Written/Compiled and Reported by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network
The fourth Taiwan Cultural and Creative Industries Expo, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, grandly opens today at the Nangang World Trade Exhibition Hall, and will be open to the general public free of charge from tomorrow (the 22nd) to the 24th. This year, participants from nineteen countries and regions, with a total of 564 domestic and international cultural and creative businesses and 1,035 booths, have set new records in the number of participating countries, creative businesses, and booth count. Among them, the Commonwealth of Independent States' Georgia, Azerbaijan, as well as Peru and Macau, are participating for the first time.
Starting tomorrow, the Taiwan Cultural and Creative Industries Expo will be open to the general public, where you can witness the creativity and design prowess of numerous cultural and creative products from both home and abroad. (Photo provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
This year’s themed exhibition “Fiber Mother Tongue,” in line with the upcoming UNESCO ISEND International Natural Dye and Textile Conference to be held in Taiwan next year, showcases nearly a hundred pieces of natural dye and textile design creations on-site, allowing domestic and international guests to see how Taiwan’s traditional dyeing and weaving combine with modern design, bringing grassroots culture into contemporary life with a fresh new character. Renowned fashion designer Gu Youwen presents three hand-knitted sweaters custom-made for celebrity group S.H.E., with fluid, three-dimensional lines resembling art sculptures. These pieces showcase the potential of taking natural dyes and textiles to the international fashion scene.
In addition, this year sees the first-ever Hidden Art exhibition area, inspired by the London Design Festival, aiming to uncover lesser-known yet highly promising cultural and creative designs from hidden corners. Participating artisans include eight craftspeople from the Dazhi Tribe in Pingtung, such as Yidan and Wuyuling. Well-known domestic brands such as Taihua Kiln and Liuli Garden are also participating for the first time, with their ingenious craft designs highly eye-catching. Another brand, Yue Sheng Headphones, which emphasizes individual taste, has developed exclusive headphones tailored for classical, rock, and jazz music, showcasing the diverse integration of Taiwan’s craft design and technology.
Yu Kwang-chung stated that the Cultural and Creative Industries Expo improves with each edition. This year’s exhibition has a clear and distinct positioning, uncovering highly explosive potential in domestic craft creations. “By combining the most traditional crafts with the most international designs,” it has indeed attracted more overseas buyers to come specifically to Taiwan. He believes Taiwan still has many competitive advantages in cultural creativity, which can be further leveraged through the Expo.
● Extended Reading:
【Art & Culture Appreciation on Thursday】The Da Vinci Legend Exhibition – Tracing the Creation Process of the “Mona Lisa”
http://goo.gl/8esMqR