from Fulong Beach in northern Taiwan to Kenting National Park in southern Taiwan. Along the way, they listened to the hardship tales of Southeast Asian workers and sprinkled their salty tears into the ocean at the end of the trip.

Equally impressive is Lee’s “Ping-Pong Go Round,” a doughnut-shaped installation allowing multiple players to enjoy the game from inside and out.

“Table tennis represents negotiations concerning globalization or multiculturalism, with the playing surface akin to a conference table,” he said. “If barriers are torn down, participants can have a broader view.”

Other activities scheduled as part of the exhibition running until Dec. 6 include artist-staged lectures, seminars and workshops.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=236839&ctNode=2194&mp=9)