The exhibition "In Words We Thrive－The History of the Liberal Arts Publishing Industry in Taiwan (江湖有字在-台灣人文出版史特展)" kicked off on July 22 at the National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL).
At the opening ceremony, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te mentioned that the publishing industry plays a significant role in cultural industries, however, the production process and its importance are often underestimated because people usually only see the finished product. He said, "without a good publishing house, a writer may not exist, and there will be no good publication." He also paid tribute to all the publishing practitioners and added that the publishing industry does not only influence the public's values, but also plays an important part in the cultural industry chain; therefore, MOC will attach great importance to and support the publishing industry.
NMTL stated that there are many legendary stories in Taiwan's publishing history. Focusing on the evolution of the publishing industry in Taiwan, the exhibition presents how publishing practitioners overcame difficulties and are still active in the age of the publishing industry and online media bloom. In the exhibition, several collectibles are on display, such as the bookplate of the 4th Taipei International Book Exhibition which was held in 1994; the Catalogue of Banned Books published in 1975; and the news articles from China Times and United Daily News are presented using dynamic projection. In addition, the exhibition displays the first and only movable-type printing press in Taiwan which is borrowed from the Presbyterian Church. Tsai Kuen-lin (蔡坤霖), an artist who is adept at using multimedia, is also invited to create art installations, allowing the visitors to learn more about the stories behind the publishing industry.
The "In Words We Thrive－The History of the Liberal Arts Publishing Industry in Taiwan" exhibition will be held from now until May 21, 2023. For more information, please visit the National Museum of Taiwan Literature's official website.