The Taichung Eco Art Festival opens on the 7th, featuring a 1-meter-tall chair as the most eye-catching attraction

By Liu Jiawen | Compiled & Reported

With a bit of creativity, waste materials can take on a new life too. The first-ever Taichung Eco Art Festival will be held at Baozhi Forest Park from January 7 (Saturday) to January 31 (Tuesday). The event will include an eco-themed fashion show, fun obstacle games, and a parent-child DIY sand painting competition. On-site, 29 artworks made from recycled waste materials by 16 renowned sculptors will also be displayed. The most spectacular piece is the 430-cm-tall “Grand Quartet of Chairs,” created using scrap metal sheets, iron pipes, electric fan blades, and plastic bottles. This work will become a new landmark of Baozhi Forest Park.

The artwork “Grand Quartet of Chairs” was originally assembled from 60 small chairs into a two-story-high structure. After years of exposure to wind and rain, it had become waste itself. It was then dismantled by four artists—Huang Chao-hu, Chung Chun-hsiung, and others—and recreated using new waste materials into a large composite artwork. The four pieces are titled “Chair in Bloom,” which resembles a towering floral chair; “Crows by the Old Tree,” which laments the dialogue between old trees and birds; “Mom’s So Busy!” depicting the close bond between a mother and kitchen utensils; and “Too Full,” which reminds people not to carelessly discard bottles and cans that harm marine ecosystems.

In addition, to promote environmental education among families, a parent-child DIY sand painting and pencil holder creation competition will be held, with 200 slots available. Interested members of the public can download the application form from the Baozhi Forest page of the EPA (recycle.epb.taichung.gov.tw/relove). The event site will also feature eco-themed booths where participants can engage in fun obstacle games. Those who collect enough stamps by completing the activities can exchange them for souvenirs and enter a lucky draw.