“Formosa erased” evokes the reality that the once beautiful, natural island of Taiwan as well as its inhabitants’ inner spirit is now suffocated by the materialism of the society. The greed for material development has veiled the original iridescence of land and benevolent human nature. The artist employs the “Black Swan Theory” [1] to describe the fact that many seemingly impossible events have taken place in Taiwan recently; from the controversy of urban renewal, to the problem of food safety, to the commandeering of private lands, to the conservation of natural environment, these constant conflicts and arguments all arise from the material-oriented society kidnapped by people’s incessant desires. As a result, the imbalance between the spiritual and the material has gradually eroded the inhabitants and the land of Taiwan.
The first gallery of Formosa Erased reveals Huang’s concerns for his homeland and his contemplation on the environmental catastrophe caused by mankind. At the entrance of the gallery situates Come Back Home! To the Wonderful Beginning, which uses pieces of fabric with traditional Hakka patterns and recycled wood to create a pastiche of an ideal home/land. Six installations in Back to the Start series are combined with a video work, Play Hide and Seek with Happiness—a site-specific spatial installation used by the artist to raise his question regarding the environment. Paradise Lost, an installation in box form employs theatrical, labyrinthian elements to delineate the verging crisis of species distinction. All artworks serve to present an image of the “post-catastrophe era” when Mother Nature starts her retaliation. Next Move is placed under the arch, connecting the two galleries, and subtly exposes the impasse between economic development and natural environment—an ambiguous and embarrassing situation that allows no elbow room. On the two opposites of the hallway exhibit installation series titled The Never-ending Extension and video work Vision Possessed. The former is a series of cityscapes made with recycled wood while the latter is a 3D animation based on the aforementioned cityscapes, demonstrating the destruction brought forth by materialistic desires of human civilization.
The second gallery focuses more on Huang’s introspection of the spiritual aspect in life. In addition to the four series of paintings that record his daily observation and contemplation, Pandora’s Box and Fragment of Memory both serve as metaphors for the confused, anxious, empty modern society and minds. Tower of Babel, an installation made with ready-made objects, is an interactive piece that invites audience’s participation and functions as a social investigation; audience can actually exchange their unwanted toys with the dolls of the installation. The Tower of Babel in the original story is a symbol of human’s ego; it is also about the interaction of different human races and linguistic communication. Exchange of resources and the social interaction it entails could be found at the dawn of human civilization, and could just as well be a way to curve materialism that has caused our ecological crisis. Huang wishes to convey the idea that the entire human race must understand what our civilization has done to the world, strive for sustainable development, find the balance between its ego and nature, set the record straight, and finally return to the wonderful beginning!
[1] “The Black Swan Theory” refers to the fact that the 18th century Europeans once believed that there were only white swans until black swans were found in Australia, a turn of event that made them realize their own ignorance.
*image (left)
courtesy of the artist
