How can a selected set of historical references shape the idea of a tourist attraction? Who determines the representative view of a scenic spot? Is there a common way of looking at a landscape? The Eight Views of Taiwan—From Forming the Scenic Spots to Actualizing an Imagined Geography is a curatorial project/an exhibition-in-box that shows publications as a multifaceted narrative medium. Drawing on the Eight Views (八景), an artistic concept originated in 12th century China that refers to “a set of eight representative sceneries” in a certain region, this project not only outlines the intertwined histories of the Eight Views of East Asia, but also presents an imaginary path that connects Taiwan's colonial past, image-making, and national development. If we live in a country that has been colonized by different regimes, will the imagined geography of the other become our visual reality?

With Beatrice von Bismarck, Daniela Duca, Ting Tsou

Concept: Ting Tsou