2024.12 - 2025.1
Residency at Casa Tagumerche, La Gomera, Canary Islands
I. Amazing! Grand Opening of the ¿…? Art Exhibition
To celebrate Christmas Day, we decided to have an art exhibition for ourselves. It was (probably) the first exhibition in a reservoir on La Gomera.
Each of us showed or read what we had made within a week or so at the residency. I came up with the name of the exhibition ¿…? and made the poster. (I kept saying "amazing" and it became a running joke among the residents. I was also amazed by the Spanish question marks I saw in a palm museum and at the exit of tunnels.)
Each of us showed or read what we had made within a week or so at the residency. I came up with the name of the exhibition ¿…? and made the poster. (I kept saying "amazing" and it became a running joke among the residents. I was also amazed by the Spanish question marks I saw in a palm museum and at the exit of tunnels.)
We didn’t expect people to come, but there was one hiker who “ola”ed to me, a hiking couple who rang the bell, a car that stopped and read the poster, and a Belgian couple who came around 4:30 and had Appelflappen.
For the coupled hikers, they rang the bell around 2pm and asked if they could see the show earlier. We said we were still preparing. The guy asked if we were real artists. Rawnie and I looked at each other. Then Rawnie asked him, what is a real artist then? The guy said real artists have business number, sell work regularly, and are represented by galleries. The guy said he is an artist, too.
So, what is a real artist then? And what is real art?
For the coupled hikers, they rang the bell around 2pm and asked if they could see the show earlier. We said we were still preparing. The guy asked if we were real artists. Rawnie and I looked at each other. Then Rawnie asked him, what is a real artist then? The guy said real artists have business number, sell work regularly, and are represented by galleries. The guy said he is an artist, too.
So, what is a real artist then? And what is real art?
II. First Time Snorkeling
I always hear from other people about wonderful things I have never experienced. Several of the residents were describing their snorkeling experiences. So, during the grand opening of the exhibition, I learned to snorkel for the first time in my life.
(Maybe turn on the sound, although it's silent film.)
(Maybe turn on the sound, although it's silent film.)
III. Wanderlust
As an experienced tourist, observer, outsider, I took a lot of pictures and videos on my phone. On an ordinary day just like every day else, it occurred to me that I should make a mockumentary with my own narrative about the island.
(For each episode below, the text in the voice-over came after I put together the video clips.)
(For each episode below, the text in the voice-over came after I put together the video clips.)
On the Plants of La Gomera
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On La Gomera, trees know their directions.
They follow their hearts. Among the many trees here, there is a magical forest. It is said that the best time to visit is when it’s rainy. And windy. That’s when the magic enters you. And your immune system. One of your amigos on the island is the palm. Do you know that palms are not really trees, but herbs? They are closer to grass, corn, lilies, and onions. The fashionable ones wear belts. Of different sizes and colors. Their eyelashes are long and thick. They cry in the rain. And their eyelashes fall. And become tusks. One of the residents on the island is cactus. There are different types of cacti here. These ping pong bats are your besties. There are many of them. They are called Opuntia, or Prickly Pear, originally from Mexico. Both the fruit and pads are edible. But don’t touch the fruit barehand. Or you can throw them at people that you don’t like. Sometimes they have trunks. In Chinese, the word for cactus translates as “palm of an immortal person”. But they are mortal. |
On the Signs, Posters, and Activities of La Gomera
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On La Gomera, signs remind you of different kinds of danger.
Achtung, starke Strömung. (Attention, strong current.) You also need to watch out for the people. You will often run into maps and info about the region. Or scan the QR code if your phone has service. Like anywhere else, people like to leave their traces. I paint, therefore I am. I print, therefore I am. The advertisements on La Gomera are pretty straightforward. They offer excursions to the ocean or the mountains. The flyers are usually put under stones. Otherwise, they fly away, just like you. If you move yourself, you move everything. There are different kinds of activities on the island. Every day there is something new. All you can dance. Art exhibition. You can meet DJ Goodtime. And DJ Real Happy. Monday is movie day. Girl, you know it’s true. Yin Yoga with singing bowls. Transformative breathwork. They also have day care for children aged 4 and older. This is the place for you to arrive at BEING. Ankommen im SEIN. |
On the Shops of La Gomera
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You will find a lot of shops and restaurants near the beaches.
They are quite exotic. You can visit Buddha. As well as Colorado. You will find colorful clothes. Colorful sugar. Sugar and flour. And therapies. You can find the opening hours on the windows. Music is a thing here. It’s often represented in graphic form. You can hear the sound by just looking. Outdoor exercise equipment is also a thing here. Especially when you have too much Coca Cola. |
On the Animals of La Gomera
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Where are the canaries in the Canary Islands?
In Latin, “Canariae Insulae” means “Islands of the Dogs”. Here we definitely have birds with propellers. Some sheep. Some fish that massage your feet. Some penguins and reindeer. Some bees in boxes. Some birds that you only hear but never see. Cat and mouse. Koi that bring you good luck. Moth that goes toward the fire. Fly with an aim. Squid without a shell. Lizard that doesn’t move. |
On the Reservoirs of La Gomera
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Where does the water on the island come from?
Where does it go? Reservoir. Reserve. Voir. Voilà. A reservoir is not so different from a swimming pool. The stairs lead to the underworld. The bottom is sloped. Good for surfing. Sometimes there are doors on the side. They tell you when you will be born in the next life. You can turn the water on and off. The water goes through everything. And end up in the air. So do you. |
On the Beaches of La Gomera
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On La Gomera, the beaches look just like what beaches look like.
You can do all kinds of beach things. Just pay attention to jellyfish. There is a statue of the hero who, in 1488, led the Rebellion of the Gomeros, during which the natives of the island killed the territorial lord. What marks do you want to leave of your existence? Some people choose to be close to nature. They find a shelter wherever they go. How are people different from rocks? They come together and break apart. Come together and break apart. |
On the Transportation of La Gomera
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There are different ways to move around on the island.
You can sit in the cradle of an excavator. You can call a taxi. You can rent a car. With antenna in the shape of a palm. Don’t forget the mirror. Protect yourself from the sun. Otherwise, you get freckles. You can also walk. There are logs to keep you from rolling down the hill. Remember to stop when it says stop. There are markings on the rocks. Smile. You are not alone. |
On the Weather, Climate, and Roads of La Gomera
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What time is it in the sky?
Did stars just fall on the ground and become a river of light? La Gomera is shaped like a tangerine. Its roads are as winding as your intestines. You might occasionally see cars. Ladders. Persons. And question marks. The climate on the island is mild. The weather forecast brings hope. You just need to wait. And become one with the mist. It’s windy. But the fans never turn. Sometimes sand from Sahara comes for a visit. This is a clear day. This is a not-so-clear day. But even on a not-so-clear day, you can still see Jesus. Meanwhile, you might want to wear a mask. And enjoy the dance. |
Extra fun on Wanderlust:
What I like about being in a residency (and traveling in general) is that I can hear stories from real people and experience things with all my senses instead of getting information from a book or a screen. One major finding after getting on the island is that the dominant population on the island is Germans. (Sometimes you hear Dutch and British English, too. People from the rainy north go to the south for the sun, just like migratory birds.) Not surprisingly, I had just had 4 months of intensive German theater history class before I went - I thought I was going for a break, but found myself at the eye of the most authentic German vacation.
What I like about being in a residency (and traveling in general) is that I can hear stories from real people and experience things with all my senses instead of getting information from a book or a screen. One major finding after getting on the island is that the dominant population on the island is Germans. (Sometimes you hear Dutch and British English, too. People from the rainy north go to the south for the sun, just like migratory birds.) Not surprisingly, I had just had 4 months of intensive German theater history class before I went - I thought I was going for a break, but found myself at the eye of the most authentic German vacation.
IV. Gretchen im Reservoir
Before I came to the residency, I had conceived a performance + outdoor guided tour piece at school, in the middle of which I was going to sing Schubert's "Gretchen am Spinnrade" (a passage from Goethe's Faust Part I). But expectedly, half way through the experience, before we got to go outside, everybody left because people had duties.
Four weeks later, on the last day at the residency, I still wanted to sing this song. Sadly, I never let go of the grudge. I never let go of myself. I realized doing Ph.D. and attending this residency are the same kind of imprisonment - I am Gretchen.
In Chinese, there is a proverb which translates as “draw a prison on the ground”. I take it literally.
Meine Ruh’ ist hin. Mein Herz ist schwer. Ich finde sie nimmer, und nimmermehr.
My peace is gone. My heart is heavy. I shall never, ever find peace again.
Four weeks later, on the last day at the residency, I still wanted to sing this song. Sadly, I never let go of the grudge. I never let go of myself. I realized doing Ph.D. and attending this residency are the same kind of imprisonment - I am Gretchen.
In Chinese, there is a proverb which translates as “draw a prison on the ground”. I take it literally.
Meine Ruh’ ist hin. Mein Herz ist schwer. Ich finde sie nimmer, und nimmermehr.
My peace is gone. My heart is heavy. I shall never, ever find peace again.