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400 years ago in the far east
An island with a beautiful wonderland
Sailors called it Formosa
Wonderland was full of sika deers
There was a legend
If the sika deer got close to you
You would be safe and prosperous on this voyage

"Mobile Temple" links the 400-year historical relationship between Taiwan and the Netherlands. The Netherlands colonized Taiwan 400 years ago. 1623, the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie came to Formosa, they built a Castle-- Zeelandia, in South of Taiwan. Meanwhile, they starting to write history/logs about Taiwan. That is to say, the beginning of the history of Taiwan is from the Dutch. The document shows Dutch took lots of buckskins to sell to other countries. Then, there is no deer in Taiwan until 1984, the National Taiwan Park tried to restore the Formosan sika deer. I made a gold idol, the Formosan Sika Deer Buddha, and took it into the Mobile Temple bring it around Nederland. in my view, the deer is the hero. The self-sacrifice made my country history. In our culture, the temple is for the hero, which could make people miss him/her. We also make a wish to the hero, hoping him/her could help us. If you see the "Mobile Temple", please come and make a wish to the Formosan Sika Deer Buddha. He will make your wish come true and give you good luck all year.

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Lin Yusheng's "Mobile Temple" artwork is a portable temple installed on a bicycle, which features a gold statue of the Meihualu Bodhisattva. Through this artwork, Lin attempts to address the historical relationship between Taiwan and the Netherlands, specifically the colonization of Taiwan by the Dutch. However, the artwork also allows for a broader discussion of cultural differences between the East and the West.

One way to discuss these differences is through the use of religious symbolism. The Meihualu Bodhisattva is a significant religious figure in Taiwan, and the gold statue used in the artwork is a reflection of the cultural importance of religious icons in Taiwanese culture. The use of the statue in a portable temple installed on a bicycle may seem unusual to Western audiences, who may be more accustomed to traditional church buildings and religious ceremonies. This contrast highlights the cultural differences between the East and the West in terms of religious practices and beliefs.

Another way to discuss cultural differences is through the use of materials and aesthetics. The artwork is made using materials and techniques that are specific to Taiwanese and Dutch cultures. The gold statue and the use of red and gold in the temple are common features in Taiwanese religious art, while the use of portable temples is a common practice in Taiwan. Meanwhile, the bicycle, which is the base of the artwork, is a common mode of transportation in the Netherlands. This blending of cultural elements demonstrates how the artwork can be viewed as a bridge between cultures and how cultural differences can be embraced to create something new and unique.

「Mobile Temple」作品呈現出東方廟宇文化與西方自行車文化的融合,這展現了東西方文化差異的具體表現。此外,作品中供奉的梅花鹿菩薩也揭示了東西方宗教信仰的不同。

從作品的製作過程中,林祐聖從台灣帶去了梅花鹿菩薩金色雕像,使用荷蘭當地的材料製作廟宇,這表現了不同文化之間的交流和融合。同時,在荷蘭穿梭的過程中,這個移動廟宇也將東方文化帶進西方社會,進一步體現了文化差異與交流的可能性。

因此,從「Mobile Temple」作品中可以看出,東西方文化差異的存在不是一個無法彌合的鴻溝,而是可以透過不斷的對話、交流和創造,實現文化的互補和融合。

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2022年,德國卡塞爾文獻展,Fridericianum博物館展演。

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