The National Museum of Taiwan History has curated a special exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of the February 28 Incident in 2017 to help more people explore this period of history, because honest dialogue and empathy form the basis of co-existence and mutual trust.
Taking a different approach than the past, "Our 2.28: 70 Years After the 2.28 Incident” highlights the personal perspectives of the common people. Communities that sprang from the 1947 incident, including the Memorial Foundation of 228, National 288 Memorial Museum, Taipei 228 Memorial Museum, Chen Cheng-po Cultural Foundation, and Chiayi 228 Memorial Cultural and Educational Foundation, all provided invaluable documents and relics to help piece together a narrative not found in government archives.
Relics highlighting the points of view of those ravaged by the February 28 Incident include a farewell letter penned by the late Taiwanese painter Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波) and the clothes he wore when he was executed by a firing squad. Family members of victims such as Juan Chao-jih (阮朝日), Wang Yu-lin (王育霖), and Lin Mao-sheng (林茂生) have also provided photographs and oral records that stand testament to the darkness of those days.
From officially issued statements to accounts published by opposition parties, the museum's collection of relevant commentaries and reports from the past seven decades has also been incorporated into the exhibition to document the nation's response to the February 28 Incident.
The venue will also host a map installation that will allow visitors to find their hometown and discover what events took place there during the 1947 crackdown, and a sound wall that will broadcast the voices of different generations on their impressions of the nation's past and their future expectations for Taiwan.
'Our 2.28: 70 Years After the 2.28 Incident'
- Date: Nov. 29, 2016 - May 21, 2017
- Venue: National Museum of Taiwan History
- Address: No. 250 Changhe Road Section 1, Annan District, Tainan City, Taiwan (ROC)
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