Declaration on the Future
By Wang Mo-Lin
Art Director of the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre
Art that have the ability to cleanse the soul have always found its creative incision point within society. Even the, often bewildering, avant-garde art form is found to be the most sensitive sensor of the social problems manifested in history.
Body Phase Studio has joined the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City in the management of the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre at this particular point in time, not merely to manage such a cultural space, but, more importantly, to promote avant-garde theatre. With over a decade of experience, Body Phase Studio deeply feels that avant-gardism, at present, has departed from idealism and tilted towards consumerism. This is truly a crisis in the overall development of culture. Through our discussions and negotiations, ever since Body Phase Studio took over the management of the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre in July, both the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City and Body Phase Studio have realized the significance that the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre bears in the public domain. Such significance surpasses the mere management of a cultural space. It reflects upon the drafting of cultural space management policies in the public domain, as well as the question of if it can realize any meaning.
The sole public place in the country that is categorized as an avant-garde theatre has been managed for nine years already. Undeniably, it has achieved very little in both hardware and software development. Nine years later, the new management team has to start with nothing but an empty building. We all think that the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre has the spatial characteristics of being contemporary, experimental, and progressive. Success cannot be achieved overnight. Only by accumulating experience unceasingly through the process, can we find the means to access the path of success. Standing on the new starting point, what we all have to do is to dig out all the old problems in management, and cure our old illnesses. Is it that the management policies of the trustee lack efficiency, or is it that the cultural policies in the public domain are still insufficient?
On the basis of such introspection, we jointly express our intent for cooperation with full sincerity. We also expect that the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre—the sole public place in the country that is categorized as an avant-garde theatre—can develop, upon the foundation of mutual trust and interaction, in the direction of London’s ICA and the Hong Kong Arts Center, and become “Asia’s center of experimental theatre!” |
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Why Gather the Masses at Guling Street?
By Wang Mo-Lin In 1986, an action art troupe called “Lo Ho Jen I” were driven away by the police while performing in the underpass of Taipei Station. This incident was followed by a series of violence against artists.
In 1987, just before the curfew was lifted, a couple of little theatre artists and anti-nuclear protesters from the Tao tribe put on an action theatre performance called “Banish the Evil of Orchid Island” in Orchid Island.
The “little theatre movement” has thereby begun.
It has been 20 years since then. A couple of legends lingering in the mist are what is left. Did history move forward? Did little theatre follow it on to another trail, to where the scenery is gentle and pleasurable.
In 1997, the Taipei City Government changed the unused space of “Zhongzheng Second Police District” into “Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre.” It has been through fire trials and sea changes. But now, its radical waves rise no longer.
Has little theatre seen its death? or has it relocated to another battle position? In the chaos of post-modernism and avant-gardism, the amphibology between the establishment and the non-mainstream, and the ambiguity between the cultural industry and nonprofit undertakings, should little theatre represent some meaning?
Perhaps, meaning is a kind of action strategy. Perhaps, it is hypnosis. Perhaps, there is no perhaps.
An academic writing cannot summarize the history of the “little theatre movement”. Neither can a few laughs of ridicule hurl it into insignificance. It is but an illegal “gathering of the masses” under the curfew, but has “gatherings of the masses” after the curfew not always been happening at autograph meetings?
Since it was pronounced dead in July, 2005, “Body Phase Studio” has been reliving life in the body of the “Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre.” And, for that reason, it holds ceremonials to represent the historical memory of “mass gatherings” at the “Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre” every once in a while, in order to release its soul from purgatory. We look forward to seeing all you believers there!
Viva “mass gatherings!
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Words from the Commissioner of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City
By Liao Xian-Hao
Welcome to this delightful event. Today is a day of great rejoicing not only because Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre has set out once again, but also because we believe that Taiwan’s little theatre will on this day regain its soul. But what does this really mean? I believe that those who have been through the 80s will remember how prosperous a time it was for little theatre. In fact, it was a prosperous time for all artistic events brave enough to experiment, to innovate, and to criticize the establishment. Since then, we have found that the spirit of independent creativeness, of bold experiments, and of criticism have gradually retreated from the realm of art and culture.
That is why the the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City and all our friends in the cultural circle, I believe, felt really exited about the news that Wang Mo-Lin and all our friends from Body Phase Studio have attained the rights to manage this site together. With their experience, their creativity, and their boldness in creative spirit, we believe that they will not only do an impressive job managing this theatric space, but will also reestablish the spirit of Taiwan’s little theatre. For this reason, it is certain that the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City shall put great effort in assisting the management of this theatric space in the future. We will also seek all means to ensure that the possibility for facile management exists. From another point of view, however, it is certain that the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taipei City should maintain a close but not too close relation with the theatre. After all, there are many private and personal aspects in a young couple’s life. We hope that “they make love more than they make up,” so we had better not interfere too much.
Lastly, we would like to wish Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre luck and hope that it can lead Taiwan’s little theatre back into Asia, and the World. Of course, we should not forget to enjoy ourselves today.
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| By Huang Mei-Xu
Professor of Theatre Arts, Chinese Culture University
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After the Zhongzheng Second Police District on Guling Street moved away, people like Chen Mei-Mao, Jiang Shih-Fang, and Hong-Hong established “The Little Theatre League” and obtained the rights to use the old building for theatric usages. This could be the first little theatre organization in Taiwan to have its own site, which is itself a praiseworthy achievement. However, if the site is not put to good use, it will only become what recent news reports call “mosquito houses,” which are buildings the government erects, but does not use. Therefore, the greatest credit has to be given to people like Chen Mei-Mao and Zhao Zi-Qiang, to those who give this building a “life.” Artists, however, are often bad managers. According to some reports, Zhao Zi-Qiang has lost three million within the past three years.
The prospects of the next three years seem a little different. For instance, Wang Mo-Lin, the chief director, could be said to be the most experienced person in Taiwan’s little theatre circle. Jung Shu-Hwa has, in both theory and in practice, a good foundation in theatre management. There is also Professor Huang Bing-De who specializes in the study of non-profit organizations. Given such a management team, I believe that great prospects lie in the future and “Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre” will not be an organization that loses money (no one will be willing to manage the theatre in the future if it is always losing money and this will ultimately be a loss to Taipei’s culture). Their administrative policies also show that it will diversify the features and development of Taipei’s little theatre circle. I look forward to seeing many people coming here for discovery and exploration, just like how the literati and the refined used to explore the old bookstore on Guling Street. |
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| By Lin Ke-Huan
Dean of Beijing Youth Art Theatre
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We cannot sidestep the coming of an era of entertainment and of consumerism. It does not matter if you call the era post-modern, post-industrial, post-colonial, or post-revolutionary, it seems an ineluctable fate that culture will be consumed and that works of art will become commodities. In this post-hamlet era, there is no difference between “To be” and “not to be,” they are but two calculated pseudo-options.
Now that the computer has replaced the function of the human brain, people are being contaminated with a sickness called naiveness. Stacks and stacks of “Harry Potter” novels turned millions and millions of men and women, who are not willing to grow up, into mental midgets. Pages and pages of “Apple” flavored evening newspapers have covered over half the city’s evening sky. No matter if it is on the stage or if it is outside the theatre, the strong enthusiasm of the intellect and his concern for the world and its people now seem ridiculous. When life has become more flavorless than prayer, and politics more dishonest than a farce, it is no longer surprising that fools, real and fake, seek pleasure of the senses.
People cannot but ask: In face of the biliousness of human nature and the absurdity of existence, have we no other survival option but to laugh and live on? Besides being able to represent history, to beguile tedium, and to criticize without scruples, has art no other function?
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| By Ru Guo-Lie
Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Center
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Primarily, the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre has to survive within this harsh commercial environment. Only after it is able to survive can it plot for development. Are there any other possibilities, besides mere survival? I hope that my negligible wishes do not turn into that which is only realizable in dreams. Nevertheless, we’ll have to see about that.
In the latter part of the 1980s, when I was a young theatre critic in Hong Kong, we had heard that a “Little Theatre Movement” was happening in Taiwan. Not many of our friends had seen it with their own eyes, but there had been many hearsays going around, which vividly describes the subversiveness of the movement, and how it flourished in Taiwan. In our hearts, we admired Taiwan very much. We also wished that we had a grand and spectacular little theatre movement here in Hong Kong. Then came the 90s, I joined the Arts Center and was eager to interact with Taiwan’s little theatre, but was disappointed at learning the news that Taiwan’s little theatre “had already died.” I have asked many people. I wanted to know what the little theatre movement that they had experienced was. I wanted to know what had I missed out. It was only afterwards—when people from Hong Kong asked the question, “did the little theatre movement in Hong Kong also die?” —did I realize that little theatre has to die! Little theatre is a heat medium that dies as soon as it comes to life. It is an instant reflection of the spirit of the time. Especially at times of dramatic changes, little theatre takes on the role of horn soldier. Of course, it has to die; but when it comes to life again, nobody can stop it. I knew that all this is going to happen as soon as Body Phase Studio had taken over the Guling St. Avant-Garde Theatre. Mr. Wang Mo-Lin is the most sober observer. He is also a pioneer. What does he think the role of little theatre is today? Will it become a “movement?”
I don’t know.
What I know is, this time I will not miss it.
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