Not only restoring ecology but language, craftsmanship, and laboring body through the creation
Tinaway: The material used in this creation is mainly bamboo. In Taiwan, there are scattered types: Makino bamboo, Phyllostachys edulis; clustered type: Bambusa blumeana, long-shoot bamboo; and economic type: giant timber bamboo, sweet bamboo. In general, when creating large-scale installations, creators prefer Makino bamboo, which is straighter, brighter in color, and easier to obtain in large quantities. However, the tube of this bamboo is more prone to cracking and perishable when entering the water. Because Makino bamboo is hollow and thin, the makers in Taiwan usually curve it by splitting half or combining it with other materials such as iron, rather than purely curved bamboo tubes as the structure. I would rather prefer to use bamboo that is not very straight. The long-shoot bamboo used for this time is also the most common species in my residence, activity area, and fieldwork.
About the construction method of bamboo, it is generally considered that aboriginal bamboo structure is different from Han-style. It doesn’t damage the bamboo tube by using the method of binding to fix and handle the joints, while the Han-style method uses the tool-piercing method. I thus chose the aboriginal method for this project. The handling of the joints is different from what I used to do with iron wire, instead, all the structures are completed by vine bark ties and the binding method is also extended and improved by referring to the traditional way. By doing so, it is a learning process for me. Each time I create a work, I intend to approach the traditional methods of aboriginal culture by continuous improvements and experiments. This is why I tend to make by vine bark because of the importance of the rattan tradition that needs to be unveiled.
The modeling of the main construction is inspired by the aboriginal "hunting huts” and the extended sub-construction is an experimental triangular structure. Both are adopted in the form of a triangle to echo the Cyperaceae that are planted here. At present, the most widely known Cyperaceae plant should be the Tachia rush. According to the historical archive, the rush weave is related to the aboriginal community of the Dajia area. Although the umbrella plant is an exotic plant, it has been used by Amis people to make mats. The sensitivity of the aboriginal peoples in using the surrounding plants can be seen here.
Having a common characteristic of the triangular columnar stems, it keeps the slender bodies of these Cyperaceae plants stable and echoes with the bamboo structure, especially the way of binding. Departing from the idea of a triangle, I named it Tuturu ki Pusul, which means triangle that is translated from the existing Silaya context. This restored language is in dialogue with the environment that is restored here.
Lu: I always look forward to seeing Tinaway’s practice. Like changing the bamboo cross-binding junction from iron wire to rattan, his intention of modification with the reinforcement and characteristics of the material after shrinkage was only made possible after the long-term research of materials. The wisdom of the elderly has been internalized by Tinaway.