Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The 2012 Hsinchu City International Glass Art Festival, now in its ninth year, is set to kick off on December 22. A total of five exhibition halls have been planned within Hsinchu Park, including the Glass Art Museum, the former Broadcasting Corporation of China building, the former Weather Station, the Wind City Vision Hall, and the Lakeside Pavilion. These will host over ten countries and nearly a hundred domestic and international masters, presenting six themed exhibitions. In addition, there will be a Glass Art Street, along with more than a hundred events including demonstration performances, master forums, glass sketch tours, outdoor cultural performances, and family DIY activities—totaling 12 main events. Among them, the Hsinchu Glass Sketch Tour offers four routes across eight sessions, guiding the public to visit the Glass Art Festival as well as explore sites such as the Mangrove Ecological Park, Xiangshan Wetland, glass workshops, and settlements, offering an in-depth experience of the local glass culture and unique attractions.
The biennial Hsinchu City International Glass Art Festival will open on December 22 at five locations including the Glass Art Museum in Hsinchu Park. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)
The biennial Hsinchu City International Glass Art Festival will run from December 22 to March 10 next year at Hsinchu Park, showcasing exquisite artworks by domestic and international masters, with the overall park visual designed with a playful and illustrative touch. The event includes five exhibition halls: the International Glass Art Museum, the Tech Glass Art Museum, the Children’s Glass Experience Museum, the Glass Art Creative Museum, and the Certified Goods Museum. The International Glass Art Museum, located in the first and second special exhibition rooms of the Glass Art Museum, will display 56 works by 26 artists from 12 countries including Italy, France, the United States, China, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Lebanon, Austria, Australia, Japan, and Iceland. These will be divided into five zones: the Classic Masters Zone featuring elegant and intellectual geometric designs; the Life Aesthetics Zone showcasing fashion-forward glass handbags and decorative lamps made from kiln-formed flat glass; the Surreal Installation Zone using disjointed lines to simulate dreamlike three-dimensional spaces; the Contemporary Glass Art Zone with colorful, transparent pieces simplified and uniquely crafted; and the Avant-Garde Illusion Glass Zone created by Italian designer Narcissus Quagliata, the artist behind the “Dome of Light” at Kaohsiung MRT’s Formosa Boulevard Station, along with several other masters, blending traditional glass painting with the beauty of vintage European stained glass.
During the event period, the Hsinchu Glass Sketch Tour is scheduled from December 23 to March 9, featuring four routes and eight sessions including visits to the Xiangshan Glass Settlement, Guchi Peak Glass Experience, Coastal Glass Sketch Tour, and Tech Glass Journey. These packaged itineraries combine the festival venue with other urban tourist spots, with each session limited to 40 people at a cost of NT$400 per person. Online registration opens on December 3.
During the event, outdoor cultural performances will be held every Saturday and Sunday, totaling 30 shows, featuring a variety of acts including music, dance, drama, acrobatics, magic, crosstalk, and performances by idol entertainers. There will also be 26 family days, allowing visitors to enjoy a visual and spiritual feast while also creating their own glass crafts such as music boxes, jewelry, and photo frames—fun and memorable. The glass workshops will also arrange 156 demonstration performances covering techniques such as filament weaving, hollow blowing, solid sculpting, and kiln blowing.
This year’s Glass Art Festival will be open daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. General admission is NT$180, with discounted tickets for military, police, and students at NT$150. Holders of public transport tickets with a 2-day validity from Hsinchu Station, or groups of 20 or more, can also enjoy the discounted rate of NT$150. Resident tickets are NT$120, and advance tickets before December 21 are NT$120, available starting November 28 at FamilyMart’s FamiPort kiosks. All tickets allow entry to all five exhibition halls within the festival area on separate days, and also include one entry to the zoo. Event website: 2012glass.hcccb.gov.tw/index.html.
● Read more: Sky Lanterns, Grabbing the Pole, Hot Air Balloons – Taiwan Tourism Calendar Voting Now Open
http://goo.gl/mqOdS