Autumn, breeze, space, playlet and travel…it’s hard to decide which will be the most memorable. “Close to You Festival” is an event between small puppet play and urban mini-tour, which is also something between an experiment in art and the experience of the space in the alleys. Hidden beneath, are secret look, adventure, and wildly creative feedback that provoke more discussion between artists and the audience that therefore shapes a delicate sense of closeness.
Entering into its sixth year, as well as our first year being biennale, we intend to make an excursion from Taipei into New Taipei City, challenging the “Taipei-centered” philosophy and rethink about the meaning of “distance/local.” Meanwhile, we invite artists from different districts to share their stories regarding local experiences, such as cultural and community arts worker Tsai Yi-lun(Tamsui District), puppetry artist Robin Ruizendaal (Yongle District) and poet Shiah Shiah (Guting District). On the other hand, our programs consist of shows by veteran puppetry troupes from the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, as well as by multi-disciplinary artists from Taiwan, including puppet artist, Beijing opera troupe, mime artist, performance artist and set designer who are ready to strike the world of puppetry, slightly yet precisely.
During past five years, it’s been our core concept for “Close to You Festival” that “doing one little thing right is doing something big.” However, this “little thing” is rather complicated. Under limited resources, it demands a large crew to draw out the essence of “the little.” It requires exquisiteness of the work, closeness between performer and the audience, a customized tour guide, and also needs to face the difficulties from the “little” itself. Nevertheless, as long as someone remembers our promise in autumn with this smiling orange face, there will certainly be “Close to You Festival.”
14-23. Oct. 2016 Taipei: Tamsui, Daqiaotou, Guting
20mins / performance
*The total duration of each area tour (including walking) is about 100 minutes
★10.14-16 Tamsui
Schnitzel of Love
[Germany] Stefanie Oberhoff (DE), Lilith Becker (DE)
@Jiu Kan 28 Art Space
Hua Jung Wu Tao—a trail leading no way out
[Taiwan] Hsu Po-ang, Wang Chen-hua, Blue Chen / Poyou Set
@Red castle 1899
play house
[Taiwan] Fang Yi-Ju, Ku Hsuan, Tsao Yu
@Soup Puppet Playhouse
★10.18-22 Daqiaotou
Birdheart
[USA] Julian Crouch(UK), Saskia Lane(USA)
@Bin House
Untitled Routine
[Taiwan] Ke Der-Fong, Tsai Yi-Wei, Chen Yeh-Ying / Tain Group
@ Yangxi Art & Caffe Cielo
Perpetuum Mobile
[Taiwan] Wen Szu-ni, Stefano Trambusti(IT) / C-turtle tactic
@Taipei Contemporary Art CenterTCAC
★10.21-23Guting
Rusty Nails& Other Heroes
[Netherlands] TAMTAM objektentheater
@Joyful Living
ma ma ma
[Taiwan]Wu Pei-yi, Yu Pei-jen
@Galerie F&F
Soul-Sick Zoo
[Taiwan]Wu Hsiu-ho, Ye Mi-Mi
@SSTH creative collection
Artistic Director：Shih Pei-yu
Artistic Consultant：Spica Wobbe
Artistic Adviser：Damiet van Dalsum
Production Manager：Liu Pao-shan
Production Coordinator：Cheng Ya-wen
Technical Supervisor：Wang Yi-chi
Ticketing Manager：Liu Yu-chun
Promotions Director：Chen Ching-yun
Editorial Copywriter：Wang Hsih-chi
Publicist：Lai Ying-ling
Illustrator & Graphic designer：Baozi Chen
Internet Supervisor：Chuang Wan-ping
Translator：KO Ka-leng, Nana Kuang
Network Engineer：Stanoo Cheng
Live Recording：Very Mainstream Studio
Photographer：Tang Chien-che
