Taiwanese and Japanese artists collaborate in 'Taiwan NOW'

台灣和日本藝術家合作“Taiwan NOW”

Over 20 teams of artists featured in series of events in Japan, Taiwan, and online


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The art exchange program “Taiwan NOW” will begin on Saturday (Oct. 2), combining virtual and real spaces in Taiwan and Japan to present collaborative works of artists from both countries.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture (MOC), the National Culture and Arts Foundation (NCAF), and the Cultural Taiwan Foundation (TCTF) have planned for the event for over two years. It was originally scheduled alongside the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will now run from October through December, reported Radio Taiwan International (RTI).


Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Representative Izumi Hiroyasu speaks at Taiwan NOW press conference. (CNA photo)

The program has the theme “Flower and Blessings” and will encompass works in areas such as modern art, music, and drama. At the press conference for Taiwan NOW, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Representative Izumi Hiroyasu said the theme reminds him of Taiwan’s gift of white lilies to Japan every year since the latter's 311 earthquake in 2011, adding that “Japan only shares such a delicately considerate friendship with Taiwan,” according to CNA.

NCAF Chair Lin Man-li (林曼麗), who planned the event, was quoted by UDN as saying, “We believe that truly successful cultural exchange should not merely convey the one-directional message of ‘who I am.’ What’s more important is understanding and respecting each other and even going deeper to co-create and co-produce, form connections, and share ‘who we are.’”

The series of exhibitions will begin with “Fictional Garden: Taiwan House,” presented by the Taiwan Design Center at Tokyo’s Good Design Marunouchi. The exhibition will show works that combine Taiwanese designs and social issues, and the six forums that accompany the event have already seen over 800 people register.

The next event will take place at the Kitte shopping center next to Tokyo Station from Oct. 30 to Nov. 14, per RTI. In the Kitte courtyard, Taiwanese artist Michael Lin (林明弘) will join Japanese architects from Atelier Bow-Wow to present an installation titled “Untitled Gathering (Tokyo 2020),” featuring everyday items such as stools and tables infused with traditional Taiwanese fabric patterns.

Another Taiwanese artist, Lee Ming-wei (李明維), will present a Japanese version of his performance artwork “Our Labyrinth” on the second and third floors of the mall. On opening day, Japanese dancers will perform Taiwanese choreographer Benson Tsai’s (蔡博承) dance “Floating Flowers.”

In December, Japanese artist Yanagi Miwa will debut the new Taiwanese opera “Aphrodite Orchid” at Weiwuying National Center for the Arts, RTI reported. The work was inspired by Phalaenopsis aphrodite, a type of orchid found in southern Taiwan, and will be co-presented by the three largest Taiwanese opera troupes: Hsiu-chin Opera Troupe, Chun-mei Opera Troupe, and Ming Hwa Yuan Tian Drama Troupe.

The online portion of Taiwan NOW will take place on Oct. 30 and be divided into four sections — a virtual atrium, music hall, theater, and cinema. In the atrium, audiences will be greeted by the “Human Flower,” co-created by JL Design, Wu Chung-lun (吳仲倫), and Wang Hsi-wen (王希文), while the music hall will feature a “Taiwanese” concert co-created by Kaohsiung Music Center CEO Lee Hsin-yun (李欣芸), MoonShine Animation, and former Disney animator Dolce Wang (王舒音).

The virtual theater will feature an experimental audiovisual work entitled “Roaming Transmigration,” co-created by Golden Melody Best Band winner Sunset Rollercoaster’s vocalist Tseng Kuo-hung (曾國宏) and Taiwanese American musician Alex Zhang (張洪泰). The cinema was co-created by NAXS Corporation and the Digital Art Foundation and will feature videos, animations, and short films by Taiwanese artists.