Summer, Holidays, Smile
During my two-week stay in Canada for SummerWorks, I couldn’t help but notice a pervasive sense of relaxation akin to a vacation atmosphere. Everyone seemed to radiate the carefree joy of summer, evoking memories of my contrasting experiences living in Taipei and Chiayi. It struck me how profoundly the weather can influence our emotional states. Additionally, the enthusiastic response of Chiayi’s audience to outdoor performances left a lasting impression. This led me to ponder the diverse approaches artists take when embarking on residency creations. It’s a thought-provoking question: What artistic vision guides our creative endeavors when we set out to make art?
Encountering online, meeting in person, and expanding approaches to contemporary choreography.
TTLink, to me, resembles a “traveling and meeting online friends project.” It brough back memories of the early days of internet dial-up, where ICQ was a hit in all those uncertainty and anonymity. Reflecting on those years of online interaction, where communication thrived without defined purpose or destination, brings a sense of nostalgia.
Fast forward to 2020 in Yokohama, Japan, where I engaged in a brief conversation with Canadian artists. It dawned on me how limited my knowledge of Canada was, beyond its geographic location. Our discussion about our respective countries revealed intriguing parallels: both nations grapple with the complexities of sharing a border with a powerful neighbor, navigating shared language and culture, and confronting identity in modern history. As relatively younger nations with diverse immigrant experiences, our conversation provided a unique lens into contemporary geopolitical dynamics.
Standing on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, gazing across at the iconic American flag fluttering in the distance. The symbolism was palpable. Niagara Falls, a natural wonder serving as the boundary between two nations, embodied the intersection of my prior perceptions of Canada and the tangible experience before me. This convergence of impressions and reality served as a poignant culmination of a three-year-long online exchange project, expanding my understanding of international exchange and contemporary artistic methodologies.
Diversity, uniqueness, and the uncategorizable.
The observation of gender began from the moment I boarded the plane, particularly during the Vancouver to Toronto flight segment. The diversity displayed by the flight attendants, especially those who were not of Asian descent, was striking and uncommon in the Taiwanese aviation industry. Gone were the stereotypical impressions associated with “stewardesses” in Taiwan: no elegant bun showcasing a slender neck, no knee-high skirts and heels accentuating a tall and slender figure to epitomize “feminine beauty,” and no meticulously applied makeup including foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, or false eyelashes. Additionally, specific height, weight, skin tone, and voice pitch criteria no longer adhered to a standardized “female image” within this particular flight crew. These images were only present in the sole Asian flight attendant on the flight. This led me to reconsider the boundary between uniformity and diversity. From a passive perspective, the gender stereotypes I was familiar with did not disappear due to diversity. However, in a workplace embracing gender diversity, my hypersensitivity towards gender stereotypes diminished. Various combinations of hairstyles, skirts, or pants, among others, allowed for a range of appearances, making it difficult for observers to quickly categorize individuals. The inability to be swiftly classified actually enables a deeper appreciation of each individual’s unique appearance.
Manifesto, non-binary, community
Quote from the pre-show reminder from Toronto Dance Community Love-In. The experience of PS: We are all here, is very special. The audience and artists are mostly non-binary and genderqueer, creating a strong sense of community. These performances are non-narrative or without dialogue, relying solely on physical expression. I find it deeply moving because the artists have a profound understanding of their gender identities. Through their physical performances, we witness a unique state of alignment between their bodies and souls. It’s hard to imagine these works being performed by anyone else; the connection between the artist and their work is incredibly tight-knit and inseparable. I admire this form of art and recognize the importance of community. Artists and audiences have a symbiotic relationship, coexisting for each other’s presence. In Taipei, I often observe audiences categorized by performance styles or forms such as dance, musicals, or family-friendly shows. There’s less emphasis on identity-based communities. Perhaps such communities lack sufficient population in Taiwan or corresponding works to maintain visibility. I envision the future development of feminist art, beyond existing feminist readings, to include the development of gender-affirming art communities that contribute to gender mainstreaming.