【Thursday Arts & Culture】Taiwan’s Cultural and Creative Expo Showcases Fine Taste in Creative Industries Kicks Off Today

By Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network, compiled and reported

 

The fourth Taiwan Cultural and Creative Expo, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, officially opens today at the Nangang World Trade Center and will be open free of charge to the general public from tomorrow (the 22nd) through the 24th. This year, participants from nineteen countries and regions have joined, with 564 cultural and creative businesses from both home and abroad, and a total of 1,035 booths. In terms of participating nations, number of exhibitors, and booth count, all have reached record highs. Among them, countries making their first appearance include Georgia and Azerbaijan from the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as Peru and Macau.

This year’s thematic exhibition “Fiber Tongues” aligns with the upcoming UNESCO ISEND International Natural Dye and Textile Conference to be held in Taiwan next year. Nearly a hundred pieces of natural dye and textile design works are on display, showcasing how Taiwan’s traditional dyeing and weaving crafts merge with modern design to bring grassroots culture into contemporary life. Renowned fashion designer Ku Yu-Wen presents three hand-knitted sweaters custom-made for the pop group S.H.E., with smooth, three-dimensional lines resembling art sculptures. These pieces exhibit strong potential in taking natural dyes and textiles to international fashion.

 

Additionally, the newly introduced Hidden Art exhibition area, inspired by the London Design Festival in the UK, spotlights lesser-known yet highly promising cultural and creative designs from hidden corners. Craft artists participating include eight artisans from the Dacheng Tribe in Pingtung, such as Yidan and Wuyuling. Well-known domestic brands such as Taihua Kiln and Liuli Garden are also making their debut, with their ingeniously designed crafts highly eye-catching. Another brand focusing on distinctive taste, Yue Sheng Headphones, has developed specialized headphones for classical, rock, and jazz music, showcasing Taiwan’s diverse integration of craft design with technology.

 

Yeh Chuang-shu stated that the Cultural Expo is improving with each edition. This year’s exhibition has a clear and focused positioning, highlighting the tremendous potential of domestic craft creations. "By combining the most traditional crafts with the most international design," it has successfully attracted more overseas buyers to visit Taiwan specifically. She believes Taiwan still holds many competitive advantages in cultural creativity, which can be further leveraged through the Expo.

 

 

● Extended Reading:

【Thursday Arts & Culture】Leonardo da Vinci Legendary Exhibition: Tracing the Creation of the Mona Lisa

http://goo.gl/8esMqR