Every year when the first spring thunder echoes, the estuaries of all rivers swell suddenly as the stream water overflows, breaking through the sandbars and returning once again to the embrace of the ocean. For aquatic species that either ascend the rivers or descend to the sea to spawn, returning to the estuary marks a milestone in their life cycle — both an end and a beginning. The estuary becomes a place of continuous rebirth, nurturing life in both the river and the ocean.

For generations, the Indigenous people living along the river mouths of Taiwan’s east coast have participated in this land-sea cycle. During the waning moon between spring and summer, they fish for juvenile giant gobies and Japanese sleeper sharks with triangular nets. This tradition not only provides vital marine protein, but also embodies a lived understanding of the estuary — a philosophy where ocean and land are one.

This artwork uses driftwood that journeyed downstream and was eventually collected from the shore by the artist. As its main structure, the driftwood creates a resting space that resembles an estuary. The piece invites travelers to enter and experience the convergence of senses and spirit — becoming themselves an estuary that nourishes all and channels the kinetic flow of life.


Materials: Driftwood, PU waterproof coating, wood protection paint, cement
Dimensions: Front height: 250 cm / Back height: 200 cm / Width: 300 cm

 

Fengbin Township, Hualien County Taiwán, R.O.C