The Quarantine Tapes: A week-day program from Onassis LA and dublab. Hosted by Paul Holdengräber, the series chronicles shifting paradigms in the age of social distancing. Each day, Paul calls a guest for a brief discussion about how they are experiencing the global pandemic.

On episode 195 of The Quarantine Tapes, Paul Holdengräber is joined by Ron Hanson. Ron is the founding editor of White Fungus, an arts magazine based in Taiwan. He talks with Paul about the successes and struggles of the COVID response in Taiwan before turning to his fascinating work with his magazine.

Ron tells Paul the story of the magazine’s unique name—White Fungus—and discusses the origin and mission of the publication. They talk about the engaging and varied articles published by White Fungus, including a recent piece on Paul Celan and an extensive interview with the late artist Carolee Schneemann. Their conversation is engaging and unique, ranging from Ron’s perspective as a New Zealander living in Taiwan to the magazine’s desire to attract curious and adventurous readers.

Ron Hanson is the founding editor of the Taiwan-based arts magazine White Fungus. Hanson started the publication in 2004 with his brother Mark in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. White Fungus began as an intended one-off protest zine opposing the construction of an inner-city motorway. Now it is an internationally distributed arts publication covering art, music, history, and politics.

Hanson was in Taiwan during the SARS pandemic of 2003. Recently, he has been reporting in the New Zealand media on Taiwan’s COVID-19 response.

White Fungus Articles
– The Pig and Its Friend: Kalisolaite ‘Uhila
– Wasteland Utopia: The History of Taiwanese Noise
– Paul Celan – Making Stones Sing
– Double Knowledge In Conversation with Carolee SchneemannHell is the Main Attraction – Yao Jui-Chung
– Wasteland Utopia The Liberation of Sound in Post–Martial Law Taiwa – Jeph Lo
– Ghosts, Radio Waves, Spiritualism and Contextualism in the Art of Aki Onda
– Translating the Personal The Music, Noise and Voice of Charmaine Lee – Kurt Gottschalk

Articles Linked to White Fungus
– Taiwan’s COVID Outbreak — What Went Wrong?
– Listening Like Breathing: Environmental Immersion in the Work of Annea Lockwood
– Print Mag – White Fungus – Steven Heller/ Ron Hanson
– Stack Magazine – A Can Of White Fungus
– Video Review – White Fungus Magazine

Where to Buy White Fungus
– Stack Magazine
– White Fungus Shop

Social Links White Fungus”
– Instagram

Video Links:
– Wang Fujui at DEPOPULATE 01 Presented by White Fungus
– Betty Apple: The Rubber Mermaid at DEPOPULATE 05 Presented by White Fungus
– Merzbow Live in Taipei

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