<watch>Taipei Biennale VS Yokohama Triennale
During Covid-19 era, Chisai watched online programs every day. She specially chooses one of them!
Started Covid-19, I was at home, but I went anywhere every day. Ah, what does this mean?
One day, I participated in a press conference for “Yokohama Triennale 2020” (in Japan, *1) and wrote an article for Japanese website. Yes, it was online. Even though I wrote the article, I didn't go to the actual exhibition and saw online exhibition on YouTube. Like this, I went to meetings, lectures and symposiums around the world online using YouTube and WeChat!
Another day, I found the Taipei Biennale (in Taiwan, *2) YouTube exhibition. And I was surprised by the number of views! Taipei's views are ten times more than Yokohama's!
Presentation at at the Japan Association for Taiwan Studies
In 2021, I wrote a paper about Taiwanese contemporary art, put this in it, and presented it at the Japan Association for Taiwan Studies which I participated in that year. They just showed their exhibition scenes. Why are the “views” so different? —- It is probably because of theme, curation, and content.
Almost exhibition spaces in Japanese Triennale (these are not biennials), we can see artworks that are just big, or one artwork has many pieces presented. We say "wow, great space!", feeling is important.
However, in Taiwanese Biennale, there are many works that are difficult to understand, especially for foreigners. They include Taiwan's history, ethnic problems and political issues. We have absolutely nothing to say "big" or "many" but we know "artworks suggest contemporary topics", connect to our problems across the border.
Is that "diversification" of the artworks? I don't think so.
The viewers know. The era of "looking at artworks by the senses" is over. The era of "artworks give us awareness" is also coming to an end. Nowadays, we see artworks and think about our problems whether direct or indirect. The number of views on their YouTube showed this clearly. I tell you, both artworks and appreciation continue to change.
*1 / Yokohama Triennale 2020 YouTube
*2 / Taipei Biennale 2020 YouTube