F  i  o  n  n .  H  a  n
  W r i t e r  ╳   C o m p o s e r  ╳   D e s i g n e r 

A non-existing artist from Austria, Georg Paul Thomann

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An existing country whose name was erased at biennial, Taiwan

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The ‘Chain’ from Chien-Chi CHANG, the last resort of Taiwan's mentally ill

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The ‘intervention’ of Thomann, questioning who can represent a nation?

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Or represent our imagination of arts?

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This documentary is about the activist-art group ‘monochrom' used their hammer

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to save TAIWAN at 2002 São Paulo Biennial (Mar.23—Jun.1).

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It’s time to provoke non-art audience,

 

when politics pervades arts and vice versa. 

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Please feel free to leave your comment, questions or feedback in contact and you’re welcome to share :)

 

◤ the Thomann intervention (2018) ◢ Full documentary, director version (13:37)

 

◕ Created by Hadas Emma Kedar

 

◕ Production : Johannes Grenzfurthner, Ablinger Franz

 

◕ Camera : Josef P. Wagner

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◕ Graphics : Henner Penner Renner, Shany Kedar

 

◕ Participated curator / artists :  

Zdenka Badovinac, Johannes Grenzfurthner, Chien-Chi Chang 

 

◕ Sound design / Music : Hua-Chun Fan (Fionn. Han), We Are Ghosts 

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╡Postscript╞

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10 days before the premiere, it’s my first time to meet Hadas in person in the real world.

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The documentary was her internship project in 2017 summer at monochrom, Vienna. We knew each other in autumn. Then the ‘mysteries-investigation journey’ took us to many places : from #MeToo movement (our GGG project!), propaganda and Bhopal Disaster (The Yes Man!), to family planning policy of China (the fetus soup & Dumplings..), which was great fun to discuss how art, media and politics collide!

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Sharing some thoughts with you, regarding the music/sound design: 

As Johannes mentioned in the documentary, there are many levels of mystery of this ‘in(ter)vention’ action.

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The 1rst level of mystery is in Austria—who is representing Austria?

What kind of art can represent a nation?

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The 2nd level of mystery is in São Paulo Biennial—Hadas and I both like the metaphor ‘giant beehive’ used by Johannes to describe the ‘little white cube politics’ and the invisible operation of art hierarchy.

*The way of using ‘nation’ to categorise artist has been cancelled in São Paulo Biennial in 2004. 

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The 3rd level of mystery is Georg Paul Thomann—people kept repeating the stories about the ‘Austrian artist’ although he doesn’t exist. Compared to Thomann, Chang’s story couldn’t be heard as an ‘Taiwanese artist’ but a ‘artist from Taipei Fine Art Museum’ which is apparently not a country.  

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The 4th level of mystery is Chang’s piece,The Chain—coincidentally, this impressive series was photographed in a ‘mysterious space’ of Taiwan as well, which was founded by a monk then became a ‘illegal/religious asylum’ for lunatic people. 

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Hence, the music/sound design was based on these 4 lines to create paradoxical, obscure atmosphere and tricky moments. However, the public documentary has been mixed with other sound materials and music source by director and the production team.

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So, if you’re interested in another ‘uneven’ and ‘wild’ version, that turned ideas into sound performance, you’re very welcome to contact me for the ‘composer version’(13:32). Then, we can continue the discussion above 🤠

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Finally, kudos to my dear Hadas! I know how hard for an Israel girl to figure out such complex Cross-Strait relations between China and Taiwan. But you made it, Bravo!!

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Also, great thanks thanks for embarking me onboard, it’s a marvellous journey with you to see what I haven’t seen before through music/sound, arts/politics. I guess I’m going to miss our delightful chats and fruitful discussion when you devote yourself to the thesis. Best of luck for writing and everything you have passion for. I look forward to our next adventure departs 🚀

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Enjoy watching, enjoy thinking.

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Cheers!

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Hua-Chun, 

March 23rd / London

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♧ Georg Paul Thomann ’s funeral in Hall in Tirol, Austria.

♣ Another art/politics drama : 2002 Taipei Biennial—Great Theatre of The World, Taiwan

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