You are invited to an evening at PH. curated by Ko-Le Chen
Dancing for the Dead : Funeral Strippers in Taiwan
(screening + talk)
Tuesday 4 Dec 19:30
PH. Space : The NewBridge Project
‘Dancing for the Dead: Funeral Strippers in Taiwan’ by anthropologist Marc L. Moskowitz presents a fascinating account of this folk practice within the context of religion practices. The interview-driven film — interspersed with stripping performances, pilgrimages and other common religious practices — reveals many of the dichotomies in contemporary Taiwan: rural tradition versus urban modernity; mainstream pop culture versus marginal folk culture; global capitalism versus local identity; and the thin and shifting line between legal and illegal behavior.
Ko-Le Chen will introduce the documentary, sharing personal accounts of the rich (and sometimes absurd) nature of Buddhist/Taoist rituals in Taiwan. Ko-Le will discuss her experiences from this summer, spent in Taiwan, providing an almost alternative travel guide for the subtropical island she calls home.
Ko-Le Chen is a PhD student at Culture Lab, Newcastle University. Originally from Taiwan, she has been living/working in Newcastle since 2008. Marc L. Moskowitz is an associate professor at the Department of Anthropology of the University of South Carolina and an expert on Taiwan’s folk religion and popular culture.
Please reserve a place by emailing charlie@ph-space.co.uk
PH. / Floor 2 / The NewBridge Project / 12 Newbridge Street West / NE1 8AW
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