悍圖行動 The Hantoo Movement
悍圖社聯展 2021｜ Hantoo Group Exhibition
悍圖社聯展 2021｜ Hantoo Group Exhibition
DATES｜DEC 25, 2021 - JAN 22, 2022
OPENING｜DEC 25 (17:00)
The artists will be present.
OPENING｜DEC 25 (17:00)
The artists will be present.
sTATEMENT
The Hantoo Movement
Known for its activist members, Hantoo Art Group has been hosting solo or collective exhibitions since its establishment in 1998, which posed a great impact on Taiwanese art community. In 2017, Hantoo’s HARDCORD RALLY with Hantoo Art Group in National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. In 2018, Fight Club－Hantoo 20th in Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, and Poson in Taitung Art Museum. In 2020, Hantoo went back to where it started, FreeS Art Space, to put up OldWays, Young Hantoo 2020. This year, we shall see Hantoo 2021: Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining in Pingtung Art Museum.
Hantoo has been through the great shift of our social, economic and political landscape in the 1990s, when martial law was lifted, carrying the revolutionary energy and four decades of memories. The name, Hantoo hence emerges in every single art museum, art gallery and exhibition space. As an art group whose members are born across 1950-1970, Hantoo draws public attention through their issue-based collection of works, addressing our own subjectivity, local post-colonialism, humanity, reflections on environment and human beings, fake news and reality, and so on.
When looking back at those well-structured works with strong argument to the issues addressed, we can see Hantoo remains invariably gentle and careful but still impassioned and romantic. As if they are the vivid characters in Shui Hu Zhuan, ready to meet the wave of history, loving the land they were born and raised in wholeheartedly. After all these decades, it is doubtless to say that their efforts could be pointing to a purpose of or a contemplation on ourselves, our lives, and our existence. Starting from scratch, Hantoo stands as a declaration or a symbol that calls for rally, criticizing the propaganda during the period of martial law. While as the end of martial law finally comes, their attention shifts from defending their values to exploring modern issues; however, Hantoo remains downright rebellious.
Unlike the painting association back in the 90s, Hantoo, as a pioneer art group whose mission is straightforward and well known to the people, is positioned to be a historical document by many associations who intend to locate its importance and exclusiveness in Taiwanese art history. As time passes, though they used to express their thoughts via graphic works, now these artists try new materials in respective ways. Unignorably, they attempt to extend the use of their body to be an instrument of art. Just as Weijing Li says, “[it is] to defend the presentation of an image in a Hantoo way,” taking graphic paintings as a diffusion of “symbols,” and communicating with its audience using a rather visual system, where emotions and imagination propel the possibility of actions.
Hantoo has been ceaselessly promoting arts for more than 20 years, and keep evolving systematically with its own art language, and exploring their own art emblems. Historically, Hantoo is not only a cultural document but a collective memory of a generation. Just as it is stated in its very first exposition Hantoo Art Group Major Exhibition, “Art is something we could learn to appreciate.” Therefore, when we are trying to interpret Hantoo as an art movement, we could probably grasp a better sense of what Hantoo really is today: If we view Hantoo as a perspective considering its historical background, we could clearly recognize the interweaving property between Hantoo itself and the artists within. Between these two parties, there is inclusion but also independence, personal autonomy yet justifiably aligned to its core value. The movement forms a network, where they give recognition to one another, and thus creates the philosophy in the co-evolution, “to push forward the mission: to stand by one’s faith and defend their ideology.” Nowadays, Hantoo, as a movement, goes not only for a universal purpose or a general rebellion, but it amplifies the diversity and sensitivity to create meanings. At meanwhile, it proposes a social space, in which an imagination of every person or social issue being equally seen and valued is possible.
Provided the colonial history on this island, Taiwanese has faced with consecutive disturbance form western or non-western countries, which is especially more complex than merely the power transfer, when it comes to the power struggle involves the colonel, residents from coastal provinces of China and the native Taiwanese. Dominant groups deprived other people of their own tradition and custom through cultural, educational and political approach, shaping another form of exploitation. However, once certain group of people are viewed as a marginalized part of the society, the privileged ones would thus take it as a norm to the carry on repressions and discriminations. Today, with the aggression of those political systems and people brought in by the globalization, Taiwanese should be introduced to various kinds of cultures and peoples, and accordingly have to learn to embrace the difference.
Regardless of their social classes and the division, people voice for their concerns and try to find solutions in this on-going conversation within the dominant culture system. Not just unilateral input of their opinions or arguments, yet proactive communication through actions. Instead of engaging in the revolution to overturn the system as if they were intellectuals, those artists attempt to make a difference from inside to shake the traditions.
Hantoo has been challenging the authority by denouncing the lingering colonial impact and censorship during period of Martial Law, whereas the provocative messages within pile up to be strength. It eventually becomes a vision, or an exit for thoughts , mirroring the original revolt nature of human race. Its members, who were facing the colonel impact and the speech restriction across 1950 to 1970s, speak nothing but denounce the authority with metaphors in artworks. Only through the practice of body and art could we see the possibility of communication and integration.
Incidents, so to speak past expositions, which used to serve as tipping points, would stop generating meaning or promoting conversations. “Hantoo, as the occuring revolution,” catches the historical moment and social change in the rather raw, subjective and divergent way. It would eventually shake up the dominant norm with its lively cultural vitality– the everlasting Hantoo Movement.
Known for its activist members, Hantoo Art Group has been hosting solo or collective exhibitions since its establishment in 1998, which posed a great impact on Taiwanese art community. In 2017, Hantoo’s HARDCORD RALLY with Hantoo Art Group in National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. In 2018, Fight Club－Hantoo 20th in Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, and Poson in Taitung Art Museum. In 2020, Hantoo went back to where it started, FreeS Art Space, to put up OldWays, Young Hantoo 2020. This year, we shall see Hantoo 2021: Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining in Pingtung Art Museum.
Hantoo has been through the great shift of our social, economic and political landscape in the 1990s, when martial law was lifted, carrying the revolutionary energy and four decades of memories. The name, Hantoo hence emerges in every single art museum, art gallery and exhibition space. As an art group whose members are born across 1950-1970, Hantoo draws public attention through their issue-based collection of works, addressing our own subjectivity, local post-colonialism, humanity, reflections on environment and human beings, fake news and reality, and so on.
When looking back at those well-structured works with strong argument to the issues addressed, we can see Hantoo remains invariably gentle and careful but still impassioned and romantic. As if they are the vivid characters in Shui Hu Zhuan, ready to meet the wave of history, loving the land they were born and raised in wholeheartedly. After all these decades, it is doubtless to say that their efforts could be pointing to a purpose of or a contemplation on ourselves, our lives, and our existence. Starting from scratch, Hantoo stands as a declaration or a symbol that calls for rally, criticizing the propaganda during the period of martial law. While as the end of martial law finally comes, their attention shifts from defending their values to exploring modern issues; however, Hantoo remains downright rebellious.
Unlike the painting association back in the 90s, Hantoo, as a pioneer art group whose mission is straightforward and well known to the people, is positioned to be a historical document by many associations who intend to locate its importance and exclusiveness in Taiwanese art history. As time passes, though they used to express their thoughts via graphic works, now these artists try new materials in respective ways. Unignorably, they attempt to extend the use of their body to be an instrument of art. Just as Weijing Li says, “[it is] to defend the presentation of an image in a Hantoo way,” taking graphic paintings as a diffusion of “symbols,” and communicating with its audience using a rather visual system, where emotions and imagination propel the possibility of actions.
Hantoo has been ceaselessly promoting arts for more than 20 years, and keep evolving systematically with its own art language, and exploring their own art emblems. Historically, Hantoo is not only a cultural document but a collective memory of a generation. Just as it is stated in its very first exposition Hantoo Art Group Major Exhibition, “Art is something we could learn to appreciate.” Therefore, when we are trying to interpret Hantoo as an art movement, we could probably grasp a better sense of what Hantoo really is today: If we view Hantoo as a perspective considering its historical background, we could clearly recognize the interweaving property between Hantoo itself and the artists within. Between these two parties, there is inclusion but also independence, personal autonomy yet justifiably aligned to its core value. The movement forms a network, where they give recognition to one another, and thus creates the philosophy in the co-evolution, “to push forward the mission: to stand by one’s faith and defend their ideology.” Nowadays, Hantoo, as a movement, goes not only for a universal purpose or a general rebellion, but it amplifies the diversity and sensitivity to create meanings. At meanwhile, it proposes a social space, in which an imagination of every person or social issue being equally seen and valued is possible.
Provided the colonial history on this island, Taiwanese has faced with consecutive disturbance form western or non-western countries, which is especially more complex than merely the power transfer, when it comes to the power struggle involves the colonel, residents from coastal provinces of China and the native Taiwanese. Dominant groups deprived other people of their own tradition and custom through cultural, educational and political approach, shaping another form of exploitation. However, once certain group of people are viewed as a marginalized part of the society, the privileged ones would thus take it as a norm to the carry on repressions and discriminations. Today, with the aggression of those political systems and people brought in by the globalization, Taiwanese should be introduced to various kinds of cultures and peoples, and accordingly have to learn to embrace the difference.
Regardless of their social classes and the division, people voice for their concerns and try to find solutions in this on-going conversation within the dominant culture system. Not just unilateral input of their opinions or arguments, yet proactive communication through actions. Instead of engaging in the revolution to overturn the system as if they were intellectuals, those artists attempt to make a difference from inside to shake the traditions.
Hantoo has been challenging the authority by denouncing the lingering colonial impact and censorship during period of Martial Law, whereas the provocative messages within pile up to be strength. It eventually becomes a vision, or an exit for thoughts , mirroring the original revolt nature of human race. Its members, who were facing the colonel impact and the speech restriction across 1950 to 1970s, speak nothing but denounce the authority with metaphors in artworks. Only through the practice of body and art could we see the possibility of communication and integration.
Incidents, so to speak past expositions, which used to serve as tipping points, would stop generating meaning or promoting conversations. “Hantoo, as the occuring revolution,” catches the historical moment and social change in the rather raw, subjective and divergent way. It would eventually shake up the dominant norm with its lively cultural vitality– the everlasting Hantoo Movement.