By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, reported and compiled by Chen Guanxin
As summer quietly slips away, readers who haven’t quite returned to their routines might want to seize the tail end of the holidays and explore nearby on the weekends. The eighth edition of the "Pinkoi Art District Contemporary Art Exhibition" runs from today until September 29, themed around the concept of a "museum without walls." It takes over Zhongxiao East Road, Ren'ai Road, and Fuxing South Road in Taipei City as its main hubs, while also expanding its exhibition area to the Songshan Tobacco Factory Cultural Park. With installations spread across 30 spaces—including trendy shops, high-end fashion boutiques, bookstores and cafes, community activity centers, roadside trees, and even neighborhood fire lanes—works such as a giant octopus clinging to a building, two large eyes suddenly appearing on a tree, or an oversized lotus that opens and closes vividly have all become popular photo spots. Readers who haven’t seen it yet should take advantage of these last days of the holiday and make a pilgrimage to the East District.
Strolling along the streets of the East District, you might spot a pair of round, adorable eyes looking at you. (Photo provided by Fubon Art Foundation)
This year’s outdoor exhibition zone adopts a humorous tone. British artist Filthy Luker has wrapped a deep-sea octopus around the entire agnès b. café building on Da’an Road—a definitely eye-catching "Luker the Rascal" that demands your undivided attention. Suddenly, mischievous and lively eyes pop up on trees in Taipei, keeping watch over the summer streetscape with playful visual swaps that bring smiles to passersby.
A deep-sea octopus on Da’an Road? Hurry to the site and see it for yourself. (Photo provided by Fubon Art Foundation)
Tainan architect Liu Guochang, known for the "Prussian Blue Print" project, brings a flying asphalt road to the bustling commercial district and introduces the Prussian Blue Print to Taipei for the first time, recreating spatial ingenuity through a unique architectural perspective. In the East District’s prime district for fashion brands, the hair salon Fleurissime collaborates with two Pinkoi Art District artists: artist Qiu Yuwen creates paper-cut works that echo the designer’s theme of "cutting," while another artist, Yang Fu-ching, responds to the theme of "hair" by dyeing hair extensions to conjure up the astonishing imagery of a volcanic eruption.
The paper-cut artwork exudes a strong sense of lightness and grace. (Photo provided by Fubon Art Foundation)
This year also invited multiple international artists to create large-scale installation pieces. For the first time, South Korea has the highest proportion of participating artists. Internationally renowned Korean artists Kim Chang-hwan, Kim Myung-bum, Roh Dong & and Choi Jung-hwa each presented massive sculptural works using various materials such as metal frameworks, soft textiles, composite plastics, and inflatable objects, dispersing throughout Taipei’s urban spaces. Among them, internationally acclaimed Korean artist Choi Jung-hwa, known for creating large works with brightly colored plastic or inflatable items, presents his piece titled "Breathing Flower," which was specially invited from the Hong Kong Art Fair to Taipei. The lotus, a symbol of great importance in Asian culture, blooms in the heart of Taipei with its unexpectedly massive size. Its mechanical opening and closing make it incredibly lifelike, and the contrast between nature and artificiality is full of surprises.
The artwork "Breathing Flower" by South Korean artist Choi Jung-hwa. (Photo provided by Fubon Art Foundation)
How fun is Pinkoi Art District? Janet, Show Lo, Yoga Lin, Jia Jia, Wei Bird … A total of 20 celebrities jointly recommend it, inviting everyone to enjoy a pinkoi summer. Not only does it surround the public with artworks, but it also plans a series of exciting fringe activities. On September 11 from 14:30 to 16:00, a Pinkoi Lucky Chicken creation workshop will be held on the 11th floor of the Fu’an Memorial Hall, where you can paint your own lucky chicken brought over from the Netherlands, filling it with hope and energy. On September 14, “Pink Youth Day” features a creative market and concerts, with performances divided into two sessions: 15:40–16:40 and 17:00–21:00, held at the Taipei Expo Dome Green Plaza and Cultural Plaza respectively. For more details, visit the official website: www.fubonart.org.tw/veryfunpark2013.
● Further reading:
Taipei Never Sleeps: 20 Nightlife Spots to Party (Part 2)
http://goo.gl/KkNvJO
MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network — the largest Chinese-language travel information platform
www.mook.com.tw
Guide maps can also be stamped for collectibles. (Photo provided by Fubon Art Foundation)