Joy follows like a shadow that never leaves
We once came across this Buddhist idea- ‘If one acts with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow that never leaves.’"
Our participatory art project, Joy Follows Like a Shadow That Never Leaves, unfolded over three evenings—December 28th, 29th, and 30th, 2018—in Pingtung Park, a historic site in central Pingtung City, Taiwan. The project takes its name from this phrase, reflecting on the nature of joy as something innate yet often overlooked—a presence that follows us, waiting to be recognized.
The work explores the tension between self-expression and cultural conditioning. Wan-Yi, untrained in dance, often danced spontaneously to Laidu by Malian singer Rokia Traoré in her studio. One day, she decided to record the shadow of this impromptu movement, which was later projected onto a screen in the park, inviting the public to step into the light and improvise their own responses. Whether dancing freely or observing from the periphery, each participant became part of the evolving choreography of presence and absence.
The simplicity of casting a shadow against projected light disguises a deeper cultural resonance. The decision to present this project in Taiwan was significant, as the local culture has traditionally placed more value on subtlety in public expression. This contrasts with the often encouraged self-expression found in the West. Growing up in Taiwan, we reflect on a society back then where self-consciousness often tempered public expression. The work gestures toward childhood’s unrestrained joy—a bodily language of playfulness that, in adulthood, is too often subdued. As we grow older, is it we ourselves or society that plays a greater role in suppressing self-expression? By offering a space where movement is free and unjudged, Joy Follows Like a Shadow That Never Leaves becomes an act of quiet liberation. Within the interplay of music, light, and movement, participants rediscover joy—not as something to be sought, but as something that has always been there.
Credits and Chinese description follow below.
Credits
Singer | Musician: Rokia Traoré
Song | Album: Laidu from Mouneïssa
Album Produced by: Label Bleu
This project was a non-profit public participatory art project and was sponsored by the City of Pingtung and Pingtung City Library in Pingtung, Taiwan. The song Laidu was used as part of the project in a public setting and appears in documentation on our website. We acknowledge and appreciate Rokia Traoré and the producers of Mouneïssa for their work.
誰來忘我? 喜悅如影隨行
聽過這樣一句話——『若以清淨心言行，則喜悅隨之，如影隨形，不曾離去。』我們的參與式藝術計畫《誰來忘我？喜悅如影隨行》於2018年12月28日至30日三個夜晚，在台灣屏東市中心的屏東公園展開。作品名稱來自這句話——喜悅並非遙不可及，而是始終伴隨我們，只待我們重新發現。
這件作品探討個人自我表現與社會氛圍。藝術家林婉怡未曾接受過舞蹈訓練，常在工作室即興隨著馬利歌手Rokia Traoré的歌曲《Laidu》起舞，決定錄下自己舞動的身影。這段影像被投影至公園的屏幕上，邀請公眾踏入光影之中，即興舞動，或以自己的方式回應。無論是投入舞蹈或僅是駐足觀看, 在音樂與光影交織間展開一場自由的對話。
投影光影的形式雖然簡單，卻承載著更深層的文化意涵。我們選擇在台灣發表這件作品是想透過ㄧ個相較於不同西方的含蓄文化來彰顯作品的意境。我們成長於台灣，在一個公共場合表達自我較為含蓄的社會環境下長大。社會的大文化是否約束了我們自在地表達自我。孩童本能地透過身體展現喜悅，無拘無束地起舞，然而隨著年齡增長，這種純粹的快樂似乎逐漸被壓抑了，是來自我們自己還是文化的影響。《誰來忘我？喜悅如影隨行》提供了一個不受評判、自由舞動的場域，讓參與者透著肢體重新找回純真的歡愉。在音樂、光影與即興律動的交錯之中，人們發現，喜悅並非遙不可及，而是一直都在。
致謝名單
歌手 | 音樂家：Rokia Traoré
歌曲 | 專輯：《Laidu》，收錄於《Mouneïssa》
專輯製作：Label Bleu
本計畫為非營利公共參與式藝術計畫，由台灣屏東市政府與屏東市立圖書館贊助支持。本計畫於公共場域中播放歌曲《Laidu》，並收錄於我們網站的紀錄中，以表現藝術概念。我們誠摯感謝 Rokia Traoré 及《Mouneïssa》專輯的製作團隊對此音樂作品的貢獻。