Matsu Biennial, with different curatorial teams, under the agitation and collaboration with island residents of all generations, presents the characteristics and diverse aspects of Matsu. the Matsu Biennial is set out to be a ten-year project which aims to capture the transformation of the islands using a rationale based on five core concepts: Its curation is based on the foundations of the encounter between wind and soil; emphasizes the accumulation of "time" and brew the island; use art to intervene in education and place creation through "project"; incorporate the dimension of "space" to present the landscape and architecture of the island; with "cultural" governance as the core, leading organizational and social-cultural changes. The five core concepts are intertwined with each other.
The first Matsu Biennial uses "Island Brew" as the main axis, with Han Wu as the chief curator. The exhibition has 3 space curators, 8 projects, 39 works, 41 art teams, and local creations. We invite everyone to come to the island to participate in the unique flavor brewed by Matsu through a series of sea-viewing frames, and, together, to brew the islands' transformation.
Military stronghold turned art scene： "Underground Matters"
Walking into the long tunnel, surrounded by a dark and humid environment, the audience seems to have come to a defense readiness condition. By collecting local culture and anecdotes, the artist finds a connecting narrative between them, responding to the historical context 30 years after the war was lifted. Eva Lin, The founder of mt.project, As the curator, with seven artists: Tsao Kai-Zhi, Liam MORGAN, Ding Chien-Chung, Chiu Chen-Hung, Chen Fei-Hao, Liao Chien-Chun, Liu Zhi-Hong. The works are exhibited at Nangan Stronghold no. 77. Reproduce history in an artistic way and feel the narrative of the battlefield landscape.
Canadian artist Liam MORGAN's work "In Theory, It Should Be OK", set up plants that are on the verge of withering in the underground tunnel, and maintain the life of the plants through the calculated artificial light and water sources. The work responds to Matsu's isolated situation at the frontier with plants on the verge of depletion. In addition to Nangan Stronghold no. 77, artist Chiu Chen-Hung's work "Daylighting" is located in Residential houses at Ho'ao Village. He carved the plant scenery outside the window on the indoor wall, recorded a certain daily moment, and used different light and shadows.
Conversation with Outlying island： "Returning to the Island"
The curatorial team Huang Ding-Yao and Chen Yung-Han hope to promote exchanges between islands through artistic actions and to understand the local food culture through food experiments through taste bud experiments. At the same time, they invite the Taiwanese team to present island delicacies in different ways. Develop co-creation works with the themes of "Faith", "Legend", "Plant", and "Environment", exploring the disappearance and rebirth of culture under the exodus, and trying to re-establish relationships. Based in Dongju and launched "Island's Taste Lab" in Nangan. There are five groups of artists: NO!W Across Lab, Clay doll(Wu Chi-Zeng ,Chen Hoo-Sin ,
Han R-Ting,Hsu Yu-Ni), Soul-z-Soil (Huang Miao-Chen), Assignment Theatre, Rusted Objects (Chen Ying-Ting); with five groups of catering teams: YIMA’s kitchen, DAYSPRING, XIWEI PENINSULA ANTENNA SHOP, WuHsieh Lab, Diandianway, they jointly participated in the art project.
"Dog Island Ocean Horse - Dirt of Sacrifice" is based on Matsu's important cultural festival - "pě-màng". Through the Clay doll, the collected local stories were visualized and displayed in front of the temple. On the way to the temple, many found The little puppet that guides you. The "Blue Tears Land Project: Have an ISLAND SEAT" is located on the famous scenic spot in Dongju - Mysterious Little Bay. It is based on the unique natural phenomenon "Blue Tears" in Matsu and uses the marine waste collected by the beach cleaning after staying in the village. Utilize and compose the elements in the exhibits to reflect the destruction of the marine ecological environment.
Intervening Matsu Culture with Art： "Listening the Voices of the Island"
Curated by the curator Chen Xuan-Cheng and the co-curator Liao Yi-Mei, who is deeply involved in the field, it takes the viewpoint of Landscape as Archive, rediscovers the landscape resources, through the research and art collection of the islands, from the historical, architectural, landscape, art, and other perspectives, try to draw the future blueprint of the island, using landscape frame, three-dimensional painting, sound installation, landscape, and other techniques, combined with local creation, in the process of crawling through the historical context, to re-understand the island.
Participating artists: Wu Chi-Zeng, Hsu Yu-Ni, Tsou Hsiang-Hsiang, ArchiBlur Lab, Wang Wen-shin, Chang Ching-Huan, Wang Chia-Sheng, Su Hung, Hsiao Yu-Jen, Yannick Dauby, Tsai Wan-Shuen.
Matsu is a very important strategic position, providing a wealth of "paths". The work "Refracting Island" is set at the end of Stronghold no. 53, Nangan path, which is the roof closest to the sea. The stainless steel surface reflects the surrounding scenery, like a road leading to the sea and connecting others. "Zhenge Daidan" is a famous landmark of Matsu. The artist Tsou Hsiang-Hsiang abandoned the noun and kept the verb. The work is called "Wait Till", which lifted the military rule of the battlefield and gradually forgotten the role of the island. The base of the ruins is like "still time". Through the artist's field research, he responds to the sense of time, allowing the audience to feel the interlacing of the past and the present. Artist Wang Wen-shin uses Sisal, a plant near the military stronghold, as an idea and metaphor. The past history and the present are like Sisal's growth method. The new shoots are stacked on the old leaves and continue to grow and coexist.
Across time and space to a special era： "Ecology and Habitat of Islands"
Curated by curators Hou Li-wei and Huang Hsin-yu, it takes the old power plant as the starting point, connects visual art and performance art, looks back on the past, walked through the war, and left the old power plant looking at the stars and moon. This exhibition, curated to express the idea that electricity accompanies daily life, uses art to document the island’s people and customs. Four groups of art teams from different fields are invited: Cheng Ting-Ting, HORSE, Formosa Circus Art, Joyce Ho, to lead the public together. Experience the story of Matau.
A “The Que Bridge” connects Meishi Village and military brothels in Meishi barrack. Artist Joyce Ho uses iron bars that symbolize imprisonment and sets up a cradle-like installation below. The contrast of rigidity and softness responds to the history of the other end of the Que Bridge. The memory is still vague, the gentle township that attracts infinite reverie.
Art guides the way, local co-creation: "The Tower of Winds"
Led by curators Tsai Pei-Yuan and Joanne Lin, students and teachers from seven primary schools in the four townships and five islands of Matsu, with the concept of Matsu people sailing by the wind, use the soil of each island and the plants collected by the students to make unique pigments, dyed all kinds of flag sails, built a tower, and let the wind roll with each other's similarities and differences.
Due to the climate, Matsu is prone to fog. If the fog makes the visibility less than 800 meters, the plane will not be able to take off and land on Guam. Such a geographical environment and a battlefield background make Matsu a mysterious veil. We invite you to take part in the encounter between the wind from afar and the fertile local soil, to draw inspiration from diverse perspectives by viewing Matsu through a series of sea-viewing frames, and, together, to brew the islands' transformation.
Matsu Biennial - Island Brew
Duration: 12 February 2022 to 10 April 2022
Website: www.matsubiennial.tw
圖一：廖建忠，珠螺花開時，地下工事
圖二左上：Liam Morgan 利安•摩根 ，照理來說 應該可行，地下工事
圖二右上：不廢跨村實驗室｜楊芳宜 、林俊作，路上藍眼淚計畫—《島塑椅》，迴島嶼吧
圖二左下：一幅完成中的風景
圖二右下：共感地景創作，折射島，傾聽島嶼的聲音
Photos by YIART
