Taiwanese Arts Week marks Taiwan’s founding with diverse artistic offerings

Taiwanese Arts Week will be held from Sept. 10-18 to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Taiwan.

Titled “Bring the Tradition and Innovation of Taiwanese Arts to Madison,” this celebration intends to promote intercultural understanding through artistic exchange.

Organized by UW–Madison dance professor Jin-Wen Yu in collaboration with the Taipei Cultural Center/Economic and Cultural Office in New York along with numerous UW and local Madison organizations, this series of exhibits, screenings, lectures and performances will showcase the liveliness of Taiwanese arts with the Madison public.

Yu expects the celebration to be accessible and enlightening to the public.

“Taiwanese Arts Week already has brought together lots of different communities … all have been very supportive,” he says. “I am hopeful that the upcoming events will continue to bring people together through arts and educational experiences.”

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and open to the public.

• Saturday, Sept. 10: UW Cinematheque screening of two acclaimed Taiwanese films,

“Super Citizen K,” 1996, directed by Jen Wan, at 4 p.m., and “Somewhere Over the Dreamland,” 2003, directed by Wen-tang Chang, at 7 p.m. 4070 Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave.

• Sunday, Sept. 11: Jin-Wen Yu Dance presents “Tiers,” a contemporary dance concert at 2 p.m. Sept. 11 and 8 p.m. Sept. 12 and 13. Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space, Lathrop Hall, 1050 University Ave. Tickets are available through the Wisconsin Union Theater box office or at the door before each performance. General admission is $18; student and senior tickets cost $10.
• Monday, Sept. 12-Sunday, Sept. 18: Exhibit of contemporary Taiwanese photography, “Windows to Taiwan.” Open daily from 10 a.m.-8.pm. Porter Butts and Class of 1925 galleries, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St. A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Memorial Union Lounge.
• Wednesday, Sept. 14: Screening of “Swing,” 2010, an award-winning documentary on the smuggling of orangutans into Taiwan for sale as domestic pets, followed by a question-and-answer session with director Chin-Yuan Ke. 5:30 p.m., MMoCA Lecture Hall, 227 State St.
• Thursday, Sept. 15: Lecture by professor Hsiao-Hung Chang, “Fashioning the Cityscape: Contemporary Women Writers in Taiwan,” presented by the East Asian Studies Center. 4 p.m., 336 Ingraham Hall, 1155 Observatory Drive.

Madison World Music Festival Performance “Silk & Bamboo,” by Chai Found Music Workshop, 6:30 p.m., Wisconsin Union Theater, 800 Langdon St.

• Friday, Sept. 16: Lecture by professor Yu-Chien Ann, “Interdisciplinary Collaboration on Design Education.” 3:30 p.m., Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space, Lathrop Hall, 1050 University Ave.

Madison World Music Festival Performance “Silk & Bamboo,” by Chai Found Music Workshop. 7:30 p.m., Wisconsin Union Theater, 800 Langdon St.

• Saturday, Sept. 17: Puppet-show performance of “A Sea of Puppets,” by Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Co. Presented by the Taiwanese Association of Madison and the Overture Center for the Arts. 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., Rotunda Stage, Overture Center, 201 State St.

Lecture by professor Hsiao-Hung Chang, “Fade in Fade out Hsiao-Hsien Hou.” 4:30 p.m., 4070 Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave.

UW Cinematheque screenings of two acclaimed Taiwanese films, “Dust in the Wind,” 1987, directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou, at 4 p.m. “Terrorizers,” 1986, directed by Edward Yang, at 7 p.m. 4070 Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave.

Evening of Taiwanese food presented by the UW–Madison Student Association of Taiwan and Taiwanese Undergraduate Student Organization. 5-9 p.m., Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St. Though entrance is free, food items will be available for sale.

• Sunday, Sept. 18: Workshop and demonstration of Taiwanese puppetry by Taiyuan Theatre Co. Presented by the Taiwanese Association of Madison. 11 a.m., MMoCA Lecture Hall, 227 State St.

Taiwanese Arts Week is sponsored by the Council for Cultural Affairs (Taiwan), Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, Jin-Wen Yu Dance, Madison Taiwanese Association, Overture Center for the Arts, Wisconsin Union Directorate and the Wisconsin Theater.

Numerous UW–Madison departments have also sponsored the celebration, including the Arts Institute, Cinematheque, Dance Department, Design Studies Department, East Asian Studies Center, English Department, Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies, Student Association of Taiwan, Taiwanese Undergraduate Student Organization and the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies.