Delicate Play with Nature Jean Liao An inch more or an inch less may not matter much in Western floral arrangement, but in Ikebana each centimeter and every component has a particular relation to each other. The artist’s intentions and creativity is expressed through the combination of colours, natural shapes, and even the vessel. Ikebana…
The Paper Play – A Forgotten Media Min-Chuan Chiang In today’s age of big data and ad-blockers many of yesterday’s media are forgotten. Yet the era of paper-based mass communication through paper has not yet truly ended. A Taiwanese collector, Mr Min-Chuan Chiang, has collected matches, matchbooks, and matchboxes produced across the world spanning over a…
Hope Talk – Art of the Japanese Fan Keita Yamamoto Among the most symbolic of Japanese art forms is the hand fan; strips of hinoki (Japanese cypress) connected by thread, covered with paper backing some of the most beautiful and elegant artwork. The paper fan has a long history, originating from China as the rigid…
Who Am I?! TAIWANfest Identity is the culmination of an entire lifetime’s worth of experiences. This is a self-evident truth for a group of Taiwanese painters in the early 20th century, who were introduced to Western watercolours by Japanese artists during the 50 year period of Japanese government in Taiwan. This group of young artists…
Friendship Picnic TAIWANfest Visitors flock to festivals and events to experience something out of the ordinary. Do you have the courage to step beyond the familiar and break out into something new? Join TAIWANfest for Friendship Picnic as we swap stories, travel the world, and learn something new all through the eyes and ears of…
The Kitchen of Sweetness Yui Aida What would be the flavour of a blooming flower if it tasted as good as it looked? Should a clear blue sky taste sweet or savoury? How would you like to try a rich cheesecake made using soy and avocado, with balsamic vinegar drizzled on top? Chef and Food Painter…
Spintop Kids Sanxia Spintops Throughout the world baroque-era architecture has been closely associated with European colonialism, and Taiwan is no stranger to either. Along the Sanxia Old Street in Taiwan, beautifully preserved baroque architecture from the Japanese era can still be found. The dramatic contrast of light and shadow found in these buildings have provided…
Hear Them Out Sheng-Xiang & Band ft. Misa Guitarist and vocalist Sheng-Xiang Lin is well known throughout Asia and overseas for his work with various social movements as well as his indie music. Composing with his longtime friend and bandmate Yongfeng Chung, their deep understanding of Taiwan’s traditional agricultural society combined with a distinctive musical…
The heartbreaking tale of Bunya Koh is the story of a young musician and composer, a rising star in the midst of the Second Sino-Japanese War, forgotten in the annals of time and a testament to what might have been for an artist of that era.
International Pan-Asian Culinary Invitational TAIWANfest International Pan-Asian Culinary Invitational is back to take on Toronto’s culinary world! With vast varieties of Japanese, Chinese and Taiwanese cuisines in Toronto, Torontonian fusion chefs are certainly among the most creative in the world. But are they up to the task of teaching bona fide Japanese or Taiwanese chefs…