The Reunion (Taiwan to New York)
The Reunion (Taiwan to New York) is an architectural intervention where the front door of my New York apartment is rigged to open and close simultaneously with the front door of my distant family in Taiwan. A 1:1 replica of my apartment, shown in the group exhibition Off Site at Time & Space Limited, Hudson, NY, allows viewers to witness this door’s motion in real-time. The installation is paired with related images and documents, creating a mediated connection across the Pacific and exploring themes of simultaneous intimacy and separation.
Materials: Pinewood, Plywood, MDF, Plexiglass, Acrylic Paint, Acrylic Glaze, IKEA Furniture, Laminated Floors, Ceramic, Insulation Foam, Foam Coat, Fridge, Stove, Carpet, Framed Photographs, Photocopy of Drawings, Spotlights, Door Opening Motor, & Receiving Arduino connected to a live transmitting sensor in Taiwan
Dimensions: 11' x 21' x 9' 4"
Interior Shots:
The Notes on the Fridge:
April 4, 2024
The silence was deafening, and only grew louder as the clock ticked. This was the first full day when my front door remained closed.
April 5, 2024
The front door would often open and close starting around 7:30 PM, with a pause in between. Around 10 PM or 1 AM, the front door would re-open, and usually remain open for an hour or two; sometimes the front door remains completely open for the rest of the night, from 3 - 6 AM, and finally opens either at the start or end of its cycle at 7:30 AM.
But the front door remained closed today, which worried me a great deal. I learned a huge earthquake hit Taiwan yesterday.
Video Walkthrough (2:42mins):
Video of Door Opening (1:02mins):
Detail Shots:
Special thanks to Andrew Yong Hoon Lee, Halsey Rodman, Ching-Ping Lin, Jack Li, 林靜嫻, Jenny Jisun Kim, Talia Fox, Aleda Rosenblum-Katz, Kay Flynn-Murray, Mark Coyler, Maite Iribarren Vazquez, Weihui Lu, and the members of Coop Fund.