The Taitung County Government has teamed up with the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery to present the without centre, without limits Aotearoa Residency Exchange Exhibition. Running from November 16 to December 15, 2024, at the Taitung Art Museum. This groundbreaking international exhibition explores the connections between Austronesian cultures and Māori traditions. Curated by Eva Lin, Dr. Zara Stanhope (Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery), and Taarati Taiaroa, the exhibition features works by Taiwanese artists who participated in the Aotearoa residency program (Aotearoa means “land of the long white cloud” in the Maori language, referring to New Zealand). This collaboration offers a unique opportunity to experience how the artists’ time in Aotearoa inspired their creations, blending Māori culture with their own Taiwanese roots. This exhibition marks an exciting moment for international cultural exchange in Taitung, inviting residents and art lovers to explore the rich intersections of these two vibrant cultures.
The Cultural Affairs Department expressed gratitude to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery for facilitating the artist residency in Aotearoa’s North Island, which sparked the creative works showcased in this exhibition. This event allows visitors to cross borders and re-examine the ocean and reconnect with the people of the Pacific Islands. It marks Taitung Art Museum’s first collaboration with an international art gallery, fostering a deeper dialogue between Taiwan and the broader Austronesian cultural realm. The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on Taitung’s local culture and indigenous art on the global stage.
Curator Eva Lin shared that the focus of the exhibition is on re-exploring the contemporary significance and challenges of Austronesian cultures. The goal is to foster deep connections and relationships, encouraging mutual learning and sharing as we collectively face the cultural and oceanic challenges that Pacific Island nations are experiencing.
As the city in Taiwan with the highest proportion of Austronesian-speaking populations, Taitung extends its cultural reach through artistic exchanges. After being invited for an artist residency in Aotearoa in 2022, the participating artists have created works that connect the cultures of Taitung and Aotearoa. Artists Lafin Sawmah, Eleng Luluan, Akac Orat, Malay Makakazuwan, and Huang Jin-cheng, from different tribes and backgrounds, have immersed themselves in Taitung’s culture and land. Through their work, they continue to explore and express their care for local traditions, using natural objects, language, and personal memories from everyday life.
The Cultural Affairs Department also emphasized that this exhibition highlights Taitung’s significant role as the “capital of the Austronesian world.” Through international exchanges, it showcases the deep connections of the people of Taitung with the land and the ocean, as well as with Maori culture.
Event Information
Exhibition | without centre, without limits Aotearoa Residency Exchange Exhibition
November 16, 2024 – December 15, 2024
9:00-12:00; 13:30-17:00 (Closed on Mondays and national holidays)
