Yi Pan, Liu Tsung-jung, Oliver Hsu, Alysa Chiu, Esther Lee, Victoria Linchong
Article by Yinsana Mok
Photo credit YiFeng Li, Michael Tsu-Lin Chen
During the celebration of Taiwanese American Heritage Week, there is an opening reception “Art for Advocacy” exhibition that will continue to be shown at Taiwan Center (137-44 Northern Blvd, Flushing, New York 11354) from May 29th to June 5th. The exhibition is organized by the Taiwanese American Association of New York (TAA-NY), the Formosan Association of Public Affairs (FAPA) and Taiwan Not For Sale group.
Since 1999, Taiwanese Americans around the nation annually celebrate the Taiwanese American Heritage Week. The week is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating all aspects of Taiwanese American Heritage in the United States.
The “Art for Advocacy” exhibition is a visual commemoration of the three and a half week occupation of the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, Taiwan from March 18 to April 10. This exhibition also provides us with an opportunity to learn more about the outstanding contributions men and women from Taiwan have made to the nation and to the world.
Liu Tsung-jung, Patrick Huang
The featured guest of the exhibition is Liu Tsung-jung, a young artist and activist from Taipei who occupied the Legislative Yuan where he made paintings for other protestors. Two paintings include: illuminating the Darkness and The Guardian of Land Justice. As an artist and activist, Liu participated in the occupation of the Congress in the Sunflower Movement, and also in the campaign for land justice and a variety of issues in Taiwan.
In total there are about 20 artists’ artwork in the exhibition varying from oil paintings to sculptures, documentary photography, and short films by various NY-based designers and artists for the Sunflower Movement. Local artists include Chiu Yu Chen, Wan Chun Hung, Ku Sinru, Hsieh Meng-Ling, and Huang Hai-hsin have participated at this special exhibition. Our co-founder Chris Nicodemo’s photography images that he captured during the protests in New York are also displayed.
Some pieces displayed are from the private collection of political activist Patrick Huang. Additionally, posters from two local art advocacy projects, Art for a Free Taiwan initiated by Victoria Linchong and Designing Taiwan co-hosted by FAPA YPG and TaiwaneseAmerican.org, are exhibited.
The Sponsors of this exhibition are the Taiwan Center and Brooklyn Artists Studio. One of the Co-organizers (FAPA) is a Taiwanese American grassroots organization that promotes freedom, democracy and human rights for the people in Taiwan.
Albert Tseng of FAPA
During the Heritage Week, many sponsors and co-organizers were able to embrace America’s diversity and celebrate the spirit of community that binds them together as one nation, and at the same time celebrate the unique identity that is shaping the Taiwan nation. In this special week, they urge all to explore with them the significance of both Taiwan and being Taiwanese, and how that makes one an even better active American!
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