A retrospective exhibition on Eileen Chang (張愛玲), one of the most beloved novelists in contemporary Chinese literature, will open concurrently with the 2016 Taipei International Book Exhibition in February.
Curated by fellow writer Chang Man-chuan (張曼娟), the special exhibition is timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Chang's death. The venue will replicate some of the author's private living spaces, such as living room, study, and balcony, which will display manuscripts and related memorabilia.
A postcard wall, inspired by the grey wall memorialized in "Love in Fallen City (傾城之戀),” will be erected at the exhibition venue. Visitors will be able to post their anonymous secrets on a range of postcards illustrated with imagery pertaining to Chang. Those who wish to send their messages can request mail delivery at "Eileen's Mailbox” as well.
"Exhibition of Eileen's Style” will be accompanied by a series of public forums hosted by heavyweight writers, academics, and film directors. Coming from a wide range of expertise, these self-professed Eileen fans will discuss her literature and impact in their respective fields of profession.
During the five-day book fair, the Yi Shin Taiwanese Opera Troupe (一心戲劇團) will also stage four live performances inspired by scenes delineated in Chang's 1936 rendition of "Farewell My Concubine (霸王別姬).”
Talks on Eileen
2/17 @ 10.30am
Roland Soong (宋以朗), current keeper of the late author's estate, and Ping Yun (平雲), head of publishing enterprise Crown Culture Corp., will discuss Chang's lesser-known works, such as the semi-autobiographical novella "Little Reunion (小團圓)” that mirrored her life and losses, and the unfinished manuscript of "The Young Marshal (少帥),” which details the romance between revolutionary Chang Hsueh-liang (張學良) and his mistress Edith Chao (趙一荻).
2/18 @ 2pm
Professor Greg Jung (鍾正道) of Soochow University will discuss Chang's academic impact in a seminar titled "Eileen in College” while fellow Soochow instructor Kuo Chiang-sheng (郭強生) will discuss her later life and reading materials after she relocated to the United States in "Eileen in America.”
2/19 @ 2pm
Renowned psychiatrist Wu Chia-hsuan (吳佳璇) will propose her theories on the improbable chances of replicating the psychological tension in Chang's writings, and the psychosomatic symptoms that plagued the author in her final years.
2/19 @ 3.30pm
Hong Kong film director Stanley Kwan (關錦鵬) and Taiwanese film critic Steven Tu (塗翔文) will talk about the strenuous process of translating Chang's text into cinematic language. The seminar will end with a screening of select scenes from the 1994 film "Red Rose White Rose (紅玫瑰與白玫瑰),” an adaption of her 1994 novella by Kwan.
2/20 @ 3pm
Hsieh Che-ching (謝哲青), a cultural buff, travel enthusiast, and mountaineer, will walk readers through Chang's critique of Paul Cezanne, a 19th-century French artist hailed as the precursor of Cubism.
‘Exhibition of Eileen's Style'
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