Taoyuan art teacher leads painting class for students with disabilities

Taoyuan art teacher leads painting class for students with disabilities

2023-06-08

Now let’s head to Taoyuan to meet an art teacher bringing art education to students with disabilities. Kung Ming-ying teaches art at Heartlight Disabled Education Center. Her students have various cognitive and educational disabilities, and require a teacher with special training. The weekly class is a chance for students to express themselves in bold and imaginative ways. Recently they organized an exhibition, showing off colorful works depicting magical creatures, ships and inspiring landscapes.

Oil painter Kung Ming-ying walks among the students offering support.

She comes to Taoyuan’s Heartlight Disabled Education Center once a week to teach this art class. Her own son lived at this center for many years. When she and her son had trouble talking, they used drawing as a new way to communicate. And now, she’s back at the center to teach.

Kung Ming-ying
Artist
The students really have their own personalities. You can tell them to do something, but they won’t necessarily do it. But if you guide them, then gradually they will make progress by themselves.

The students may not be keen to take orders, but Kung is happy to simply walk alongside them as they discover art in their own way. Over time, the class has become very popular, and students call her “Teacher Mom.” She says that students find emotional balance through painting, enjoy concentrating on their work, and develop their capacity for self-expression. They’ve even held an art exhibition.

The themes of the work are natural landscapes, strange ships, and magical creatures. They feature bold color palettes and lively shapes. Students love to show off their creations.

Kung Ming-ying
Artist
Painting takes patience. It develops their maturity and their patience. They are more willing to gradually study what you teach.

Huang Yu-chih
Heartlight Disabled Education Center
They tell their own stories and share them. So, they grow a lot, and make great progress, in terms of their physical coordination, their cognitive skills and their capacity for self-expression.

With Kung’s support, these students can find new ways to express their inner worlds, and tell their stories in beautiful ways on paper.

"媽媽老師"龔銘英帶領教養院生用畫表達自己

2023-06-08

桃園有一位油畫家龔銘英，兒子平常都在教養院生活，她發現當溝通出現落差時，繪畫成了新的溝通橋梁。四年前，她開始在教養院裡教畫畫，雖然一開始學生不聽指導，但透過繪畫，學生不僅情緒更平穩，也更會表達自己。

油畫家龔銘英站在學生身旁，指導作畫。

龔銘英每個禮拜都到桃園觀音"心燈啟智教養院"，教導院生畫畫。當初自己的兒子在機構生活多年，彼此溝通出現落差時，她便以繪畫，作為新的溝通方式，之後更在因緣際會下，到教養院，指導繪畫課程。

[[畫家龔銘英]]
“他們真的很有自己的個性，你跟他講，他們不一定能夠接受，慢慢引導他們以後，自己就有進步。”

雖然一開始，學生不聽指導，龔銘英牽著他們手慢慢走，漸漸的，院生們喜歡上繪畫課程，還親切稱呼她為"媽媽老師"。她也發現，透過畫畫，學生不僅情緒平穩，上課專注，也更會表達自己，甚至舉辦畫展。

院生畫作主題包括田野風景、海上奇航，也有人畫出奇妙生物，用色大膽，構圖活潑，完成後，等不及與人分享。

[[畫家龔銘英]]
“畫畫是需要耐性的，提高他們的沉穩跟耐性，就你講什麼、教他們，他們就比較願意慢慢的學。”

[[教養院長黃晏枝]]
“他們自己會說故事，也會做分享，所以不管在肢體的協調、在認知能力，或者在表達，都有很大的成長、很大的進步。”

"媽媽老師"指導下，院生們學習將他們看到的世界，呈現在畫紙上，讓我們得以一窺其中的美好。

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Chimei Museum is bustling early in the morning. Staff try to maintain order as a group of special guests arrives.

Visiting Tainan is AIT Chair Laura Rosenberger, accompanied by Vice President Lai Ching-te. As the former mayor of the city, Lai led Rosenberger on a tour. The AIT chair is visiting Taiwan for the second time in two months, amid speculation that the U.S. hopes to “screen” the presidential candidates.

The night before meeting Lai, Rosenberger sat with the KMT’s candidate Hou Yu-ih. The two met at New Taipei City Hall and took a train together to Pingxi, where they had dinner and released a sky lantern. On the lantern, Hou wrote a wish for more Taiwan-U.S. exchanges and a lasting friendship. Rosenberger wrote: A hearts T, U.S.-Taiwan exchange.” And with that, the only candidate left to see is Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party.

Ko Wen-je
TPP chair
After I go back to Taiwan tonight, I’ll be spending two days in Kaohsiung. If she wants to meet, I think we’ll have to ask her to travel to Kaohsiung. All the matters to be discussed were already discussed when I met her in Washington last month. The U.S. Department of State and the National Security Council have been very clear that this upcoming election, they will remain neutral. They only hope that no matter who is elected, there are no surprises. I said there’d be no problem. At the time I assured her that Taiwan-U.S. relations would not change, no matter who the ruling party is.

Ko had visited the U.S. for 21 days in April. Sources indicate Lai may transit in the U.S. in August, and that Hou may visit in September. In the 2024 election, each candidate’s relationship with Washington is looming as a central issue.

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TPP’s Ko Wen-je sets up campaign base in Japan

Over in Japan, Taiwan People’s Party Chair Ko Wen-je has set up his first overseas campaign base. He’s also addressed the delicate issue of who holds sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands.

Here in an alley in Tokyo, Taiwan People’s Party Chair Ko Wen-je unveiled a plaque marking his party’s first overseas office.

Ko Wen-je
TPP chair
I am very thankful to all my passionate supporters here for establishing this preparatory office for my friendship group, and for expanding my overseas support network.

Pi Hsiang
FTV reporter
On his last day in Japan, Ko Wen-je attended the founding ceremony of a preparatory office for his friendship group. It’s a significant event for the party, as it is the TPP’s first overseas headquarters.

Hsieh Ming-chu
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There will be Ko Wen-je friendship groups everywhere in the future, and support groups will bloom everywhere. This is just the start.

One day before the ceremony, Ko was interviewed by NHK. He was asked the delicate question of which country has sovereignty over the Diaoyutai Islands. Ko replied that Taiwanese fishers did not want to claim the islands for Taiwan. They only want to fish near them, he said.

Issuing a statement in response, Hou Yu-ih’s campaign office said that heads of state should do all they can to protect their territory and defend their nation’s sovereignty, without making concessions. The KMT campaign office said that, amid the unresolved territorial dispute, the fisheries agreement that the Ma administration had signed with Japan should be implemented more proactively, to prevent disruption to the activities of Taiwanese fishermen.

Ko Wen-je
TPP chair
First we should resolve the problems of our fishermen. As for the controversial dispute, that can be dealt with gradually. It’s as simple as that. You’ve all been solving the problems of Su’ao fishermen for so many years now. And suddenly it all becomes a whole thing about national sovereignty. So what have you been doing all this time?

Ko pushed back at Hou’s criticism. With his party’s expanding overseas, the presidential election is heating up.

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Frame drum masters to perform in Kaohsiung and Taipei

The ancient instrument known as the frame drum will be in the spotlight this month at two performances by internationally renowned percussionists. Four frame drum masters from the U.S., Italy, Germany, and Israel will perform in Kaohsiung and Taipei. FTV reporter Stephany Yang gets us a preview.

Frame drum masters take the stage, performing "Elements." Each percussionist represents a different element: land, water, air, and fire.

A frame drum is a term for any drum with a drumhead that’s wider than it is deep. It’s one of the first musical instruments ever invented. Murat Coskun from Germany, Glen Velez from the U.S., Andrea Piccioni from Italy, and Zohar Izhak Fresco from Israel will perform in Taiwan on June 9 and June 11.

Glen Velez
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The frame drum goes back to the ancient Biblical lands of the Middle East. That is the earliest representations of the frame drums. There are pictures of women playing frame drums in groups and people playing the frame drum with with harps and with flutes.

Murat Coskun
Frame drummer
Everyone should imagine their own which was which element. We don’t want to say Andrea is the fire or whatever. It is up to you, the listener that they have their own fantasy.

Zohar Izhak Fresco
Frame drummer
The heartbeat and the musical beat is always with us. Was with us and will be with us. That is the meaning of "Chai Peimot.”

Andrea Piccioni
Frame drummer
In Italy, this instrument exists since 4,000. This is for example, made out of the olive tree. The language of music is really connecting everybody very easily.

In addition, the National Chinese Orchestra of Taiwan and Taiwanese frame drummer Huang Hsin-hui will perform a piece by Taiwanese composer Chang Yung-chin. It combines the styles of samba, Muqam, and traditional Peking opera.

Huang Hsin-hui
Organizer
We invited four frame drum masters from around the world. The National Chinese Orchestra helped them rewrite different jazz, modern, and traditional songs to showcase the fusion of frame drums and Chinese orchestra.

Chang Chia-yun
Conductor
Western music and Chinese music have different structures, so their sounds also achieve different effects.

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Commuters head to the office for their nine-to-five. Earlier this year, a petition with more than 5,700 signatures called for Taiwan to become the first in Asia to have a three-day weekend. The labor ministry convened labor unions, business groups, academics, and several other ministries for a review of the proposal. All parties agreed that the idea was promising, but that Taiwan’s severe labor shortage meant it would be impossible to implement.

Member of public
It should be possible to get all your work done in four days. An extra day off shouldn’t make much of a difference. Other countries can do it and Taiwan should be able to as well.

Member of public
You have to work to have production. If Taiwan’s service industry were more dominant than other industries, then it would be doable.

Member of public
It’s not quite feasible. If workers had three days off, then nearby businesses wouldn’t need to open, and their operating costs would go up. If wages don’t go up to compensate for that, it would lead indirectly to inflation.

Huang Wei-chen
Labor ministry official
A three-day weekend would affect people’s routines in many different domains of life.

Officials said a three-day weekend would force adjustments to school curriculums and vacation schedules. It would also raise the labor costs of medical facilities and affect supply chains and agricultural logistics. The Financial Supervisory Commission estimates that, with stock turnover averaging NT$200 billion a day, one fewer trading day a week would cause a NT$30 billion annual loss in transaction taxes.

Huang Wei-chen
Labor ministry official
If there’s the opportunity to do so, employees and employers themselves can negotiate over scheduling – that’s a way to go about it. Do it on a case-by-case basis. At present, the Labor Standards Act has room for labor and employer to negotiate this.

The committee’s decision against the three-day weekend will be formally announced on June 26. Officials stressed that according to existing laws, a company can offer a three-day weekend to staff, so long as both parties agree.

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Third installment of ‘Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above’ to premiere in 2024

The Chi Po-lin Foundation has announced a third installment of the aerial photography documentary “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above.” The film is scheduled for release next year, and will showcase how Taiwan has changed in the past 10 years. It will showcase the beauty of the island, as well as the damage caused by deforestation and ocean waste.

Coastlines, seascapes and the ocean floor. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the documentary “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above.” The Chi Po-lin Foundation held a press conference on Thursday to announce a third installment to the series. Entertainer Mickey Huang is a spokesperson for the film.

Mickey Huang
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My greatest regret in life is not having had an in-depth interview with Director Chi. But I won’t let this regret weigh me down. I’ll take action to support all the events related to the film series.

Ten years ago, the original “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above” hit the silver screen to widespread acclaim. Just a few years later, its director Chi Po-lin died in a helicopter crash during the filming, putting a sequel project on hold. To realize Chi’s dream and keep his spirit alive, the Chi Po-lin Foundation is collaborating with veteran film director Mai Chueh-ming to create a third film. The documentary will show the changes Taiwan underwent over the past decade, both due to direct human action and climate change. Mai says the new work will pay homage to the original film with shots of Yushan and Xueshan.

Mai Chueh-ming
Film director
It starts from Yushan, where a group of Bunun children are. Then we go to the second-tallest peak, Xueshan, with a group of Atayal children singing on top of the mountain.

Wan Kuan-li
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I’m believe that there are many other Chi Po-lins in Taiwan who can carry on his mission, to continue moving forward and documenting the stories of Taiwan’s land.

The third documentary is slated for release next year. Besides taking audiences on a tour of Taiwan’s beauty, it will shed light on threats such as deforestation and marine waste. Shot from high in the sky, the film hopes to showcase Taiwan, while prompting reflection on environmental issues.

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Sunshine reflects off the sea. And from all directions, dolphins converge around the passengers on the boat.

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Lu Shih-ming
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You can see more than 30 different species of whales and dolphins on the sea off Hualien. That’s a third of all the species we can name in the whole world.

Taiwan’s East Coast is a spectacular mountainous terrain, and the seafloor here is also covered in ups and downs. The Kuroshio Current flows yearlong. Its fast-flowing waters carry migratory fish down the coast, and stir up nutritious salts from the seabed. All that vibrant marine life attracts dolphins and whales to come hunting.

Lu Shih-ming
Turumoan Dolphin and Whale Watching Company
Taking our company as an example, we have about 30,000 customers a year. Going by the average price, which is NT$600-700 per person, our turnover is about NT$30 million.

Dolphins are very intelligent creatures who love to play with humans. Scientists say they have an IQ to rival a six or seven-year-old child. They can understand complicated hand gestures, and perform tasks easily. And making contact with them is a good livelihood for many people in Hualien.

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