Purple Thorn

This project began with my fear of war between Taiwan and mainland China. This emotion came from dreams and also from social media. Therefore, I felt the urge to understand the source of my fear. It is necessary to re-examine this small island—Kinmen—where the Chinese National Party army retreated to and used as a military site no more than 100 years ago. The smell of war has never disappeared on the island. From plant species to food culture to living space, everything here creates a unique landscape based on the remains of war materials. The revival of plants marks the long silence of the island and, at the same time, the resilience of not only the plants but also the human beings.