"An Island of Light: Taiwan Image Glass Craft Exhibition" Opens at Toyama Glass Art Museum!

The Aesthetics of Taiwanese Glass Craft Merge in Light and Shadow, an Exhibition Oshinsha is supporting

"An Island of Light: Taiwan Image Glass Craft Exhibition," [provisional English title] organized by the Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau, officially opened on November 8th at the Toyama Glass Art Museum (https://toyama-glass-art-museum.jp/). This marks the first time that Taiwanese glass craftworks have been exhibited at the museum. The exhibition brings together 20 works from the collection of the Hsinchu City Glass Art Museum and creative pieces by 10 artists, presenting a festival of art that expresses the aesthetics of craft, light and shadow, and the culture of Taiwan. [Taiwan Image Glass Craft Exhibition] https://toyama-glass-art-museum.jp/exhibition/exhibition-6772/

An Opening Ceremony Symbolizing Japan-Taiwan Glass Art Exchange

The opening ceremony was filled with enthusiasm, with many local glass artists rushing to attend. Attendees included Mr. Shibuya Ryoji, former director of the Toyama Glass Art Museum; Mr. Hongo Hitoshi, director of the Toyama Institute of Glass Art; artists Ms. Ozogawa Runa, Ms. Watanabe Ai, Ms. Wajima Akiko, Mr. Tabe Hiroyuki, and Ms. Matsuo Rina. From Taiwan, glass artist Mr. Lin Yi-Long and others were present, creating a harmonious event that symbolized the deep friendship between Taiwan and Japan.

Hsinchu and Toyama: The History and Future of the Glass Industry

Mr. Lee Hsin-Yao, Deputy Director of the Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau, expressed his honor in visiting Toyama, a city renowned for glass art. He remarked that he could feel the profound energy of Toyama's glass art development from the Kengo Kuma-designed museum.

He also touched upon the historical similarity that Toyama and Hsinchu City share in the development of their glass industries, explaining that Hsinchu City is currently striving to develop into high-value-added fields such as crafts and art. He mentioned the establishment of the Glass Art Museum in 1999 and the "International Glass Art Festival," which has been held with support from Japan. He concluded by expressing his exceptional joy at being able to hold an exhibition in Toyama City during the 100th anniversary of the glass industry, and his strong hope to establish a continuous cooperation mechanism with Toyama City for the mutual growth of artists from both Japan and Taiwan.

Mr. Lee Hsin-Yao, Deputy Director of Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau (Left)

Exhibited Works Expressing Taiwan's Rich Culture and Natural Environment

Professor Hsiao Ming-Tun, the curator of the exhibition, explained that all the works are themed around Taiwan, with artists utilizing various glass techniques to express the nation's rich culture and unique natural environment.

The works demonstrate the diversity of Taiwanese glass creation techniques and embody the artists' sensitivities and interpretations of their land and culture. He concluded that themes ranging from the pinbanzhou (wooden fishing canoes) of Taiwan's outlying Orchid Island (Lanyu), Tung flowers, rice noodles, and historic city walls to images of mountains and seas, express how Taiwanese culture flows and is inherited through the light and shadow of glass.

Curator, Professor Hsiao Ming-Tun

The exhibition is composed of three sections: "Local Scenery," "Characteristic Scenery," and "Contemporary Art."

"Local Scenery" Section: Hsinchu's Regional Culture

• Mr. Shao Tsun-Han's <Historical Brick City I>: Uses the glass casting technique to depict the architectural details of Hsinchu's East Gate. By combining it with books, it symbolizes the accumulation of knowledge and history. The work pays homage to the 170th anniversary of the establishment of Hsinchu (Zhúqiàn).

• Mr. Hsu Yuan-Jung's <Windy City Rice Noodle Sentiment>: Uses the "pulled glass" (rough stringer) technique to reproduce the fine, thread-like texture of rice noodles, sublimating local food culture into a warm artistic language.

"Characteristic Scenery" Section: Taiwan's Natural and Cultural Features

• Mr. Shih Ying-Hui's <Lanyu's Pinbanzhou>: Uses the "inlay" (mosaic) technique to recreate the nautical imagery of indigenous culture.

• Mr. Hsiao Ming-Tun's <Overwhelming Beauty of Guest Tung Snowstorm>: Depicts a scene of falling Tung blossoms using glaze transfer and slumping techniques, expressing the poetic charm of Hakka culture.

"Contemporary Art" Section: Interest in Society, Beliefs, and Psychological States

• Mr. Ting Yu-Wei's <Perforation>: Uses blowing and casting techniques to shape the pressures and cracks within social structures, reflecting the psychological state of modern individuals facing the system.

• Mr. Chung Chin-Tang's <Heart of Compassion>: Expresses insight into humanity and life, and a heart of compassion, through sandblasting techniques and symbolic motifs.

Exhibition Overview

This exhibition will be held in Gallery 1 of the Toyama Glass Art Museum until Monday, November 18th. We sincerely invite everyone in the Toyama region, as well as all art lovers, to come and experience firsthand the cultural light emitted by Taiwanese glass craft.