Monumental venue
Holding the exhibition at this historic site has also inspired the Taipei Civil Affairs Department to alter its perceptions of what can be achieved with Taiwan's historic monuments. This is the first time that the venue has been loaned out for such a purpose, largely due to the efforts of Robin Ruizendaal, director of the Holland Festival and an organizer of the event.
Moreover, during the exhibition, the grounds of Fort San Domingo will be opened at night for the first time (each Saturday). This has partially been made possible by Philips, who has provided lighting for inside and outside the fort. Lin Tsyr-ling (林慈玲), the newly appointed head of the Civil Affairs Department, is currently negotiating to have the external lighting loaned by Philips made into permanent fixtures to allow for regular night openings to make this heritage site a more dynamic tourism location.
The exhibition organizers have gone out of their way to make the event truly accessible, with a particular emphasis on young visitors. The exhibition is introduced by four cartoon children, who lead the way through an exploration of the Dutch and their lives and concerns in Taiwan. These children form part of a dynamic interface between the exhibits and the audience. After all, as Ruizendaal points out, "one map of Taiwan looks pretty much like another," unless you do something with the arrangement of objects to highlight points of interest.
As for the bigger picture, Seibe Schuur of the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office saw the project as an affirmation of the cooperation between Taiwan and the Netherlands. "Taiwan has always been at a crossroads of many cultures," he says. "There are lessons we can learn from the past that can be applied to the future."
For your information:
What: From Formosa to Holland
An exhibition of 17th century Dutch culture
When: Until June 30
Where: Fort San Domingo (Hung Mao Cheng, 紅毛城), Tamsui
RSS