Taiwan has a presence at the 60th Venice Biennale, which opened on Saturday, with the exhibition “Everyday War” by video artist Yuan Goang-ming (袁廣鳴).
Yuan said many people have asked him if he was intentionally addressing the conflicts raging around the world, including in Gaza, but he said it was a coincidence, having written his “Everyday War” exhibit plan in 2019.
“We certainly face real war threats, but I think this kind of ‘war’ also exists in daily life, such as income inequality and natural disasters, putting us in a constant state of war,” he said.
Photo: CNA
Arguing that minor wars exist in daily life, Yuan traced the theme back to his 2014 solo exhibition “An Uncanny Tomorrow,” which highlighted society’s prevailing anxiety by filming families and their living environments.
“At the time, although I did not mention war, it was all about the threats we encounter daily. From then on, I started thinking about the kind of crises that could occur in ordinary times,” he said.
Yuan’s display has the trappings expected of art chronicling war. He sets the scene in ordinary-looking living spaces, but breaks the original calm and stability with sudden sounds of explosions.
As visitors walk into the exhibit, they can also hear multiple interwoven sounds of Yuan’s video works such as Everyday Maneuver, Everyday War, sirens, explosions and national anthems.
“My works are actually about Taiwan. I’m not presenting what Taiwan is through storytelling, but rather trying to present Taiwan’s situation,” Yuan said.
“Whether it’s politics, life in general, or daily life, those are the things that my works encompass,” he added.
Taipei Fine Arts Museum director Wang Jun-jieh (王俊傑) echoed Yuan’s statement, saying that the theme of this year’s Venice Biennale is “foreigners everywhere,” which delves into the identity confusion experienced by “outsiders and foreigners.”
Wang added that Yuan often portrays doubt and unease within seemingly idyllic worlds through his artworks, which hint at human experiences amid tumultuous life situations.
Yuan is representing Taiwan at the Venice Biennale for the second time. He previously participated in 2003 alongside Li Xiao-jing (李小鏡), Lee Ming-wei (李明維) and Cheang Shu-lea (鄭淑麗) in an exhibit curated by artist Lin Shu-min (林書民).
The 60th Venice Biennale Taiwan Pavilion “Yuan Goang-Ming: Everyday War” exhibit is to run until Nov. 24.
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