The Sixth Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art

179 Charwei Tsai’s art engages the viewer in a very direct and intimate way. For Tsai, art is a type of meditation through which she explores philosophical questions relating to ethical living and compassion. As part of her practice, she often invites audiences to find their own space of contemplation and possible connection. This desire to share with the viewer is present in works such as the ‘Mantra’ series, which imaginatively explores the Buddhist prajnaparamita or Heart Sutra. Begun in New York in 2005, the ‘Mantra’ series involves Tsai writing the Heart Sutra onto flowers, mushrooms, tofu and other organic materials that change form and gradually decompose. Tsai memorised the Heart Sutra text as a child in Taiwan: its central message relates to the transience of the individual and the universe, the acceptance of which enables a meditative state of emptiness and non-suffering. Tsai invites her audience to engage in the materialisation of this spiritual lesson through the transformation of the object on which she has written. Tsai’s choice of materials for the works in the ‘Mantra’ series often reflects the location in which the work is made, enabling direct connections with the viewer. In Brisbane, she chose locally-grown mushrooms, inscribed by monks from the local Buddha Light Association as a form of performance during the course of APT6. Tsai also created Sky mantra 2008–09 — writing the Heart Sutra onto a large piece of glass which reflects the changing conditions of the sky overhead. Tsai references a long tradition of calligraphy as a form of meditative practice. By writing, she is able to establish the ongoing presence of her body in relation to the work: the absent human presence evident in the handwritten text, continuing to attract viewers whether or not they understand its meaning. In the projection work Circle 2009, with its image of a circle drawn in black ink on a block of melting ice, Tsai continues to reflect on ideas of emptiness and transience, now articulated through the act of forming a circle and watching it disappear. Used as a tool of meditation by Zen monks, the calligraphic drawing of a circle, or ensō , involves emptying the mind in order to let the body–spirit create. It is believed that the way in which the ensō is drawn fully exposes the character of the drawer. Inviting an audience to hold a projected image of her ensō as the block of ice melts, Tsai places herself in their hands. 1 Tsai likens the handwashing in her work Hand washing project 2009 to that of a ritual cleansing. 2 Visitors to the Gallery of Modern Art wash their hands in the bathroom basins, over which images of people of different ages and cultural backgrounds washing their own hands are projected. In this work, Tsai is interested in exploring the possibility of unexpected interactions between people. The invitation to viewers and visitors to place their own hands within Tsai’s Circle and Hand washing project projections can also be seen as creating a network of touch — Charwei Tsai A space of contemplation Tsai gently evokes the perception of touch suggested by overlapping hands to stimulate a sense of intimacy with absent others. The artist’s engagement of her audience through touch creates opportunities for more empathetic personal exchange. I find it interesting that the cause of major social discriminations, such as racism [and] sexism, all begin from a visual impact. 3 Charwei Tsai produces art which offers myriad connections between artist and audience, and between viewers. Her intimate and meditative works act to dissolve the barriers we erect between ourselves and others. Ruth McDougall Endnotes 1 Tsai only discovered the Zen tradition of ensō after creating Circle and likens it to a visual manifestation of the Heart Sutra. 2 Charwei Tsai, email to Suhanya Raffel, Queensland Art Gallery, August 2008. 3 Tsai, email to Suhanya Raffel.