YAHAHA

INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY FOR THE ARTS IN TAIWAN

台灣國際藝術村

HAPPENING NOW
2024 WINTER: do i need another layer?

After several experimental artistic collaborations and exhibitions between 2020-2024, Yi-Peng, Lee and art naming 奇能 both confirmed the inseparable nature between everyday life and artistic creation. Most exhibitions emphasise on the result, not the process of the artist. We wanted a space focused on the process of living life and making art, without the pressure of producing results. So, we embarked on our biggest project yet: YAHAHA International Residency for the Arts in Taiwan (YAHAHA). YAHAHA is an international residency programme conducted in english and mandarin, located in the natural hills of Nantou. Each residency period will be structured around a theme, with relevant small assignments or excursions. Over a 3-month residency period in spring, summer, or winter, three to six selected artists-in-residence will learn to live and work together through facilitating a workshop, or through the daily chores of cooking and cleaning. At the end of each period, we will share the residency work with the public through our seasonal festival and publication, amongst others. All artists-in-residence will only be selected through our open call application process. We welcome art-related activities and artists from all over the world to experience life with us!

YAHAHA International Residency for the Arts in Taiwan (YAHAHA) was legally registered as a company in April 2024. July 2024 was reserved for a trial residency period with invited close friends where we soft-launched our residency programme, seasonal festival and publication. The first full residency period will begin in winter between October-December 2024.

OUR STORY

The space is currently still undergoing renovations, so we apologise that we will only be able to share photographs at a later time, hopefully in august! Click here for more information about all our LIVING SPACES.

• The Studio

The studio is a large multi-functional co-working space with desks and chairs enough for every artist-in-residence. There are basic art and craft materials such as papers, colouring materials, cutting materials, tape, etc and basic tools like the electric drill, screws, etc. This is a suitable space for most artistic work that will not require specific tools or environments, such as writing, planning, sketching, painting, etc. There is no specific allocation of space for each artist and actual usage is negotiated upon in-person. Take note that there is limited wall space.

• The Outdoor Stage

The Outdoor Stage is a sheltered multi-purpose area just outside our main building. This serves as a modest rehearsal and performance space, a gathering site, an exercise spot, amongst others. It can also be used as a temporary spot for sheltered “dirty” work such as woodworking. There is a built-in two level platform and benches along the square perimeter, accompanied by a simple lighting rig, so performance and audience areas can remain flexible. Can seat up to 30 people at a time.

• The Library

The Library is a detached building just outside our main building that we use mainly for publication work. It is also a clean meeting space for guests and for conducting our workshops. When there are no events, the space is free to be used for reading and computer work. We are still acquiring facilities like a printer and computer, but we hope to eventually have our own functional printing system where we can plan, design, and print in-house. We are also always looking to stock an exciting curation of book-like objects for browsing!

• The Gallery & Rooftop Garden

The Gallery is a modest gallery space for simple exhibitions. It can also be a quiet space for meditation or reading, or a separate studio space for when there are no ongoing events. Just outside is our rooftop garden, accompanied by a beautiful view of the city.

FACILITIES

art naming 奇能 (left)
(2024)
i usually begin a new project with my body, but the eventual expression can take the form of live art, video, object. i create with material from my lived experiences (such as: frequently moving residences, existing abroad, my relationships with others), and the work often transmutes these issues with identity into hangups with time. through exhibition and live performance, i attempt at capturing a kind of present moment with the audience, to extend the length of that present time.

after graduating from Yale-NUS, Singapore in 2019, art naming 奇能 has since moved to Taiwan in 2020 and is in their third year of earning a Master of Fine Arts in Plastic Arts with Tainan National University of the Arts. originating from a technical background in theatre and performance, his cross-disciplinary work is presented in the realms of the performing arts (i have nothing to do with explosions for Open Stage, cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival in 2022), the filmic arts (you are facing yourself you are facing me for da:ns festival 2020 Open Call by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay) and the visual arts (i might not be here for long, a solo exhibition for #FFFFFF space, Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 2023). besides his own artistic work, he also works in collaboration with other creators as a subject for the camera lens (Housework is Strenuous by Rin Tachihara for the 32nd Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF): Singapore Panorama Short Film in 2021), as a body-performer in performance projects (SLEEPWALKERS by XUE at RAGA in 2020), and more recently, as a curator for other artists (afterimage, a solo exhibition by Jonathan Tan at Carp Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan in 2023). currently, he is co-directing YAHAHA International Residency for the Arts in Taiwan with long-time collaborator taiwanese artist Lee Yi-Peng since 2024. artnaming.com

Yi-Peng, Lee (right)
(2024)
I am Lee Yi-Peng, and I am in love with the concept of "time." Instead of artworks, I prefer artists.

In 2018, after graduating with a Master's degree in Jewelry and Metals from the Royal College of Art , I began a three-year residency as an artist-in-residence. In 2019, during my residency in Matsu, Taiwan , I intimately documented the island by continuously shooting with an analog camera for 8 hours a day, every 15 minutes, for 30 days. In early 2021, eager to develop longer-term artistic projects and connect with more artists, I co-founded Carp Gallery in Taichung, Taiwan, with a friend. Carp Gallery is an independent alternative art space where we invite artists from various fields to exhibit their work for free every two months. We also organized three HEMLINGBY series exhibitions, an original art salon showcasing 40 artists. In mid 2022, to practice relationship, I repeatedly transcribed the lyrics of 《理想情人》（Ideal Lover）a pop song by Rainie Yang 100 times. At the end of 2023, I held a solo exhibition where 41 guests were invited to an all-you-can-eat dumpling feast over 7 sessions. During these sessions, we discussed topics such as family, sharing, and food. I also invited my long-time collaborator, Singaporean artist art naming 奇能, to serve as the curator and my food critic.

Currently, I'm co-directing YAHAHA International Residency for the Arts in Taiwan with art naming 奇能 since 2024.

CO-FOUNDERS

YAHAHA International Residency for the Arts (YAHAHA) is located in the natural hills of Nantou. Geographically, Nantou is in the middle of Taiwan and surrounded by land, the only county that does not touch open waters. From here, a 30 minutes drive brings you to National Taichung Theatre, a 60 minutes drive brings you to Sun Moon Lake, a 90 minutes drive brings you to Tainan Art Museum, a 120 minutes drive brings you to Taipei 101 or Kaohsiung Pier-2 Art Centre. It also takes 120 minutes to reach us from Taoyuan International Airport. We will live in a two-storeyed house. We have a yard where we can grow vegetables and flora and fauna. On the first floor we can cook and eat. On the second floor we can watch movies and sleep. Standing on the rooftop, we can enjoy a view of Nantou City.

LOCATION