the skies dark and gloomy again. the mood is sombre, the ambiance is less than cheery.
but that's not really an issue.
the IDA has finally come to an end. with a simple ceremony, we had reached the end of the congress here in Taipei and like all things that come to an end, a little celebrtaion is in order. for the past 3 nights its been one festive communion after another, and tonite, the party is meant to be the grandest of the lot.
i couldnt help but feel a little down at the moment though, knowing this was going to be the last night i would be in taiwan before i left for korea tomorrow. sure, i was excited to fly to seoul tomorrow, but i couldnt help but feel a tinge of the blues, realising that this part of my holidays was coming to an end.
but this was no time for a frown. the best things are always saved for the last, so tonight should be a blast. at least, that's the feeling i got.
so in the drizzle of the night, cold and dark, overcast and wet, we were off.
and another fantastic venue greets us.
this humongous exhibition hall, dynamic and striking all at once, was the venue for the Taipei International Flora Exposition held on the island in 2011, and this venue specfically was the Expo Dome.
this huge structure was used to house and exhibit multiple variety of flora for an international audience when the expo took place, but tonite, it was transformed to accommodate the final event of the IDA.
and so here i was.
it was undeniably evident that the commissioning of the floral expo previously had clearly influenced the architectural vernacular of the building. gigantic embossed motifs of sunken in white "petal - like" patterns were designed into the exterior membrane of the hall, and the lighting system, like strings of luminescent pearls at various locations, were perfectly employed to enhance the overall surreal and dreamy ambiance of the locale.
and while waiting for the doors of the hall to open, i continue to take shots of these enormous visually bewitching "petals" that inexplicably remind me of lotuses, perhaps, because subconsciously, i was reminded of something beautiful that possessed a sense of stark cleanliness and geometrical purity.
just outside the hall,masses of people were waiting to go in and enjoy the events planned for the night. dinner was clearly on everyone's minds, but patience was needed at the moment before we could actually proceed.
so i just walked around looking at all the night had to offer, just waiting for the right moment.
and the manga/anime influence pops up every now and then.
yes, every now and then.
and as i walk around, i get closer to the stage and realize a live performance was going on. talented and lovely, we were being serenaded by a skillful musical duo stringing out haunting tunes for us to enjoy. and a deejay at the back adds in a little "house" and "electronica" every once in a while. mixing it up, so to speak.
soon, after this performance, the doors finally open, and we walk in.
and the second we enter, we were completely bombarded in every corner, by a dramatically hypnotic ambiance, aquatically-themed, in deep, deep sensuous blue!
yes ... blue, blue and more blue!
after soaking in this visual assault, we sat down at our respective tables, waiting for the night to begin, and soon it did.
and what better way to begin the night with a traditional performance of strings?
and soon, traditional dances followed.
elegant, graceful and demure, dressed adoringly in shades of maroon, purple and violet, these porcelain skin ladies with seemingly translucent paper fans in their fragile hands were clearly charming us audience members, simply through their presence on stage, enthralling us completely.
i wasn't complaining,that's for sure!
im sure there was more, but i do remember the acoustics not being too good so i couldn't really make out what was being said. whatever.
soon, the shows would start again.
starting with this fantastic display of acrobatics!
jumping high in the sky in perfect geometric synchronicity!
and bursts of light in cyan, blue and turquoise add to the tantalizing visual and kinetic magic on stage!
soon they bring out illuminated gravity -defying handheld orbs on stage and start throwing it back and forth to each other!
and a cacophony of sparkling twinkling colours flashes against the backdrop behind the performers!
streaks of white light dashingly swift and soar through mid - air!
over and over again, forming momentary ghostly luminous arches, disappearing as quickly as they appear!
and when that energetic display of body and light ended, we were treated to something a little less flashy and a lot more heartwarming.
the choir had taken to stage, and it was filled with school going children meant to represent the youth of the island, all on the verge of an exciting future for the country. everything was in mandarin however, so again, it was something i had to failed to appreciate entirely, but the performance was inspiring nonetheless.
once the performance had ended, it was clear the night was coming to an end. soon we had all gotten up and started shaking each others hands in saying goodbye to one another
and once the crowd had started dispersing, i took the sudden opportunity to stand on the empty stage to take a shot to commemorate this amazing night, but all that emerged was a dark. statue-like silhouette of me, in a deep and dark blue cloaked atmosphere.
once we started leaving, i had quickly made my way outside, to walk back to the bus to take us back to our respective guesthouses and a few shots here and there before i left for good.
as i was walking back, i was once again approached by some locals who had graciously asked me to take a shot with them. feeling flattered again, i obliged. happily so.
and the last shot of the night was taken with these guys, before finally leaving for the guesthouse, and the green aura that bathed our presence was eye - catching indeed!
as mentioned earlier this was my last night here on the island, before i leave for seoul in the morning. it truly has been an amazing 6 days here in taiwan. from the day i first got here, to meeting old friends i hadn't seen in years, to visiting one of the most mesmerising musems i had ever been to, to the visiting of vibrant art festivals and exploring chaotic urban jungles that eventually culminated in my attendance of the IDA, its been a superbly memorable affair to say the least.
its moments like these that make me deeply appreciative of the blessings that i've received in my life, and on "simple" things like just being healthy and alive and being in the here in now, and in being a living, breathing human being to enjoy all this, and most importantly perhaps, being totally in love with art and design that has taken me so very far and so very wide all over the planet.
i will deeply miss being the midst of all this excitement and i can only wait patiently for the next major design conference to take place to attend in the near future, and i hope and pray that such meaningful experiences and encounters will be something i will be privileged to enjoy for the rest of my existence on this lovely orbiting blue marble called earth.
goodbye taipei. i hope we meet again.
and seoul, see you soon, sweetheart. see you real soon.
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