Taiwanese curator Zhu Fengyi, artist Huang Yixiang, and Zhang Wenyun went to New York for an artist residency in early March. Last weekend, they participated in an open studio event in Brooklyn, presenting the results of their residency work and exchanging ideas with art professionals from around the world. The event provided them with a platform to broaden their international perspectives in the city known as the “Big Apple”. The three-day event, featuring various cultural institutions in Brooklyn, attracted art enthusiasts from all over the world.
Zhu Fengyi and Huang Yixiang are currently in residency at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York, along with 35 artists from 27 countries. They are embarking on a 5-month residency project. Zhu Fengyi showcased his recent curatorial research on religion and mysticism during the open studio event. He explored how artists in Taiwan, from the Japanese colonial period to the present, have utilized different concepts and elements of mysticism to express societal issues and personal perspectives. He also invited video works from artists Chen Yingru, Liang Tingyu, and Yao Ruilan to exhibit, highlighting how contemporary Taiwanese artists use new technologies and concepts to delve into the essence of mysticism and its relevance to modern society.
Huang Yixiang’s works encompass video, installations, and sculptures. During the open studio event, he displayed preliminary research findings and sketches of his artworks.
Zhang Wenyun, in residency at Triangle Arts Association in New York, focuses on creating sculptures inspired by daily life in the city to train herself as an observer of life. At the open studio event, she presented a collection of works, creative concepts, and the creative process of her current “residency life collection”, observing reactions from different audiences towards her works.
On the 15th, the three artists shared their experiences of over a month in residency at the Taipei Cultural Center in New York. Zhu Fengyi, who had last visited New York a decade ago, noted the numerous opportunities in the city and the fast pace of work. He emphasized the importance of being prepared to seize collaboration opportunities with other curators during the residency.
Huang Yixiang described New York as “tempting”, sparking thoughts of personal success and motivating him to apply for other residency programs actively. He acknowledged the transformative power of the city on one’s career and the expanded horizons it offers.
Zhang Wenyun echoed Zhu Fengyi and Huang Yixiang’s sentiments, acknowledging the abundance of opportunities in New York but also the high level of competition. She emphasized the necessity of acquiring more skills while maintaining a clear understanding of personal goals. During her time in New York, she noticed that New Yorkers seemed like artists themselves. Zhang challenged herself to explore different routes home every day to see varied landscapes, capturing daily moments and adding a meaningful caption to the images, reflecting on cultural differences or poking fun at her language skills to evoke shared emotions with viewers.