PORTFOLIO: Business Model
Revolution: the language of collaboration By Richard Chua
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he translation of international literary works into Mandarin for Taiwanese readers, while making the work more accessible, brings it into an interesting debate. We see these publications lining rows of bookshelves in the Taiwanese popular, albeit elitist, bookstore Eslite. To cultural critics, this is a sign of cultural hegemony, where international works, anchored in their own specific cultural milieu, are being forced into a Chinese one— the argument being that readers may be detached from understanding such works in their own context if they do not read them in their original language. This might be deemed necessary in order to fully appreciate their artistic merit. Interestingly, Taiwan, a world that intersects many, is in a good position to witness this phenomenon and it is one where artistic languages, as well as national ones, are creating new trends in business. Notwithstanding critics of such hegemony, Taiwanese publishers are responding to the possible relegation of Chinese language into a more subservient role by doing the same thing in a different language– they are bringing more international works, often published in English, into the Mandarin fold and from an exciting a new range of sources. Aaron Nieh and publisher Revolution-Star Publication are key activists in this movement. In my recent interview with Nieh, he showed great confidence in the literature of his native language – Mandarin, “As much as the Taiwanese publications look towards publication trends in the American and European markets in order to chart what to
Eiki Mori
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translate next, there is potential for original works in Mandarin to gain acceptance locally. However Mandarin works are yet to gain a strong footing in the world, for Taiwanese publishers haven’t been able to gain self recognition. To me, the new trend is always here, with us. All we need is to do is to engage in what we enjoy doing.” Indeed, pursuing his passion for publishing photo books, Nieh recently worked with Parson-graduated Japanese photographer Eiki Mori on a book project entitled Tokyo Boy Alone – one of his attempts to directly work with international artists in publishing books in Chinese Language, albeit with commercialism in mind. No doubt, this complex process was a challenging one, in formulating quality literature, creating unique design, formulating an effective marketing mix. Interestingly, in order to create an edge against the grain of commercialism, he has chosen to publish the book as a cult item – in a Chinese martial arts novel sense – not unlike a demonic sect. There are many who will not appreciate the aesthetics of a ‘demonic sect’ in the Chinese milieu (a highly subversive sub-cultural set-up
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PORTFOLIO Revolution: the language of collaboration
against mainstream culture), but perhaps it is just a label for a new wave of misunderstood arts businesses anchored in the Chinese world. Subversiveness itself might be a new business; but, in the realm of art of course, is a core artistic practice, for artists never readily accept the status-quo. However, anyone who has read the book Tokyo Boy Alone, would already know Revolution-Star and Nieh’s business strategy is to entice readers to engage in bourgeoisie voyeurism. Based on Nieh’s well thought out efforts at selecting the visuals and editing the book, to critique it as an object of self-indulgence is dishonesty at its best, if the imagery is designed to be visually palatable. It is evident that one of Nieh’s business strategies is to place emphasis on local and international collaborations, while keeping pace with the demands of the commercial world. With globalisation taking its toll on the world – we are living in a post-capitalist arena in which everything needs to be discursively justified. International collaboration might be an over-used word, but judging from the overproduction of art biennales around the world (Singapore, included) focusing on collaborations of all-sorts (especially with China and other Chinesespeaking societies); Nieh and Revolution-Star Publication will definitely enter the fray by establishing new forms of international collaboration, and with his own unique aesthetic sense. Undoubtedly, Nieh is in a
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Subversiveness itself might be a new business; but in the realm of art, of course, it is a core practice. good position to achieve this, in his native Taiwan; he has designed album covers for many well-known pop singers, not to mention winning the prestigious Golden Melody Award for his design on singer David Tao’s album entitled From Zero to Hero. Direct criticism is difficult. Such soft voyeurism is created with rigorous artistic intention; discursive justification in commercial products is made possible with unique artistic identities and combinations. So, it would be more constructive to study how new forms of commercial art are to be managed and adapted for contemporary times. With this case in point, and armed with such commercial accolades, Nieh seems poised to subvert the usual practice in Taiwan’s publishing world with his own unique sense of violent-eroticism in art books, and the like. In his recent interview with an online magazine, he claimed that the next book he would be working on – with a Chinese photographer with the moniker 223 – will be totally different from the present project with Eiki Mori – the latter being more cultish than the former.
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Eiki Mori
PORTFOLIO Revolution: the language of collaboration
There is a need to question an artist’s strategy in his or her art-work in a larger social context, in specific cultural milieus, in his or her works’ interaction with its audiences. As editor of the book, Aaron Nieh has an acute sense of what readers want, their reading habits, and their reading idiosyncrasies. There are lots of considerations involved. So, again, a critique of the ‘frivolity’ of commercialism itself is not a fair one. What’s at stake here is Nieh’s aesthetic considerations when publishing the book Tokyo Boy Alone. His working relationship with Mori is also of importance. According to Nieh, he did not pander to both the photographer and the audience’s tastes by including personal photo favourites. He selected ones that are necessary for the photo book, despite protests from the photographer himself. What’s pertinent here is Nieh’s strategy in balancing his own personal favourites; his audience’s and Mori’s. In addition, according to Nieh, it was Mori’s sense of “clean-ness in the photography, coupled with poetry situated within the context of loneliness” that enticed him. Most importantly, Mori’s work is “a form of erotic art, and not pornographic in feel”. These artistic considerations are by no means
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frivolous and balancing commercial demands against a quality artistic presentation is never easy, but on a closer look, these two elements are not so different from each other. Commercial demands about showing the personal and the intimate in photography subjects can coexist with photos that are taken with great skill. Granted. No one is able to please everybody – a common statement that artists use in responding to critics’ comments. Rather than engage in a never-ending tussle of differing artistic ideologies, the notion “artist’s inability to please everybody” should be critically discussed. There is a need to question an artist’s strategy in his or her art-work in a larger social context, in specific cultural milieus, in his or her works’ interaction with its audiences. The art business in this respect needs to take into consideration the contestation between these elements. The pivotal point, however, lies with its spectators. The Taiwanese Nieh has his own following. Judging from the number of ‘likes’, and slews of feedback from netizens on Nieh’s status updates/postings, one could see that his aesthetics have a strong appeal. One major factor is Nieh’s personal appeal and physical aesthetics –a physically appealing alpha-male designer seems to have entered the common imagination. The Chinese lexicon, Swordsman Nieh （聶大 俠） and Handsome Nieh （聶帥） has the semiotic references of a trend-setter, a movement leader, the common imagination of a person
Revolution Star Publication
Eiki Mori and Aaron Nieh at a press conference on Tokyo Boy Alone.
everybody would like to be. These characteristics have contributed greatly to the successes of Nieh and Revolution-Star Publication. Hence Nieh’s use of social media as a marketing and publicity mechanism – a strategic and yet successful move towards great acceptance – or as I would like to suggest: reinforcing a common imagination – of his personality and work. Tokyo Boy Alone is an interesting case in point. There is an evident discomfort with what is perceived by some as pornography – judging on the rate Facebook has deleted some of Mori’s more sensual photos on his marketing and publicity group page – and what Mori would like to portray artistically in his photographs, albeit personal likes and dislikes, about young men living alone in Tokyo. But ultimately, what might work against Nieh and Revolution-Star Publication are the demands levied on its content, asking for more intellectual rigour. History might be their nemesis. For the history of its publications, the social impact of its intent, the effect of Revolution-Star
Publication’s aesthetics on the hegemony of a certain brand of aesthetics will contribute to the politics of the different types of aesthetics in both the art and design world. It might be a good sign for the art world, for the demand is an indication that the general level of arts appreciation in many countries has indeed improved, with its spectators asking for more, but it would definitely place considerable pressure on Nieh as the leader of the pack in the Taipei – possibly Taiwan – design scene. Either way, it could be seen as a blessing, for Nieh and RevolutionStar Publication will be able to progress to its next level of development, when the intellectual-rigorous public has levied demands on its artworks. Nieh possesses a quiet quality that could help propel this progress. When asked if awards would be a “burden” to him and his works, he plainly said that it wouldn’t be the case. In addition, he would also not fall into the “recesses of romanticism in recognising his own achievement”.
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