There are many kinds of taboo(folk beliefs) in different countries.  However, in fact, there are common ideas between different countries.  No matter in Western or Eastern countries, they both have many taboos that related to night.  In Chinese, people are not encouraged to cut their nails or hair after sunset as they believe these actions will bring unlucky to them.  In Western countries, people believe if they look in the mirror at midnight and call Bloody Marry, they may die.  In both taboo, we can see that they all have fear towards the night.  Furthermore, in Eastern countries they also have lots of taboos related to the mirror.

 

This inspired me to carry out this artwork.  I think that taboo can be created by some rules.  Since that they have a lots of items or story line that are similar in different countries, for example night, mirror, body parts, unlucky animals, some kinds of spell etc.  Therefore, I combine the context-free grammar method, in order to create some ‘taboos’, with the common items and actions.  Some new taboo will be created.

 

Is taboo real or not?  I think there is no definite answer.  Since people will still believe them no matter they are scientific or logical or not.  In my opinion, the value of taboo are not focussed on its authenticity but how people believe in them.  This found out makes me feel interested in the taboo making.  If there are some taboo that generated by coding, will you still believe in them?