Yenting Hsu
Yenting Hsu investigates the cultural context and texture of sounds, her works often reflect the relationship between sounds, environment, individual/collective memories and the surrounding world from an alternative angle. Using field recordings as her primary source material with electronic sounds and objects, Hsu’s exploration contemplates between documentary, narrative and imaginary elements of recorded sounds under the form of audio documentaries, soundscapes, installations, electroacoustic music and performances. She also collaborates with dance theaters and films as a sound designer/composer.
Her work is various and has been shown internationally, including exhibitions at Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taitung Art Museum, Taipei Artist Village, Perth and New York; audio documentary “Waterland” in 2018 Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF); performance “Soundscapes” in 2019 Lacking Sound Festival, Taipei, “Gui Shu (Belong)” at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), and “Noise Assembly” at 2018 Asian Meeting Festival and Taipei Art Festival. Her collaborative album “Rooty Metal” with A Root was nominated for 2018 Gold Indie Music Awards in Taiwan. The project ‘Relight+MUSIC’ collaborating with zhēnzhēn glass lab won the Silver Prize of Toyama International Glass Exhibition 2021.
- Location USA / New York, NY
- Year of the Grant 2018
- Residency International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP)
International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York offers plenty of activities and recourses for artists, for example, Open Studio program, Visiting Art Critics, Open Doors, Field Trip, as well as Art Advisory Program, Artist at Work/One Artist One Work, and Solo Show Open Call. In addition to that, there are also hardware and equipment for creation needs.
I visited ISCP in 2018. During the 5-month residency time, I had participated in a number of exhibitions. In Spring Open Studio, I showed several of my old works and a new experimental creation, temporarily named “Cycle/Recycle.” In this piece, I use recyclable objects such as PET bottles and glass bottles, etc., that I found near ISPC or my living area. I used them as speakers and sound sources, so the bottles become a sound circulatory system, and sounds are recycled within it.
I also collaborated with Taiwanese artists in New York. For example, I designed sound/music for Poyen Wang ‘s new video work “Six Excerpts from a Journal,” which was presented at Flux Factory, New York. And dance performance by former ISCP resident artist Chia-jen Lin at the closing night of “Fune’s Broken Mirror.” The show combines sound, video, dance, and installation art. In addition to that, I was invited by local curator Yulia Topchiy to participate in the group exhibition “Lightning Whelk.” I presented a new piece, “illusion I,” to the exhibition, which reflects the relationship between human beings and nature. I made small sculpture-like speakers with wastes that I picked at the Rockaway beach and played the audio I recorded at the beach through the speaker. So that the sound would have plastic or glass texture but natural.
Besides these creativities, I held Artist at Work presentation before leaving New York. I shared my field recordings from the past to the present along with my creation history. Therefore the audience would understand my artwork.
All in all, the 5-month residency enriched me in many ways. I have connected with plenty of creative individuals and had diverse conversations that inspired me so much, not to mention living in the most diverse city that I have ever been to nourished me from every aspect. However, every artist has their own pace and purpose of residency. It is better to adjust the pace after understanding your expectation as well as the artistic environment of New York City.