After a two-year interval, the long-anticipated 2004 Tamsui Art Festival was finally opened last Saturday by Tamsui Township Mayor, Kuo Zhe-dao and TKU’s President, Flora C. I. Chang. They also unveiled two exhibitions: Graffiti Wall and Pottery Wall among other various art works, which serve as a testimony of Tamsui’s prowess in producing fine quality art.
The opening ceremony was held in the Auditorium Hall of the Township library, accompanied by relaxing music played by TKU’s Wind Instruments Orchestra. Apart from the Township Mayor and TKU’s President, Li Chi-mao, and Chang Ben-hang the Director and Deputy Director of TKU’s Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center, along with 22 other delegates from various educational institutes around Tamsui region attended the ceremony, during which, the Township Mayor thanked TKU’s generous contribution and dedication to make this festival finally happen. He added that due to the efficient and professional artistic background of TKU’s team, which was involved in the preparation, “all the town folk are looking forward to this opening day!”
In response, Flora Chang reckoned that TKU’s more than 60 years of close ties with Tamsui, and the fact that this town, being one of most picturesque places in Taiwan, is an enclave for artists all over Taiwan, the promotional role TKU played was a natural progression. She also pointed out that in spite of having no arts and music schools at TKU, it does have a reputable art center and well-equipped music hall to showcase TKU’s endeavor in promoting the arts. She urged everyone to come and enjoy what this festival had to offer.
After her speech, she gave each of the 22 principals/delegates of schools that participated in the creation and exhibition of the Graffiti Wall a plaque printed with the painting his or her school contributed to the exhibition as a gesture of “thankfulness”. This wall, which is situated to the rear of the library on Mackay Street, is one of the highlights of the festival. It constitutes 23 paintings, two of which are works of TKU’s art clubs. “Country Map” was completed by the Painting and Sketching Club that includes all schools involved in the exhibition, whereas “View of Guan Yin Mount from Chinese Lantern Classrooms”, a painting depicting the beauty of Tamkang campus, was done by the Arts and Crafts Club. During her stroll after the ceremony admiring these works with the Mayor, Flora Chang was convinced that these paintings could invigorate this rather quiet street.
The other highlight was the Pottery Wall at the entrance to the Red Castle, which is a historical building at Tamsui’s old town quarters (Lao Jie). The unveiling ceremony was opened amidst an acrobatic lion dance put forward by TKU’s Overseas Chinese Student Lion Dance Group. Despite the rain, all students presented an outstanding performance and used their loud instruments to disperse any traces of gloom about the weather. This wall is a collage of works from over 100 local artists who first put their paintings on a pottery plate. After that, all in all, over 130 plates were fired in a traditional clay kiln and then pieced together on the wall. Even Mayor Kuo and Flora Chang participated in making some of these plates for the first time. Several renowned artists, such as sculptor, Wu Rong-ci, photographers Feng Wen-hsing and Wu Wen-chin, also made their first attempts in creating pottery plates on this wall. They are all proud of leaving their works to Tamsui as part of its rich cultural heritage.
This festival will last one month, and will be filled with quality and entertaining programs. There is a Fine Arts Exhibition at the Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center, and a music performance at the Carrie Chang Music Hall by the Semiscon, a group of six singers, who will tantalize the audience with their acapella singing. Those interested, please go to the Center for single tickets or a pass. Further details are available at http//www2.tku.edu.tw/~finearts/ccfac/tansu.htm
