On July 16, in conjunction with Taiwan’s contemporary art exhibition Fever Genesis, a group of young Taiwanese artists will present a Taiwanese-themed live art experience titled “Islanders 2.0: Coming Home” at Culture Lab LIC. The program combines music, dance and an interactive audio-visual experience. On the same day, Taiwan Fest, featuring Taiwanese night market style food and fun crafts, will take place in the outdoor parking lot of Culture Lab LIC. Audiences are sure to have a blast enjoying live performances and a delicious feast!
The “Islanders” series is produced by New York-based choreographer Chieh Hsiung and violinist Yu-Wei Hsiao. The duo presented “Islanders: Compound Playground” last June in LIC and received a warm response from the audience. Therefore, Islanders 2.0, which is supported by the Taipei Culture Center in New York and Queens Arts Fund, will return to LIC in order to bring the beauty of Taiwanese culture to a broader audience.
Islanders 2.0: Coming Home is a three-part live art experience, comprised of a sound installation, “My Childhood Home”; a film, “All City’s A Stage”; and a musical dance performance titled “Compound Playground.”
My Childhood Home was created by Tony Yang (PaprTape), a musical arranger, composer, and sound designer. Yang noted that the work reflects the idea that "We often feel like we can live anywhere, but at the same time, we feel like we don't necessarily belong anywhere. There's always a feeling that a part of us is missing wherever we go." The sound textures and non-conformist musical phrasing express confusion over self-identity, a result of moving back and forth between two different worlds.
All City’s A Stage is directed and produced by Grant Hao-Wei Lin, a multidisciplinary visual artist and filmmaker. It is an episodic web series that Lin produced and directed, featuring a performing artist in each episode. Weaving the formal, mental, and physical into the fabric of reality, the series explores the sweet, sour, disturbing, and electrifying moments that artists, performers, and audience members can all relate to and embody at any given point in their own journey.
Lastly, Chieh Hsiung and Yu-Wei Hsiao Hsiao will partner with actor Leo Yu-Nign Chang, actress Kui-Fang Tseng, and pianist Sobina Chi Kanter to present Compound Playground. The performance focuses on merging traditional elements into modern cultures. Hsiung is not only going to introduce the Taiwanese/Chinese folk dances, but also use their elements to make connections between different genres of dance. In Hsiao’s musical arrangement, he will present classical, jazz, and neo-soul renditions of Taiwanese folk songs.
Taiwan Fest is dedicated to bringing authentic Taiwanese food to new audiences and recreating the classic Taiwanese night market vibe in different New York City boroughs and neighborhoods. This year, Taiwan Fest has already been held in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood and Park Slope in Brooklyn, attracting New Yorkers craving Taiwanese street foods such as bubble tea, popcorn chicken, Dan Bing (egg roll), and Chua Bing (shaved ice with toppings).
Islanders 2.0: Going Home will be performed at 3 pm and 5 pm on July 16. Admission is free, but an RSVP is required. To RSVP, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/islanders-20-going-home-tickets-669614423767. .
Taiwan Fest will take place from 3 pm to 9 pm on July 16. For more information, please visit: https://taiwanfest.nyc/2023-07.
Fever Genesis runs through July 30. For more information, please visit: https://www.culturelablic.org/fever-genesis; https://tccny.moc.gov.tw/fevergenesis2023.htm.
Islanders 2.0: Going Home
DATE: July 16, 2023
TIME: 3 pm & 5 pm
VENUE: Cultural Lab LIC (5-25 46th Avenue, Long Island City, New York, NY 11101)
COST: Free with RSVP
Artistic Directors: Chieh Hsiung, Yu-Wei Hsiao
Dance Director: Chieh Hsiung
Music Director: Yu-Wei Hsiao
Performers: Tony Yang, Grant Hao-Wei Lin, Sobina Chi Kamter, Chieh Hsiung, Yu-Wei Hsiao, Leo Yu-Ning Chang, Kui-Fang Tseng
Music Arrangers: Yu-Wei Hsiao, Sobina Chi Kanter, Oscar Chang
Emcee/Narrator: Leo Yu-Ning Chang
Photographer: Pratya Jankong
Graphic Designer: Frances Chu
Lighting Designer: Po-Yang Sung
Publicity Director: Yen-Yuan Chang