ugly bao
ugly bao project 2024-2025 multi-media (photography, video, sound design and performance)
ugly bao project - baos' passport photo
(photography)
How did the project begin?
Since 2023, I have been undertaking a self-appointed artist-in-residence programme. I make buns in the central factory of a restaurant specialising in Taiwanese cuisine. During the days of mass-producing food on the production line, the workers would always weed out the imperfect buns - or ugly buns, as we call them - for various reasons. Staring at these unique-looking buns due to their substandard appearance, the idea of reinterpreting inferior goods through art came to me.
I started to bring home the ‘ugliest’ bao every day and take a portrait with the background of the baking paper I used in the factory. After keeping a record of the image, I would eat the ugly bao. In the spirit of ‘Process Art’, I have transcribed the process of eating the buns into random melodies through sound media technology. The progress of making food audible through performance art provides an alternative way of appreciation.
ugly bao project - I'm holding it in hands kissing it on lips
(performance and sound)
(ongoing)
"What's wrong with this bun?" is a unique artistic practice that delves into the delicate balance between aesthetics and everyday objects through the scrutiny and critique of bao appearances. In this project, each bao is meticulously examined, from its shape and proportion to surface texture, leaving no detail unnoticed. We engage in a question-and-answer format, evaluating each bun photo, identifying its aesthetic flaws, and discussing how these imperfections impact the overall production and visual effect. This iterative process of scrutiny and discussion is not only a pursuit of product aesthetics but also a redefinition and reflection on "flaws" in everyday items. Through this dialogue, the project transforms ordinary bao bun into a form of artistic expression, prompting us to reconsider what is "beautiful" and "ugly." Ultimately, these "imperfections" in the bao reveal the challenges of the production process and reflect our diverse interpretations and expectations of perfection.
・by ChatGPT