each ntd.25 for sale

● 2004 ● taipei binnial ● installation view ●


On the slopes of Guanyin Hill, overlooking River on the outskirts of Taipei, is Treasure Hill, a community whose historical roots can be traced back to around the World War II, when it appears to have been frozen in time. Because most of its residents belong to disadvantaged groups, it has tended to stand at the margins, removed from the urban development of the city. This collection of simple, run-down buildings and roadways have formed naturally, without any kind of planning, resulting from the lifestyle of its residents and from the intrinsic shape of the hill. At one time it was threatened with demolition, but thanks to the protests of residents and assistance from non-governmental organizations, the Taipei City Government decided in 2001 to establish it as a historical preservation area, and to plan its development as an artists’ village until 2007.

Artists living in Treasure Hill have not only renovated abandoned hours and transformed them into workshops and exhibition spaces, but have also engaged in interactive exchanges with community residents. In 2004 Yeh wei-Li and I begun my residency, Treasure Hill Tea House and Photo Studio, Part of Treasure Hill Co-living Fringeville Project. Turning an empty building into a teahouse and portraiture studio, we invited residents and visitors to enter, interact with them, and pose for individual and group pictures. Treasure Hill Tea House and Photo Studio” Phase Two(2004)is composed of large photographs and texts, printed on newspaper-sized sheet, recording this process, as well as street scenes, historical photographs and brief descriptions of the community and the artists’ observations obtained while living there.

This project for me is outside observers and vital young residents taking part in the area’s transformation. The documentary material presents a forgotten community achieving self-awareness and building collective spirit. Those photos were printed as posters and exhibited and sold in 2004 Taipei International Biennial Exhibition. Patrons purchased them on pay-as-you wish basis.

這件作品跟葉偉立合作，在市政府規劃這個社區的前夕，他們允許藝數家以駐村的方式在此地創作關於與居民互動的作品，由於我們是外來者的分份，居民對於駐村這樣的行為仍有百般的不解，於是在駐村期間的第一階段，我們提供泡茶的空間與小型的社區攝影圖書館，並為前來參訪的人拍攝肖像照，第二階段由於市政府的允諾，我們持續留在當地並進行另外的拍照創作，並取名為「寫生」，這階段的作品被印製成海報，在2004台北國際雙年展中展出並販售，民眾在展覽會場可選取海報並捐出他們願意負擔的價格