In order to highlight the significance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) launched an exhibition "Original‧Future (原‧未－原住民的工藝未來式)" on Aug. 1 to explore the important role of indigenous cultures as part of Taiwan’s cultural fabric, as well as being the oldest cultures in Taiwan that have developed a close attachment to the land and the spirit of nature.
Before the exhibition was launched, the institute has invited artists to create an installation artwork to be placed at the entrance. This time, NTCRI specially invited the creator of bamboo and rattan weaving Tuwak·Tuyaw (杜瓦克•都耀) from the Kavalan tribe and fiber artist Chen Shu-yen (陳淑燕) to co-create at the local residence. Starting from July 26, after praying to the ancestors, it took nine days to complete a colossal bamboo and rattan artwork.
In this exhibition, NTCRI boldly introduces the concept of co-creation, allowing indigenous craftsmanship to extend to infinite fields and possibilities through conceptual or creative collaboration. Although there is a limit to what NTCRI can do in the past ten years or so, it has gone from leading tribal artisanship towards design development, to fostering cooperation between tribal artists and designers from at home and abroad in order to produce new works. This has allowed the public to bear witness to the vitality of indigenous cultures in a new light.
The exhibition allows for quiet appreciation for the objects and immerses one in the quietness of the mountains as they slowly take in the beauty ingrained in the cultures of the first peoples. The types of works on display include banana fiber, traditional ingenious weaving, boehmeria, Alpinia zerumbet, and bamboo.