This residency project began with a news report about the illegal dumping of industrial waste in  Matoushan, Kaohsiung.

During the residency, I visited Matoushan several times. Through field research, local interviews, and material collection, I began to understand the story of this landscape, which was long described as “badlands.” Along my research, I noticed small spots of color scattered through the soil, traces that would reappear after being washed by rain. I found myself less concerned with the controversy reported in the news than with what happens after waste enters the soil—how it alters the land, shapes the actions of local residents, and gradually changes the way we see the landscape.

Digging for Water, Digging for Truth brings together local memories, natural phenomenon, and human traces. Rather than offering answers, the project raises questions about labor, land, and time, inviting viewers to follow the paths left by water and reconsider our relationship with our homeland.

Research Collaborators

Hui-Min Huang
President, Kaohsiung City Matoushan Nature and Humanity Association

Ching-Min Sun
Assistant Professor, Institute of Wildlife Conservation
National Pingtung University of Science and Technology