《水土不服》(tsuí two book) is an independent publication co-distribute by Carp Gallery and YÁO Alternative space. Its title draws from the elemental imagery of “water” and “earth” found in the names of the two spaces. By humorously adopting the Taiwanese idiom “tsuí-thóo bē ha̍h” (meaning “to feel unaccustomed or out of place”), the publication points to the distinct personalities of the two spaces while also suggesting how independent art spaces exist within the art ecosystem in a flexible, adaptive, and often nonconforming state.

The publication is designed as a book that can be read from two directions. This “one book, two reading paths” format introduces the idea of a “paper exhibition,” creating an experience of traveling from one space to the other through the pages. The project invited 33 artists to create works specifically for the publication, after which each space undertook its own “curation”. Through the collaboration of artists and the two spaces, the publication comes closer to the form of an exhibition, documenting their spatial histories and distinct identities in this unique way.