Japanese artist Taguchi Yukihiro (b. 1980) has lived in Berlin for 13 years. He often uses materials found in the streets to create artworks. His work Discurvy (2013) makes use of wood found in the streets to construct houses at an abandoned site in Berlin. The houses attracted residents from various backgrounds and formed a diverse community. In 2016, CHAT invited Taguchi to be its Artist-in-Residence. During his residency, Taguchi created Patch Pass (2016), which incorporated woven works he made with recycled fabric on the streets in Wan Chai, To Kwa Wan and Tsuen Wan. He documents his creative process with stop-motion animation.
In 2018, Taguchi created a Spun Dragon together with local schools, NGOs and the local community using recycled fabrics. The 35-metre-long Spun Dragon is made up of bamboo frames, with a head inspired by a loom. Visitors were welcome to take part in ‘dragon weaving’ during the course of the exhibition. Taguchi collaborated with local fire dragon master Ng Kwong Nam to choreograph the dragon dance with CHAT’s neighbours, schools and organisations who participated in the dragon weaving. The Spun Dragon dance debuted at the opening reception of Summer Programme 2018, establishing the Textile Village’s first cultural tradition.
In 2020, Taguchi will collaborate with Master Ng again to choreograph the Spun Dragon Dance Performance in the Year of the Rat at The Mills and the surrounding neighbourhood in Fuk Loi Estate. It is hoped that the energetic and joyful Spun Dragon Dance celebration will bring the best of luck and countless blessing to The Mills and residents in Tsuen Wan in the new year.