Written/Compiled & Reported by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network
The whole city goes wild for paper teddy bears—1,600 of them officially made their debut last Friday at Taipei’s - Square. According to the organizers, by 6:00 PM on the first day of the exhibition, over 270,000 people had visited. Among them, the 20 teddy bears that “work” daily in the photo experience area became so popular with visitors that around 40 bears were scratched or damaged over the two days. However, the organizers have assigned staff to carefully inspect and repair each bear after their “shifts.”
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The much-anticipated 1,600 Paper Teddy Bears Exhibition officially kicked off last Friday. (Photo provided by Taipei City - Department of Information and Tourism)
The event organizer, the Department of Information and Tourism, explained that because the paper teddy bears are very fragile, touching is not allowed in the main exhibition area to reduce damage. However, to allow visitors to take photos with the bears, 20 paper teddy bears are placed in the “photo experience area” every day for close-up shots. The organizers still urge everyone to handle the bears with care, as they are easily broken, and to follow the instructions of on-site staff when taking photos.
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A group photo of the 1,600 paper teddy bears and Taipei 101. (Photo provided by Taipei City - Department of Information and Tourism)
Zheng Feiwen, Creative Director of Rain International Design, pointed out that the paper teddy bears on display are mainly made from recycled materials such as newspaper, coated with waterproof paint, and crafted by hand. The damaged bears include those in sitting and lying positions—the sitting ones often have scratched faces, noses, and ears, while the lying ones tend to have injuries on their legs and bottoms. Zheng demonstrated the three-step process for repairing the bears: First, use sandpaper to smooth out any uneven or scratched areas; next, apply a special mixture known as the “panda hyaluronic acid”—a blend of filler and starch paste—to mend the wounds; then smooth again and apply eco-friendly waterproof paint, almost like giving the bears a bit of Botox, to restore their shine.
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On the first day of the exhibition, visitor numbers exceeded 270,000. (Photo provided by Taipei City - Department of Information and Tourism)
Yu Shuhui, the Department of Information and Tourism’s Deputy Secretary-General, said that following previous reminders, visitors have been more careful when taking photos in the experience area, and fewer teddy bears were damaged on the second day. Still, she reminded the public that the bears are quite fragile and asked everyone to handle them gently. In addition, to deal with various weather conditions, a three-tier rain protection system has been implemented: for light rain, paper hats are placed on the bears; for showers, transparent rain covers are used; but in heavy rain, some bears are moved into 3D display cases for viewing, while others are temporarily stored away.
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Damaged teddy bears are being treated. (Photo provided by Taipei City - Department of Information and Tourism)
The “1,600 Pandas World Tour – Taipei” public art exhibition is making its Asian debut, featuring 1,600 paper-carved pandas created by French artist Paulo Grangeon to raise awareness about endangered wildlife. The exhibition is held in two phases: February 28 to March 9 at Taipei’s - Square, and March 14 to March 30 at the National Theater & Concert Hall Plaza. Open daily from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, admission is free.
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Excited visitors take photos with a giant plush toy. (Photo provided by Taipei City - Department of Information and Tourism)
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