In September 2024 I was asked to be one of the speakers at “We Are Born by the River: Collaborative Notes of Millennium River Basin Culture International Forum”. This international forum on the cutting edge of water-management, urban design and art was organized in the Tainan Art Museum in Tainan, Taiwan. Experts from Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and the Netherlands presented how rivers, seas and coastal cultures are woven in their work.

I was one of the two representatives of the Netherlands. At the Forum I explained among urban planners, city officials, social activists and scientists how I work as an artist and presented my recent works that focuses on the culture of Port Cities, their overseas and hinterland connections. Before a mixed public I was interviewed, followed by a dynamic and interesting q and a session. Also, I talked in detail to the international audience about the coastal culture in the Groningen and the Netherlands.

The days before and after the forum I was part of a group of experts that were guided around in the city of Tainan and its coastline to get an idea of historical and present local water culture. We visited the Beimen Sanliaowan Donglong Temple Complex and were introduced to tradition local traditions, shipbuilding and religion. At sea we visited a village of oyster farms, met the locals that explained us the skills of oyster farming. Finally, we had a dinner specially organized for us at the temple square with the elder and staff of the temple.

I hope to visit Tainan again for an art-research project in 2026. Thanks to Professor Gong Jow-jiun, Clio Hung and the rest of the organization the forum as a big success!

https://bornbytheriver.art/en/we-are-born-by-the-river-collaborative-notes-of-millennium-river-basin-culture
https://www.tnam.museum/