August 1 is "Indigenous Peoples Day," a day not only to commemorate the arduous journey of gaining official recognition for Indigenous peoples but also to promote public awareness and understanding of Indigenous cultures, emphasizing the importance of ethnic identity and cultural diversity. To celebrate this special day, the National Center of Photography and Images is hosting the "My Indigenous Perspective" photography seminar, exploring how indigenous people create photography from their perspectives.
The seminar will feature speakers including Tseng Chiung-Hui, Deputy Director of the Cultural Marketing Department at the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation, curator Liu Hsiao-Hui, and artists Tien Ming-Chang and Chin Cheng-Tsai, who will share their experiences from the "Indigenous Photography Exhibition: Multi-View Perspective: Tribal Imaging" empowerment project. In this three-month project, the speakers reviewed the historical context of Indigenous photography and led participants in capturing daily life in the tribes, showcasing contemporary Indigenous realities through the participants' lenses.
Historically, indigenous imagery has often been presented from an external "other" perspective, rarely reflecting the self-view of indigenous peoples. To cultivate a new generation of Indigenous photographers and help them develop new perspectives from past imagery, the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Foundation launched the "Multi-View Perspective" photography exhibition last year and a photography empowerment workshop this year. This seminar will introduce the history of Taiwanese Indigenous photography and share how new-generation creators use their self-view to focus on ethnic culture, creating new possibilities for visual storytelling.
Images serve as an important medium for expressing self-identity and reflect the cultural diversity of contemporary society. In the exhibition "Self-Images in Multiple Mirrors" held by the National Center of Photography and Images, young indigenous artist Lale'oxalan Baraqutan (Guo Yueyang) will showcase works themed around tribal land, culture, and sustainability. This exhibition features outstanding works of different ethnicities, genders, and cultural identities, using photographic creations to reflect on self-identity and showcase the diversity of Taiwanese culture.
"Self-Desire" by Lale'oxalan Baraqutan (Guo Yueyang) (Photo/Courtesy of Ministry of Culture website)
For more details about the event, please visit the "Current Events" section and social media platforms of the National Center of Photography and Images: ncpi.ntmofa.gov.tw
