8th Annual Conference of Taiwanese Young Scholars in Europe
http://taiwanyse.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/2015-program-of-8th-annual-conference.html_◎日期：2015年6月26日（五）及27日（六）26.27 June 2015
◎地點：Université Paris 8, Bâtiment A, Amphi A2（法國巴黎第八大學/萬森納－聖德尼大學，A棟之A2講堂）
◎地址：2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis（巴黎RATP地鐵系統13號線底站 St. Denis Université）
◎Dates: Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June 2015
◎Venue : Université Paris 8, Bâtiment A, Amphi A2 / 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis (metro: line 13, St. Denis Université)
Presentation:
Exploring Taiwanese cultural identity through contemporary ceramic practice
Wen-Hsi CHEN/PhD Candidate in Ceramics, Bath Spa University, UK
This essay will explore from the perspective of a Taiwanese artist living different cultures (Taiwan and the UK) how to address Taiwanese identity in the UK. It will explore the construction of identity in a cross- cultural context through contemporary ceramic practice. As a Taiwanese woman living and working in ‘in between ’ cultures (Taiwan and UK) I have recognized how challenging it is to survive in western society.
My PhD, which is practice- led in ceramics, deals with the predicament of identity. My supporting research investigates Taiwanese women ceramists with a particular focus on notions of gender: Taiwan continues to be a patriarchal society. Traditionally, women in Taiwan have always relied on male – dominated social rituals as this defines their identity in life.
My contemporary practice provides a platform of freedom from which I can escape and review tensions. Who am I and how can I develop my studio practice research in ceramics in order to find ways of working that express and communicate my situation?
I use ready-made objects to create a dialogue between the different political power platforms. My aim is to combine old documents and maps behind contemporary issues such as the Taiwanese Sunflower movement, traditional Taiwanese wedding customs and Taiwanese smells such as camphor. I like to mix up the cross culture predicament, releasing dangerous emotional feelings to try and understand the Taiwan condition.
Additionally I draw on oral history methodology as I collected first hand information from Taiwan. The artist conducted interviews for a disappearing culture from the Amis earthenware tradition in Taiwan. I created a ten minute documentary film to show the pottery making process. Furthermore I used my female perspective to analyse why only females in the Amis tribe were allowed to touch clay and how modernity has affected their traditional way of life.
Additionally my aim in my work is to unpack Taiwanese cultural identity in the colonial and post colonialism worlds. I decide to use volcanic glazes and porcelain to construct cross culture process. Time and space changes, many objects are situating / shifting in different systems. Sometimes similar objects take on different meanings such as bananas, Chinese paws, Chinese medicine, spoons and rose petals.
Taiwan will need to survive in the western society context, this does not mean to just become other. It needs to try not to limit its potential and possibility. Taiwanese people need to be positive to deal with our past and look forward to the future. In turn we have seen our country occupied by Spain, Holland and Japan and we have a very sensitive relationship with the Chinese government. Taiwan needs to figure out our traditional cultural values and try to understand Taiwanese history to be able to believe in ourselves. Nowadays Taiwan seems to be living in a colonial period or post-colonial atmosphere.
歐洲臺灣青年學者人文社會學會
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◎地點：Université Paris 8, Bâtiment A, Amphi A2（法國巴黎第八大學/萬森納－聖德尼大學，A棟之A2講堂）
◎地址：2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis（巴黎RATP地鐵系統13號線底站 St. Denis Université）
◎Dates: Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June 2015
◎Venue : Université Paris 8, Bâtiment A, Amphi A2 / 2 Rue de la Liberté, 93200 Saint-Denis (metro: line 13, St. Denis Université)
Presentation:
Exploring Taiwanese cultural identity through contemporary ceramic practice
Wen-Hsi CHEN/PhD Candidate in Ceramics, Bath Spa University, UK
This essay will explore from the perspective of a Taiwanese artist living different cultures (Taiwan and the UK) how to address Taiwanese identity in the UK. It will explore the construction of identity in a cross- cultural context through contemporary ceramic practice. As a Taiwanese woman living and working in ‘in between ’ cultures (Taiwan and UK) I have recognized how challenging it is to survive in western society.
My PhD, which is practice- led in ceramics, deals with the predicament of identity. My supporting research investigates Taiwanese women ceramists with a particular focus on notions of gender: Taiwan continues to be a patriarchal society. Traditionally, women in Taiwan have always relied on male – dominated social rituals as this defines their identity in life.
My contemporary practice provides a platform of freedom from which I can escape and review tensions. Who am I and how can I develop my studio practice research in ceramics in order to find ways of working that express and communicate my situation?
I use ready-made objects to create a dialogue between the different political power platforms. My aim is to combine old documents and maps behind contemporary issues such as the Taiwanese Sunflower movement, traditional Taiwanese wedding customs and Taiwanese smells such as camphor. I like to mix up the cross culture predicament, releasing dangerous emotional feelings to try and understand the Taiwan condition.
Additionally I draw on oral history methodology as I collected first hand information from Taiwan. The artist conducted interviews for a disappearing culture from the Amis earthenware tradition in Taiwan. I created a ten minute documentary film to show the pottery making process. Furthermore I used my female perspective to analyse why only females in the Amis tribe were allowed to touch clay and how modernity has affected their traditional way of life.
Additionally my aim in my work is to unpack Taiwanese cultural identity in the colonial and post colonialism worlds. I decide to use volcanic glazes and porcelain to construct cross culture process. Time and space changes, many objects are situating / shifting in different systems. Sometimes similar objects take on different meanings such as bananas, Chinese paws, Chinese medicine, spoons and rose petals.
Taiwan will need to survive in the western society context, this does not mean to just become other. It needs to try not to limit its potential and possibility. Taiwanese people need to be positive to deal with our past and look forward to the future. In turn we have seen our country occupied by Spain, Holland and Japan and we have a very sensitive relationship with the Chinese government. Taiwan needs to figure out our traditional cultural values and try to understand Taiwanese history to be able to believe in ourselves. Nowadays Taiwan seems to be living in a colonial period or post-colonial atmosphere.
歐洲臺灣青年學者人文社會學會
_
