Rahic Talif
Rahic Talif (Taiwan, b. 1962) is a professional artist born into the Amis Makota’ay village of Hualien. He works in a wide array of fields including wood sculpture, installation art, performance art, architecture, and furniture to rework indigenous tribal culture and society. Due to the tribal age hierarchy, he has also served in the position of mama-no-kapah (father of youth), in which he held responsibilities in guiding young people, and managing the entire tribe. From his collection of tribal myths, oral histories and visits to old tribal sites, Rahic has sought to relearn tribal wisdom and help tribal members participate in art exhibitions locally and internationally. In his works, he uses driftwood imbued with life and memories as his main medium, creating pieces that depart from the usual and general perception of aboriginal art. Many of Rahic’s works reflect aspects of ocean culture and traditional tribal spirit. He has also proved particularly adept in art installations that uses honed sculpted lines and precise language to convey environmental dialectical thinking on the issue of globalization, as he discusses the collapse of communal structure and major social change.
Rahic Talif received Asian Cultural Council Fellowships in 2000 and 2012 to attend to …
Rahic Talif (Taiwan, b. 1962) is a professional artist born into the Amis Makota’ay village of Hualien. He works in a wide array of fields including wood sculpture, installation art, performance art, architecture, and furniture to rework indigenous tribal culture and society. Due to the tribal age hierarchy, he has also served in the position of mama-no-kapah (father of youth), in which he held responsibilities in guiding young people, and managing the entire tribe. From his collection of tribal myths, oral histories and visits to old tribal sites, Rahic has sought to relearn tribal wisdom and help tribal members participate in art exhibitions locally and internationally. In his works, he uses driftwood imbued with life and memories as his main medium, creating pieces that depart from the usual and general perception of aboriginal art. Many of Rahic’s works reflect aspects of ocean culture and traditional tribal spirit. He has also proved particularly adept in art installations that uses honed sculpted lines and precise language to convey environmental dialectical thinking on the issue of globalization, as he discusses the collapse of communal structure and major social change.
Rahic Talif received Asian Cultural Council Fellowships in 2000 and 2012 to attend to observe traditional and contemporary art activities in the United States and to participate in the 2012 Shanghai Biennale. “After traveling to the United States, I finally realized how big this world is compared to my tribe. Small and remote, it could disappear at any time: this thought woke me up. My role as an artist has been redefined. I now search to express both contemporary and traditional spirit in my work, exploring my own reflections on the past and present. Through creativity, I work to increase awareness towards the current condition and preservation of aboriginal culture.”
Courtesy of the Asian Cultural Council
