Posts

Reflections, Artists Bridge the Gap 4

We were sitting around the table discussing logistics for Artists Bridge the Gap IV, when the first piece of backlash appeared on the Facebook event page. “Are you crazy?” the irate commenter asked us. He could not understand why Red Room would choose to support a small segment of the population, that segment being LGBTQ+ refugees, over another, larger group*. He accused us of ignoring the more dire needs of children, women, and men in order to be politically correct.

We always knew our choice would be controversial. We understood that the success of our event depended not just on our ability to coordinate with each other well, and choose refreshing activities, but on our ability to educate and enable people to empathize with situations far removed from their own experiences.

Still, that first comment stung, so I was grateful to look around the table and see the resolve of the coordinators harden rather than disappear. “That’s okay,” one of them said. “We’re doing the right thing. I’m not worried because we’re doing the right thing.”

Sometimes the “right thing” is not the most popular or expedient thing. Having determined that, we reinvigorated our efforts. This event, we decided, would emphasize our shared humanity through seeking out those who are overlooked and ignored and providing them a platform to speak and with resources to thrive.
*videos, plays, support of LGBT community, comics. That so few people knew or understood the importance of our cause made it more salient.

Fortunately, we found support within the artistic community, the LGBT community and through a number of sponsors (whom were often part of one community or another). Haha Tai and the International Queer Film Festival in Taipei offered a significant sponsorship and a great deal of encouragement. Another sponsor, the Winkler Partners, proved enthusiastic supporters of the cause. Bai Win Antiques, an established supporter of the arts and of Red Room, stood steadfastly by the team. The Escape Artist, another seasoned partner of Red Room, proffered canvases and easels as they have during live art events in the past.

A cadre of artists, musicians, and dancers contributed their time, talent and passion to help Red Room realize this event and, more importantly, to buttress Red Room’s efforts to demonstrate art’s ability to connect people and bring about impactful change in our world. Magnolia La Manga, Mangelica, Bouncy Babs, Fei Fain performed at Artists Bridge the Gap IV and promoted the event and the cause widely. They invited us to events and venues, organized supplemental fundraisers at Cafe Dalida (which very graciously sponsored us as well), and invigorated us with their passion and commitment. Billy Chang proffered his voice and his dancing, bringing people together with his ebullience and grace.

Kara Linkonis inking of an educational comic I co-wrote with her, Breaking Barriers, added substance, character, and a striking poignancy that could not have been achieved without her commitment to her craft. A story was produced that hopefully addressed the vivid experiences of LGBTQ+ refugees with the respect they deserve as human beings. Members of All’s Well Theatre wrote and performed moving accounts of refugee’s experiences. High schoolers in America dedicated themselves to raising money in their hometown through designing post cards, posters and a T-shirt.

There are so many more people who deserve thanks for bringing Artists Bridge the Gap IV into fruition that I cannot possibly name. Truly, the support which overflowed from communities in Taiwan and elsewhere buoyed us through thousands of minute details and second guessing, and hundreds of passionate debates, and tens of setbacks. Perhaps, however, what motivated me even more was the semi-weekly meetings with the organizers and benficiaries In Leipzig, Germany. The Project Artists Bridge the Gap IV benefitted, Queer Refugees Network, Leipzig, is run largely through the dedication of volunteers and workers at Rosalinde Leipzig e.V. When I skyped with them, they relayed. During meetings they would open maps and search for ‘Taiwan’ and express disbelief in the decision for a community an ocean away to help them establish a new life. I was thrilled to hear about one beneficiaries plan to become a fashion designer, or another’s to learn German or a third’s to finally have discovered a setting where they could openly be themselves. This is what the funds we raised would be used for. They would pay for tangible goods like food, shelter, books, of course, but with these come a host of intangible benefits. These funds would enable QueeRNL to continue creating a network, a safe space and an opportunity to succeed.

Knowing that all of this hard work might have resulted in the realization of someone’s dream, might have created opportunities for those who have been denied them, has carried me through every doubt, every negative comment and every painstaking re-explanation. I can honestly say that working with Red Room, QueeRNL and the amazing people in Taiwan has truly been a transformative experience. One might even say, to echo my teammate, that it was the right thing to do.

*If you have questions about why Red Room chose to support this cause, you should visit the FAQ page we wrote to help explain!

by Leah List

ABTG4: Pine Napat

napat-photo-1Napat Inkapairoj is a visual artist and a lifetime animal lover. Originally from Bangkok.
(review more comprehensive selection of my work please visit facebook page : PINE NAPAT)

Group Exhibitions
2009 : Annual Drawing Exhibition, Chulalongkorn University
2010 : “wi tee tassana” Nan National museum, Nan, Thailand
2012 : “Visual Infinite Exhibition” University Museum Building, Chulalongkorn University
2012 : “Inside Chanburi Exhibition” University Museum Building, Chulalongkorn University
013 : “Halo Art Thesis Exhibition”, Chamjuree Art gallery

Solo Exhibitions
2014 : “I do as I please” Sudrit art gallery, Nan, Thailand. Charity project for animals shelter in need.
2014 : “Cats” Baan Prabat gallery, Saraburi, Thailand. Charity for animals shelter in need.
Education 2013 Faculty of Fine and Applieds art Chulalongkorn University, Major in painting
2013 Faculty of Fine and Applieds art Chulalongkorn University, Major in painting.
Now studying in International Master program of Cultural and Creative Industries, Taipei University of the Arts (臺北藝術⼤大)
napat-1s

napat-resume-4s

ABTG4: FeiFain Wang

 

FeiFainFeiFain Wang is an artist based in Taipei. In addition to creating art and illustrations, FeiFain does drag shows, performances and theater.

FeiFain

ABTG 4: Eugenia

Eugenia 1

EUGENIA PG :: www.bitly.com/eugeniapg
Born in 1994 in El Salvador, Eugenia discovered art at a young age and nurtured it ever since. Without any professional education in art, Eugenia has participated in two art festivals (Festival Bicultural 2011,2012) and received workshops with recognized Salvadorean Artists. In 2013, she moved to Taipei, Taiwan. Last year, she participated in Exposure: Art, Beer, Culture 2014, to get involved with Taipei’s artsy scene.
Currently, she is pursuing a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications and coloring the void between her career and the art field. She describes her art as over-saturated by colors and patterns, reflecting the complexity of the journey of human experiences and interpersonal relationships.

Eugenia portrait

ABTG4: Pragya Borar

ABTG4: Charles Haines

charles 2

Charles Haines is a Canadian born sculptor, painter, printmaker and poet who has lived in Taiwan since 2001 and calls Taiwan his home. For over twenty years he has had a passion for painting crows. No matter where he travels people have strong feelings about crows. He likes that. If you ask him he will tell you the he was a crow in a former life and that he has dreams of flying and can still feel the air under his wings.

Email: murder.of.crows.10.5@gmail.com

ABTG4: Roma Mehta

ABTG4: Kate Huang

Kate Huang, was born and raised in Taiwan. A self taught artist and a freelancer, she’s always loved drawing and painting since she was little, on papers, walls, or even the textbooks. She chose to put aside the drawing pens and stepped into the business world as she considered it to be the “secured path”. But the calling from true passion lead her back when she listened to her own voice.

Spring 2016

Huang loves painting, it is the time when she feels the most real, she acts truthfully, sees the world with better clarity and knows the ultimate truth that all things on both sides of the duality, are beauty. She seldom feels the need to make a statement through art, being an artist to her is like being a translator or a converter for the universal energy. She stretches wide to let passion and inspiration roar through. Paintings are done through her rather than by her. She believes in art, in it’s healing power, and it’s ability of reaching hearts. To touch a heart with a painting, the connection happens in an instant, in the most truthful and honest way.

In recent years when she paint, she structures the picture less and less before starting to paint. Now she just breathes and empties herself. She settles into her true state at the moment, then lets the moment transform into colors, texture, and shapes. She lets the flow lead the way to find it’s possibilities and grow organically. Every beginning of a painting is a new journey, and the destination always surprises her. To me this is the best thing that painting had taught her – there is always a good possibility wherever we are!

Kate Huang

29 May 2016, Artists Bridge the Gap IV

Red Room is hosting Artists Bridge the Gap IV ( ABTG IV ), a one-of-a-kind event, on May 29th, 2016. ABTG IV is the fourth instalment of Red Room’s all-day live art event!
This year, Red Room will bring together live art, music, and theatre from across the island for the purpose of bridging gaps between international communities and creating opportunities for those in need.

Visit the ABTG4 page for updates and more information.

FEATURES:

  • Live Music featuring a playlist curated by our beneficiaries in Germany
  • Live Art created the day of the event by twenty amazing painters.
  • Live Theatre with performances based on true stories
  • Interactive Corner where attendees can decorate their own postcards and film videos to send to the amazing NGOs in Germany!
  • Merchandise Table which features T-shirts designed by a community member and poster prints with art created by artists from the event!
  • Food and Drink with specially concocted drinks for the event!

『 Schedule 』『 活動日程 』

11AM Artists begin painting 現場繪畫
1PM – 1:45PM Event Introduction/Video Screening 活動介紹 / 影片播放
3PM – 4PM: All’s Well Theatre shares true stories 滿月劇團分享 真實 故事
5:30PM – 8:00PM Live Music Ensembles 現場音樂表演
8:30PM Art Auction begins 現場競標當天創作的藝術品
10PM Closing 活動結束

早鳥票 400NT:http://www.accupass.com/event/register/1603281323021167691382
園遊券500元 (12歲以下300元)
內含飲料一杯或輕食一份
(並捐助給慈善機構,作為公益支出)
地址:空軍創新基地
建國南路一段177號
Presale on Accupass: 400NT
http://www.accupass.com/event/register/1603281323021167691382
Adult 500NT / Under 12 300NT
Includes Food or Beverage
(A portion of ticket sales goes to charity)
Address: Taiwan Air Force Innovation Base
Jianguo South Road Section 1 No 177

More information on this page

Who It’s Helping:

We’re partnering with Queer Refugees Network Leipzig (QueeRNL) and RosaLinde Leipzig e.V . to support LGBT refugees in Germany.*

Check out the event on Facebook for more updates!