German Artist Franziska Fennert Shares Recycling Art With Taiwan
German artist Franziska Fennert, known for using recycled materials to create works of art, is here in Taiwan to share her philosophy.
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00:00 Carving an Indonesian puppet out of an unconventional material,
00:04 sheets of recycled plastic.
00:06 This is part of a workshop by artist Franziska Fennert.
00:10 The German artist has long called Indonesia home,
00:14 making a name for herself as an outspoken critic of the harms of global capitalism.
00:19 Her use of recycled materials reflects this,
00:23 and her hope for a more sustainable economy.
00:26 Now she's sharing that philosophy here in Taiwan.
00:30 Waste is a resource.
00:34 And in waste we find the key to heal capitalism, to make it holistic.
00:40 So to give life and re-conceptualizing all kinds of materials that people don't want anymore.
00:50 This is Fennert's first time in Taiwan.
00:53 Aside from holding workshops, she's also running a solo show in Taipei.
00:58 Among the works on display, these paintings of natural scenes.
01:03 But look closely, and you can see man-made waste littering the landscapes.
01:08 Also on display are these sculptures made from a very special medium called plastic stones.
01:15 These stones are made out of plastic waste,
01:18 and are the material used for this art project, Monument of Anthropocene.
01:24 The monument marks a milestone for Fennert.
01:26 She's working with scientists, architects, and residents to build it in Indonesia's Yogyakarta region.
01:33 It'll be a multifunctional structure that features Fennert's sculptures.
01:38 And its artistic form comes with valuable function.
01:41 It will also serve as a recycling station for locals.
01:45 So actually the goals we should have are clean water, fresh air, healthy soil,
01:51 and respectful relations to all humans and also to all other beings.
01:59 And this is what I try to reflect on now with paintings and the sculpture.
02:07 Hoping to create a dialogue with children,
02:10 Fennert chose a subject that she thought could be more relatable to Taiwan, puppetry.
02:16 The country has its own long puppetry tradition.
02:19 This type of puppet is known as Wayang Kulisto,
02:23 and is a signature of Indonesian artist Saudi Bey, a friend of Fennert's.
02:29 For this workshop, the German artist added some personal touches,
02:33 introducing characters from both Indonesian folklore and German mythology.
02:39 And it's about creativity and exploring anthropology.
02:43 So it's about understanding stories of different origins,
02:47 about different art, culture, and history.
02:50 And also it's about being an architect, about being able to design certain things,
02:55 and to be able to actually create something using new tools and materials.
03:00 Because we can use different tools and make new things that I've never done before,
03:07 and then it also requires a lot of patience,
03:11 but then after you finish it, it can be a very beautiful piece of artwork.
03:17 No one workshop can change these children's futures.
03:26 But Fennert hopes that her ideas can spark the younger generation's imaginations,
03:31 and lead to a future where garbage is no longer applied on the environment.
03:37 Klein Wong and Yujing Huang, for Taiwan Plus.
03:40 (screaming)
03:42 [Screaming]