This episode is about Gao Yuan’s occidental journey to becoming a photographer and filmmaker, and some of the coincidences along the way.
This interview with photographer, filmmaker Gao Yuan was originally part of episode 260 about coincidences connected with the Taiwanese American Arts Council’s house, Building 7B on New York’s Governors Island, which has affectionately come to be called the Taiwan house. The Taiwanese American Arts Council was selected to be an Organization in Residence on Governors Island this year from May to October and was also the only Asian organization on Governors Island this past year. In this episode I’ll be talking with Gao Yuan about her short film Between Us which deals with the conflict between the indigenous and Hakka in southern Taiwan, and also how Gao Yuan uncovered a surprising connection to Taiwan that actually came knocking on the door of TAAC’s house Building 7B.
Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:
- Gao Yuan’s background
- How Gao Yuan got into photography
- Gao Yuan’s short film, Between Us
- The significance of the river in Gao Yuan’s short film, Between Us
- Gao Yuan’s approach to photography and filmmaking
- How Gao Yuan started photographing people with tattoos
- How many of the tattooed people Gao Yuan photographed in Taiwan were part of the mafia or considered gangsters
- Gao Yuan’s short film, Ocean, tattoo, and bar
- How Gao Yuan met Commander Douglas Stevenson who previously lived at the Taiwan house (Building 7B) with his family and his connection to Taiwan
- The short documentary film the Gao Yuan made about the Douglas Stevenson Family
Related Links:
Gao Yuan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaoyuan_artist/
Gao Yuan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gao.yuan.77
https://www.chinesenewart.com/chinese-artists18/gaoyuan
Between Us: https://youtu.be/xvMMMv6cij0?si=9_XiyRmsUWzZZQXb
Paiwan people: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paiwan_people
Pingtung: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pingtung_County
海洋, 刺青與吧檯 Ocean, tattoo, and bar: https://youtu.be/_yZ8JJbyQJ8?si=kL-yXfmpbYJgfzMj
The Douglas Stevenson Family (short documentary by Gao Yuan): https://youtu.be/lBKkE7sfhJo?si=0W88B7F25yFN0kVT
President Reagan Meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev at Governors Island on December 7, 1988: https://youtu.be/1Do_RBG6bfc?si=TmB3k2cTc5q5rrNB
Reagan, Gorbachev and Bush at Governors Island: https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2018-12-07/reagan-gorbachev-bush-governors-island
Taiwanese American Arts Council: From “Island to Island” on Governors Island Ep 249
Taiwanese American Arts Council: From “Island to Island” on Governors Island (Episode 249): https://talkingtaiwan.com/taiwanese-american-arts-council-from-island-to-island-on-governors-island-ep-249/
NYC ART BRIDGE: How TAAC and CHATogether are Winning at Achieving Emotional Wellness Through Art (Episode 258): https://talkingtaiwan.com/nyc-art-bridge-how-taac-and-chatogether-are-winning-at-achieving-emotional-wellness-through-art-ep-258/
Andrea Coronil and Gao Yuan: On Riding Waves, Tattoos, and Uncanny Connections to Taiwan House 7b (Episode 260): https://talkingtaiwan.com/andrea-coronil-and-gao-yuan-on-riding-waves-tattoos-and-uncanny-connections-to-taiwan-house-7b-ep-260/