Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture

Jury’s Comments for the Annual Shortlist Award Winner

This is a magnificent elaboration on John Cage’s compositional methods and artistic beliefs. Not only has LIN Kuei-Ju taken apart the piano, she has also transformed the entire space where she had her performance into a resonator. Hammerheads are connected to her hands, and the keys are connected to choreographer TUNG I-Fen’s body over linen threads. The body and piano cross over each other’s border, forging a new relationship between music and dance. Combined with WANG Chung-Kun’s sound installation, which facilitates the “musical” resonance by the kinetic sculpture, electronic sounds, and the piano. The piano instrument, the spatial installation, the body of the musician, and the body of the dancer altogether created a brand new artistic circuit. This is not a simple piece of interdisciplinary collaboration; this is a project that confronts all existing paradigms and explores new horizons of art.

Comments on the Finalist

Like an earthquake, like a revolution, this work shakes the foundation of premises of art. Although it is not fierce shaking, yet it displaces art. Not only has LIN Kuei-Ju taken apart a piano like John Cage did, she has also transformed the entire space where she performed into a piano. The piano-like device is connected to choreographer TUNG I-Fen’s body over linen threads, forging a new relationship between music and dance. WANG Chung-Kun’s sound device facilitates the “musical” resonations by kinetic sculpture, electronic sounds, and instrument. From the instrument to the spatial installation, the performing body, and the dancing body—devices and sound, sounds and music—this work does not just shake, but it has created a brand new artistic circuit. (Commentator/ LIN Yu-Pin)

Artwork Introduction

Attempting to channel the spirit of American avant-garde composer John Cage, three artists from different fields collaboratively create a playful performance piece by means of "deconstructing, questioning, and discovering." Kinetic installation artist WANG Chung-Kun deconstructed an upright piano, tears apart the keyboards as well as the hammers from the body of the piano, and reconstructed them into a new form of instrument, in which the hammers are connected with cotton threads, and extended by the body of the dancer, allowing choreographer TUNG I-Fen to make sounds with her body. Composer LIN Kuei-Ju utilizes various percussion mallets and everyday objects (e.g., bouncing ball, stones, pots, metal plates, and ping-pong balls) directly on the strings of the piano while Wang used mechanized devices to turn the piano into an instrument with endless possibilities of new timbers.

The piano-based instrument, the spatial installation, the body of the musician, and the body of the dancer together create a brand new artistic circuitry. The result is a magnificent elaboration on John Cage's compositional methods and artistic beliefs.

About the Artist

M.O.V.E. Theatre was established in the winter of 2006 by director FU Hong Zheng, who serves as artistic director. Its artistic vision is the practice of "total theater." Through the sharing and exchange of creative ideas, the mutual gaze between performers and audiences is expanded and transformed. Its works explore and reveal the spiritual landscape of modern man, taking literature, myth, history, and society as its subject matter, and engaging in interdisciplinary experimental projects with contemporary artists.