Ode to the Republic of China
Single-channel video installation
03'09''
2009-2010
For me, the song of Ode to the Republic of China is a political song symbolizing the existence of the Republic of China (R.O.C.) in people's collective memories in Taiwan. It depicts a country with magnificent landscape and abundant heritage. However, when I scrutinized its lyrics, I realized the lyrics were piles of symbolizers of China's landscape and history but there was nothing about Taiwan where the R.O.C. government and R.O.C. citizens call home. The song is basically a song of nostalgia about the glorious past of China that could not be restored. In this work, I taught foreigners how to sing this song and recorded their singing, trying to reflect the absurdity about the sovereignty of the R.O.C. only based on its past glory in the collective memories among the R.O.C. citizens currently living in Taiwan.