To present the culturally distinctive landscapes of Taiwan Romantic
Route 3, the Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) has organized its first-ever outdoor
photography exhibition. The “Exhibition of Photographs Highlighting the Romance of Northern Taiwan's Hakka Villages” will be
taking place until Jan. 5 at Taipei’s 228 Peace Park, before it moves to the
New Tile House Hakka Cultural District in Hsinchu County’s Zhubei City from
Feb. 20 to March 1.
HAC Minister Lee Yung-de, who attended the Dec. 26 opening event of the
exhibition, stated that the natural environment of the open-air arrangement
helps exhibition-goers better appreciate these art works as they stroll through
the park. He added that the snapshots tell compelling stories that enhance the
viewer’s bonding experience with Hakka culture.
The minister explained that the exhibition seeks to enrich and diversify
cultural activities and offers different perspectives on Taiwan Romantic Route
3 through striking images captured by the participating photographers.
Twenty-two exceptional photographers from home and abroad were invited
by HAC and curator Suan Hooi-wah (全會華), a
Malaysia-born photographer and founder of the Taiwan International Visual Arts
Center (臺灣國際視覺藝術中心), to
explore 28 Hakka settlements throughout Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, Miaoli
County, and Taichung City, snapping pictures of significant historical sites,
intangible cultural assets, and Hakka communities to document and interpret the
peerless heritage of Taiwan.
Minister Lee said that, from the Romantic Route 3 Arts Festival to the Hakka Music Festival, HAC has invited many domestic and international artists to create works with Hakka elements in an attempt to widely publicize Hakka culture throughout Taiwan and around the world. Curator Suan is planning to bring this photography exhibition to France to encourage more people to learn about Taiwan’s Hakka culture through vivid imagery, Lee added. The minister extended a welcoming invitation to the general public to view these romantic Hakka moments.