To mark the 100th anniversary of the Taiwanese Cultural Association (TCA) this year, the National Museum of Taiwan History (NMTH) launched an exhibition titled "Joy of Being World Citizens: Special Exhibition on the Centennial of the Taiwanese Cultural Association" on Oct. 13
The name of the exhibition is derived from the TCA song in a letter written by Chiang Wei-shui (蔣渭水) to Lin Hsien-tang (林獻堂). The letter of Chiang in addition to the bust of Takagi Tomoe by Huang Tu-shui (黃土水) are both important artefacts on display in the exhibition.
NMTH's curatorial team stated the exhibition not only explores the TCA within the context of Taiwan, but also demonstrates how the earlier Taiwanese intellectuals responded to the challenges of society and the milieu in light of world history, as well the propositions and actions put forward by those on both sides of the political spectrum. These serve as common resource for thinking about the future of Taiwan.
The curatorial team pointed out that the exhibition embodies the spirit of "progress, passion and hope" through contrasting past and contemporary situations, and uses digital technology to connect with historical figures. By bringing historical figures into modern life, the exhibition allows one to understand people and events from the early era of the TCA once again.
The unit "A Bird's Eye View of the World" in the exhibition hall uses a propeller plane to recreate the scene of Taiwan's first pilot Hsieh Wen-ta (謝文達) flying back home in 1920. In addition, the special exhibition also displays posters related to the Korean independence movement and the Soviet revolution in allowing people to see the social dynamics of Taiwan and South Korea in the 1920s.
"Joy of Being World Citizens: Special Exhibition on the Centennial of the Taiwanese Cultural Association" will last for nine months until July 24, 2022.