MAO Yo-Wen

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MAO Yo-Wen

Participating Project	Exchange Residency Program (Creators from abroad)
Activity Based	Taipei
City / Place stayed	Tokyo
Period	2024.1 - 2024.3

Purpose of the residency

For this Tokyo residency, I plan to delve deeper into "Jindai Moji," a linguistic symbol believed to predate the introduction of Kanji in Japan. This elusive script, intertwined with my creative exploration of the legendary site "Pyramids," becomes the focal point of my residency study. I aim to establish connections and expand on concepts related to words, language, and the intangible aspects of memory, history, and perception explored in my artwork. Additionally, I seek to unravel and reinterpret the currently undefined "Jindai Moji," fostering new avenues of exploration.

Plan during the residency

• Collecting and accumulating research materials for the project through archival library research
• Conducting field investigations and exploring pertinent locations and materials
• Interviewing individuals, local artists, or scholars linked to the study of Jindai Moji
• Exploring further the seemingly unrelated connections to Jindai Moji, including both its displaced and connected aspects
• Capturing the initial framework through film photography and incorporating research data and discoveries made during the residency
  

Plan during the residency

Regarding this residency, in addition to starting my search at the library for literature and files related to the residency project "Jindai Moji," I also gathered information from locals. I discovered traces of "Jindai Moji" at the home of an Oshi(御師), a Shinto priest at the foot of Mount Fuji not far from Tokyo, and proceeded to visit. Through these explorations and visits, I found that this script is known by very few people in contemporary Japan, and its use and full understanding are limited. Even its remnants exist in fragments, making comprehensive interpretation challenging. It feels like seeing only half while the other half remains unknown, akin to "Cryptonymy." Therefore, I attempted to establish connections and expand upon this concept, seeking to showcase it in my work.

Activities during the residency

This residency has provided significant progress, both in creative exploration of the theme "Jindai Moji" and in research. Throughout the residency, I have initiated the first chapter through video and installation works, thereby laying the groundwork for the project's future development and direction.
The three-day OPEN　STUDIO event, hosted by TOKAS, provided resident artists with the opportunity to share their research and works created during their stay. This gave everyone the chance to see and discuss the works, whether they were still experimental or in progress. These discussions also sparked new ideas about the works. For me, it was truly impressive and memorable.

Creator Information