An inspired photograph can deliver a jolt to the heart. The connection it forges between memories and feelings far surpasses the moment that the image documents. This capacity to tell a lasting story is part of a photo’s charm.
This month’s Cover Story looks at the core ideas of well-known photographers, as well as emerging trends in the photography books, exhibitions, and festivals that have become popular in Taiwan in recent years. Meanwhile our Photo Essay features the work of Taiwanese photographers chronicling the period from the 1970s through the 1990s, opening up a dialogue that spans issues, generations, and ethnicities. As Japanese photographer Keizo Kitajima once said: “Taiwanese photographers address all kinds of issues head on, with a shocking degree of resolve.”
Taiwan’s past and present have been tempered by Confucian thought, which has a history of more than 2,500 years. The Autumn Confucian Ceremony, held annually in Taipei on Confucius’ birthday, September 28, is the best preserved and most complete in Taiwan. The mixing of old and new when the robed celebrants stand shoulder to shoulder with the honor guard from Taipei First Girls’ High School makes for a thrilling sight. Meanwhile, in Tainan, the 2018 reopening of the long-derelict Japanese-era Hukuisu Restaurant offers a different perspective on the glories of the past.
Long a part of our nation’s history, Radio Taiwan International has been similarly renewed. Now broadcasting to the world in 14 languages, RTI is building bridges to Southeast Asia and serving as a beacon for Taiwan’s more than 500,000 new immigrants. Having revitalized itself with modern technology, this 90-year-old network is set to make its mark on the future, too.
Taiwan’s top ranking in the Open Data Index of the Open Knowledge Foundation in both 2015 and 2016 points to our nation’s progress toward transparent governance, and has been a catalyst for the creative use of open data by businesses and NGOs. We explore how open data is being used in fields such as traffic management and weather risk forecasting, and is fostering business development.
Following the granting of the third set of Tang Prizes, we examine how this “Asian Nobel Prize” is raising Taiwan’s international profile and deepening the research ethos on our campuses. We also take a look at the newly inaugurated Taiwan Light Environment Award, which aims to reduce light pollution and build a better lighting environment. Through in-depth first-hand reporting on these and other topics, we hope to help our readers keep their fingers on the pulse of Taiwan.
