【Exhibitions】Taichung Land Art Festival: The 3-Story-Tall Lost Little Bear Debuts to Captivate Visitors

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team

The large-scale installation art "Lost Little Bear," exhibited in Taoyuan in 2014, featured a gigantic bear three stories tall sitting in a pastoral field, gazing into the distance—both adorable and eye-catching. This year, it has moved to Taichung,and officially debuted on the 30th, with the exhibition running until March 29.It aims to use this giant lost little bear, who can't find home and is filled with bewilderment, to reawaken public attention and care for their own homeland.

The Land Art Festival was initially initiated in Taoyuan by a local residents' group in the planned area of the aviation city. With a fund of 100,000 NT dollars raised, animation director Lü Wenzhong designed the installation art piece "Lost Little Bear," which was placed on farmland soon to be expropriated for the aviation city—an act of silent protest against the government’s actions. After the exhibition period ended, it moved to Taichung City, which also faces controversies over land rezoning. A large amount of farmland has been expropriated due to urban rezoning, leaving only farmland in Zhenping and Zhonghe Li of Nantun District. In collaboration with local civic groups, the little bear was transported from Taoyuan and exhibited in relay.

The "Lost Little Bear" at the Taichung Land Festival is located next to Tian Shun Temple in Zhenping Li, Nantun District. The local landowner voluntarily offered the farmland for the exhibition. In front of the bear lies a vast area designated as the High-Speed Rail Gateway Special Zone. Within the 154 hectares of farmland, all will be flattened within the next few years to become a commercial district. The Taichung Land Festival hopes that through this exhibition, it can express the residential challenges caused by land rezoning for local residents, as well as the cultural and scenic landscape of the land that is sacrificed behind it, drawing more public attention and calling on the government to halt excessive development.