The Taitung County Government has officially launched the “2025 Craft Harmonizes with Mountains and Seas – Taitung International Craft-Artist-in-Residence Program.” Through the program, three international artists from Japan, the United States, and Malaysia will come to Taitung from July to August for residencies, while three talented Taitung artists will travel abroad as part of a reciprocal exchange. This initiative opens a cross-border journey through the craft arts that will showcase Taitung’s artistry on the world stage.
According to the Department of Cultural Affairs, around 70 international artists applied for this year’s residency program. International artists selected are Japanese ceramic artist Masayuki Yamashita, Malaysian weaving artist Ireen Tan Cheew Yee, and Bermudian textile designer Jordan Carey. Each will spend 45 days working in local studios: the Hani·Caki Art Studio, Sisi Jidi Studio, and Mitoliken a Loma Weaving House respectively.
The first to arrive, Malaysian artist Ireen Tan, participated in an event to open the exchange on July 27 at Sisi Jidi Studio, which gathered artists specializing in weaving and natural dyes. Studio host Ibu Hu Yuru and the Kanting Bunun Traditional Choir performed polyphonic chants and weaving songs and offered blessings for her upcoming residency. Tan, through deep engagement with local traditions, stories, crafts, and daily life, pays respect to local folk cultures and integrates these elements into her work. In this way, her residency along with others in this program become like “love poems,” which allow art from afar to take root in Taitung.
The three Taitung artists traveling overseas include ceramic doll artist Wu Yiping to Yakushima Hanii-Gama, Japan, natural-materials artist Hsieh Sheng-Hua to Sari Chempaka Art Village in Pahang, Malaysia, and Amis traditional headdress revivalist Wang Chien-Chieh to Atelier Rudee in Bangkok, Thailand. Each will join a 45-day residency in these host locations.
Taitung’s Department of Cultural Affairs explained that the project’s name, “Craft Harmonizes with Mountains and Seas,” symbolizes the way that art resembles breathing—an act that is natural and gentle, yet powerful. The program brings together six artists to create twelve works. International artists will be able to draw inspiration from Taitung’s natural and cultural beauty, while Taitung’s artists will carry the spirit and colors of their homeland abroad. Through the exchanges, these artists will forge delicate connections that transcend language.
For the latest updates on this residency program, follow the Taitung County Government Department of Cultural Affairs Facebook page and the Craft Harmonizes with Mountains and Seas Instagram feed.
