Must-shoot installation art on the East Coast: Jimmy Liao meets painted wooden sheep

Photo & text provided by / Keavy—Keavy Loves Qitao—

With casual luggage and a cheerful mood, I came along the eastern coastline in search of the legendary drifting wooden sheep perched on wave-dissipating blocks. Now, let’s go with my photography eyes’Let's go～

While walking along the coast looking for the wooden sheep, before finding them, I first encountered the spirited works of Jimmy Liao. Though Keavy isn’t exactly a Jimmy Liao superfan, every time she sees his works, they always bring a warm feeling.

While lingering beside the giant “Big White Rabbit,” I also met many students on summer break and tourists from Hong Kong. Almost all of them had come for Jimmy Liao’s works. I truly witnessed the charm of Jimmy Liao on-site！

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone had just left, I quickly snapped a photo with Jimmy Liao’s work while enjoying the drip-free beautiful scenery.

Walking further along the embankment, Keavy finally found the traces of the “wooden sheep” standing on the embankment and wave-dissipating blocks～

These wooden sheep were created in 2012 under the leadership of internationally renowned woodcarver Lahaizi. Tribal residents showcased their artistic talent by handcrafting hundreds of “wooden sheep,” each unique in expression and distinctively representing tribal characteristics. They were placed on the embankment and wave-dissipating blocks, with the vast Pacific Ocean as the backdrop, recreating the glorious past of the Pisirian Tribe’s sheep herding.

Keavy couldn’t help but dance with the sheep, almost feeling like a shepherd kid herself—but she wasn’t bored enough to trick a farmer into saying “the wolf is coming”! Actually, she just couldn’t find any farmers around, so there was no one to trick！@@Hey～lol！Just a little joke, pretty corny huh？(^///^)

“Pisirian” (比西里岸) means “sheep herding” in the Amis language, and its Han Chinese name is “Baishoulian.” But the tribal people still prefer to call it “Pisirian.” Keavy also prefers “Pisirian.” Though the name may sound a bit tricky to pronounce, it feels like the name of a dreamy kingdom！No matter where you go, mutual respect and sharing the beauty should always be upheld.

In July 2013, an exhibition of Jimmy Liao’s works was held at the Taitung Art Museum, and the Pisirian Tribe also held a fringe exhibition in sync with the museum’s theme.