Artyčok is proud to introduce ‘Field’, a documentary series with some of the most prominent Taiwanese artists and curators by filmmaker Juliana Höschlová. ‘I’m not only murmuring’ (Huang Hua Chen) Dealing with themes of centres and their peripheries, the position of Taiwan in the international context; its colonial history and problematic relations with China, twelve Taiwanese speak about their personal experience, art practice and politics of identity. A highly complicated relationship to the West and its influence on theory and practice appears to be a re-emerging issue for the most of the artists. How to negotiate the position of ‘periphery’ without insularity, asserting ownership over artistic language is palpable; more so as we begin to sense that feelings of localism are not strictly dependent on geographical location. Influenced by the thriving capitalist market in mainland China which poses an alternative to the West, some artists are returning to the Chinese traditional oil painting transforming it with new media in search for their own personal expression. Pop culture, anime and cityscapes appear, yet the importance of personal narrative is a recurrent theme. However, a fragmentation and questions of belonging are more evident in Taiwan – be it for its colonial past or ambiguous proximity of China. Through Höschlová’s eyes we discover the island’s young and fresh art scene striving for its own identity, questioning artistic subjectivity as a meaningful exchange with a public. Hana JK
