"For 15 days there's just you, your work, your friends, and nothing else, so it's very intense. All our experiences, we shared. You have the internal pressure to work, even though you didn't have to have an exhibition. I was inspired by other artists around us," Raina said.
The seclusion of the workshop is more than geographical. Unlike usual artist-in-residency programs, the studio in Pine Grove remained off-limits to the public until the last day, so that the artists could concentrate on working.
"You need to be away from the art-political power center. In the city, people will find their way to come to see you working. You can feel self-conscious about being looked at. [In Pine Grove Center], you're free," Raina said.
"We were away from the environment where we make works for selling or exhibiting. In the workshop we're free of the audience," said Nduzo.
"What you can't have in a city is the sense of freedom. Away from the city, people interact with each other differently, and that is expressed in the works they made at the workshop. They are not conspicuous but show deeper meanings," said Peng Hsiao-hsuei (
"The most important thing is for artists to be away from other elements of the art business. There were no galleries, no curators and viewers. Sometimes in a regular residence, people like to watch the artists like animals in a circus. Artistic creation is a private process, best not disturbed by the viewer," Peng said.
Works by Raina, Piplu, Shoukry and Nduzo are on show through Jan. 11 as part of the artist-in-residency joint exhibition at Taipei Artist Village, 7, Beiping E Rd, Taipei. (
RSS