More than 1,000 people yesterday attended Nuit Blanche, an all-night art gala in the Taipei Railway Station area featuring installation art by local and international artists, as well as sound and light shows.
Nuit Blanche originated in Paris in 2002, the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs said, adding that it is observed internationally on the first Saturday of October and is aimed at making art more accessible to the public and allowing residents and tourists to see their cities in a new light.
Following a performance by a jazz group, a group of foreign delegates joined Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) to launch the event in the plaza in front of the National Taiwan Museum.
Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs
“Taipei is the second major Asian city to host the event, after Kyoto [Japan]. The French representative to Taiwan told me that he finds Nuit Blanche in Kyoto boring, because the city is too quiet,” Ko said.
Ko said he did not know how well the event would be received, but he hoped that all participants would have a “sleepless” night of fun, in reference to the event’s slogan, “No one sleeps tonight.”
“Taipei has set numerous records today,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Chih-chung (吳志中) said at the event.
“Taipei is the first among ethnic Chinese communities to hold the event in sync with the world. Due to the time difference, it has also become the first city internationally to start the event,” Wu added.
He said he hopes Taiwan and France will be able to forge deeper ties through the event.
European Economic and Trade Office head Madeleine Majorenko said she believes any city that is ready to reinvent itself and explore its artistic possibilities can host Nuit Blanche successfully, and that she believes Taipei is ready for this challenge.
French Office in Taipei Director Benoit Guidee said the Paris mayor came up with the idea of Nuit Blanche because he wanted Paris residents to have an opportunity to enjoy art in a casual setting.
He said he believes the event would help further relations between Taiwan and France.
Ko later arrived at the historic North Gate on Zhongxiao W Road to enjoy “light sculptures” being projected on the building, which changed to the beat of electronic dance music being broadcast live.
Performers danced pas-de-deux to Vaudeville music in front of the historic Taipei Beimen Post Office.
The event ran from 6pm last night to 6am today and cost the city NT$9.2 million (US$293,311).
The department said that some artworks featured in the event would continue to be displayed at suitable locations after the event.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS