
Hong-Kai Wang is an interdisciplinary artist based in Taipei, Taiwan. Her research-based practice is informed by the unceasing tension between languages, ideologies, identities, and knowledge regimes. She was one of the represented artists at the Taiwan Pavilion at the 54th Venice Biennale.
WANG, H.O.N.G.-K.A.I. (2014) BIOGRAPHY, Hong-Kai Wang. Available at: https://www.w-h-k.net/info.html (Accessed: 2023).
The Flesh & the Phantom

The Flesh & the Phantom- a production of a show for the development of Reservoir Lyren, a half-empty reservoir 12 metres deep near Zurich. Switzerland’s largest reservoir was built 20 years ago to prepare for a possible future water disaster. Other participating artists include internationally renowned David Toop, Tomoko Sauvage, Jen Reimer & Max Stein. In addition to Reservoir Lyren, And includes Alter Botanischer Garten (Botanical Garden), Warmebad Kaferberg Swimming Pool and Lake shore near Cassiopeiasteg/Rote Fabrik.
The Flesh & the Phantom joined five local artists in the reservoir (Sophia Garner, Carolina Grifoll Argemi, Michael Hoi Ming Du, In cooperation with Gereon Sievi and Jie Wang, a script written by myself was rehearsed and discussed through the workshop, and combined with the sounds collected from the field recording archive and Wang Hongkai in the pre-determined and flooded areas of Meinong Reservoir in Kaohsiung, combining spoken language, behavior, singing and field recording, to form a performance of about 20 minutes.
Zurich began building its Reservoir Lyren 20 years ago. Since the 1990s, however, Hakka villagers in Meinong, in southern Taiwan, have waged a decades-long campaign against the reservoir. In both places, proposals to build reservoirs have had a huge impact on the natural and cultural landscape. Between the two very different options of building a reservoir and anti-reservoir, this project attempts to create a dialogue space, trying to expand the connection between these two living Spaces on a geographical level, while also trying to make the infrasound of past labor or passing sound audible in the empty Luren reservoir. Wang Hongkai will work with workshop participants to study acoustic materials collected from the archives and Meinong, and have a dialogue with specific fields of Luren Reservoir. These materials come from nature — seismic waves, hydrology, even the vibrations of tropical forests — but also from the cultural heritage of the inhabitants, the collective spirit, and the history of dissent. These seemingly noisy combinations will be translated and brought to life through participatory and interpretive performances. The project is also an opportunity to reflect on how water, an essential element of life, has been deformed and constructed in our imagination of sustainability, modernity, and anxiety about the future.
For me:
The combination of sound and nature has profound meaning. Especially in the current global climate change crisis, the audience is invited to think about the problem of human to nature from the perspective of sound art. Her works gave me new ideas about the combination of sound and nature, and also gave me the idea of cooperating with her on natural sound art.
First of all, natural sound refers to the sounds that come from nature, such as birdsong, wind blowing branches, rain, river turbulence and so on. These natural sounds have their unique characteristics, they can bring people a unique natural emotional experience. The characteristics of natural sound can be divided into basic characteristics and additional characteristics. Basic features include frequency, pitch, and force, while additional features include time and volume variations, as well as different types of noise that may be present. Basic features help us distinguish between different types of natural sounds, while additional features help us understand them more deeply.
In addition, nature sounds can be used to help us understand how the natural world is changing and how humans are affecting it. By learning more about the sounds of nature, we can better understand the complexity of nature, so that we can better protect the natural environment and better understand our own connection to nature. Natural sounds are important in helping us better understand ourselves and the world we live in. By studying natural sounds, we can further explore the relationship between humans and nature, as well as the nature of sound.
Bringing voice to today’s global climate change crisis, human beings are paying more attention to how to protect and preserve the natural environment and how to use natural resources effectively. Studying the nature of natural sound, and how to use it artistically, can help us think about these issues in terms of sound.
Studying the sounds of nature can also arouse people’s attention and respect for nature, so as to promote our correct understanding of nature and take effective measures in environmental protection. In addition, by making people more familiar with the nature of natural sound, it can stimulate the public’s enthusiasm for art and promote the development of society. Through the perspective of sound art, it reminds us to respect nature and cherish resources in order to protect our environment.
Cooperation
Through collaborative thinking, we can delve into the nature and characteristics of sound from multiple perspectives, helping us better understand the complexity of sound. It is even more important to think collaboratively about natural sounds in today’s climate change climate. It is possible to think collaboratively about different artistic representations of sound and explore the nuances of sound to gain a better understanding of how natural sounds affect our daily lives. At the same time, we can delve deeper into the relationship between natural sounds and today’s global climate change to better protect our environment.
In the cooperative thinking of natural sound, various methods can be adopted, such as collecting natural sound recording data, analyzing the characteristics of natural sound, exploring the nature of sound, comparing natural sound in sound art works, and proposing natural sound protection policies, etc. Only through multi-angle and multidisciplinary cooperative thinking, can we better grasp the essence of natural sound art.
Finally, I am interested in the combination of sound and nature. The combination of sound and nature can better express the relationship between human and nature and interpret the interdependence between human and nature. In addition, the natural sound itself can express more emotion, thus enhancing the emotional experience of the audience. Finally, the combination of natural sounds allows us to delve deeper into the nature of sound and lead to more meaningful thinking. Think about our environment from the perspective of sound art and strengthen our awareness of environmental protection.