Yuejin Lantern Festival is set to kick off Feb. 10 in southern Taiwan’s Tainan City, spotlighting the rich history and cultural vitality of historic Yuejin port through more than 40 innovative and eye-catching light installations by local and foreign talents.
Running until March 4, the event at the harbor in Tainan’s Yanshui District will feature diverse artworks exploring the connections between people and their hometowns. Participating works will be showcased at various locations around the port, including on the water, riverbanks and four bridges in the area, according to organizer the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Tainan City Government.
This year’s festival comprises two sections, the first featuring 24 installations by local and overseas artists and art groups, and the second consisting of 22 works by student contributors. Participating universities in the latter portion of the event include Taipei City-based National Taiwan University, Taipei National University of the Arts and Nanhua University in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi County.
Among the festival highlights will be a giant installation of a rabbit fishing in the harbor by Taiwan illustrator No2Good, co-founder of homegrown fashion brand Stay Real. South Korean artist Hong Sang-sik, known for producing lip-shaped sculptures, is also contributing an installation on his signature topic made up of straws and lights.
The student portion of the event will include a piece portraying the Chinese character for the number eight by a team from Japan’s Kyoto University of Art and Design. This work was designed in collaboration with Japanese artist Koji Morioka, who will showcase two of his own creations in the artists’ section—an installation depicting migratory birds and a representation of a traditional rock garden.
The Japanese team’s participation in the event is part of an artistic exchange program co-organized by the CAB, with a group of students from Tainan National University of the Arts displaying creations at the Kyoto Higashiyama Hanatouro lantern festival March 9-18.
First held in 2010, Yuejin Lantern Festival is part of the city government’s efforts to boost public awareness of the historic port, one of the largest trading hubs in Taiwan during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), the bureau said. The event is distinct from other Taiwan lantern festivals in focusing on themes beyond Chinese zodiac animals, according to the CAB. (CPY-E)
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