Mayday’s Ashin hides a “gashapon” machine in a Tainan old house — the story background is strange and lonely

Reported and photographed by Reporter You t
ru / Tainan

There is a three-story old house in Tainan where most of the interior is decorated in a modern style, yet it doesn’t appear gaudy or eccentric at all. A strangely harmonious aesthetic slowly seeps out from the old walls and floors, and even Mayday’s Ashin’s “last gashapon machine” is hidden here. The pure white, oversized gashapon machine contains only one blue capsule, and Ashin says, “That’s our Earth.”


▲ The pure white, oversized gashapon machine contains only one blue capsule — that’s our Earth.

If you’ve ever seen this “last gashapon machine” created by Ashin, you’ll know his whispered words about it: “Every time, I think about the most precious, final gashapon I want inside the machine. Our Earth is just like that, mixed among a vast universe of planets we can’t survive on.” This gashapon machine, full of helplessness and sorrow, stands quietly in an old house in Tainan called “BB ART,” yet it exudes an exceptionally clear innocence.

 
▲ BB ART showcases the intertwined beauty of an old house fused with modern art.

Located on Minquan Road in Tainan City, the former site of the Tainan Merrion Foreign Goods Store — “BB ART” — was bought after several ownership changes by the legendary figure known as “Sister Du,” Du Zhaoxian. Many of Tainan’s artfully revived old streets and blocks have been transformed under her direction. “My greatest hope is to support Taiwan’s new generation of artistic creators.” To provide more young creators with a platform for expression, she renovated BB ART, blending the old architecture with contemporary aesthetic art, presenting a beautiful fusion of old house and modern art within the spacious venue.


▲ BB ART also serves meals and coffee.


▲ The weathered old walls display photos with a similar aged texture, creating a particularly evocative feel.


▲ Various colored pipes occasionally emit natural sounds recorded from the outdoor streets, and the pipes seem to converse with each other.


▲ The artwork hanging in the house is conceptually created around SpongeBob SquarePants.

▲ The walls reveal traces of past staircases — these are artworks unique to the old house.

Walking through Tainan’s old houses, the wooden floors emit soft creaks — a shared memory for many who visit such places. “There are many naturally formed artworks in old houses. Look at this faint mark — it’s from the old staircase.” The old house is full of artistic elements everywhere: the peeling walls, the worn tracks of floor seams, the terrazzo balcony, the faint scent of cypress wood wafting through the window sills — all are traces witnessing the old house’s passage through history.

“Look at this on the floor — what is it?” Following where Du Zhaoxian points, a blue five-pointed star pattern is embedded in the flooring. “There used to be many foreigners coming in and out of this house. I didn’t understand what this place was for at the time, but after renovating, I discovered this star symbol.” The mystery of the old house was finally solved after Du Zhaoxian asked around — it turns out the third floor used to be a private American military club.


▲ The American military emblem on the floor is a remnant of the former secret military club.

What’s interesting about old houses are the various hidden stories. Du Zhaoxian interacts with them through her unique perspective. “At the toilet entrance, there are three towels. Take a closer look — these aren’t real towels, but another form of art.” Adding artistic creativity to the original purpose of a space is Du Zhaoxian’s magic on old houses. The three towels “hanging” in front of the toilet even reflect human faces.

 
▲ The towels outside the toilet are also artworks.


▲ The bulb man at the back of the house shows a hint of melancholy.  
“The bulb man at the back can be seen all over Tainan.” Du Zhaoxian points to a bulb man swaying his head behind, a faceless figure whose blinking lights and posture convey a lonely soul — just like Ashin’s gashapon machine, pure and solitary.

If you’re in Tainan and want to explore some old houses, besides those specializing in food, lodging, and drinks, a visit to BB ART for free art viewing, stepping into the stories of the old house, and experiencing a delicate and fragmentary history might also be a great choice.


▲ The walls and windows are also unique features of old houses.

 
▲ Left image: The sign hanging on the roof was left by the original owner. Right image: BB ART as viewed from the “Forward” direction.

【B.B. ART】
Address: No. 48, Section 2, Minquan Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Phone: (06)223-3538
Business Hours: 11:30–21:00, closed on Mondays 
Transportation: Taiwan Tourist Shuttle Bus “99 Taijiang Line,” stop at Wuyuan Station 
Website: http://www.facebook.com/BBART.Tainan