The First Phase, Stage One of the Public Art Program of Tainan Science Park was carried out in the form of a Public Art Season, during which 20 artworks were installed throughout the park’s public spaces. Diverse in materials and varied in form, these works not only infused the science park with artistic energy and vibrant color, but also served as a way to better understand the preferences of park employees and nearby residents toward contemporary art. At the same time, the program helped identify locations within the park most suitable for long-term art installations. Owing to the warm public response, 13 of the works were retained as permanent installations after the conclusion of the Art Season.
Uniquely, the Southern Taiwan Science Park is the only science park in Taiwan that contains cultural heritage sites. Archaeological discoveries within the park date from approximately 4,800 to 300 years ago, spanning a continuous history of about 4,500 years. These sites encompass six major cultural layers: the Dabenkeng Culture, Niuchouzi Culture, Dahu Culture, Niaosong Culture, Siraya Culture, and the Ming–Qing period (early modern Han culture). Together, they record the everyday lives of Taiwan’s earliest inhabitants. Each site and every corner of the land carries stories that testify to the evolution of human civilization and preserve the memory of time.
In recent years, with environmental improvements around Yingxi Lake and Daoye Lake, as well as the completion of lakeside cycling paths, the Tainan Science Park has become a popular recreational destination for neighboring towns. After work and on weekends, it is common to see people strolling or cycling along the lakeside, enjoying the pleasant scenery.
The Southern Taiwan Science Park is also the largest technology park in Taiwan and the only designated green science park. It is home to the nation’s first solar-powered transit station, as well as Taiwan’s first factory building to receive LEED Gold certification from the United States. It also boasts the highest concentration of buildings awarded EEWH Diamond-level green building certification. These achievements demonstrate a concrete commitment to Taiwan’s vision of a high-quality science park that balances production, daily life, and ecology, while advancing sustainable development.
This project continues the dynamic planning and execution of the 2010 STSP Art Season. Through contemporary art practices, it aims to respond to the park’s deep cultural heritage and its vision for a green future. By guiding the public across past and present Southern Taiwan Science Park, the participating artists collectively map out a modern cultural landscape for the region, while strengthening community cohesion and a shared sense of identity among park members and neighboring residents.
| Artwork Overview
Listening to the Voices of the Grassland The Southern Taiwan Science Park stands on the Chianan Plain, once home to the Siraya people. Across this grassland, Siraya songs once echoed in the air, while countless deer roamed freely. Over time, excessive hunting led to the complete disappearance of wild deer in Taiwan. As we ride on the wings of technology in pursuit of tomorrow and soar toward the future, we must also remember the history and emotions this land has carried through the ages. Within the technologically driven landscape of the Southern Taiwan Science Park, this work invites us to once again encounter the graceful, elegant presence of deer—on the grasslands and beneath the shade of trees—and to listen, carried by the wind, to the voices of the Siraya people once more.
Four Seasons · Growth Rings Painted ceramic tiles representing the imagery of spring, summer, autumn, and winter are assembled onto vertical columns. Their towering forms resemble a grove of trees, while the patterns on the ground echo the dappled shade they cast, suggesting a forest-like landscape. Together, they allude to the Southern Taiwan Science Park as a place of continuous vitality, sustained through cycles of time much like the changing seasons. The five columns also symbolize the Five Elements in Chinese philosophy. When manifested on earth, they are known as the Five Elements; when their spirit operates in the heavens, they become the Four Seasons. Through this mutual generation and balance, life endures in an endless, regenerative cycle.
Little Black Among the vast number of artifacts unearthed from the archaeological sites of the Southern Taiwan Science Park, one discovery stands out in particular: dog skeletal remains found by the STSP archaeological team within the Dabenkeng cultural layer, dating back 4,800 years. These remains are widely recognized as “Taiwan’s first dog.” The find affirms that dogs have long been humanity’s closest companions, playing an intimate and enduring role in human life. From pioneers of the hunting era, to guardians in agricultural societies, and companions in modern times, dogs have always stayed by our side—inseparable and ever-present. Little Black reimagines a dog that has traveled through time from 4,800 years ago, quietly integrating into the everyday world of today’s technology-driven society. Anthropomorphized and full of life, Little Black appears in a variety of playful poses across multiple locations within the Tainan Science Park, including the STSP Administration Building, STSP Business Center, Leader Health Lifestyle Center, Park17, and the Community Center. In each setting, the work reveals a distinct personality and character, inviting viewers to encounter the dog unexpectedly, interact with it, and experience public art as something warm, approachable, and woven into daily life.
Fantasia! Technology continually brings innovation to human life. Things once unseen, unexperienced, or unimaginable become possible through technological advancement, allowing us to encounter experiences unlike anything before. Such sensations can only be described as fantastical.
Flowing · Time Water—its translucence, permeability, and constant motion—closely parallels the spirit of scientific experimentation, characterized by meticulous thinking and inventive vision. Through this work, the artists give form to the rhythm of water.
Grand Tome Grand Tome refers to a profound and substantial body of knowledge. The work is structured around the form of the Chinese character 「冊」 (volume). In ancient times, books were made by stringing together bamboo slips, later evolving into paper—yet both carried vital knowledge, history, and stories.
Flowers of Dawn Flowers of Dawn consists of three blossoms blooming along the shore of Yingxi Lake. Through differences in temperature caused by sunlight, the backs of the flowers gradually change color. The word “Xi” (曦) refers to daylight or sunshine—an essential source of warmth and energy for life on Earth.
Mutual Growth · Shared Prosperity Inspired by Taiwan’s iconic banyan tree, this work is crafted primarily from stainless steel. Trees provide oxygen and symbolize the nurturing of life. Stainless steel forging—shaped through repeated hammering by human hands—mirrors the long process of growth and tempering required for a tree to stand firm.
Rhythm in Motion In nature, life’s vitality is constructed from points, lines, and planes—much like the fundamentals of art. Life is not confined to the absolutes of black and white rationality; it also embraces cycles, continuity, and fluidity.
Fly, Nan-Jiang! Born and raised in the south, this loyal dog often runs freely across open grasslands, guarding the friends who live there. Pronounced in Japanese, “Nan-chan” (南ちゃん) sounds like an affectionate nickname meaning “Little Nan.” In Chinese, it can also be interpreted as a brave little southern warrior.
Giant Lying in the river of time, Lying in the river of time, Standing upon the torso, Lying in the river of time,
Dawn The core concept of Dawn lies in integrating artistic expression with the natural environment. Through this fusion, existing spatial imagery is transformed into a landscape of inner reflection and spiritual awareness. |
