Co-hosted by Sunpride Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (MOCA), the groundbreaking Spectrosynthesis – Asian LGBTQ Issues and Art Now will be the first exhibition dedicated to LGBTQ themes to go on show at an art museum in Asia.
The title, ‘Spectrosynthesis’, combines two words “spectrum” and “photosynthesis” and explores the “spectrum of light” as its central theme, with the exhibition intended to shine light on the LGBTQ community’s rich and diverse history. The rainbow, as seen in a spectrum, is a symbol of the LGBTQ community, representing its diversification.
Light is a fundamental source of energy for life on Earth, nurturing all living species fairly and equally, qualities synonymous with the principle purpose of the exhibition’s co-organizer Sunpride Foundation, which supports artistic practice and promotes equal rights for LGBTQ individuals through research and discourse on contemporary art.
Around 50 works created by 22 artists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, Singapore, and also ethnic Chinese artists based in the United States and Canada will be presented. In addition, a series of tours, talks and public activities will be held at MOCA throughout the exhibition period, calling for public participation to start an open dialogue, and stimulate thoughts on human equality. Guest speakers include Taiwanese writer and scholar Chi Ta-wei, writer Hikaru Lee, playwright Chien Li-ying, and LGBTQ activist and political candidate, Jennifer Lu.
As the very first thematic exhibition on LGBTQ issues at a government-run art museum in a Chinese society, Spectrosynthesis features works of art that span nearly half a century. Under the vision of independent curator Sean Hu from Taiwan, the exhibition looks at life stories and related issues of the post-war Chinese LGBTQ community.
The exhibits touch upon subjects such as identity, equality, social oppression, stigmatization, lust, as well as life and death. The works focus not only on real predicaments that LGBTQ people face on a daily basis, but also provide comment on the evolving social structure, which is very likely to change in the foreseeable future.
The exhibition builds on from similar thematic exhibitions that are beginning to become more commonplace in the West. In 2017, two prestigious British museums Tate Modern and Tate Britain, both organized large-scale thematic exhibitions of several LGBTQ artists, to honour and highlight their artistic achievements without discrimination due to their sexual orientation.
Such exhibitions and research projects have been conspicuously absent from the Asian art scene however, although Taiwan is widely recognized as the most progressive and supportive centre of LBGTQ rights in the region and is highly likely to become the first Asian territory to legalize same-sex marriage.
“Spectrosynthesis is the first exhibition I have curated related to LGBTQ issues,” says Sean HU, curator of the exhibition. “During the last three years while preparing for the exhibition, I have witnessed a growth in discussions and debates on LGBTQ issues in Asia. The recent constitutional decision in favour of same-sex marriage in Taiwan is of particular significance.”
“Spectrosynthesis hopes to stimulate thoughts and challenge values and perspectives on human equality. All parties involved in the exhibition take love as their starting point, and I hope this will be the beginning of an open dialogue on the topic,”
“We are thrilled to co-host this exhibition with MOCA Taipei, a museum which embraces the spirit of innovation and challenging new issues,” comments Patrick Sun, the Executive Director of Sunpride Foundation. “Sunpride Foundation has been supporting the LGBTQ rights movement in many different ways, and we feel deeply that the movement needs both legal sanction and, more importantly, social inclusion. It is our hope that Spectrosynthesis will have a positive impact on the general public, not just in Taiwan but across Asia, as further step towards fostering a more equitable and harmonious society.”
“Contemporary art should be more than just pleasing to the eye. It should also respond to topical issues as a means to communicate cultural values and open up dialogues with the public,” notes Pan Sheau Shei, Director of MOCA Taipei. “Through art, the citizen can broaden their vision and better understand the world.”
