The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) in Taichung, in celebration of the Year of the Ox, is presenting the special exhibition, "Taiwan Buffalo: Interactive Smart Glasses Exhibition (水牛群像智慧眼鏡互動體驗展)," which adopts sculptor Huang Tu-shui's (黃土水) masterpiece "Water Buffalo (水牛群像)" as the subject and integrates visual arts with technology.
The NTMoFA has long promoted technological art and its practical applications by integrating art across many disciplines and bringing to attention the beauty of important art pieces in Taiwanese art history through a new format. The special exhibition will last until April 11.
"Water Buffaloes (水牛群像)" is a large bas-relief art piece completed in 1930 by Huang Tu-shui, the first Taiwanese sculptor to have studied in Japan and a pioneer modern sculptor in Taiwan. Rich in artistic expression, the three-dimensional work is comprised of three child cowherds, five water buffalos, plantain trees, wild grass and flowers. The water buffalos, plantain trees, cowherds, conical hat, sunlight and rainwater all provide a glimpse into the simple, peaceful and diligent life of rural Taiwan during that time, while at the same time present the vital essence of the southland.
"Taiwan Buffalo: Interactive Smart Glasses Exhibition" allows visitors to appreciate classic works of art from a different perspective through smart glasses. Visitors will be able to virtually experience the rural landscape presented in Huang Tu-shui's "Water Buffalos" by navigating through swaying three-dimensional plantain trees, water buffalos, and child cowherds.
Director of the NTMoFA Liang Yung-fei (梁永斐) noted that the museum's efforts in reconstructing Taiwan's art history can be said to have reached a new height this year, not only in its collections, exhibits, and research, but also in its application of digital technology. Through the promotion of Taiwanese art history, the NTMoFA is able to bring together art and life, and help the public familiarize with the art pieces.
This time, using mixed technology, the NTMoFA team is able to construct a virtual rural environment for visitors to perceive the vitality of the people, the land and the surrounding nature, and to understand the philosophical underpinnings of Huang Tu-shui’s works, Liang added.