In this episode, you'll hear from Alice Sheu, a returning guest of the show. Alice Sheu is harpsichordist, historical organist, and pianist from Taiwan, currently based in the Netherlands. Alice shares with us the upcoming performances for the 2024 Taiwan Early Music Festival: Tears of Zeelandia. There will be several exciting early music performances taking place in September. The performances will feature several fascinating instruments, as well as psalms sung in the Siraya language of the indigenous Siraya people of Taiwan.

The theme, Tears of Zeelandia, is informed by the history of Dutch Formosa in Taiwan. It’s been exactly 400 years since 1624, when the Dutch East India Company landed in Taiwan. Have you wondered what music sounded like back then? To tell us more, let's welcome Alice Sheu.

Click here to learn more of the 2024 Taiwan Early Music Festival: Tears of Zeelandia

This is part 2 of my conversation with Asia Gilharry from Belize. In the previous episode, Asia shares with us the history, languages, and food of Belize. Today, we will learn about the magnificent nature of Belize, the tight-knit community of Asia’s hometown, Corozal, culture shock Asia experienced as a student in Taiwan, and what she aspires to do as a fresh graduate of International Relations and Diplomacy. Let's jump right back into it.

Do you know Belize and Taiwan have been diplomatic allies for many years? Bilateral relations between Belize and Taiwan have been maintained since 1989. What do you know of the country, Belize? There’s so much to learn about this diverse country in Central America. Today, you’ll hear from Asia Gilharry, who’s from Corozal Town, Belize, and is the president of the Belize Taiwan Association. Asia has been living in Taiwan for around 5 years. She shares with us what brought her to Taiwan and how Belize’s history informs the languages, education, food, and music of this diverse country. Let’s get started.

Stay tuned for part 2 coming out next week.

Cover photo: Asia dancing at a cultural exchange program in Taiwan. (Photo: The Central American Trade Office)

Welcome to part 2 of my conversation with Yen (CHOU Tung-yen), founder and director of Very Theatre Company & Very Mainstream Studio. Very Theatre Company is based in Taiwan and takes new media as core and focuses on creating interdisciplinary works with strong emphasis on narrative. Their work invites participants to explore and reflect on intimacy, trust, life experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, and so much more.

Today we touch on how to create a space where people feel comfortable to share their vulnerability, when digital tech is involved. What are some ways cutting edge technology could foster interpersonal trust? Yen also shares with us what’s next for Very Theatre.

Check out the website of Very Theatre

To be honest with you (pun intended), it's hard to put into words how intriguing and fascinating the work of my featured guest and their team is. In this episode, you'll hear from Yen (CHOU Tung-yen), founder and director of Very Theatre Company & Very Mainstream Studio. Very Theatre Company is based in Taiwan and takes new media as core and focuses on creating interdisciplinary works with strong emphasis on narrative. Their work invites participants to explore and reflect on intimacy, trust, life experiences of the LGBTQ+ community, and so much more. Very Theatre Company has participated in many local and international film festivals and one of their immersive VR experiences, Traversing the Mist recently won the Top Prize, the Grand Jury Prize at the NewImages Festival in Paris. Let's hear from Yen.

Check out the website of Very Theatre

This is part 2 of my interview with Dr. Stephen Clingman, the author of the exhibition catalogue for the exhibition, William Kentridge, which is currently on view at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum till September 1, 2024. Make sure to listen to part 1 if you haven’t.

Towards the end of part 1, we paused at talking about how Kentridge’s animation, such as Ubu Tells the Truth draws people in. In this episode, Stephen shares with us how Kentridge’s work welcomes people to explore the boundary space together, to reflect on the darkness of colonialism and apartheid, and realize how we need both light and shade to see, to really make sense of our world and our relation to it. We also talked about the piece Sibyl, which you definitely should not miss out at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. Stephen also shares with us the incredible energy of Kentridge’s studio from his visits.

Learn more of Dr. Stephen Clingman

Check out the exhibition catalogue by Clingman

In this episode you’ll hear from Dr. Stephen Clingman, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the author of the exhibition catalogue for the exhibition William Kentridge at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. During his time in Taipei, Clingman also gave a keynote speech “The World as Animation: William Kentridge’s Art of the Boundary.” We will dive deeper into the works and stories of the South African artist William Kentridge together, including his use of charcoal, approaches to animation, and how the apartheid and post-apartheid era shaped his work. Let’s get started.

Stay tuned for part 2 coming up next week.

Learn more of Dr. Stephen Clingman

Learn more of the exhibition, William Kentridge

The exhibition, William Kentridge is open and will be on till September 1, 2024 at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) in London and it is also William Kentridge’s first time showing in Taiwan. In this episode you’ll hear from the curator of the exhibition, Adrian Locke, of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

William Kentridge was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1955. Kentridge’s art is shaped by apartheid and grounded in the politics of the post-apartheid era, and in science, literature, and history.

Let's hear from curator Adrian Locke.

Learn more about the exhibition here.

In this episode, we’ll get to know more of the actor and director, Ulrike Arnold. Ulrike is from Germany, and was in Taiwan not long ago for the 2024 Taiwan Traditional Theater Festival. She performed in the theater production “Forgery of Zhong Kui, a Portrait of the Demon Queller” from April 12-14. It’s Ulrike’s first time performing in Taiwan. In Germany, she performs with the State Theater of Nuremberg.

What’s the theater scene like in Germany? What was Ulrike’s first impression of Zhong Kui (鍾馗), an intriguing figure in East Asian mythology? We also talked about stories of older women in theater and film, the Bechdel test, and more.

You can follow Ulrike Arnold on IMDb and here.

This is part 2 of my interview with Taiwanese painter Peihang Benoît (Pei). Pei recently just wrapped up her solo exhibit 7 RUE DES FOSSÉS SAINT-JACQUES at TGK+ Galley in Taipei. Through the exhibit, Pei welcomes you to her space and her way of portraying, and telling stories of domestic life, life of a parent, a woman, a human who longs for a joyful life. We also chatted about her previous exhibit on Barbie, where Pei shared her thoughts on the human form and how stories of her personal life, where there’s vulnerability, struggling moments, and doubts, like all of ours, inform her as a painter. Let's dive right in.

Website of Peihang Benoît: https://peihangbenoit.com/

Pei at TGK+ Gallery: https://www.tkgplus.com/exhibitions/130/overview/