Department of Cultural Affairs

By Yali Chen
STAFF REPORTER

In parallel to his activity as a filmmaker, Tsai Ming-liang also reflects on the relationship between memory, old furniture and space through video installations.

Invited by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government, Tsai has turned a boiler room in the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei into a theater for his newest installation artworks.

The boiler room, established in 1937 under Japanese colonial rule, stands 14 meters high. With a chimney 36 meters in height, the room played a big role in the operations of the Songshan Tobacco Factory.

In 2001, the factory was designated as the 99th historic monument by the Taipei City Government. Following five years of renovation and construction, the government has opened the factory area as a cultural park.

“My recent creations are linked with death, ruin and resurrection,” the 54-year-old director said. “As I’m getting older, I have more interest in life memories because I hope people in today’s fast-paced society can slow down and find their precious memories.”

Old, abandoned chairs have functioned as a recurring theme in Tsai’s works in recent years. In his exhibition titled “The Theater in the Boiler Room: Art Installation,” the Malaysia-born filmmaker used some old chairs and an antique clock that were abandoned by the Taipei Zhongshan Hall.

“I’m really fascinated by old chairs because they seem like an emotional bond between my grandmother and me,” Tsai said, adding that the best time to watch his artworks in the cultural park are the evening and night hours, thanks to the light effects.

In 2007, the director’s creation “It Is a Dream” was showcased at the Venice Biennale. The work is a 23-minute video installation meditating on the space in a Malaysian movie theater. Three years later, his installation art show “Moonlight on the River” with 49 old chairs opened at the Xue Xue Institute in Taipei.

Intended as a warm-up event for 2011 IDA Congress Taipei, which takes place from September 30 to October 30, Tsai’s new exhibition will run until November 13 in the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei. Admission is free. Call: (02) 2720-8889 ext. 3603 for more information.