On March 26, I opened my solo exhibition Calling From Work at the PIER 2 Art Centre in Kaohsiung. Around 50 people attended the opening, including a live performance moment within the gallery space. For CFW, phone calls with my parents became the central theme. I combined my work as a performance artist with these personal calls. During the live performance, I made a phone call with my parents while the audience gathered around me.
It was an exciting opening, and such an honour to see so many friends who traveled all the way from Taipei to visit the exhibition!
Opening words before performance:
‘Hello everyone, and thank you for being here. The project Calling from Work began with me leaving my country the Netherlands. When I left, my mother and father —drove me to the airport. I could see the difficulty of saying goodbye as I looked at their faces. For the last few months every Sunday I call them. I would walk around places like Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, and for the past three months, Kaohsiung. The first thing I always tell them is that I’m okay, that I’m doing well, and that I’m enjoying what I’m doing here. I know they are happy to hear that. My parents’ days are simple, but comforting. They tell me what they’ve eaten, who they’ve met, and the little things that fill their lives. I love my parents deeply, but I also realize they’re getting older. As I’ve been here, I’ve come face-to-face with how I talk to them, and how often I’m too busy to really listen. Their world is getting smaller, while mine keeps expanding. In just a moment, I’ll call them again. They have no idea about this project or the setup we’re in right now. It’s 9:00 AM in the Netherlands. They’ve just woken up. They might still be in bed or sitting at the breakfast table, starting their day. Next week when I return home to the Netherlands, I’ll share this story.’
Pictures by: 陳建豪 & 張能禎
The exhibition Calling From Work was made possible by the generous support of Stroom Den Haag and PIER 2 Art residency.
