Taiwan
Fun Magazine, March 2002
 |
ArtseeHouse
by
Courtney Donovan Smith
|
|
In
March, thriving artist collective ArtseeHouse will
move its show north to the HuaShan Artist Community
in Taipei. Featuring musical performances, paintings,
photography, calligraphy and more by local and foreign
artists, it will provide an exciting cross-section
of forms, styles and outlooks.
Founded in Taichung in early 2001,
ArtseeHouse has grown and expanded to include artists
from every corner of the planet and now holds events
all around the island. Similar to other artistic endeavors
originating from the active Taichung scene (where
Spring Scream, the Taiwan Oyster and this magazine
all hail from), this collective appears to have staying
power. As co-organizer Cathy Godwin notes, "It's
doing exactly what it should be doing. It seems like
there is a big gap waiting for this sort of thing
to happen."
|
|
 |
There
are three main distinctive features to ArtseeHouse.
The first is its inclusiveness, from which its raw diversity
flows. Co-organizer Karin Parmalee notes, "We are
trying to keep it open to everyone and I mean everyone--young,
old, Chinese, businessmen, Taiwanese, English teacher,
foreign, alien--anyone who feels like expressing themselves
in any art form." |
 |
The
second distinctive is the locations they choose or,
as Cathy notes, "the idea of taking art out of
the gallery and putting it into places that are accessible
to people". Frequently this has meant social settings
like pubs, where people can interact with the show and
each other in a more natural way, with the the hushed,
forced reverence that galleries inspire. |
|
But the organizers' real
brilliant stroke is in their theme-based approach.
Each show has a theme for works of art to be loosely
connected to, creating a kind of free-flowing lattice
that allows for wide expression while providing a
topic or focus discussion, examination and exploration.
With artists providing the brain fodder, viewers are
engaged and challenged by the different perspectives
and viewpoints on offer.
As Karin explains, "ArtseeHouse
will put up a theme for the exhibition, ArtseeHouse
will find the venue, ArtseeHouse will set the date....Everything
else is open. Anyone that feels inspired just has
to let us know they want to participate and then get
their art to us."
|
 |
 |
As with previous shows
like "sin", "temples" and "clash",
visitors have a broad, thought-provoking scope to
dwell on with March's theme--"recycle".
Even better, participating in ArtseeHouse shows is
more than simply a "viewer gawks at artist's
work" experience. ArtseeHouse provides a work
space with materials to play with, allowing on-the-spot
creativity and instant artistic involvement.
For more information,
or to include your artwork to this show, contact artseehouse@hotmail.com
or browse http://www21.brinkster.com/artseehouse/
for more information on upcoming shows.
|
|
"Recycle,
Reuse" Exhibition
Opening Reception: March 2, 2002
Exhibition Dates: March 2-16, 2002
Location: Huashan Art District
1, PaTeh Rd., sec. 1, Taipei
Tel: (02) 2392-6180/6204/6191
E-mail: whatart@ms34.hinet.net
Website: www.art-district.org.tw
Getting There:
1. By bus: No. 25, 202,
205, 212, 232, 257, 262, 276, 299, 605 get off at
Statistic Bureau.
2. By MRT: Take Ban-Nan
Line to Shan-Dow Temple or Chung-Shao Hsin-Shen. Walk
five minutes and enter through PaTeh parking lot.
|
|
|
C
O
R
N
E
R
|
