Face to Face: Contemporary Art from Taiwan
Face to Face is the second exhibition to come to Australia from Taiwan. The first was Art Taiwan, which was organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. Art Taiwan was essentially a large survey exhibition, while Face to Face is smaller and more focused. Face to Face: Contemporary Art from Taiwan will open on September 7 at the Gold Coast Art Gallery in Australia. The exhibition will include works from Chen Hui-Chiao, Wang Der-Yu, Yao Jui-Chung, Lin Chun-Ju, Wang Jun-Jieh, Chen Shun-Chu, Yao Rae-Chung, Chen Chieh-Jen, Huang Chih-Yang, and Tao Ya-Lun. Sophie McIntyre who has been carrying out research in the field of contemporary art from Taiwan since her first visit to Taiwan in 1990, has curated the exhibition.
By Ilse Chin
Since the lifting of the martial law in 1987, Taiwan has experienced rapid economic growth, massive industrialization, concomitant urban development, and increased political liberalization. From being a country that suffered from foreign colonialism, political authoritarianism, and cultural repression, Taiwan has been transformed into a capitalist country with democratic ideology and cultural pluralism.The Chinese art critic and curator, Hou Han-rou, sees the Pacific region as the focus of global economic and cultural exchanges and development: 'Hong Kong, along with other capitals and large cities in the region such as Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore, Beijing, Seoul, and Taipei is appearing more and more influential as a locomotive. These cities lead us to step into the next century.'
Face to Face shows how young, contemporary artists in Taiwan are facing the changes, which have emerged over the past decade in Taiwan. In the post-industrial society where modernization, urbanization, and commercialization co-exist, these artists are exploring issues concerning Taiwan's identity and its history, as well as political, environmental, and gender issues, in an effort to find deeper, personal meaning. Curator Sophie McIntyre believes that Taiwan, as part of Asia, can no longer be regarded as the exotic other, but sees it instead as a rapidly changing, highly industrialized, and culturally diverse society.
The works in this exhibition do not aim to represent Taiwan as a national entity or cultural identity. The artists were invited to show their works as fragments of personal experience. They point out their personal view of the significance of modernization, massive urbanization, and economic prosperity on human existence as well as on the natural environments in Taiwan.
New values
Face to Face traces the journeys of ten young artists living and working in Taiwan. Each artist expresses and defines the juxtaposition between reality and illusion, desire and detachment, life and death. Chen Hui-Chiao (Taipei, 1964) and Wang Der-Yu explore the inter-relationship between form and matter and between perception and sensation in a series of mixed-media installations.
As one of the few female artists in Taiwanese contemporary art, Chen Hui-Chiao, examines the interrelationship between external realities and inner consciousness, through which she searches for personal meaning and equilibrium. From Chen's earlier series 'You're the Rose and I'm the Thorn' to her more recent series 'Water and Steel', the artist explores the meaning of relationships, conceptually as well as formally. Inspired by poetry, psychology, and the dream state, Chen reinterprets and redefines matter through form.
Yao Jui-Chung (Taipei, 1969) belongs to the post-martial-law generation of artists who live in a more liberal and progressive country. In his mixed media installations and site specific works Yao reflects on the difficulties of Taiwan's younger generation who are caught in the middle between the past, the present, and the future. Sophie McIntyre sees him as one of Taiwan's most outspoken younger artists, who denounces history by making comments on Taiwan's colonial past and the island's political status.
In his work 'Shui Shan' (Snowy Mountain) he examines the polemic between Chinese tradition, Western influence, and Taiwanese identity. He drew a calligraphic line in Chinese ink in the snow at Shui Shan. He then collected the ink that was mixed with the ice and put it into a Coca-Cola bottle. The melted ice returned to ink. As new values are being formulated in Taiwan, Yao states that a new ideology must emerge in which boundaries are no longer drawn.
For his provocative work 'Territory Take Over-Manoeuvre Sequence' Yao took photos of himself ceremonially urinating at historic sites reminiscent of the six past colonial powers which ruled Taiwan. The search for 'seat' or possession finds its expression in the use of a urinoir.
As artist Lin Chun-Ju (Taipei, 1964) comments on the destruction of the natural environment, Wang Jun-Jieh 's (Taipei, 1964) computer-generated works consider the impact of consumerism and the media, as reality transforms into a hyper-reality. With his photographic-based work Chen Shun-Chu (Penghu, 1963) reflects on notions of past and present. Yao Rae-Chung's (Taipei, 1969) and Chen Chieh-Jen's (Tao-Yuan, 1960) works deal with the significance of time and the impact of history on our sense of national and self-identity. Huang Chih-Yang (Taipei, 1965) and Tao Ya-Lun's (Taipei, 1966) mixed media works reflect on human earthly desires and explores the relationship between mind and body.
In the 'Zoon' series by Huang Chih-Yang, he returns to the primal state of the human condition. The figures do not look human; they are the embodiment of human, animal, and plant life. Huang tries to explore the relationship between our changing external environments and our internal nature, or inner being: 'That's why my figures are always different and changing; because we are connected to our environment which is in a constant state of change or transformation. This process of transformation is what I mean by the 'human condition'.'
Mutual understanding
In Australia, Taiwan is important for its economic markets and as a source of tourism, business migrants, and investments. However, while much emphasis has been placed on establishing commercial ties with Taiwan, less efforts have been focused on developing a greater cultural awareness and understanding of Taiwan. As increasing numbers of Taiwanese choose to immigrate to Australia, it is certainly a good time to build upon and strengthen this relationship through cultural exposition and exchange. Sophie McIntyre believes that from increased cultural contact comes greater cultural understanding and racial tolerance. 'Through the exchange of art and ideas, human concerns, values, experiences, and prejudices are transcended and mutual understanding is achieved.'
Sophie McIntyre explains that therefore the objective of the exhibition Face to Face is not only to develop and promote a greater awareness of Taiwan's contemporary art in Australia but also to contribute towards a greater cultural understanding between Australians and the growing Taiwanese community in Australia. She concludes by saying: 'I hope that this exhibition will encourage further cultural interaction between Australia and Taiwan, and more specifically between artists and art institutions in both countries.'
Face to Face: Contemporary Art from Taiwan, Gold Coast City Arts Gallery, Bundall Road, Gold Coast Centre, Australia, tel.: +61-7-5581 6500, fax: +61-7-5581 6592. The show is timed to coincide with the opening of the Asia Pacific Triennial at the Queensland Art Gallery.
The responsibility for the organization lies in the hands of the Gold Coast Art Gallery and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.