An exhibition showcasing Taiwan’s two contributions to the upcoming Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space (PQ) kicked off March 22 at Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-Lab) in Taipei City.
Set to run through March 31, the show unveils “Island Invisible,” an installation work by local artist Ethan Wang, and the interactive play “The Changing Room,” co-produced by emerging talents Chiang Yen-ying and Wei Yi-an.
According to organizer Taiwan Association of Theatre Technology, the exhibition provides a platform for audience feedback on the works before they are transported to the Czech capital for the PQ running June 6-16.
“Island Invisible” comprises a model of a traditional Taoist temple sitting on a mound of rocks and sand. Aiming to spotlight the impacts of climate change and unrestricted exploitation of natural resources, the work comes with an augmented reality app that allows visitors to see what it looks like submerged under water.
The app also plays a performance of “liam kua”—a traditional Taiwan storytelling art form melding talking and singing—about the dangers of global warming.
A short play centering on a couple hosting a dinner party to announce their divorce, “The Changing Room” is performed in two locations: a locker room and a stage decked out as a seafood restaurant.
The audience follows the actors between the two sites, as willing participants take part in the play by carrying out prerecorded instructions delivered through headphones.
In addition to the exhibition, TATT has organized three forums March 23, 24 and 30, respectively, to discuss the artworks and exchanges between local and overseas troupes. Speakers include Chen Pin-hsu, programming manager of renowned Taiwan modern dance company Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, and Wei Wan-jung, executive director of the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians.
This year’s PQ is set to feature works by artists from 79 countries and territories as well as some 600 performances, talks and workshops. Around 180,000 visitors and over 1,300 creators and arts groups took part in the previous edition in 2015. (CPY-E)
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