SAI Bo
Born: 16 October 1903 – Died: 5 March 1943
Particulars:
Bo was born in Takau, now Kaohsiung in Taiwan. He was a single man with a brother back in his hometown. He was working as a dealer, living in Paree or Mojokuto, Java in what was then Dutch East Indies and is now Indonesia. When the Pacific War broke out, he was taken to Australia and interned at Loveday Internment Camp in South Australia. He died of complications arising from rheumatism at age 39. His grave is in the Japanese Cemetery in Cowra, New South Wales, Australia.
–Mayu Kanamori
More info:
Jhao-han Wang
Artist/s Statement:
This piece can be seen as ‘The Tomb of Memories for Sai Bo’. Inspired by the idea of ‘creating a new tombstone for Mr Sai Bo’, I referenced the design of headstones at the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery. At the centre of the tombstone, I incorporated three places that marked significant chapters in his life – his birthplace Formosa, now Taiwan; his place of migration, Indonesia; and the land of his death and burial, Australia. In the background, I included imagery of the ocean to symbolise the journey he took during his lifetime.
Additionally, influenced by the concept of ‘memorial trees’ often found in commemorative sites, I integrated a rich presence of plant elements. Through the life force of these plants, I hope to convey that through memory, mourning, and creation, Sai Bo’s life continues on.
Artist Bio:
Jhao-han Wang, born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is a 20-year-old student studying history and sociology at National Chengchi University, Taiwan. Fascinated by the intersection of art and history, she has created artwork for the Taiwanese internee Sai Bo, who was born in Kaohsiung, which was known as Takao at the time in 1903.