The Guling Street Books and Creative Bazaar (牯嶺街書香創意市集), which takes place tomorrow and Sunday in Taipei, pays tribute to the street’s rich history.
Guling Street is known for its secondhand bookstores and is the home of the Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre (牯嶺街小劇場), located in a former police station built during the Japanese colonial era. The annual festival will feature stalls and exhibits set up by 15 independent publishers and booksellers, an artists and designers market, and street performances. The guest of honor this year is editor and writer Yen Ai-lin (顏艾琳), who is known for her erotic poetry.
“Guling Street has a creative and literary reputation. We want to recreate the lively atmosphere that the neighborhood was known for,” says Hsu Chien-hui (許千慧) of Nanhai Gallery (南海藝廊), which organizes the event with National Taipei University of Education (國立臺北教育大學).
Photos Courtesy of Nanhai Gallery
In addition to writers, the bazaar also gathers artists from different creative fields as a nod to the diverse role the neighborhood has played in the history of Taipei. Groups and artists will perform, with an emphasis on interactive street theater that encourages audience participation.
The artists and designers market will feature more than 40 vendors, who will sell items ranging from jewelry and bags to ceramics and fine art prints. Each participating artist or designer was asked to create an everyday object that combines influences from poetry or literature with practicality. Shoppers can vote on their favorite item, and the winner will receive a festival award.
Photos Courtesy of Nanhai Gallery
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