By Li-Zhe JIAN, Richard
“First Light” was the theme for this year’s TASA annual conference dialogue on June 14, 2025, at Impact Hub Taipei NPO Hub, focusing on emerging perspectives and action trajectories rather than established or familiar discourses. Through transnational exchange, local practice, and knowledge sharing, it addressed the openness and complexity at the intersection of contemporary art and society. In a time when globalization and localization coexist, cross-cultural collaboration has become a vital trend in art and cultural development.
This workshop was moderated by Kao Yi-Kai, Director of Thinkers’ Studio, titled “Voice and Occurrence—Opportunities in Cross-Cultural Cooperation.” It focused on discussing the real conditions and potential opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration, exploring how artists can preserve their cultural foundations in their work while increasing the feasibility and impact of collaborative projects within international frameworks. The four speakers invited to this workshop were Chen Hsin-Wei, director of Mizen Space and a visual artist; Kuo Pei-Chi, a new media artist; Hsu Che-Pin, artistic director of 4 Chairs Theatre; and Wang Yeu-Kwn, artistic director of Shimmering Production. The discussion featured inspiring stories and dialogue based on their international exchange and residency experiences.
Experience Sharing in Transnational Exchange
Cross-Cultural Dialogue Between Body and Space
Wang Yeu-Kwn, as a dance practitioner, shared his international exchange experience centered on the work “Islands.” This piece traveled with him across multiple countries and prompted his thoughts on residency and creation. The work began from the Cloud Gate Wanderer Project, leading him to conduct field research on various Indonesian islands. Through different developmental stages in Indonesia, the UK, and Japan, he described these experiences as “leaving the island experience,” including personal discovery, creating experiences, international connections, and integrating theatre resources. Through these layered experiences, his residency work moved away from previous creative modes, shifting to an “action—feeling—thinking” creative process, bringing entirely new possibilities to creation.
Interaction Between Technology and Cultural Symbols
From a new media artist’s perspective, Kuo Pei-Chi shared her profound experience during her residency in Los Angeles, USA. She noted that contemporary American artists frequently incorporate American flag symbols in their work, which led her to consider how cultural symbols change meaning in different contexts. She also observed that Taiwan’s arts and cultural development often trails behind Europe and the US by about half a year, giving her earlier access to AI technology compared to others in AI art creation. Her piece Pink Warship combines her personal background of having a naval father with AI technology, illustrating how to reinterpret personal memories and collective symbols across cultural boundaries.
Arts Management Strategies in the Era of Economics
Chen Hsin-Wei, as director of Mizen Space and a visual artist, began with his four-year study experience in Japan to propose thinking about the connection between regional economics and artistic development. Using Atsushi Miura’s concept of the consumer era, proposed in 2023 as a framework, he analyzed how the pandemic sped up Japan’s move into the fifth consumer era and explored the impact of this transformation on art institutions. In case studies, he shared “HAGISO,” the smallest cultural complex in Tokyo’s Yanaka district, a space renovated from Showa-era architecture that shows the close relationship between art institutions and the local community economy. It evolved from a simple cultural facility into a “community hotel,” demonstrating the expanding social and tourism functions of art spaces.
Institutional Reflection on Theatre Work
Hsu Che-Pin, as a theatre practitioner, focused on his 2019 Overseas Arts Travel project to deeply analyze the differences between European theatre systems and Taiwan. His research centered around four key questions: operational modes of self-producing theatres, collaborative relationships between theatres and creators, institutions’ methods of nurturing creators, and the diverse roles of creators within theatres. The most noticeable difference was in how European venue staff communicate and discuss works with creators, whereas Taiwanese venues mostly provide resources and only observe the actual work during rehearsals or even official performances after the works are developed, creating a stark contrast. This sharing also highlighted fundamental differences in how performing arts-related cultural institutions operate under different cultural backgrounds.
Multiple Dimensions of International Exchange
Language is not just a tool for communication but also involves fundamental differences in cultural thinking. Hsu Che-Pin mentioned discoveries made when working with Japanese artists: “Japanese is a very special language; it can communicate with others even without subjects, which is quite different from Mandarin.” This linguistic trait reflects cultural differences in social relationships and expression methods.
Kuo Pei-Chi also shared similar observations. Compared to American residency experiences, Europeans seemed more relaxed. During invitation meetings and interviews, she felt they prioritized their own time and current mood. These differing views on time often occur during residency and reflect different values shaped by social culture.
Through this workshop’s dialogue exchange, we see that cross-cultural cooperation is both challenging and full of potential. The key is to engage in deeper cultural exchange beyond the surface, thereby leading to cultural co-creation. If we redefine the goals and expectations of international exchange—moving away from past myths like “Pride of Taiwan” of making Taiwan visible to the world—and instead focus on “cultural innovation” and “artistic breakthrough” to establish concrete values, we can create more equal and mutually beneficial cooperation mechanisms. This ensures all participants grow and gain from collaboration while maintaining ongoing good communication.
While establishing robust mechanisms, we also need to focus on developing professional talent with cross-cultural capabilities. This ability is not limited to artists but also includes venue managers, curators, producers, and administrative personnel supporting the arts industry. Only through this can cross-cultural exchange and cooperation continue to be voiced consistently. In an era where globalization and localization coexist, understanding one’s own cultural positioning and development path remains a crucial issue that every creator or arts worker must face and continually explore.
簡立喆 Li-Zhe JIAN, Richard
Based in Taichung, Taiwan. Communication Specialist at the Taiwan Art Space Alliance (TASA). Graduate student in Art Education and Administration at National Taiwan Normal University. Interested in visual culture, art education, and experiential learning. E-mail: lizhur.j@gmail.com