Working in the current art environment in Taiwan, artists are often forced to maintain the number of productions and to create within a rush and limited time. Such a situation inevitably affected the quality of artworks in the long run. After years of nonstop working, I had been torn and exhausted by struggling between the quality of my creation, profits, trending, company branding and marketing, and the general operation of my theater company. I had lost spare energy to observe and to ruminate on my own creations. Hence, this artist-in-residence program at the Cité Internationale des Arts (the Cité) was a perfect chance for me to slow down the pace of my life and to rethink the essence of creativity and art-making. It was for me to start over and revitalize.

The outburst of COVID-19 in France had greatly affected my original plans for my residency. But being in Paris during the lockdown became an excellent opportunity for social observation and I had more precious time to be with myself. Being alone helped me accomplish my goal for this trip: to take a breath. If there hadn’t been the pandemic, I would have filled my schedule with various events and activities in Paris. Instead, the French government had closed all public places for more than three months due to the pandemic’s peak. Therefore, I could ponder deeply on the future of my theater company and myself. This residency during the COVID-19 provided me the break and the tranquility I’d longed for.

With restrictions on the number of people and a limitation of social distance, artists at the Cité could still meet up and exchange ideas. I met artists from all over the world. We exchanged opinions on company operations, creativity ideas, and visions of art in depth. From the conversations, I realized that many of us faced the same struggles and shared the same viewpoints on these problems. We related to and encouraged each other. Though the pandemic prevented us from further collaborations on site, I still benefited greatly from our spiritual exchanges.

Due to the pandemic restrictions, I had to cancel my planned solo performance. But two performances I had arranged during the residency were able to be staged. One was “Tenir Paroles” by Théâtre de la Ville. The other was the coproduction of Théâtre de la Ville and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), called “Consultation Poétique”. Théâtre de la Ville’s persistence and quick-adapting reaction to the COVID-19 situation made these performances possible. The experience with Théâtre de la Ville not only enriched my international performance credits and improved my creative ability, but also allowed me to understand the work culture and to observe the skill development system for theater workers in France. I was also fortunate to work closely with Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota, the artistic director and production director of Théâtre de la Ville, to observe his leadership skills. First, he always gave the performers and the production team plenty of room for creativity. In addition, he provided proper guidance at the right timing. These qualities lead to an extremely pleasant working atmosphere among the team. He is indeed a model for me. All the information and inspiration I gained while with Théâtre de la Ville exceeded my expectations. It was the best reward on this trip.

During my residency at the Cité, I saw the French people's persistence, responses, and adjustments between freedom and restrictions. Also, their concern and desire for closer distance. Meanwhile, I observed the similarities and differences of reactions and choices that Taiwanese and French people made under challenging situations. I believe all these observations will nurture and inspire me in my future artistic path.

“Photo Information”
Show Title: Tenir Paroles
Production: Théâtre de la Ville de Paris
Director: Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota
Photographer: Jean Louis Fernandez
Image Copyright: Théâtre de la Ville de Paris

Author: Yi Ju Fang
Edited: Brix