N E X T .

The Clamshell Connection (回收蛤殼)

2012 Taipei and ChengLong

  • Salvaged mosaic ‧ validating food system ‧ circular socio-materiality ‧ rural revitalisation

Commissioned by ChengLong Wetlands Environmental Art Project curated by Jane Ingram Allen and in collaboration with Michelle Yunju Huang, Vivian ChiaYing Wang, TeYu Wang, YunLong Shyu, Rachel Chan, Jonni JongWoon Hsu, WeiLin Pan, and WanNing Chen.

Customers of clams in Taipei – vendors and seafood chefs – were asked to collect and return the empty clam shells to Cheng-Long where most of the delicacy is produced. In return, these recyclers co-determined the mosaic design created from their empty shells. Eventually 10'000 clam shells were recovered. Applied with 30 kg of mortar into a large-scale mosaic on the support wall of Highway 61, the artwork faces toward the farmers of clams, shrimps and milkfish in this rural region of south-western Taiwan.

The mosaic design was chosen by clam customers and is facing the wetland farmers.
Vivian ChiaYing Wang asking seafood vendor in Taipei to collect empty clam shells.
Most clams in Taiwan are farmed in the region around ChengLong.
Collecting clam shells.
Jonni JongWoon Hsu cleaning and sorting clam shells.
Mosaic work with views over the wetlands.
Outlining design with chalk first.
Detail of hatching that adds dimensionality to design.
Soil Feeder
Seafood vendor asked to chose favorite mosaic design and collect clam shells.
Soil Feeder
Completed mosaic in the wetland context.
Soil Feeder
Clam collection and return form.