Yangmingshan is a two channel video installation comprised from footage shot in the Yangmingshan National Park outside Taipei. It is a collaborative project between Boe-lin Bastian and Mark Reid.
When the Republic of China Government moved from Nanking to Taiwan, Chiang Kai Shek took up residence in a traditional Japanese house in the Yangmingshan area.
Many years after his death, the residence was burnt down. The Mayor of Taipei did not wish to speculate on whether the fire was an act of political arson. He pointed out that historical buildings and monuments are blameless in times of conflict- that people are responsible for protecting these remnants of the past. The house was rebuilt in replica over the next few years.
Today the park is predominantly frequented by busloads of mainland Chinese tourists who visit its volcanos, hot springs and cherry blossoms. This work surveys the landscape, considering the frictions and inconsistencies between past and present, within the context of this historical site.