The Look of the Century:The Exhibition on the Centennial Taiwances Art Design Development and Docume
2024 / 07 / 06
2024 / 10 / 18
Exhibition BackgroundThe development of Taiwanese modern visual designs started from the Japanese Colonial Period. From its initial enlightenment, art designs began sprouting and growing during the beginning of the WWⅡ, and continued to advance along with the pulse of time to date, accumulating art design developments through the course of a century. This exhibition focuses on the visual art aspect of art designs, selecting the most iconic pieces in the development of modern Taiwanese art designs, including iconic artworks, related documents, and historical data of graphic and three-dimensional designs, ranging across illustrations, fonts, posters, logos, packagings, advertisements, publications, household staples, and so on. Through these pieces of art, viewers may explore and analyze the features and aesthetic value in the development of centennial Taiwanese designs, demonstrating the visual culture and aesthetics of life unique to Taiwanese art designs.1. Overture: The Rays of Dawn in Taiwanese DesignsThe centennial Taiwanese art design development did not happen overnight; in fact, there is a context that we may trace back to the development of Taiwanese art design, the most key factor being Taiwan’s first appearance on the map, which showed the land’s concrete existence and integrating it on the world map. Having gone through several hundred years measurements and recordings, it gradually became the current form known today. Charles W. Le Gendre (1830-1899), while posted as an US consul in Xiamen, came to Taiwan eight times for the Rover Incident. During that time, he wrote Notes of Travel in Formosa, and invited Japanese artist Kobayashi Eitaku (1843-1890) to draw images of Taiwanese indigenous people. In 1885 (Meiji 18), the Eitaku Manga was printed by Kyukodo Publications, in which a collection of “Taiwanese races” covered three pages with a total of nine pictures. It became precious documents recording Taiwanese indigenous people of the modern era. Progressive Japan, published in 1875 by Charles W. Le Gendre, brought about the Japan’s southbound plans and the occupation of Taiwan. In Records of the Sino-Japanese War, details of the War were depicted through printmaking, with an emphasis on Taiwanese scenery and objects. There were also records of religious folk culture from the Fujian and Guangdong region during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as pictures of Rice Street in Tainan, joss paper printing, seals from various businesses, and many other objects used in their daily lives, which could be said that paved the foundations to the centennial Taiwanese art design development. The aforementioned map of Taiwan, the indigenous people, the Eight Wonders of Taiwan, business seals, and other images have since became cultural elements that were often and widely used in Taiwanese art designs, constructing design features that came from this land, based on the people, formed through the landscape, established with the culture, transformed into symbols, and belonged to the subjectivity of Taiwan.2. Japanese Colonization: Art Designs under the Sun FlagThe 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki marked the cession of Taiwan to Japan, thus beginning the fifty-year-long Japanese Colonization. In upholding the fundamental policy of “industrial Japan and agricultural Taiwan,” Taiwan’s camphor, sugar, and tea became influential agricultural products across the globe. Thus, the Taiwan Sotokufu Monopoly Bureau began listing regulations for salt, camphor, tobacco, alcohol, and opium. Also, because Taiwan is situated on the Tropic of Cancer, its natural subtropical environment is very different from the northern landscape of Japan. Therefore, topics such as the amazements of “Niitakayama (new high mountain, aka Mount Jade)” and “Tsugitakayama (second high mountain, aka Snow Mountain),” the discovery of indigenous people on the “southern island,” the cultural nickname of “the magnificent island,” and the vernacular memories of “Taiwanese folk culture” were often seen, as well as coconuts, bananas, buffaloes, and indigenous people that were rich with the taste of south. These became important elements that often graced the contents of books, booklets, leaflets, postcards, and so on, published during the Japanese Colonial Period. The general presentation of art designs during the Japanese Colonial Period could be seen within the large events and overall designs of “The Taiwan Exposition: In Commemoration of the First Forty Years of Colonial Rule,” also known as the comprehensive achievements of art design development over Japan’s fifty years of rule in Taiwan. This section exhibits historical documents of designs regarding politics, education, tourism, industries, culture, war, and many more various aspects during this period. Due to printing material limitations, most of them are overprints using two to three colors, much like the form of print art. The most iconic design for largescale events would have to be “The Taiwan Exposition: In Commemoration of the First Forty Years of Colonial Rule” design made in 1935.3. Enlightenment: Sowing the Seeds of Taiwanese Modern DesignsThe centennial development of Taiwanese designs was closely related to the Japanese Colonization. For purposes of political propaganda, industry promotion, tourism, educational publications, culture and books, as well as war movements and so on, the promotion and publicity required artists’ designs and printing. Ishikawa Kinichiro (1871-1945), Shiotsuki Toho (1885-1954), Tateishi Tetsuomi (1905-1980), Miyata Yataro (1906-1968), Nishikawa Mitsuru (1908-1999), and many more artists resided in Taiwan for long periods, leaving an abundance of historical data in designs. Others such as Ishikawa Toraji (1875-1964), Yumeji Takehisa (1884-1934), Yoshida Hatsusaburo (1884-1955), Nakagawa Kazumasa (1893-1991), and so on that stayed in Taiwan for short periods were all professionally trained or renowned artists. They were the pioneers to driving the development of modern designs in Taiwan, creating the iconic images of Taiwanese art designs. Apart from the aforementioned, famous Taiwanese artists of the Japanese Colonial Period, such as Yen Shui-Long (1903-1997) and Lin Yu-Shan (1907-2004) not only excelled outstandingly in art creations, but also dedicated their creative efforts to art designs. They are the classic examples of Taiwanese local artists participating in art designs. This section highlights all the pioneers that contributed to the hundred years of Taiwanese art design development, retrospectively in practice, education, and promotion. Whether they provided enlightenment in thoughts and concepts, or influenced the artworks in practical designs, they paved the cornerstones in the centennial development of Taiwanese designs.4. Image: Symbols and Advertising within the Memories of the EraAn “image” aims at achieving the effects of identity and identification within the target audience, through concrete forms of symbols or effective communication in advertising. In the 1920s, symbols such as the Taiwan Sotokufu Badge, Prefecture and City Seals, as well as company and firm trademarks became the symbols of identities for government agencies and businesses. This was closely related to the traditions of family crests that had long been in Japan. The seals and marks of the government, prefectures, cities, and businesses were mostly simplified forms of Kanji. After the Retrocession of Taiwan, the 1967 design policies and regulation manual of Formosa Plastics Group set by Kuo She-Hsiung became the pioneer of Corporate Identity System designs. In 1968, Hiroshi Ohchi was invited to Taiwan for a keynote speech, and designed the trademark “W” representing the complete gamut of five flavors for Wei Chuan Food Corporation, which became the iconic example of foreign designers in Taiwan after the retrocession. In the 1990s, Motoo Nakanishi’s visit to Taiwan started the trend of “CIS (Corporate Identity System)” designs, taking Taiwanese public and private enterprises by storm. CIS is designed through the overall image and identity system, with mostly globalized styles. Museums, art museums, and other venues also use the system for planning and designing, integrating their image positioning and goals for the future into the designs. The Soka Art Museum, for example, uses the Chinese character for Soka to combine with the exterior of the architecture, achieving the visual image of being the window to art exchanges. Advertising designs for corporation, brand, and product marketing began thriving during this period, including the ads for “Smoca Tooth Powder” designed during the Japanese Colonial Period by Taiwanese artist Yen Shui-Long, whose advertising designs were second to none. The Times Awards for Advertising was established in 1978, then the Times Young Creative Awards for Advertising in 1992. Since then, awarded artworks became the record for the development imprints of Taiwanese advertising designs for nearly half a century.5. Culture: Cultural Designs and the Culture of DesignsWithin Taiwanese art design developments, the parts that best highlighted cultural values were books designs, among which the most renowned would have to be the art-like limited publications under the collaboration of Nishikawa Mitsuru, Tateishi Tetsuomi, and Yataro Miyata. Other precious historical documents on designs include The Journey to the West, with its cover design by Lin Chih-Chu and its illustrations by Lin Yu-Shan. Likewise, when comparing the catalogues of Taiten and Futen, Bunten and Teiten in Japan, as well as the Taiwan Provincial Art Exhibitions and the National Art Exhibitions ROC after the Retrocession, we can see the developmental context within. Since the Retrocession of Taiwan, cover designs and illustrations for literature, novels, book, and magazines by Liao Wei-Lin, Gao Shan-Lan, Long Si-Liang, Huang Hua-Cheng, Lin Chong-Han, and so on all became iconic Taiwanese cultural designs. In cooperation with the aid from UNICEF, the Taiwan Provincial Education Department appropriated the corresponding funds to establish an editorial team for children’s reading materials in 1964, publishing the Chinese Children’s Books series. This encouraged Taiwanese writers and artists to engage in children’s book and picture books, lead by Zhao Guo-Zong, Cao Jun-Yan, Zheng Ming-Jin, and many others. Another category was the CD cover designs for audio publications, the most famous of which include designs for the Golden Rhythm Awards by Liao Zhe-Fu, Rock Records by Li Ming-Dao, and so on. Upon the establishment of the Ministry of Culture Council for Cultural Affairs, as well as the National Theater and National Concert Hall, Huo Rong-Ling, Su Zong-Xiong, Wang Xing-Gong, Liu Kai, and many other designers participated in the posters and extended series of designs for Art Season, along with various cultural and art exhibitions and events, all of which set an example to Taiwanese cultural designs and the culture of designs.6. Legacy: Design Movements in Passing on the TorchSince the Retrocession of Taiwan, although design developments had already formed, due to regulations of the Martial Law, there were many restrictions in establishing groups or associations. It was not until 1962 that the Graphic Design Association of R.O.C. was first founded by Founding President Wang Chao-Guang, along with Guo Wan-Chun, Xiao Song-Gen, Jiang Tai-Xin, and so on. It became Taiwan’s first professional design association, and led the development of Taiwanese art designs for sixty years to date. In 1962, National Taiwan Normal University Department of Fine Arts alumni Gao Shan-Lan, Jian Xi-Gui, Huang Hua-Cheng, and others established the “Black and White Exhibitions,” opening the doors to independent exhibitions for Taiwanese designs. Later, the 1971 “Amoeba Design Exhibitions” founded by National Taiwan Academy of Arts Department of Arts and Crafts alumni paved that path for independent creations and long-term exchange with Korea. The “Taipei Visual Designers’ Club” was created in the 1980s by Liao Zhe-Fu, Su Zong-Xiong, Wang Xing-Gong, and other professional designers. Then, in the 1990s, Qiu Yong-Fu, Gao Si-Sheng, Ye Guo-Song, Lin Pan-Song, You Ming-Long, and other alumni from the Design Class of the Department of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University formed the "Taiwan Image Poster Design Association,” actively promoting cross-strait and global exchanges. After the Martial Law lifted in 1987, professional design associations ranging from CI and graphics to packaging, advertising, and many more popped up one after the other across northern, central, and southern Taiwan, hence becoming important influences in driving Taiwanese design developments.7. Artistry: A Testimony to the Traces of Design DevelopmentIn the digital era where computer graphics are so convenient and supported by a diversity of softwares, design students nowadays mostly depend on computer equipment, and hardly ever draw by hand. When looking back at the beginning of the centennial Taiwanese art design development, designers also must rely on printing to visually communicate their unique creative concepts. Both forms of creations can neither escape the equipment, materials, tools, and techniques required for designing, nor the evolution of the approach, which ultimately decides the key to a good or bad art design. This section exhibits the “instrumental drawing” courses taught by Founding Chair Mo Da-Yuan of the Crafts and Drawing Department at Provincial Taiwan Teacher’s College (now know as National Taiwan Normal University Department of Fine Arts), which provided basic training in professional design. The exhibiting tools including ruling pens, technical pens, curve plates, curve rulers, scales, and so on were essentials for traditional hand-drawn drafts before printing. Exhibiting designers of the preceding generation, such as Jiang Tai-Shing, Yang Xia-Hui, Lin Wen-Yen, Lin Pang-Soong, and many more, showcase their works ranging from creatives drafts and black-and-white complete drafts to color-separated positive images and the printed final products, fully demonstrating the entire design process of early hand-drawn drafts. The exhibition hopes to provide design students of today an understand of the solid basic trainings that the preceding generation of designers had received, displaying the correlations between artistic literacy and their achievements in design.8. Folk Culture: The Charm of Designs in Our Daily LivesThroughout the centennial Taiwanese art design development, government propagandas, art exhibitions, cultural activities, publications, tourism, and many other promotional art designs required by officials and enterprises accounted for a huge part of the designs, demonstrating its cultural and artistic aspects. However, another large part came from in the widespread items needed for the food, clothing, living, education, and entertainments of everyday lives, including lunar calendars, foods, medicines, movies, the Patriotic Lottery Tickets, matchstick boxes, milk caps (game), as well as advertisement fans and leaflets with promotional advertising. Such unique designs and styles may be traced back to the Japanese Colonial Period, as there were many consistencies in the the folk designs of that era. Because the subject of communication for these types of designs were more often commoners, the designs favor clear and easily understandable auspicious images or characters, especially beautiful women, using the strong contrast of colors to strengthen visual effects and attract audiences. Thus, Taiwanese folk designs display a style similar to that of POP art, with characteristics of bright colors and images, forming art designs with a unique charm.9. Glory: Designs from Taiwan, Shining WorldwideWhen looking back at Taiwan’s one hundred years of developmental history, generations of people on this land have experienced the transitions of different eras. From the “Blossoming Formosa” of the Japanese Colonial Period filled with imaginations for the land of south, to the “Isle of Battle” preaching about reclaiming China and restoring the country during the retreat of the government of the Republic of China, then transitioning to the “Technology Island” in taking roots in Taiwan while strengthening economic developments and the information industry, finally towards the “Island of Creativity” with an emphasis on the soft powers of culture and art, the people have cultivated resilience in our daily lives filled with diversity, inclusivity, and flexible development. Having gone through a hundred years of art design development, with preceding generations of designers sowing and cultivating talents, Taiwan is finally reaping the abundance of design powers accumulated over such a long period of time. Apart from providing quality design services, elevating the aesthetics of daily lives, constructing special visual cultures, Taiwanese artists actively participate in global design competitions and are awarded with outstanding achievements. Through participating in international contests, Taiwanese designers continued to advance and develop, giving Taiwan a worldwide platform through awarded artworks. Taiwan also hosted internal design shows, inviting designers from around the globe and bringing them together in Taiwan, thus demonstrating Taiwan as a creative island rich with the soft powers of arts and cultures. Likewise, by introducing and stirring up conversations about design in schools, communities, open spaces, and government units, Taiwanese designers have successfully shaped Taipei into a globally recognized creative city.