“Ethanol, Fitness, Media Blur – Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Intoxications So Different, So Appealing?”  — Lo Yi Chun’s Solo Exhibition at NCCU Art Center. 

Once upon a time, people extracted salt by evaporating seawater and brewed alcohol from sugarcane syrup. Alcohol derived from molasses was not only intoxicating but also served as an essential military supply in aviation history and is now a sought-after biofuel. In contrast to the countless trades, wars, and colonization driven by the pursuit of sugarcane in the past, people today are abstaining from sugar and actively engaging in fitness to sculpt their bodies. Sugarcane has been transformed from an agricultural product into a tropical economic commodity that has spread throughout the world through the routes of international trade and the cycles of capitalism, becoming an inextricable hallmark of civilization and various commercial consumption systems.

In today’s world, where media and information are deeply intertwined with daily life, addiction rides the waves of capitalism, expanding globally. It is continuously triggered and transmitted through the screens in everyone’s hands, blurring the lines between various forms of compulsive behavior. Sugar cravings, alcohol dependence, obsessive fitness routines, and internet media consumption now overlap in complex ways, creating a landscape where traditional addictions merge with modern digital habits.

This exhibition reexamines contemporary cultural phenomena through the historical lens of the sugarcane industry. By utilizing an immersive gym-like space, it explores the power dynamics and flows of tropical economic crops within the global trade system. The installation delves into society’s transition from physical labor to deliberate exercise, while also investigating the nature of intoxication in our information-saturated era. Through this multifaceted approach, the exhibit draws compelling parallels between historical agricultural practices and modern lifestyle trends.

Sucrose and Molasses Alcohol

Sucrose, though never a necessity, has profoundly altered global tastes and become a widespread addiction. It played a pivotal role in integrating Taiwan into the global economic trade system, emerging as one of the island’s first export products and generating substantial profits for the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. Later, during the Japanese colonial period, molasses-derived alcohol gained strategic importance as it was refined into high-purity ethanol and butanol, serving as crucial aviation fuel in Japan’s Southward Expansion strategy. This transformation illustrates sucrose’s evolution from an agricultural product to a commercial commodity and vital military resource. In contemporary fitness culture, sugar occupies a paradoxical position: it’s both a source of calories and a pleasure-inducing stimulant, yet viewed as an “addiction” to be eliminated during muscle-building and fat-reduction regimens. Similarly, alcohol embodies a duality in athletic contexts, symbolizing desire and temptation while being recognized as detrimental to muscle recovery and overall athletic performance.

Fitness and Modern Capitalism

In contemporary society, there’s growing recognition of the “diseases of civilization” caused by excessive sugar consumption. In response, a culture of high-intensity strength training and fitness regimens has emerged. This fitness and movement to burn more calories, propelled by modern capitalism, aims to counteract the negative health impacts stemming from sugar’s global proliferation. It promotes an active lifestyle and mindset as antidotes to sugar-related ailments. Interestingly, this approach not only addresses the physical toll of sugar but also creates a framework where indulgence in sugar-laden products for mental pleasure can coexist with health-conscious behaviors. The fitness industry has rapidly expanded to include a wide array of supplements, innovative exercise modalities, and specialized gym spaces, all designed to balance the pleasures and perils of sugar in modern life.

The Societal Shift from Labor to Exercise

Intriguingly, the muscle groups engaged in traditional agricultural labor closely resemble those targeted in modern gym workouts. The popular “farmer’s walk” exercise, for instance, mimics farmers carrying heavy loads, training the core much like actual farm work. Historically, agricultural tasks in rural communities were often intertwined with martial arts training for homeland defense, embodying the strategy of embedding military preparedness in farming. In contrast, modern fitness relies on sophisticated machines to sculpt specific muscles, supplemented by various nutritional products to achieve an attractive physique and enhanced athletic performance. The fundamental transition from labor to exercise essentially represents a shift from producer to consumer roles in society. This transformation renders the relationship between labor and exercise akin to a two-way chain, simultaneously contrasting and intertwining with each other.

The Intoxication of Contemporary Informatization

As sugar addiction, alcohol consumption, and fitness culture evolve into an intricate web, our media-saturated and information-rich society becomes a fertile breeding ground for desires. We find ourselves immersed in a world where the boundaries between reality and desire are increasingly blurred. Adapting to new bodily rhythms and consumer lifestyles, we align our spiritual lives with emerging standards and beliefs. However, in our rapidly advancing information age, the past, present, and future are swiftly manipulated, analyzed, and predicted. Faced with an overwhelming abundance of information and a constant barrage of temptations, we are left to ponder: How can we effectively navigate this labyrinth of confusion? In a world where digital stimuli and physical cravings intertwine, the challenge lies in maintaining our autonomy and discernment amidst the noise.

This exhibition creates an immersive gym space using fitness equipment crafted from sugarcane residues, serving as a metaphor for the complex history and power dynamics of sugar. Through this innovative setting, it explores the multifaceted journey of sugar – from its trade routes and global flow to its modernization and processing, and examines the societal shift from labor to exercise from the perspective of physical movement. By juxtaposing historical context with contemporary media and our information-saturated lives, the exhibit stitches together past and present through bodily experiences. It captures the various layers of intoxication and desire that permeate both historical narratives and contemporary realities, revealing the intricate interweaving of sugar’s legacy with modern lifestyle trends. This multisensory approach invites visitors to reflect on the enduring impact of sugar on our cultural, economic, and physical landscapes.

Venue: NCCU Arts & Cultural Center, Taipei 
From September 18, 2024 till December 18, 2024
For more information: https://artist.nccu.edu.tw/2024fall/ex.html