Two Taiwanese artists, Lee Ming-chieh (李明潔) and Tian Zi-ping (田子平), have been selected to participate in the "2022-2024 Taiwan and Australia Choreography Exchange Program (臺澳舞蹈創作交流計畫)." This program, supported by the Ministry of Culture, is made possible through a collaboration between the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney, the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), and Australia's Critical Path.
Now in its second year, the program aims to further enhance the initial exchanges that took place during the first-year online laboratory and residency. As part of this program, the selected artists will embark on a four-week residency in Australia, where they will collaborate with two local artists, Roslyn Orlando and Dr. Rachael Gunn, to create on-site dance performances. The outcome of their interdisciplinary collaboration will be presented in the following year.
Lee Ming-chieh, an independent choreographer, holds an MFA in Dance Choreography from the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA). Her diverse creations span a variety of dance styles from street dance to contemporary dance, focusing on the dynamic of body, object and things as the main mediums for her research related to memory and time, and further discussing the flowing performativity shaped between body and specific space.
New-media artist Tian Zi-ping, also a TNUA graduate from the New Media Art Department, reflects on technological artifacts and the digital age in her works. She strives to realize multidimensional artistic expressions within this realm.
The four artists will serve their residency at the Critical Path and the Bundanon Artist Trust. Several renowned choreographers and experienced professionals in digital practice have been invited to serve as guest tutors, including famous Filipino dancer Eisa Jocson, Head of Digital Programming for Sydney Opera House Stuart Buchanan, multi-media artist Linda Dement, professionals from the Tactical Space Lab, as well as German-based Taiwanese artist Su Yu-hsin (蘇郁心) and Australian dancer Angela Goh.
Through the exchange program, the MOC hopes to facilitate long-term collaboration, establish key international partnerships, and create more opportunities for co-creation in the performing arts and international touring performances between Taiwan and Australia.