Department of Cultural Affairs

By Psyche Cho
Staff Reporter

Nearly 60 groups of street artists with various unique skills gathered in Taipei Water Park on October 22, attracting passersby with performances to kick off the 2011 Taipei Street Artists Carnival.

The moment visitors walked into the park, they were instantly dazzled by performances ranging from traditional Chinese instruments like the hu-qin and gu-zheng, magic shows and martial arts to silhouette cutting and rush grass products. 

All you need to do is present the side of your face to artist Wendy Ma, and in a minute, you will get a vivid portrait of your own silhouette. While it looks effortless, the magic actually requires strong basic sketching skills, says Ma, a high school art teacher, who is following her father’s footsteps into the world of chasing shadows.

“The most difficult part in mastering the cutting lies in capturing one’s expression,” Ma notes, further explaining, “because the trick relies only on the outline.”

72-year-old Kuo Chen Su-chi, known as Yuki to her family, stands in front of a full collection of rush grass products. She has practiced the traditional trade ever since she graduated from elementary school. Born in Yuanli, Miaoli, where the technique was once a money-making skill, she mastered it naturally as she grew up. 

“In the 1930s and 1940s, it was a major export item for Taiwan,” says Kuo Chen. It is no longer considered a way to earn a living today, but rather a reminder of the early days in Taiwan.

After retiring, Kuo Chen dedicated her leisure time to reinventing and expanding her product line. Now, after being a street artist for three years, Kuo Chen’s products are no longer limited to conventional ones such as hats, mats, or slippers, but also card cases, lovely knitted animals and cell phone bags like the one that hangs on her neck.

Other interesting programs like Flamenco dancing, yo-yo artistry and more are scheduled for this weekend October 29 and 30, which will conclude the four-day event.