Taiwan: Preserving memories of Losheng · Global Voices
The Losheng Sanatorium was built in 1929 by Japanese government when Japan colonized Taiwan. It was originally named Rakusei Sanatorium for Lepers of Governor-General of Taiwan (台灣總督府癩病療養樂生院）. During the Japanese colonial period, leprosy patients were forced to live in the sanatorium for quarantine and treatment. Ironically, it has become their only home after all these years of isolation. However, due to the construction of the Taipei Mass Rapid Transportation, many buildings in the sanatorium were forced to be removed, and the residents dislocated.
The action of saving the Losheng Sanatorium has not been as successful as many people hoped. Many buildings in the sanatorium have been and are still being torn down. Yet, many still try very hard to keep the Losheng community together and preserve their memory of their dear home. <PERSON> frottage workshop is one of the initiatives.
The demolished Losheng Sanatorium. 310
Photo courtesy of Chyng.
The Japanese frottage artist, <PERSON> (岡部昌生; ヴェネチア・ビエンナーレ) heard the story about the Losheng Sanatorium, and he decided to hold a frottage workshop to help people preserve their memory of Losheng. The frottage workshop was held on 3/22, for the sanatorium residents and their supporters. There are a number of carry-on discussions about the workshop.
about_fish talked about what she thinks about frottage.
「你跟土地最近的距離，有多遠？」
這是我看到日本拓繪家岡部昌生創作過程的照片後，最想問自己的話。
How far is the closest distance between you and the earth?
This is the question I want to ask myself most after watching the photos that present how Japanese frottage artist, <PERSON>, rubbing a crayon over a piece of paper.
「拓繪」是種把紙覆蓋在物質表面上，擷取歷史痕跡的藝術，要擷取土地的記憶，必須要趴下或跪下或蹲下，跟土地達到零距離的接觸，持續一段時間才能完成。整個過程，宛似宗教的虔誠，越是抱著對歷史和土地的敬意，越能吸取彼此之間的對話。
To create “frottage art,” we need to put a piece of paper on an object. This art is about recording the trace of our past and recording our memory of the earth. To do it, we must bend over, kneel down, or squat so that we can contact the earth directly for a period of time. The whole process is like a religious ritual. We must respect the history and the earth so that we can hear they speak to us.
<PERSON> demonstrated the making of frottage art. Photo courtesy of loshengschool.
Photo courtesy of loshengschool.
In a forum held in the National Taiwan University, <PERSON> and his fellow Japanese artist, <PERSON> (港千尋; みなと ちひろ), talked about why they held the frottage workshop in the Losheng Sanatorium. <PERSON> said it is about we losing the memory of our past:
這次應邀來台，主要是為樂生院。 368