Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists.
The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies.
Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927.
Photo: CNA
Gouache is a water-based opaque paint that offers brighter and heavier pigment coverage than watercolors, and the “Eastern gouache” technique has been defined as paintings that use colors mixed with gelatin, clay or metal.
One of the featured paintings, a 1968 work called Orchid (香蘭), was done by pioneering female artist Chen later in her life and portrays a woman in formal attire seated on a chair.
Another of the works, Lin’s 1930 classic masterpiece of Taiwanese Eastern gouache during the Japanese colonial period called Lotus Pond (蓮池), depicts a field of lotus flowers and an egret in the lower left.
Photo: CNA
Meanwhile, a display combining the 1930 work Festival on South Street (南街殷賑) by Kuo, which depicts a festive look at Taipei’s Dihua Street during the colonial period, with the modern Taipei 101 skyline, is the favorite of the head of the pavilion’s organizer.
James Huang (黃志芳), honorary chairman of Tamayama Digital Tech Co, said Kuo’s work, reinterpreted through technological innovation, is the one he most wanted to introduce to foreign visitors to the event.
The gallery also features recreations of works of other famous Taiwanese artists, including Huang Tu-shui (黃土水), Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波), Lee Shih-chiao (李石樵) and Li Mei-shu (李梅樹).
The government spent NT$2 billion (US$61.55 million) to build the Tech World pavilion, which is taking part in the World Expo as a private-sector pavilion.
Beyond the AI-based art gallery, it showcases a slew of smart technologies and products developed by Taiwanese companies such as Asustek Computer Inc, AUO Corp and Hiwin Technologies Corp, said the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, which James Huang also heads.
The pavilion has three multimedia theaters offering visitors an interactive and immersive experience through display technologies.
Takashi Kubota, a Japanese visitor to the Tech World pavilion, said he visited Taiwan 30 years ago when he took the Alishan Forest Railway train in Chiayi County, but Tech World had shown him scenic spots in Taiwan he had not seen.
He said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw.
The World Expo opened on April 13 and runs until Oct. 13.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if the next president of that country decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said today. “We would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said during a legislative hearing. At the same time, Taiwan is paying close attention to the Central American region as a whole, in the wake of a visit there earlier this year by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Lin said. Rubio visited Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, during which he
RSS