Guest Speaker for East Asian Art
29 th February, 13:30-15:30

Title: The Oceans and The Labours

Intro:

As the first transport hub of the British Empire for the indentured labour system,
also known as 'coolies,' the East African island of Mauritius signifies a paradigm shift
in the global labour structure of the 19th century. Today, the island is still inhabited
by descendants of coolies, including many Hakka Chinese members. In this lecture,
Chihying will share recent field research, discussing how the Afrasian Sea region
gradually became an experimental ground for new labour and technological
advancements in the modern historical process after the Western colonial powers
abolished the slave trade. This also includes the Smart Island projects carried out by
contemporary Chinese technology companies on the island in recent years.

About lecturer:

Musquiqui Chihying
Visual Artist

Musquiqui Chihying resides and works in Taipei and Berlin. His artistic endeavors
focus on issues of post- and trans-modernity in the Global South, postcolonial
identity, and contemporary technology. He often employs media such as sound,
music, and moving images to construct a narrative vocabulary, offering alternative
perspectives on the interconnectedness of human condition and ecological
environments.