Waterscape of Tainan

By excavating the historical traces of Tainan’s century-old hydraulic engineering projects, TSAI Kuen-lin opens a window to past stories. He lifts the City’s manhole covers to trace the rivers and streams that once sprawled across Tainan Prefecture, such as Wu Tiao Gang (the Old Five Channels), which has witnessed the evolution of Tainan’s landscape and been closely intertwined with the modern roads and alleys. From the silting of the inner sea, to the meandering of streams, and the random crisscrossing of pathways, Tainan’s texture can be said to be sculpted by water, a city cast by water. Thus, he forms the sound and scenery of Tainan’s waters into a mix of imagination and reality, hoping this work will inspire the audience to traverse the land and enter the dimensions of water sounds, experiencing the City’s rich and varied cultural depth.

TSAI Kuen-lin, born in 1979 in Tainan, Taiwan, is a versatile creator known for revealing the depth and intricacy of the sounds he hears through visual expression. His works redefine our perception of sound and establish new connections between form and content. TSAI Kuen-lin interprets the complex relationship between modern humans and the natural environment and reflects on the current global situation through his works.