"Island of Humans" Southeast Asian Premiere: Wang Yu-kuang Explores Self from the Island
Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yu-kuang's "Island of Humans," the second part of his "Trilogy of Relationships," premiered in Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur. Inspired by the Lanyu fisherman legend, the work depicts Wang Yu-kuang's journey of self-exploration through creation and travel.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 10:56
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Huang Tzu-chiang, Kuala Lumpur, May 2nd) Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yu-kuang's "Island of Humans," the second part of his "Trilogy of Relationships," premiered in Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur. In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency, he stated that the work, inspired by the Lanyu fisherman legend, explores self through creation and travel, hoping to rediscover "my island" in the process.
"Island of Humans" debuted last night at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. This marks the fourth collaboration between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre to present Taiwanese performing arts works in Malaysia, following "LUNA," "Magic Peking Opera," and "Thank You Princess."
Wang Yu-kuang stated that Asia is a place with various island chains. Through movement among these islands, and encountering different people and things, he questions "who am I," as if constantly moving outwards only to return and see himself.
He pointed out that the inspiration for "Island of Humans" comes from a Lanyu legend, where local fishermen believe that every large fish in the sea has a fisherman's name carved on its back. "If you are a lucky fisherman, you will encounter a large fish with your name carved on it in the ocean."
In this context, Wang Yu-kuang applied for the Cloud Gate Wanderer Project in 2019, traveling to Indonesia for over two months with fishing gear, attempting to find "the fish with his name carved on it," and in the process, began to reflect on himself and his creation.
Wang Yu-kuang said that this journey brought many confusions, including "who am I," "what is my tradition," and "what does my dance look like." Afterwards, he invited Danang, who he re-encountered in Indonesia and who had previously served as a dancer in Cloud Gate 2, to collaborate and jointly develop the creation of "Island of Humans."
In terms of stage presentation, in "Island of Humans," he uses various Indonesian traditional elements, including wooden masks from Indonesian court dance, with dancers constantly transforming through the masks in the work. He also performed a solo dance wearing a mask.
Wang Yu-kuang emphasized that he and Danang engaged in a dialogue through their bodies and life experiences, exploring the weight of the body attached to land and air; his own identity is like the boundary of an island, fluctuating with the tides. From proving himself to walking hand in hand, through the journey of the body's wandering, he glimpsed the power of the island to carry people between softness and resilience.
He said: "Perhaps it is only when we go beyond the island that we begin to know ourselves."
"Island of Humans" conducted residency creations at The Place Theatre in London, UK, and Kinosaki International Art Center in Japan in 2023, receiving dual awards from the FACP Asian Cultural Promotion Alliance. Subsequently, with the support of the National Theater & Concert Hall and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), it will be performed at the National Theater & Concert Hall's Autumn Arts Festival in 2024 and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in 2025, and will also be invited to tour Taiwan by the Taitung Arts Festival in the same year.
In 2024, Wang Yu-kuang's first work in the "Trilogy of Relationships," "Beings," was shortlisted for the Bloom Prize, becoming the first Taiwanese choreographer to enter the final selection of this major award; this time, "Island of Humans" is again shortlisted for the 2027 "Bloom Prize" final selection, making him the first Taiwanese artist to enter the final selection for two consecutive terms. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150502
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(Central News Agency reporter Huang Tzu-chiang, Kuala Lumpur, May 2nd) Taiwanese choreographer Wang Yu-kuang's "Island of Humans," the second part of his "Trilogy of Relationships," premiered in Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur. In an exclusive interview with the Central News Agency, he stated that the work, inspired by the Lanyu fisherman legend, explores self through creation and travel, hoping to rediscover "my island" in the process.
"Island of Humans" debuted last night at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. This marks the fourth collaboration between the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre to present Taiwanese performing arts works in Malaysia, following "LUNA," "Magic Peking Opera," and "Thank You Princess."
Wang Yu-kuang stated that Asia is a place with various island chains. Through movement among these islands, and encountering different people and things, he questions "who am I," as if constantly moving outwards only to return and see himself.
He pointed out that the inspiration for "Island of Humans" comes from a Lanyu legend, where local fishermen believe that every large fish in the sea has a fisherman's name carved on its back. "If you are a lucky fisherman, you will encounter a large fish with your name carved on it in the ocean."
In this context, Wang Yu-kuang applied for the Cloud Gate Wanderer Project in 2019, traveling to Indonesia for over two months with fishing gear, attempting to find "the fish with his name carved on it," and in the process, began to reflect on himself and his creation.
Wang Yu-kuang said that this journey brought many confusions, including "who am I," "what is my tradition," and "what does my dance look like." Afterwards, he invited Danang, who he re-encountered in Indonesia and who had previously served as a dancer in Cloud Gate 2, to collaborate and jointly develop the creation of "Island of Humans."
In terms of stage presentation, in "Island of Humans," he uses various Indonesian traditional elements, including wooden masks from Indonesian court dance, with dancers constantly transforming through the masks in the work. He also performed a solo dance wearing a mask.
Wang Yu-kuang emphasized that he and Danang engaged in a dialogue through their bodies and life experiences, exploring the weight of the body attached to land and air; his own identity is like the boundary of an island, fluctuating with the tides. From proving himself to walking hand in hand, through the journey of the body's wandering, he glimpsed the power of the island to carry people between softness and resilience.
He said: "Perhaps it is only when we go beyond the island that we begin to know ourselves."
"Island of Humans" conducted residency creations at The Place Theatre in London, UK, and Kinosaki International Art Center in Japan in 2023, receiving dual awards from the FACP Asian Cultural Promotion Alliance. Subsequently, with the support of the National Theater & Concert Hall and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), it will be performed at the National Theater & Concert Hall's Autumn Arts Festival in 2024 and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in 2025, and will also be invited to tour Taiwan by the Taitung Arts Festival in the same year.
In 2024, Wang Yu-kuang's first work in the "Trilogy of Relationships," "Beings," was shortlisted for the Bloom Prize, becoming the first Taiwanese choreographer to enter the final selection of this major award; this time, "Island of Humans" is again shortlisted for the 2027 "Bloom Prize" final selection, making him the first Taiwanese artist to enter the final selection for two consecutive terms. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150502
Stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news in real-time.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.