Residency in Auckland 7

The Last Painting

5-27 May 2011

Artist special function, Thursday 5 May, 5-7 pm

Snow White Gallery

UNITEC, Building 1, Gate 1

Carrington Rd. Mt. Albert, Auckland

Yi-Hsin Tzeng, a New York-based Taiwanese artist, is currently having her artist-in-residency at Unitec, funded by Asia New Zealand Foundation and Taipei International Artist Village. At the end of her residency, she is going to present two video works at Snow White Gallery, Unitec for Auckland audience in May.

The first piece is “The Last Painting.” She made this piece when she relocated herself to the States. The experience of living in the Southern part of America makes the artist realize that she is an Asian for the first time in her whole life. Coming from a restrict painting training background, the argument about “the death of painting” provides her a chance to search “what does painting mean for her? Therefore, she uses her last painting to portray the image of “people of colours,” challenge the traditional Asian female image and conventional way of watching a painting.

The second piece is “Pretending Conversation.” After arriving New Zealand, the iconic Maori culture catches her attention immediately and connects her unusual background, being a darker-skin tone Asian girl, whom are always mistaken as an aborigine person in Taiwan. Through the help of Maori Development Centre at Unitec, she designs a special conversation with a Maori female student. During the talk, the artist only speaks her mother language, Mandarin and the other girl responds only in Maori. Without any script, rehearsal or translation, they talk about nothing or everything. Because of the language barrier, they need to pretend that they have the ability to enjoy and carry the conversation. Therefore, talking becomes a kind of reflection, which honestly projects what talkers assume, imagine or expect about the other person.  For example, the artist kept talking about her viewpoint about being the Other, Maori culture/ people; meanwhile, the Maori girl kept talking about her life, friends and family. The opacity of conversation not only generates the misunderstanding and assumption but also accidentally reveals the stereotype, contrast and the truth. Please come to see how the small talk goes funny, absurd, and aggressive.

Residency in Auckland 6--Free Service

Yellow Mask: Free Service

I am a good painter

After arriving Auckland for one month, I started to make art. Usually, I work on several series of work at the same time. One of my long-term project, Yellow Mask: Free Service received some nice responses here.  

The 1st service at painting department, UNITEC, Auckland. The content of service is to helping my client completing his painting. I always see my self as a painter. This time, I become another person's TOOL. Do you like it?

Residency in Auckland 5--Miss BergDorf GoodMan

My current new project....

Residency in Auckland 4--Sarah Lucas!!

Sarah Lucas at Two Rooms Gallery, New Zealand

1997

It is really surprising and coincident that the well-known British artist, Sarah Lucas is having her residency at Two Rooms Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand right now! Continuing from her always subject matters-sex and using found objects, Sarah juxtaposes female tights, male shirts, toilets, and concrete bricks for her first solo show in New Zealand- NUZ. I always read her work on books or I nternet; actually, this is my first time seeing her works in person. I am attracted by her ambiguous but attacking self-portrait. After visiting the show, I really admire that she can deal with "cliche" in such a different/easy/direct/strong way for such as long period of time.

This is my favorite piece in the show....the portrait of sculpture!

The conversation between materials...

I love her shirt and super nice attitude...

Residency in Auckland 3

I like New Zealand style Joke...











Compared with American humor, I understand New Zealand ones more.

Residency in Auckland 2

Auckland is a super China Town!

Goodwill? the thrift shop in the States? Nope....

Japanese!

South Asian!

Chinese!

Taiwanese! (This name is completely the same as the Wholesale store in Taipei when I was little.)

Why are Internet Cafe always run by Chinese people?

Korean!

Asian element is around every corner of Auckland....
Being an artist, who lives in Taipei and New York, my perception toward Auckland is very funny. I have so many comparisons and shifts between these three culture (Auckland<--->New York<--->Taipei) Personally, I feel Kiwi people is more similar with Taiwanese people. They don't say "How are you?" "Bless you!" "Have a good day" or "Smiling at everyone" all the time but they are nice, they do help people when we ask for help. In New York City, I only feel the Chinese vibe when I am in China town, ; however, I feel it everywhere when I am in Auckland city. Actually, it is more mixed...more Fusion Asia.

Honestly, I feel more comfortable, being an Asian or a foreigner in Auckland. People here don't look at me, like I are crazy or alien; people here understand my English more; they don't honk or curse so much. Asian people mix with other races, much more even than the States. There are about 20% of Asian population in Auckland; around 12% in New York City. After a little bite research, I found out that Austronesian-speaking people (the ancestry of Moari) left Taiwan about 5000 years ago. Besides, lots of Taiwanese migrated Auckland in the 1990s, which contributes partial Polynesian culture here. No wonder I felt a powerful bond between Moari people and Taiwan's indigenous people:)

P.S. However, this is just one-week observation from an innocent person. I may change my opinion later. Most important of all, I don't try to say which one is better.

Residency in Auckland 1

I start my another residency TODAY. Honestly, this is my first time visiting southern hemisphere. This, "Artist in Residence Program," is under Department of Design and Visual Arts at Unitec (Institute of Technology), Auckland, New Zealand. So, I am very glad that I can get back my campus life again. I guess I need to learn some Maori language.

Besides, the residency is made possible by Asian New Zealand Foundation and Taipei Artist Village. Thank you so much!!

Watermill Center Residency

Yi-Hsin participated one special residency in Southampton, Long Island. It is Watermill Center, which is founded by artistic director Robert Wilson, an legend figure in theater. The purpose for this two-week residency is to aid its 17th Annual Watermill Summer Benefit, “Paradiso.” Duirng the residency, Yi-hsin designed a series of special perfume bottles and one performance, "Nice to Meet You."

Vain Glorious Watermill Paradisco on New York Times


Behaving Oddly in the Hamptons on New York Times
Yi-hsin saw lots of people and celebrities there but she did not know most of them. Her only mission is to shake hands and then say: Nice to meet you!

Yellow Mask

First Performing Piece!

I try to put on my "painting," and then interact with audience. I finished this monster-like yellow mask, when I had my residenct in Vermont Studio Center in March, 2010. The secure environment offers me a valuable chance to push my work into public space. Meanwhile, I also provide all kinds of "Free Service," for example, cleaning, washing dishes, dumping trash, etc. If you need any free service, please email: yihsintzeng@yihsintzeng.com.

Open Studios Patio Party!

Welcome to Studio # 10. This is my first Open Studio at Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. you will see my new installation, performance, and the latest magazine: Choc in person!

Click here for more information: http://thecontemporary.org/programming/open-studios-patio-party/

New Studio in Atlanta Contemporary Art Center!

After graduating from school, studio space becomes the biggest issue in my life. Fortunately, I am awarded this awesome space in the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, which offers me a valuable chance to keep going my art practice.

Atlanta Contemporary Art Center is an important landmark in Atlanta contemporary art scene. It curates some interesting exhibitions, invites well-known artists or curators to do talk and draw Atlanta-based artists together. I am very honored to become part of this family. Feel free to browse their website: http://www.thecontemporary.org/studio-artists/yi-hsin-tzeng/

Vernissage in Lacoste ...

March 7th~8th, 2009
Open Studio for France Residency
Lacoste, France



InStyle Magazine (March, 2009)


Magazine Series: I Love Yellow


Magazine Series: Chicken


Magazine Series: Vomiting

When in Lacoste, I still kept focusing on "magazine Series." Besides creating one "fake" magazine--Instyle, I created four pieces of painting.

Flow in NYC...

Flow in NYC...

From August to November, I have my residency at Elizabeth Foundation, NYC.
This is not my first time visiting this big apple, so I focus on living and creating.
Because of various materials and art supply here, I continue my previous series "Flow," but transfer to "found-object," including magazines, paper, junk and cardboards.

When I was in Ox-Bow...

Dye+Acrylic paint

This summer I went to Ox-Bow http://www.ox-bow.org/, one residency on the shores of Lake Michigan. This residency has strong connestion with SAIC (School of the Art Institute of Chicago); therefore, I encountered a lot of people from there, including teachers and students. I appreciated this valuable opportunity and expected to go there again.

This time I took one course "Studio Drawing: Experimental Approaches" from Scott Reeder and Tyson Reeder. I tried several stange and exciting ways to redefine my paintings. I explored the unknown field in this unfamiliar environment. This really stimulates and provided me more possibilties.

I am looking forward to ...