Exhibition celebrating new immigrants and diversity in Taiwan kicked off in Taipei

台北慶祝新移民與多元化的展覽在台北拉開帷幕

The Southeast Asia New Immigrant-themed Art Exhibition began at CKS Memorial Hall on May 11


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — More and more people from Southeast Asian countries have moved to Taiwan for work and other reasons in recent years, becoming part of Taiwanese society. An exhibition dedicated to promoting the stories of new immigrants and the values of a diverse society was kicked off at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Friday.

The organizer of the “Southeast Asia New Immigrant-themed Contemporary Art Exhibition” said they hoped visitors would be exposed to the abundant and diverse culture, as well as the life experiences of new immigrants living in Taiwan through the exhibition, with a sense of mutual respect and tolerance ultimately cultivated between new immigrants and Taiwanese people.

The exhibition is divided into three parts entitled Island of Migration, Family Memo, and Hometown Landscape, according to Curator Lin Yi-hsiu (林怡秀). It looks at the mobilization of human beings and the stories of individual migrants.

Lin said she hoped to establish a connection between the original hometowns of new immigrants and their new home, Taiwan.

The exhibition lasts until August 26 and includes art installations, video artwork, documentary screenings, a gallery of books, and a series of forums.

“The influx of new immigrants to a country is usually related to changes of politics, economy, history, and environment, but it is also a matter of individual life circumstances and life choices,” said Lin.

Lin added that understanding the culture and society of new immigrants as well as their personal experiences would be key for people to truly appreciate the new immigrants in Taiwan, where they had started moving in increasing numbers since the 1980s.


The Southeast Asia New Immigrant-themed Contemporary Art Exhibition kicks off at the CKS Memorial Hall on May 11 (Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Culture)