Mysterious Formosan Clouded Leopard
Mysterious Formosan Clouded Leopard, 2019
Media: Bagasse, tobacco shreds
Dimensions: 160 x 220cm
I studied the Southeast Asian clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) found in Sumatra and Borneo for comparison of their fur patterns, habitat, movement, and distribution, and chronology of reported sightings to re-explore the legend of Formosan clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa brachyura) in Taiwan. The image of the clouded leopard is supplemented by the attribution of “Human-Beast shaped Jade” (人獸形玉玦) and the folktales of Rukai and Paiwan aboriginal people. Furthermore, the report by Robert Swinhoe (1836-1877) presented in 1862 at the London International Exhibition on Industry and Art, titled “On the Mammals of the Island of Formosa”, provided a scientific nomenclature for a rare, Formosan species of clouded leopard.
Presented at “Letter．Callus．Post-War“, Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei, Taiwan
2019.07.12 – 2019.09.22
Curator｜Chen Hsiang-Wen
Photos by Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts
Postscript
The work was created following a field trip during my participation in the exhibition ‘Letter.Callus.Post-War’ at Galeri Lorong in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
In addition, my prior research on the tobacco industry in Southern Taiwan, particularly my research and exhibition “Golden Jasmine“, has broadened my comprehension of tobacco. This plant has been transported across oceans and continents and has been valued as both a medicinal herb and an economic commodity for centuries.
