Strolling Along the River
National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) seeks to bring you a sense of "Bellissimo!" As the newest and largest single-roof theater in Asia, Weiwuying welcomes its first anniversary by launching yet another imaginative and daring cross-disciplinary event, this time with the National Palace Museum (NPM). Reflections Along the River – NPM × WEIWUYING New Media Art Exhibition is the fruit of this amazing collaboration.
Rivers feature prominently in the lives of the people of Kaohsiung, and its banks accommodate a variety of commercial activities and the daily activities of citizens. The Qing era remake of the painted scroll, Up the River During Qingming, housed in the collections of the NPM, similarly depicts the daily lives and activities of all walks of life along the Bian River, including performance arts such as traditional theatre and juggling as well. The ancients described Up the River During Qingming as a vivid depiction of bustling horses and carriages along the thoroughfares, alongside faithful representations of the scenery, styles, and customs of the time. Of the 11-meter-long scroll, the area surrounding the Rainbow Bridge is the most exciting and vibrant section, and represents the apex of aesthetic dynamism across the entire scroll. Now, in an effort spanning time, space, and locality, Weiwuying and NPM have entwined Kaohsiung and the Bian River, and cordially invite you to take a stroll together into the classic beauty of this realistic genre painting.
In recent years, the NPM has endeavored to promote its extensive collections through digital enhancements. Supported by steady advancements in multimedia technology, it is now possible to explore the most intricate details of each artifact, thereby erasing the barriers that once prevented viewers from gaining a better understanding of the museum's collections. In Reflections Along the River – NPM × WEIWUYING New Media Art Exhibition, virtual reality (VR) experiences of Up the River During Qingming will be displayed along with artificial intelligence guide facilities. This work was recently honored with a GLAMi Award from the Museums and the Web 2019 (MW19) conference hosted in Boston, USA. The exhibit will also include a large projected animation of Up the River During Qingming that spans more than 10 meters in width, as well as several high-quality films produced by the NPM over the years. Through this digital exhibition, it is hoped that the NPM collection can be presented in a novel and refreshing way.
In addition, this Exhibition utilizes the "scroll" element of Up the River During Qingming to create an extension effect that flows out from the exhibition halls to other parts of the Weiwuying complex. Local art groups and artists from Kaohsiung have been specifically invited to conduct flash performances of storytelling, Taiwanese opera, and dance, to create a thriving scene such as that on the banks of the Bian River, and enable viewers to experience a completely new style of art appreciation.