Atsuko Nakamura Studio
アーティスト・中村厚子の公式ウェブサイト| Artist. Atsuko Nakamura’s official website
Invation
Video Installation 2015 3’ 04’’
I made this video work during my 2 months residency at Bamboo Curtain Studio from October to November 2015. Taiwan was governed by Japan for 50 years from 1985 to 1945. Japanese government much invested to develop the infrastructure of Taiwan while they Japanized local people by force of arms and education. When I had a conversation with a old man who speaks fluent Japanese, it gave me a feeling of strangeness, and I was interested in studying more about that period. Thus I visited grandchild whose family were at Wushe incident that is one of the anti-Japan riot, and I heard the family story such as a grandparents committed the suicide, or a grandparents were in Japan side had to kill people in same tribes. According to the result of Japanese-Sino War, Japan colonized Taiwan. However, for Taiwanese, it decided in the outside of Taiwan, and one day suddenly Japan came and forced local people to change all in Japanese way, not only the country, but also language, culture, religion, and name. Many people were killed, but I also think forcing someone to change their own language or culture is the same as killing identity. Thus I decided to make video work co-operated ants they has a human-like society, and the story is about I as an outsider suddenly intrude to the line of ants, building walls, country and forcing them to follow me.