Ruby Swana
Ruby Swana
LIFE AND CAREER
Born in 1959, Ruby moved to Taipei when she was 18 to become a shopwindow display designer. Her signature style of using natural elements in her display earned her a reputation among her colleagues.
In 2002, Swana formed the "Consciousness Tribe" with a few other artists (of both indigenous and Chinese descent) in Taiwan. The members of the Consciousness Tribe lived on a beach for several months with shelters and tools they built with driftwood they found. During the time, the artists also focused on creating their own projects with natural materials.
ARTWORK AND INSPIRATION
Swana, an Amis, found connection with the sea and the water through studying the curves and flows of driftwood, which is a key natural element the Amis people treasure and respect. She combined the use of lighting and wood carving into her artwork to create an imagery of her memory of her people.
MY REFLECTIONS
I chose an indigenous artist representative because I am interested and curious about how indigenous people choose to present themselves and their origin in an artistic way. I was not disappointed; Swana uses extremely simple lines and materials to present the most original form of her being -- water. It enlightens me to always appreciate humans' connection to the nature.