From the Editor, Red Room Reflections
by Ruth Giordano
8-FEST
Red Room was born in November of 2009. Every year, in the eleventh month, we commemorate and celebrate with arts festivals.
Last month, Red Room celebrated its Eighth Anniversary “8 FEST” over two weekends. For a panoply of information, go to redroomtaipei.com/redroom-8-fest. And if you scroll through the archives on this site, you will see evidence of eight years of festivals.
I asked for quick impressions of the 8-FEST experience from the Keepers of the Space. I got:
An Art Riot! -Anonymous
Hectic creating! – Charles Haines
Very stressful and very fun!! – Crystal Leung
Unbridled creativity!! – Ruth G.
Everything came out all together all at once! – Sharon Landon
An amalgam of imaginatories -Lilly Sedaghat
很榮幸參與到思、食、農、再生的沙龍group討論, 能與台灣樸門永續設計的先驅與秀明農法的實踐者們並肩討論，開誠布公地交流心得，真是十分難得的機會與緣份。經過這一整天的沙龍洗禮，更讓我相信，在台灣，我們需要更多元開放的思維、態度與方法來解決環境、社會正義、糧食安全等巨大的問題。紅房也將這樣的精神鑲印在她每一次的活動裡，透過藝術、音樂、展覽等型態，影響更多人，也將更多偉大的生命聚集在一起!
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展示地點: 台北市大安區建國南路一段177號 TAF空總創新基地內
工作坊: 新北市新店區北宜路二段64-1號
I attended the Crimson Octopus, as a performer.
Our props were hats. Our show wanted to tell the audience that we were all part of the universe, despite different languages, color of skin, or nationality. We need to communicate with each other.
I had a great experience working with talented people. It’s fun to create a short play less than 10 hours with new friends.
Yi Show, Performer at Crimson Octopus
From Roma Mehta-
we broke new ground
we made new friends
renewed old friendships with more purpose and meaning
we began conversations
that we hope will carry forward
the Red Room culture of listening for many more people.
What came out strong was that
all of us –
– original Taiwanese and adoptees –
– love this island and its people.
and we are all enriching the experience for ourselves
and for others.
The exploration of themes. Destroying and fitting in. The growth of the self and the development of ideas. Watching people create. Watching yourself create. Listening to people talk and talking to people while they listen. The mixing of colors, paints, sounds, thoughts, and fabrics. Quick costume changes, quick angle turns, quick flick of a brush, quick strum of a guitar. Two weekends of healing, four days of chaos, hours of work, a lifetime of accomplishment.
Happy eighth, Red Room.
Vicky P. Sun, Performer and Red Room Volunteer
FROM – Roshan Hoover
I think it was a great time all around. I was there for 25/26th weekend and had a great time filming the CREATE day and participating as a model on the 26th. Such a diverse line-up of events and a great showcase of the capacity of what Red Room can do.
and, lastly, from Yueh An, Red Room Scribe
紅坊八週年活動圓滿落幕。四個不同方面的藝術活動，溫暖的人們和彼此分享的心。
四天中我們舉辦了紅坊第一次的大型書展和沙龍，目的是希望我們能一起享受「述說」的文化。抹去種族、文化、性別角色和成長背景，向身邊的人學習取鏡，聆聽所有聲音。
沙龍活動邀請了多國講者，不同領域如生態環境、外國人在台處境以及原住民族的多元議題探討，藉著不同的聲音彼此交流摩擦與跟參與者的互動來在議題上有更深入的認識與新想法。
書展的部分聚集了許多台灣小誌的聲音，在關懷台灣小眾想法至大型議題都多有著墨，如此產出了第一次的書展暨沙龍論壇活動。
雖然邀請講者和獨立出版者的部分遭遇了一些困難，但我們確信內容豐富和富有意義，而那正是最重要的。
不管如何只要做了便成功了一半，跟我一起舉辦書展的神秘幫助者跟我說：「永遠不要放棄。」
這也是許多在藝文活動屆，尤其是非營利組織中深耕不斷者的心情。
紅坊在八年過後必須在面對下一年的挑戰，以沈穩的心休息再出發。
