The first phase of the National Taiwan Museum of Comics in Taichung opened yesterday with events and exhibitions featuring comic books and artworks by different artists from Taiwan and Japan.
The exhibitions, held at the eastern section of the museum complex, feature eight different themes, including a display of popular Taiwanese comics from the 1950s to the 2010s.
Models of cartoon characters created by award-winning Taiwanese animator and artist Wang Teng-yu (王登鈺) are also being showcased.
Photo: CNA
Among the exhibits are works by Japanese artist Kaoru Fukaya, author of the manga series Yomawari Neko, which tells the story of a cat that reaches out to people who are crying in an attempt to comfort or encourage them.
The events yesterday also included forums, performances and meetings with artists.
The museum complex in Taichung covers a total area of 2.75 hectares and contains 19 historical buildings.
Constructed in 1937, the site was first used by prison and police officers during Taiwan’s Japanese colonial era to practice judo and kendo.
In 1945, when the then-Chinese Nationalist government took over the facility from the Japanese colonial government, it was transformed into the Taichung Prison, which subsequently became the Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center. The plan to establish the museum was first unveiled by then-Taichung mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in 2017.
The exhibitions are being held across 15 historic buildings located in the eastern section of the complex.
The site’s proposed main building — the northern section — which is still under planning, is set to open in 2029.
Minister of Culture Shih Che (史哲) has expressed hope that the site in Taichung could become a home for Taiwanese comic book artists.
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