Seeing the Unseen – 2016 Taipei Landscape Public Art Project
Public art in Taipei has always been closely intertwined with the city’s urban landscape. Since the passage of the “Public Art Installation Guidelines” in 1998, art has not only entered various public spaces but has also diversified in form, bridging the gap between ordinary citizens and creative expression. The opening of the Tamsui MRT Line further shaped the urban landscape, particularly in the area between Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan Station, which became an early hub for public art installations. The construction and subsequent operation of the MRT, along with the resulting shifts in urban life and industry, represent an important chapter in Taipei’s development history. Against this backdrop, the 2016 Taipei Landscape Public Art Project, under the theme “Seeing the Unseen,” invited the public to discover aspects of Taipei that are often overlooked. The project ran from October 28 to December 28, 2016, in Taipei’s western district, specifically at the underground Book Street of Zhongshan MRT Station (B41–47).
The curatorial team focused on the “invisible lines” within the city, highlighting people, places, and phenomena that are normally unseen. Using Zhongshan South and North Roads as a vertical axis, the team identified the subtle, overlooked details of urban life and invited four groups of Taiwanese and international artists to help audiences encounter this “unseen Taipei.”
The Unseen People: Struggles for human rights and democracy have long shaped Taipei’s social landscape. The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall on Zhongshan South Road, historically a symbol of authoritarian power, has also served as a platform for social and human rights movements, reflecting a transition toward freedom and democracy. Greek designer Eugenia Antoniou’s installation, Eclipse of the Rainbow, challenges natural impossibilities—the simultaneous occurrence of a solar eclipse and a rainbow. Using modern lighting technology, her work turns the impossible into reality, symbolizing hope and resilience, and drawing attention to the spectrum between authoritarianism and human rights.
The Unseen Land: Hidden corners of the city reveal social realities that are often ignored. Taipei Main Station, at the intersection of Zhongshan North and South Roads, presents a bustling, polished urban facade by day, but at night, corners of the station plaza become temporary shelters for the homeless. On weekends, the station hall serves as a gathering space for migrant workers to maintain social ties and share homesickness. Artist Chuang Chih-Wei’s laser installation, Micro-Glow Project: Station, transforms the flowing crowds and traffic into a luminous network visible yet untouchable, highlighting the societal marginalization of these communities while offering a glimmer of hope through artistic illumination.
The Unseen Events: Dreams beyond reality emerge alongside urban development. The opening of the MRT brought people, commerce, and new energy, turning Zhongshan Station into a hub for department stores and creative shops. Emerging designers and artists use this space to showcase their work, fostering a thriving cultural and creative industry. French artist duo Mickaël Martins Afonso & Caroline Escaffre-Faure visualized “dreams” in their installation Daydream, where fluffy white clouds represent unfulfilled aspirations. Situated along Zhongshan Station’s linear park, the clouds invite visitors to pause, immerse themselves, and temporarily escape reality. Here, Taipei becomes a sky full of potential, where some are achieving their dreams while others are simply dreaming.
The Unseen Objects: Urban renewal and industrial transformation shape the city’s evolving identity. The alleys between Zhongshan Station and Shuanglian Station, dominated by old streets and iron workshops, contrast sharply with new developments along the main roads. The preservation or removal of traditional industries and the revitalization of communities reflect slices of urban development under scrutiny. Architect Lai Yen-Chi, based in the U.S., presented Urban Slices, an installation resembling industrial sheds with mirrored interiors. The mirrored spaces reflect the surrounding environment through apertures, encouraging visitors to consider the overlooked aspects of Taipei’s urban evolution.
In addition to these four temporary public art installations, the project established a POP-UP Micro-Landscape Base at the Zhongshan Station underground Book Street during the exhibition period. This space provided an educational and promotional hub, showcasing the development of Taipei’s public art, highlights from the 2016 Nuit Blanche event, and rare public art models and video documentation. Guided tours and workshops offered visitors multiple perspectives, helping the public understand “what public art is” and experience the diverse facets of Taipei’s urban art scene firsthand.
