Married with Taitung
"It is not until the scenery has become a part of our lives that we would truly know Taitung."
Taitung, a place that was chosen by five women from different cities, is designated to be where they settle for the rest of their lives. Through interviews in depth, we open the gate to their daily routine, picking up the story pieces and put together all the pieces into the outline of their lives in Taitung.
「在風景成為日常之前，我們都還不夠認識臺東。」
臺東，五個來自不同地方的女人，選擇移居到這裡生活，透過人物紀實採訪，我們走入她們的日常，拾起故事的片段，拼湊出臺東的生活輪廓。
Yi Zhen CHEN
"No one knows where they truly belong at the beginning—until they take the first step toward change."
Former residence: Taipei / Current residence: Nanwang Tribe, Taitung
After leaving her job as a flight attendant at EVA Air, Jenny became a tour guide in Palau. Upon returning to Taiwan, she faced setbacks in both her relationship and career. Determined to start anew, she left Taipei for Taitung, a place filled with cherished childhood memories. But the story didn’t suddenly fall into place—what awaited her was an even greater challenge.
陳怡臻
「沒有人一開始就知道自己屬於何處，直到你邁出改變的第一步。」
原居住地：台北 / 現居住地：臺東南王部落
Jenny從長榮空服員的工作離開後，到帛琉成為導遊，回台後面臨感情與工作的挫折，她決定離開台北，來到兒時記憶中美好的臺東，故事並沒有突然變得順遂，等待她的，是一場更大的挑戰。
Jennie Miller
“No longer just taking from this city, but learning to become a small force that can give.”
Former residence: Texas, USA / Current residence: Dulan Tribe, Taitung
Minli was brought to Taitung by the waves. She came to Taiwan fourteen years ago and moved to Taitung six years ago. The waves brought her and her husband, Aguang, together. Taitung wasn’t what she originally imagined—it wasn’t a place where she could surf every single day. Instead, she learned to be alone, to not stay in the ocean too long, and to live simply and kindly with nature.
Jennie Miller
「不再只是從這座城市『拿』，而是練習成為可以『給』的小小力量。
原居住地：美國德州 / 現居住地：臺東都蘭部落
敏莉是被浪帶來臺東的，十四年前她來到台灣，六年前搬到臺東，浪把她和老公阿光捲在一起，臺東不是她當初想像中，以為天天都可以衝浪的地方，她練習獨處，練習不要待在海裡太久，練習善待自然的簡單生活。
Ting Ju YANG
“Let the calluses on your hands and the mud between your toes prove your love.”
Former residence: Changhua County / Current residence: Katratripulr Tribe, Zhiben & Donghe Township, Taitung
Sister Xiao-J comes from Changhua and once lived in Kenting for many years. At the time, her then-boyfriend Afu wanted them to move back to his hometown in Zhiben, Taitung. The uncertainty and worries made it hard for them to reach an agreement—until one day, they managed to grow vegetables in a single Styrofoam box. The first time she tasted something she had grown with her own hands, Sister Xiao-J knew: she was ready.
楊婷如
「用雙手的繭、腳指縫裡的泥土，證明你的愛。」
原居住地：彰化縣 / 現居住地：臺東知本卡大地布部落、東河鄉
小J姐來自彰化，曾在墾丁生活很長一段時間，當時還是男友的阿富想帶她一起回到老家臺東知本生活，各種未知和擔憂讓她們難有共識，直到成功在一只保麗龍盒裡種出菜，第一次吃到自己親手栽種的食物後，小J姐覺得自己準備好了。
Ya Li CHEN
"You don’t need to worry about who you are—just breathe together with the land beneath your feet."
Former residence: Mountain region of Chafang, Thailand / Current residence: Katratripulr Tribe, Zhiben, Taitung
Yali is from the Baiyi ethnic group of Yunnan and grew up in the mountainous Chafang area of Thailand. At 28, she came to Taiwan as a translator for migrant workers, where she met her husband. After getting married, they moved to Nantou, but following the 1999 earthquake, they decided to return to his hometown in Zhiben, Taitung. Though Yali seems fully integrated into tribal life, her daily experiences are still filled with cultural collisions.
陳雅琍
「不用在乎你是誰，只需要跟著腳下的那片土地，一起呼吸。」
原居住地：泰國茶房山區 / 現居住地：臺東知本卡大地布部落
雅琍是雲南百夷族，住在泰國名為茶房的山區裡，二十八歲來台灣擔任外籍勞工的翻譯，認識了丈夫，婚後搬到南投，遇上九二一大地震，他們決定回到老公的故鄉臺東知本，看似已經完全融入部落的她，生活裡仍然充滿許多文化衝突。
Mitsuko Tayama
"No matter where I came from—once I land, I strive to take root."
Former residence: Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan / Current residence: Taitung City, Taiwan
Mitsuko Tayama is a survivor of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Seven years ago, displaced and seeking refuge, she arrived in Taitung with her infant child, carrying only an old hiking backpack filled with baby supplies, her passport, and a small amount of travel money. Because of visa restrictions, she and her two children must leave Taiwan every three months. Though their official documents don’t yet say they are Taitung residents, their unwavering effort to belong, their gratitude, and their love for this city show that they not only will become Taitung people—they already are.
田山光子
「無論我從哪裡來，落了地，就努力生根。」
原居住地：日本茨城縣水戶市 / 現居住地：臺東市
田山光子是日本三一一大地震的受災戶，流離之所的她，七年前帶著襁褓中的孩子，只背了一個舊登山背包，往裡面裝滿嬰兒用品、護照與一些旅費就來到臺東。她和兩個孩子因為簽證，每三個月就要離開台灣一次。在身份欄位上，她們還沒能成為臺東人，但對這個城市如此奮力地追求、感謝與認同，她們終將會是，也早已經是。
2018
Married with Taitung
2018 | Taitung Design EXPO | 08/03-08/30 | Eslite Taitung Story Museum
adviser | Ministry of Culture, Council of Indigenous Peoples, Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs
organizer | Taitung County Government
executive Unit | Blue Dragon Art Company
artistic administrator | Rui Shin MAO, You Ching CHEN, Hung Yi LI, Ly Chia LIN
project assistant | Chi Yong CHEN, Yuan Chen CHANG
curator | Sheng Da TSAI, Cheng Tsung FENG
exhitbitor | Yi Chen CHEN, Ting Ru YANG, Ya Li CHEN, Jennie Miller, Mitsuko Tayama
documenter | Sheng Da TSAI
design director | Studio Kao Gong Ji
project designer | Wei Chun LIN
exhibition engineer | Hsien Ting KAO
2018
我和臺東結婚了
2018 | 台東設計展 | 08/03-08/30 | 誠品台東故事館
指導單位 | 文化部、原住民族委員會、經濟部中小企業處
主辦單位 | 臺東縣政府
執行單位 | 蔚龍藝術
藝術行政 | 毛瑞馨、陳祐菁、李紅逸、林律嘉
專案助理 | 陳琦顒、張媛珍
策展人 | 蔡昇達、范承宗
參展人 | 陳怡臻、楊婷如、陳雅琍、Jennie Miller、田山光子
攝影採訪 | 蔡昇達
設計統籌 | 考工記工作室
專案設計 | 林瑋群
展場工務 | 高獻庭