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46 Dai-Bih-In
Spirit Earth and Roots
A Conversation with Jesús Martínez Clarà
Dai-Bih-In
welcomes us to his home in Llers (Empordà) where he he he arrived 40 years ago from Taiwan In
the the the garden I I spot à
a a a a a a a a a a kaki tree in in amongst the the the the lush plants tinged with the the the the Mediterranean summer sun It is the the the most emblematic fruit fruit tree of oriental culture This sweet and powerful fruit fruit is is an an an allegory in in in Taiwan but in in in Llers we we we are close to to the the the deep traces that the the the the Greeks left in in in the the the the territo- ry This tree is is also known by the the the the name of Diospyros from the the Greek Διιι “de Zeus” and π “grain” “wheat” which originally means “grain “grain or or fruit fruit of of Zeus” Here are the real roots of of Dai-Bih-In
a a a a a a a a fruitful encounter be- tween two traditions When Dai Dai ar- rived in Barcelona he he he was fortunate to to have the friendship of Antoni Tàpies with whom he he he he has always been associated I do not know many texts on on other painters by the the great Tàpies yet he he he he wrote a a a à
a a a a a a a magnificent one with the the title of “Dai y y las raíces” (Dai and and roots) In
the the text Tàpies talks about places and and how it is necessary to to get get away away from from one’s own place place get get away away from from complacency to to pro- gress: “Dai is is one of those who know that in order to to to improve the fruit it it is is sometimes nec- essary to to to to go go far away to to to to look for new seeds That to to to to get a a a a a a a a a a a good crop there is often no alter- native but to to change lands “ Dai speaks quickly and and and reinforces his argu- ments ments with gestures and and facial movements One of the first observations he he he makes is about my status as as an an interviewer and he he he makes it clear on on several occasions that we we we must distinguish between scientific thought that the questioner is is is supposed to to be be and re- al al emotional thinking I think think back to to Greece and and and China and and and thoughts on on on reason and and and feel- ing ing Dai-Bih-In
is extremely hospi- table table inviting us us to eat a a a a a a a a vegetable and mushroom “Mian” followed by the classic Ampordan land and and sea dish: cuttlefish with meatballs Classic proof of of how he moves be- tween tween two two worlds between two two cultures here here and there I make a a a a comment on on on on on the the interesting combination of dishes and he he he he starts a a a a a a a a passionate reflection on on on on on on on what is right or wrong He tells me that he he he once shared a a a a a a a a a a a a à
a table at at the legendary restaurant “La Odisea” in in Barcelona with with Tàpies and with with Joan Brossa The dinner was light based on on an an array of steamed dishes At the end Brossa asked for”mongetes amb botifarra” (sausage and beans) for for dessert Is that Right Right or or Wrong? who says what what is is the the the the Right Right thing thing and what what is is the the the the Wrong Wrong thing: the the the the family the the the the state society? The overcoming of duality is is is found in in Buddhism The he he assures us Contradictory thought is is is overcome by the the presence of the the body: ears nose and mouth Emotions are kept under control but disci- pline is is is not not everything Dai has worked with paper and says that nothing is is lighter but in in in in large quantities it it can become as as hard as as ce- ment I return to to the subject of his relationship with with Antoni Tàpies who he he is is associated with with as as a à
a a a a a follower and to to our sur-
prise he he he he assures us that he he he he observed a a a a a a a a major change in in in the the style of the the great painter after his his exhibition in in in in in in 1979 which he he he he attributes to his his own influence Without checking in in in in any great detail it it is is is is true that there is is is is more cal- ligraphy and the the red colour characteristic of of some of of of Dai’s works appears more frequent- ly He insists on talking about the the field of of in- fluences and I suggested that in in in in in the the master disciple tradition originality is is is not so impor- tant He confirms this and tells me that there may be a a a a a a a common feeling in in art The success of of one and the the the the discreet work of of the the the the other are obviously in the the the the air When this subject comes up he he he he says passionately “it is is necessary to to fail fail every day” Art should in- corporate error and and failure He looks to- wards the garden and and tells a a a a a a a a a a a a a a tale of of fruitful failure His assistant in in an an an attack of of exces- sive pruning zealously chopped down all the the the lush vegetation branches and and part of the the the the Bamboo and and with it it took away the the the the shade in the the the the summer When Dai first saw this he he he he he he he mourned but then he he he he he he he realized that he he he he he had got rid of the the permanent damp We must accept error as a a a a a a a a a a quality If you you never fail fail you you become an an officer o of correctness and art art disappears All art art is is is is failure That is is is is as in in Miró everything is is is is subject to the great wheel of of change As a a a a a a means of of cer- tain provocation I touch on on the the recurring theme of of figurative versus abstract With a a a a a a a a a smiling face he he throws a a a a a a a a a a a a flurry of of arguments at at me me It is is is is is not important if an an an artist artist is is is is is ab- stract or or figurative as as long as as an an an artist artist is is is is is is in- ternally healthy It is is is is like the false distinction between magic magic magic and and logic: magic magic magic is is logical and and logic logic logic can be be magical Brossa works with real real concrete objects but does not make realism he he he tells me Talking about Joan Miró he he he takes the opportunity to to confirm that Tapiés is closer to to reality and transforms i it He then gives the the obvious ex- ample of a a a a a a a a a a a kaki kaki to show circumstances are transformative A kaki kaki is is not the same if eat- en en with with oil or or or with with sugar or or or salt it it it is is always always different but always always the the same just like life Life and and spirits change and and also the the the works When you you are a a a a a a a a a a great artist the the type of brush you you use does not not matter You have to be free in in in Mind not not in in in form Dai-Bih-In
Artist / engraver
Born in in P’ingtung Taiwan currently living in in Taiwan and Llers Alt Empordà