TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A poignant art exhibition titled "Life and Death, Forgetting and Remembering: The 35th Anniversary of June Fourth" is currently on display at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂) in Taipei. Curated by a team from Taiwan and Hong Kong, the exhibition invites 18 artists from around the world to explore the theme of "memory's warehouse," reflecting on the events of Tiananmen Square through the lens of art.
Curator Liu Hui-ting (劉慧婷), who has lived abroad for five years following the Hong Kong "Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement," shared that despite hoping to forget the past, memories of the events constantly remind her of what happened. She draws a parallel between her emotional state and the exhibition's concept that "forgetting is easier than remembering." Another curator, Chen Wei-lun (陳韋綸), emphasized the importance of giving voice to those in difficulty, a realization he came to after participating in the Sunflower Student Movement (太陽花學運). He hopes the exhibition will use art's gentle power to help more people understand history.
Art as a Medium for Reflection
Li Tsai-ying (李采楹), one of the curators, believes the exhibition offers visitors a space to imagine and reflect on how democracy might evolve under authoritarian rule. This artistic endeavor commemorates the past and opens up discussions on the future of democracy and human rights.
Commemorating June Fourth
In conjunction with the exhibition, the New School for Democracy (華人民主書院) will host a commemorative event on June 4 at 6:40 p.m. on Democracy Boulevard at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The event, titled "The 35th Anniversary of June Fourth Evening - Pursuing Democracy, Fearless and Unyielding. Ideals are bullet-proof," aims to honor the pursuit of democratic ideals and the resilience of those who strive for freedom.
This exhibition and the accompanying event serve as powerful reminders of the enduring struggle for democracy and the role of art in keeping the memory of historical events alive. They invite the public to engage with the past, consider its impact on the present, and inspire action towards a more democratic future.