Sugar Nocturne: Candy Bird Solo Exhibition & Live Silent Film

Sugar Nocturne: Candy Bird Solo Exhibition continues the artist’s recent trajectory, exploring the migration routes of Chinese who came to Taiwan after the Chinese Civil War. By creating an atmosphere that hovers between the everyday and the allegorical, Candy Bird reflects on the inner state of Taiwan’s post-authoritarian society while also mirroring the fragility of contemporary democracy.

In the Live Silent Film performance, the artist transforms into a benshi—the live narrator of early silent films—to compose and perform a new narration for his video work Unnamed Nightshade. The text draws inspiration from “O Superman,” the signature song from American avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson’s 1982 debut album Big Science. That same year, amid the Cold War and before the fall of the Berlin Wall, was also the year of Candy Bird’s birth. For this performance, Candy Bird rewrites the original lyrics in the literary style of the celebrated Chinese novelist Eileen Chang, blending personal and historical resonances, as well as responding to the exhibition.

The performance lasts approximately 20 minutes. Following the event, a tea gathering will be held, during which Candy Bird will share reflections on the recent developments in his artistic practice and discuss his upcoming projects.

* This event is by RSVP only. Please send your name, affiliation, and contact information to honggahmuseum@gmail.com