Taking the "Bottom-up" Approach

Who in Taiwan dares to declare their hopes and dreams out loud?

Not many of us, because we are afraid of getting laughed at. Personally, I'm not immune to the pain of getting laughed at, but when I set out in pursuit of my dreams, I don't let myself be constrained by mainstream values. I like doing handstands and performing acrobatics, but in Taiwan acrobatics is not considered a performing art. I guess maybe it's seen as very lowbrow, so opportunities to perform are pretty much non-existent.

I graduated from the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts at age 18, and from Taipei National University of the Arts at age 25. After that I started thinking about how to achieve a fusion of acrobatics and artistic performance. I have been collecting information on the history of acrobatics everywhere in the world. I'm interested in knowing all the different performance styles and teaching methods. I want to travel the world taking pictures of myself doing handstands, tell people of the world who I am, and turn my feelings into art.

I spent 2010 traveling around the island of Taiwan, and am planning to do it for another two years. I want to use these three years to bring Taiwan to the attention of the world, and to bring the world back to Taiwan. I want to get back to the simplest things: performing, creating, and doing handstand photos. That's how the story of "Mr. Candle" got started....

Huang Cheng-ming. Born 1983, in Pingtung.Huang trained for eight years in acrobatics and has appeared in over 1,000 performances by acrobatic troupes at home and abroad. In 2010 he established the Theatre du Momento and embarked on a 15-year project to circle the globe. He also filmed the documentaries Momento Trip and Mr. Candle-Taiwan.

Huang Ming-cheng traveled the length and breadth of Taiwan last year for five months, having himself photographed doing handstands in a wide variety of interesting locations. He is shown here in rural Yunlin County.

For most people, "I'll go to the ends of the Earth" is just an expression, but for Huang Ming-cheng it's a way of life. It takes considerable acrobatic prowess to maintain the harrowing pose shown here on the rocky coast of Yilan County.