The Dream Community consists of many different projects:
1. Dream Parade
2. Story Festival
3. Aboriginal Parades and Puppets
4. The Day Dream Project
a. Metal
b. Glass
c. Mosaic
d. Paint
e. Installation
5. Travel Kitchen
6. Performing Arts
7. Festivals
8. Drumming
1. Dream Parade
The Dream Parade is now in its 13th year. Every year, a different group of artists from a different country has been invited to come design and construct the Dream Parade. The Team Arrives sometime in August and builds until the Dream Parade, which happens mid-October. The team is also responsible for creating costumes to go along with their float and teaching college students how to replicate and create dozens of these costumes I have only been present for 3 but here are a few examples:
Brazil 2009
New Orleans 2012
France 2013
(photos courtesy of Ian Chen)
2. Story Festival
Story festival happens in mid-November. It is an opportunity for visiting artists to share their storytelling traditions with Taiwanese storytellers. Usually there are a lot of children. This year the storytellers are hailing from Japan. Last year the guest artists were Annemiek Funneman and Christian Bloem from Holland. They were absolutely magical and adorable.
3. Aboriginal Parades and Puppets Travel Projects
Working on parades with the aboriginal communities is the best way to get to know Taiwan, see the most beautiful secret spots and pick up some Chinese. When Pandora Gastelum and I began touring the island in 2008, the Dream Community would literally drop us off with people we had never met deep in the mountains with some bamboo, rice glue and a couple of cans of paint. Times have changed. Now they usually leave you with an assistant from the Dream Community, but I actually think that this hinders the full immersion experience even though it may keep you from sleeping in an elementary school's janitor closet (which we did for about 2 weeks).
photo courtesy of Ian Chen
4. The Daydream Project
This is the project which I am currently curating and the project which it is hardest to articulate. The Dream Community added a few new buildings this year. Two of these buildings are luxury apartment high rises with studio space for artists, a cafe and restaurant, gym, rooftop and courtyard. The third building is a float den with all of the tools for building carnival floats and large parade art. Gordon's dream is to open up these buildings as an artists' playground and let all sorts of experimental artists decorate the facade of the buildings as well as open up all of the interior and exterior spaces for studio and sculpture. They began construction before realizing this vision so the buildings themselves feel industrial and bland, which will be an interesting juxtaposition to the art taking place here.
The Daydream project is broken down into 5 sub-categories; metal, glass, mosaic, paint and installation. The buildings have space that is completely open for addition. The entryways to the parking garage, float den, restaurant and main lobby are all open for addition. The courtyard and elevator rooms are empty. Right now, the only thing that really is functioning while the building is being constructed are the metal and glass stuios.
There will be a courtyard with tons of space for plants, sculpture and mosaic. Gordon has begun to install foundations and canvasses which can be broken down, planted into or built onto. It's a beginning template intended to change. The intention is to add large, ambitious sculptural works.
5. Travel Kitchen
Travel Kitchen is the life passion of Amy Tsai, Gordon's wonderful and fascinating younger sister. Her mission is to share life and culture by inviting and visiting people who love to cook. They come to Taiwan from all over the world and cook for locals and Taiwanese foodies and aboriginal tribes. Amy travels all over the world to find these kindred spirits and sets up parties. It's a pretty fabulous gig for the modern lady. Amy will also set up a permanent location for the Travel Kitchen's Restaurant in the new Daydream Project. See more about Travel Kitchen here: http://travelkitchen.org
6. Performing Arts
The Dream Community has a rolling deadline for applicants to come and do works of performing art. This can be a theater performance, the debut of a large piece of art, an interactive installation. As long an event which draws an audience, it is considered a performance.
The Dream Community also has a huge black box theater.
7. Festivals
The Dream Community hosts various cultural festivals, including the "beer festival", "Oktoberfest", "The Capoeira Festival" and the "Bollywood Festival" for the enjoyment of the community.
8. Drumming
Two or more drummers come every year to teach aboriginal kids and community groups how to be a drum core for parades. Typically, it has been Brazilian guys because they are the most charming.
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