Wen -Hsi's ceramic Taiwanese bananas 陶瓷 -臺灣香蕉

Taiwanese bananas

My bananas 2015 Earthenware +porcelain 200 x 20 x 5 cm.The photo by Christina Freeth

As a Taiwanese woman living and working ‘ in between cultures (Taiwan and the UK)’ I have recognized how challenging it is to survive in a western society. I have been living in the UK for around 5 years and I suffered from a predicament of my own identity. I have been bullied in the streets, some of my friends have been spited at and had stones thrown at them, I have had rubbishes and water balls thrown at me, some people shout angrily to me, some people laugh at my skin colour and my Taiwanese accent when I speak English and so on.

Reference with 'The offspring 1998. Pretty Fly for a white Guy'. 2015 Earthenware 10 x 13 x 5 cm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzY2Qcu5i2A

I ask myself all the time.

What things do I do wrong to make people act this way towards me ?

Post –colonialism is a not just a theory. It is a real life experience.

My national identity and my skin’s colour seems to dictate on wether I have value to stay in the UK. 

Taiwanese bananas, 臺灣香蕉, 25x 20 x 13 cm.Earthenware +porcelain + enamel +Lustre 2015 The wall piece

I am using the bananas as a metaphor to discuss the colour of my skin, just like a banana it will never be white.

The photo by Christina Freeth

It also relates the Taiwanese cultural identity from a historical perspective with regards to the colonial period. My homeland Taiwan, is a place influenced by multiple cultures and there are many historical layers. Our culture has been exploited for centuries through occupation by many various national authorities. This has been for benefit for others rather than the country itself. Taiwan has been occupied in turn by Holland (1624-1662), Spain (1626-1642),  China (1683-1895) and Japan (1895- 1945) . Nowadays, Taiwan is trying to survive political pressure from China, North Korea, the U.S.A and Japan. The Taiwanese still face a challenging in finding a way to build and maintain a strong national identity, devoid of other’s imported ideas.

My homeland Taiwan was opened to the world market after imperial powers imposed on China during 1858 -1860. The resulting was growth of the export of camphor, tea and sugar. The pattern of agricultural relations of colonial authority never disappeared. Taiwanese bananas was one of the economic fruits when the Japanese government occupied the country during WW I to WW II.

Taiwanese bananas are chewy, sweet and small in size compared to the South Africa type.

The lake ripples and sparkles. 湖光掠影. 13x 19x 10 cm. The wall piece. Earthenware +Porcelain+ Peacock Green onglaze(93k1002) + Citranroon Yellow onglaze(93H1001)+ Vivid Turquoise onglaze (93N1000).2015

Furthermore, I would like to ask the question is Taiwan escaping from a Post-colonialism context?

I hope people like my ceramic bananas, I really appreciate your support. I would like to leave a positive message and say if you see someone who is not white please respect that person, a person should not be judge on her/ his skin colour and nationality.


Wen hsi Harman's website
http://www.wenhsichenceramics.com

Christina Freeth Photography
http://www.christinafreeth.com/work