Check out the article published today in Art Radar Asia about my most recent curatorial project in Taiwan. Here is the link:
http://artradarjournal.com/2015/06/26/taiwans-ecological-art-revolution/

I was interviewed recently by Art Radar writer Michele Chan, and she wrote an article featuring the new international eco-art project I curated this year at the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology in in Keelung, Taiwan.

Michael & Anna Rofka’s artwork titled “House of the Sea”, one of 9 sculpture installations in the 2015 NMMST environmental art project

My previous posts on May 31 and June 2 in this Blog give more information about this environmental art project. Also, you can see more on the Museum’s website at http://artproject2015.nmmst.gov.tw/en.html

The exhibition features site-specific sculpture installations by Ashish Ghosh, Firman Djamal, Michael & Anna Rofka, Sarah Havilland, Sue Bamford, Rudi Punzo, Yi-chun Lo, Chris Lee and Hung Wei Lin.  The artworks remain on view in Keelung, Taiwan through 8/31/2015.

This article also mentions the Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project (http://artproject4wetland.wordpress.com )
in Cheng Long, Yunlin County, Taiwan, that I have been curating each year since 2010.  The 2015 Cheng Long Wetlands art project featured site specific environmental artworks by 5 international artists:  Chao-chang Lee, Roger Rigorth, Maris Merlin, Tsuneo Sekiguchi, and Chris Varady-Szabo.

“Water Core” by Roger Rigorth at the 2015 Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project

Art Radar Asia also had an article about the Cheng Long eco-art project in Taiwan back in April, 2015.

It is great that Taiwan is being recognized as a leader in environmental art in Asia!

It’s great to be back in the USA after 3 months in Taiwan. All of the art projects there went well, but it is good to be home and planning some activities nearer home.

I wanted to let you know about the class in Sculptural Papermaking I am teaching this July at Sitka Center for Art & Ecology in Otis, Oregon. Sitka Center is on the beautiful central Oregon coast, and it has great facilities and really nice people. My class runs from July 13 – 16.

You can get all the information and sign up online at https://www.sitkacenter.com/classes/detail.lasso?recid=2163

The class currently has 3 people registered but we need 2 more to make it go. Please check it out and sign up or contact other friends who might be interested. This class will really be fun and a chance to learn all about 3-D papermaking. Let me know if you have any questions, and please pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested.

SCULPTURAL PAPERMAKING
Instructor: Jane Ingram Allen
07/13/2015 – 07/16/2015
10:00 am – 4:00pm
$325 Tuition, plus $10 Material Fee
Total Cost: $335
Minimum Age Level: 16+
Skill Level: All skill levels
Description
Explore different fibers and techniques for three-dimensional forms and sculptural
installations with papermaking. Design and create a paper-based sculpture while
sampling a variety of techniques including casting in molds and over forms, using
armatures and sculpting pulp-like clay. The workshop will also cover various
pouring techniques and ways of working with pulp over sculptural screening and
sewing net forms for paper pulp. Various finishes and additives for paper pulp as
well as different fibers will be used in the workshop. Each participant will design
and make a handmade paper sculpture during the workshop and do several
samples that can be developed further.

Thank you and hope to see you in the workshop at Sitka Center.

I am enjoying the time here in Keelung Taiwan curating the first environmental art project at the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology in Keelung, Taiwan.

Here is a link to the Museum’s website, and you can click on the map by the “Letter” indicating each artwork to get the information about each artist and the individual artworks.  http://artproject2015.nmmst.gov.tw

Below are photos of each artist’s sculpture installation just 3 days before the opening on Saturday June 6!  The works are created during a 25-day residency in Taiwan by the 8 selected artists:  Ashish Ghosh – India, Firman Djamil – Indonesia, Michael & Anna Rofka – Germany & Ukraine, Chris (Kuei-chih) Lee – Taiwan, Rudi Punzi – Italy, Sue Bamford – UK, Sarah Havilland – USA, Yi-chun Lo – Taiwan.

“Exiled Reef” by Chris Lee – Taiwan

”

House of the Sea” by Michael and Anna Rofka – Germany & Ukraine

“Resounding Dome” by Rudi Punzo – Italy

“Black Kite Bench” by Sarah Haviland- USA

“Spokesmen for the Ocean” by Sue Bamford – UK

“Gift of Light” by Yi-chun Lo – Taiwan

“Living in Rompong” by Firman Djamil – Indonesia

“Dream Boat” by Ashish Ghosh – India

Photos are by Timothy S. Allen (allentimphotos2.wordpress.com)

The opening day for the NMMST International Environmental Art Project “Paradise – Sustainable Oceans” is Saturday June 6, with public participation activities with the artists.  The artworks will remain on view through August 30 and probably longer.

Check back here for photos of all the finished installations after the opening this Saturday.

Art Projects in Taiwan for Spring 2015

Jane will be in Taiwan from March 12 to June 9, 2015 and will be doing 3 art projects this year:

March 16 – March 31: Artist in Residency, Wutong Foundation, Zhubei City, Hsinchu County, Taiwan

Jane will be an artist in residence at the Wutong Foundation to create a site-specific artwork using handmade paper she will create from local plant waste materials. The “Wutong Site Map” artwork will feature the natural and geographic aspects of the local area as well as its cultural features and the current garden and tree planting projects of the Wutong Foundation. Jane will also teach a papermaking art workshop for local people and present a lecture and hold open studios for people to see the process and join in the process.
Jane has created unique artworks that she calls “site maps” in many residencies around the world, and with these works she uses only local plant materials and other natural and recycled materials collected in the place to make the handmade paper. Then she does mixed media painting, drawing and collage on the handmade paper constructions to create a two-sided suspended artwork. The Wutong Site Map will be displayed at the Wutong Foundation in Zhubei City. Check the website for more information: http://www.wutong.org.tw/en/about-us.html

April 9 – May 4: Curator and artist in residence, Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project, Cheng Long village, Yunlin County, Taiwan Check the Blog at http://artproject4wetland.wordpress.com

Jane has been the Curator for the Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project since she initiated it in 2010. This year Jane has selected 5 international artists who will also be in residence in Cheng Long village during this time to create site-specific environmental installations on the theme of “Fragile – Handle with Care”. This year, in addition to curating the project, Jane will create a site-specific art installation herself. Jane’s artwork for Cheng Long will be a “Cheng Long Site Map”, and she will make handmade paper from local plant waste materials and use other materials collected in the place to create a large-scale suspended two-sided artwork that can be moved around to different sites in the village. Jane will involve the local community and the school children in the papermaking process and have an open studio so that people can join in the papermaking with local plants process. The finished Cheng Long Site Map as well as the community handmade paper artworks will be displayed in Cheng Long Village at a selected site and remain on view in Cheng Long. For more information about the Cheng Long Wetlands International Environmental Art Project, see the Blog at:
http://artproject4wetland.wordpress.com

May 14 – June 8: National Museum of Marine Science & Technology International Environmental Art Project, Keelung, Taiwan

Jane is starting a new environmental art project in Taiwan this year working as the curator with the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology in Keelung, Taiwan. The theme for the art project is “Paradise – Sustainable Oceans”, and the artworks will be outdoor environmental sculpture installations about ocean sustainability and the goal of keeping the beautiful northeast coast of Taiwan a “paradise”. Jane is in the process of choosing 6 foreign artists and 2 Taiwanese artists from over 200 applications, and she will announce the selected artists on March 15. These selected artists will come to Keelung for a 25-day artist in residency May 14 to June 8 and work with the local community, volunteers and visitors to create site-specific works around the Museum and the community. Jane will be staying in Keelung also during the art project to help the artists and supervise all aspects of the NMMST environmental art project. The opening weekend festival will be June 6 and 7. For more information about this art project see the Museum’s website at: http://artproject2015.nmmst.gov.tw/en.html

I have 4 handmade paper artworks on view now through May 15 at Marin Community Foundation, Novato, CA (SF Bay Area) as part of the exhibition “Transitions” curated by Patricia Watts. Click here for information about the exhibition and directions to the Marin Community Foundation exhibition space. http://www.marincf.org/contact-us
These are photos of my artworks installed at Marin Community Foundation. One work “Salmon River Estuary Site Map” is downstairs just to the right of the entrance to the building. Another work “Pt. Reyes Site Map” is installed on the large wall over the stairway leading to the 2nd floor exhibition space. Two other works in my ongoing series of handmade paper quilts are installed in the second floor exhibition space. Hope you can go and see this exhibition before the show closes on May 15.

The photos are taken by Timothy S. Allen, and please click here to take a look at Tim’s photo blog:  http://allentimphotos2.wordpress.com