River life, hand and hope

Taring Padi (TP) is an Indonesian art collective. By CHEN Guan-jhang’s arrangement, TP members built friendship with young farmers, HU Yu-chi and CHEN Hung-wei, from the midstream. They also visited Tsou hunter, Basu’e Yakumangana, in the Cayamavana Tribe at the upstream of Zeng-wen River.

The midstream visit started from Balin Atelier. Through farmers’ guidance, TP and curatorial team visited the waterbridge, Chianan Irrigation, rice milling plant, etc. TP discussed hydraulic engineering, crop diseases, extreme climate events and agricultural species similarity and differences between Taiwan and Indonesia.

The upstream visit was led by the Tsuo hunter, Basuya. He led TP and curatorial team to identify edible plants, such as nest fern, thill bamboo, honeywort, etc. By following Basuya’s guidance, TP had a chance to observe Formosan reeve, Formosan sambar deer, and wild boar through trail cameras. The damage and changes of the mountain and the river after Typhoon Morakot, were also learned and discussed during the guidance.

Based on the visit above, TP held 2 multi-species woodcutting workshops at Balin Atelier and Cayama- vana Tribe Farm, inviting public participants to join in and portray multiple aspects of rivers together. The collaborative workshops aim to enhance citizen participation, and the woodcut print is a way to present solidarity.

Balin Atelier: Amye LIN, Awan Tan (CHEN Shengyuan) , BA Bei-duo, CHANG Ching-yuan, CHANG Fang-jui ‘Fang-Raye’, CHANG Fang-wei, CHEN Guan-jhang, CHEN Jing-jie, CHEN Ying-ru, DU Pei-feng, GONG Jow-jiun, GONG Yih-jau, HUNG Shu-ching, HUNG Yu-cheng, Jamie Malcolm, JIANG Mei-ju, LEE Hui-shan, LI Shu-ching, LI Yi-xuan, LIN Yin, Mirr LO, PENG Huai-ze, SU Li-ching, TSENG Po-hao, Visal LAI, WU Wan-jhen, WU Yi-jhen, XU Chen-yu, YANG Yu-qi, YING Cheng-ru

Cayamavana Tribe: Basu’e Yakumangana, CHANG Jing-hong, CHEN Guan-jhang, CHEN Hsiu-lan, CHEN Jing-jie, CHEN Ming-jun, CHEN You-zhen, FANCHIANG Ping, GONG Jow-jiun, GOO Hong-beng, HONG Ya-hui, HOU Ren-yu, HUANG Ching-jung, HUNG Yu-cheng, KUO Yu-lin, LIU Ren-hou, LIU Zhen-yu, Mirr LO, Silia PAN, TSAI Wan-hsin

Established in 1998, Taring Padi is a political art collective formed by a group of students from the Indonesian Art Institute (ASRI), cultural activists, and artists. Their works and artistic actions take various forms such as woodcut posters, large banners, cardboard puppets, music, carnivals, etc. With the aim of reviving grassroots culture and populism, they oppose the notion of art for art’s sake and convey a spirit of resistance against cultural constraints imposed by capitalism. Simultaneously, they respond to the social and political turmoil in Indonesia during the period of religious reform and the fall of Suharto.