Taiwan 2011 / part 2 / Sunday

Sunday. and at the end of the day, a poem popped in my mind.

"I had walked as much as I could on the vibrant streets of Taipei!

I witnessed a thousand different things on my serendipitous way!

Dignified memorials, dazzling art festivals, I was simply blown away!

And now the dark of the night brings peace, after a spectacular day!"

That pretty much sums up how i feel when i was in Taipei.  

so lets start how this poem came to be. 

the day before, i had visited this amazing museum all the way in Yilan province, which is about 2 hours east of Taipei. Today, i visit Taipei itself. 

 

And where better to start off with than the soaring green glass minaret that put the island of Taiwan on the world map?  

Yes, Taipei 101.  

so i walked around this world famous complex, occasionally observing its celebrated architectural details, specfically the oriental  - inspired  corner decorative joints and the huge circular protrusions, which visually dot all four glass elevations of the tower itself. 

its design, i was made to understand, was inspired by the form of the bamboo, that ubiquitous natural  landscape foliage instantly recognized as an eastern cultural insignia, which explains its semi - tapered form at its base and the segmented rings found at specific intervals on its elevations.

and i walk in. 

 

and its clear that part of the interiors carry this same eastern - influenced architectural vernacular through out the complex. this steel column clearly conveys that intention, albeit through superficial add - ons and whimsically decorated curves at its top. 

essentially the whole building is simply a mixed development, compromising of an ultra modern office tower and an internal vibrant shopping department, but practical considerations aside, it was clear that the complex symbolically held a prominent status among the urbanites, and even the whole country itself. it was clearly a symbol of national pride and economic prowess, one that the Taiwanese were proud of because upon completion, its opening was celebrated with great pomp and flair. 

as far they are concerned. this building heralded the moment that they had arrived on the world stage, proudly proclaiming their presence among international circles, whilst making it loud and clear, that they would continue their unstoppable march towards the future, towards unbridled prosperity.

i walk around the interiors and eventually, proceed to walk to the outside. 

and children playing in water greets me the moment i step out. it was nice to see plazas meant for the enjoyment of the public were not neglected when designing this landmark and i could clearly see that the public spaces clearly pulled people in to enjoy a day in the sun for a moment or two. 

I keep on walking and once again, i am confronted with melody and symphony. a street busker, skillfully charming a violin, captures my ear.

I take a breather to enjoy the music and to enjoy the well - landscaped promenade, and the weather could have not been more perfect.

and from an elevated position, i see the a western influence on the streets of the city.trees lining the streets of the city, with the occasional plaza with ponds, flanked here and there on each side. pretty.

i had decided earlier i was going to walk as much as possible to cover the city. i wanted to serendipitously experience as much as i could at street level, bumping into a surprise ever so often without any pre - conceived intentions, and after walking for about half an hour or so, i had arrived at one of the country's significant memorials. 

this was a the memorial that was dedicated to Dr. Sun Yat Sen, who was a Chinese revolutionary and first president and founding father of the Republic of China ("Nationalist China") and is referred to as the "Father of the Nation" in the Republic of China (ROC / Taiwan ), and the "forerunner of democratic revolution" in the People's Republic of China.

undoubtedly, it was gigantic hall, with graceful curved roof eaves and lines, bathing in a striking and vibrant orange glow, supported and framed by huge concrete columns and beams. its design was clearly inspired by traditional Chinese architectural vernacular, reminiscent of the great buildings found in china, specifically like the ones found in the forbidden city in beijing, and it was magnificent to witness.

 

this memorial, dedicated to him, was located in a vast park, well planned and well landscaped right in the heart of the city, and the first thing that struck me, other than the grandness of the hall itself, was how the public had very completely at ease in such a dignified space. 

 

memorials always remind me of somber places, sanctified by respect and silence, allowing only serious moments of contemplation. but here, the situation was the exact opposite.

 

a bustling bazaar and a glaring concert was taking place, children were running around in delight playing baseball or cops and robbers, adolescents were practicing the latest K-pop or J-pop dance routines and everyone was having a great time under the sun. 

 

the locals even make sure their dogs get to enjoy some of the merriment too, and judging by the look of this one dog, vanity is clearly a trait not solely possessed by us humans alone.

i walk into the hall , walking pass soaring corridors with those towering concrete columns, and approach a seated gigantic figure, who was clearly the individual himself to whom this memorial was dedicated to. in deep dark hues of bronze, he sits in a stern temperance, demanding respect almost in an instant, and he had mine.

 

soon i walk out again, and decide to saunter the gardens of the complex, and almost everywhere i go, i see eerily fluidic and expressive statues of what must be depictions of the locals in interesting story - telling postures, frozen indefinitely in time.

some of these metal figures are more dramatic than others, and once coupled with the presence of hard and dry trunks and branches behind these statues, they seem even more eerie and organic somehow. appearing like a strange fusion of metal and wood.

and more eye - catching figures in smooth stone and textured metal, dot the surrounding landscapes of the complex. the one in the middle, made me smile.

  

and the last i shot i take before i leave the complex was somehow the most meaningful. 

here i saw a trinity of elements, that really captured my attention. i could appreciate the modernity that the country had embraced through the presence of the gleaming glass minaret behind, while visually being juxtaposed with the brutal finish of the walls of the hall and its lovely orange roof signifying the past and in the middle soaring carelessly in the clear blue sky was a kite, played by a child and his parents, the present generation of the island itself. 

past, present and future, all in one shot.truly, a perfect snap.

  

i continue my urban trek and i pass by some buildings. that truly are wonderful to look at. this was a academic institution. but what really made me smile was the extensive usage of green walls that almost completely covered its walls. glorious foliage creeping all over!

                   

and then, this lovely box with bold intersecting tapered lines on its elevations comes around the corner. a visually powerful lattice to look at.

walking on, i come across, an interesting piece of public art, wrapped around  the concrete legs of a traffic heavy elevated highway above me. the sunlight was right where it should be when i took this shot and the intricate textures i notice from a distance became a rich composition of minute details to look at.

i was lucky. 

i had soon realised that i had come to the exact place my friends here in Taiwan had recommended me to come the night we met for dinner last Friday. a vibrant art festival called The Huashan Living Arts Festival, was being visited by hordes of enthiuastic people, and as soon as i enter the grounds of the fair, i'm greeted by a circus performance and a gamut of mischievous acrobatics.

these clowns were doing what they do best ... making people laugh, and of course, i was one of them.

and the crowd loved them for it. 

 

once the performance was over, i walked in to have a look at the myriad of art and design exhibitions that the entire complex was housing for the benefit of the public. what really grabbed my attention though was the collection of derelict buildings themselves that had been abandoned in the past and now was converted into a highly popular public spot for fun filled activities and dynamic art and music festivals.

the raw, unfinished look of all the buildings, especially the rough, bare concrete walls and exposed metal roof trusses and skylights, were untouched and clearly persevered as part of the design agenda planned for this amazing collection of old run - down buildings when they were open to the public. 

these neglected structures clearly had an endearing character about them, reminding me of the philosophy of the usage of industrial aesthetics in architecture, and how this design style could create a sense of original unpretentious authenticity with old buildings for everyone to enjoy, and God knows, i enjoyed it. immensely.

and after looking at the huge posters only after a while, did i begin to notice the clever interplay of elements between the past and the future, and how interestingly hilarious the image was. its one of those images that makes you slightly giggle for a moment.

i then walk out and see more of these old buildings covered with lovely green blankets of creepers on its brick walls and the sight warms my heart immediately. walking along i see these mini timber pavilions with pitched roofs and glass panels that house several art pieces and souvenirs for sale. 

and as you can see, people visit in huge numbers.

 

i walk inside one of these buildings and i see interactive exhibitions all over the place. it was a powerful play of light and shadow, of projections and sounds, of visuals and information.

i walk along as much as i could on the grounds of the complex and come across more interesting colonial edifices with more art exhibitions to boot. a visual galore of graphics and architecture, to say the least. 

 

i just really loved how these old buildings were preserved for the public. they just had so much historical and cultural character to them and the connection to the past couldn't have been clearer. 

 

i walk up the stairs just around the corner and i see the grounds of the festival from an elevated position. sunset clearly was not marking the end of the festivities here, and if anything, it seemed even more vibrant now than it did when i got here. it was truly a celebration of the concept of a marketplace, with an exciting ambiance of joy and merriment permeating the night air. hustling and bustling in every corner.

the night came relatively quickly and soon the night lights were up. the tents selling food, drinks and souvenirs were lit, the buildings housing the exhibitions were lit and the huge singular towering smokestack in the background was lit too.

 

and just as i was about to leave after spending a couple of hours here, i get a full description of the fair here. living arts indeed, in every sense of the phrase.

i left. 

on the way back, i happen to come across another design exhibition that was taking place, showcasing the latest in design trends the country had to offer.

 i walked in and soon i saw products from every design industry on display here. from light fittings to furniture accessories, from stationary pieces to household appliances, this place had it all and the selection was spectacular.  

again, i was lucky.

i walked around and see this one particularly mesmerizing piece of contemporary art. it was an organic glass sculpture with the images of a buddha's face scattered randomly on its bulbous surface. it was beautiful but somehow unsettling to gaze at, and after a while a sense of something spooky yet profound seemed to emanate from within its transparent body.

i then walk on to the other halls of the building and i observe here too, that this building was clearly an old colonial structure, whose interiors had been converted into a modern exhibtion space for the benefit of the public. 

 

and i loved the way lighting here was employed to create a cosy atmosphere, that wasnt too glaring and provocative.

and it some places, the lighting itself was the exhibition piece, like this one showcasing traditional Chinese characters painted in bold brush strokes on transparent back lit acrylic panels. 

and modern paintings, like this one depicting an array of feline-inspired female robots in various contemplative poses, are just amazing to look at for its humour and intrigue.

i then see various curios objects on display that are found all over.

and this has got to be most curios one amongst all of them. a complete stroke of artistic genius, i thought. 

what a bright idea, literally. and i want one! 

after walking around for a while, i realised it was getting late, and unfortuantelty, the entire complex was going to close soon, and so i made my way to the exit.

on the way out i realised that this one of the 3 major exhibition venues designated for the international convention ( IDA 2011 ) that i had originally had come to Taiwan for. this was actually an old tobacco factory and warehouse that had been converted into an exhibition venue for the conference, which was meant for the both the public and the participants. 

and i gotta admit, i was thrilled with what i had seen so far. 

after walking for about an hour or so, i had finally started making my way back to the guesthouse, and i reckoned the best way to get back was to simply retrace my steps. and i come accors another world famous landmark.

 

 on the way back, i had passed the world famous W hotel here in Taipei, which was know for its vivacious and flamboyant boutique-style themed chain of hotels all around the world, so i took a moment to appreciate its bold and creative design approach.

 

starting with this lovely piece. 

a humongous, super-over-sized highly polished stainless steel chain, that anchored the flat slab above the main entrance of the hotel's reception area from top to bottom at the end of one corner... quirky, memorable and intriguing, to say the least.

and i walked in the interior spaces, and in an instant, i bathe in luxury, dripping with contemporary opulence in every corner. 

the play of light here, in the controlled dark, was simply astounding, psychedelic even, and the usage of materials here was stylistic to the extreme. a rich use of gold and timber, of marble and glass created an amazing composition of decorative elements.

even the staircases looked as if they were dripping in showers of gold. 

and the views ... high, high above ...

were to die for.

this was the restaurant right at the top of the hotel, and in fitting in with the theme of the rest of the hotel's design style, it was highly stylistic, playful and whimsical to the senses. 

i actually felt i was in a modern middle eastern inspired harem of sorts, with its suspended lights that look more like dangling lamps and its deep and dark earthly colour schemes when walking pass by this place. i was tempted to sit for a while, basking in its rich ambiance for a while while sipping a drink, but i reckoned i would had to pay a small fortune for that much-tempting sip. well, maybe next time!

after leaving the W, i was finally done for the day and it was close to 10 pm. my feet were sore and i thought it was best to get back to the guesthouse for tomorrows' conference, and i needed to be up bright and early for that. 

so on the way back, i took a shot or two.

including a shot of these adorable huge cartoon rodents in polka-dot, mufti-decorated skins, decked with an array of colorful floral motifs on each dot.  

 

and then i pass these neon lit panels, showing a mosaic of fluorescent lights in a variety of colours, looking like they were made of stacks of semi - transparent Lego blocks put together playfully by some overgrown teenager posing as a visual artist.  

and just before i got back, this temple, small as it may be but imposing and grand nonetheless, was the last shot for the night. a divine sign i thought, to bring to a close the happenings of the day and to go back now, and rest the night away.

what a day its been ... thank you, taipei.