At the invitation of the Ministry of Culture, Mark Teh (鄭家榮) and Lee Ren-xin (李人欣), members of the renowned Malaysian contemporary art group Five Arts Center (FAC), visited Taiwan to engage in a cultural exchange in the middle of April.
While in Taiwan, they participated in Taiwan Week and interacted with several Taiwanese artists to learn more about the art scene in Taiwan. They also gave a lecture at Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB) on April 11, where they shared FAC's 38-year trajectory in promoting art in Malaysia to Taiwanese audiences. The lecture, moderated by curator Hsieh Feng-rong (謝豐嶸), was conducted in English with interpretation by Taiwan-based Malaysian artist Au Sow-yee (歐秀詒).
Mark Teh, known as a performance maker and researcher, is a first-time visitor to Taiwan. With more than 20 years of experience as a member of FAC, he has honed his ability to tackle intricate historical issues using diverse techniques, such as leveraging documentary materials and deductive reasoning. While performance is the predominant medium of his works, he also explores other forms of artistic expression, including exhibitions, education, social invention, and writing. Lee Ren-xin, the newest member of FAC, mainly focuses on the relationship between the body and time-space, how individuals and the existing environment mutually affect each other, rituals and habitual behaviors in public spaces, and others.
Established in 1984, FAC was co-founded by five Malaysian professionals including theatre directors Chin San Sooi and Krishen Jit, dancer-choreographer Marion D’Cruz, writer K.S. Maniam and visual artist Redza Piyadasa. For over three decades, it has been at the forefront of creating experimental, interdisciplinary, and intercultural work, providing platforms for the next generation of arts practitioners. Currently, FAC is a dynamic collective of 15 Malaysian artists, activists, and producers, dedicated to generating alternative art forms and images in the contemporary arts landscape. The collective has performed and presented its work in various countries across Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Oceania.