Zeng-wen River has nurtured southern Taiwan for thousands years, but with years of exploitation and extreme weather in Anthropocene era, it has suffered. Curator Gong Jow-jiun began developing exhibitions based on his team field studies along the whole river basin. In the process of 3 years, he made friends with the different groups living by the river, from the Cou tribes upstream, farmers midstream, to oyster farmers downstream, discovering various landscapes in connection with the river, helping him and his 12 team members realize that river basin management should not be confined to specific areas and the government bureaus. A river basin is a critical zone and an eco-system. His aim is to facilitate continuous communications among geology, hydrology, and culture, with art as a medium.

One Thousand Names of Zeng-wen River, 2022 Mattauw Earth Triennial aims at the plasticity of 138 KM River Basin Community and a new type Advocative Eco-Art Festival. In 3 years’ fieldworks, 13 curators connect upstream to downstream, 9 sub-projects and 60 artworks and actions raise issues of water resources, education projects, eco-food and agriculture in the extreme climate and Anthropocene era.It inspired residents to discover the entire history and culture of Zeng-wen River across administrative boundaries, to understand how ecology influenced societies economically and ethnically, and to reflect on the impact of social behavior on eco-system, making the exploration of the river a highlight in the community and internationally in anthropocenic extreme climate.

With over 256,000 visits and 120 guided tours and experiential sessions conducted, the festival using new cartography and mapping the whole river bring the visitors new perspectives.