National Tainan Living Art Center (國立臺南生活美學館) will launch "Monkeys – Exhibition on the Legend of the 'Monkey' in Southeast Asia" from Sep. 3 to Sep. 29, inviting everyone to come to know the mystery of monkey legends in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
"Monkeys – Exhibition on the Legend of the ‘Monkey’ in Southeast Asia" is based on the concepts of "monsoon" and "sea route." Starting from India, the legend crosses the Indian Ocean, enters Southeast Asia through the Strait of Malacca, and then north to Taiwan, rooted itself in Indonesia and Thailand as the monkey god Hanuman, and Hanuman's "distant relative" Sun Wukong (孫悟空). It can also be found in the "monkey lantern," which is an ancient aspect of Taiwan's New Year customs.
The exhibits include handicrafts such as woodcarvings and statues, religious objects such as Thai amulets, Javanese swords, and performing arts accessories such as drama costumes, shadow puppets and puppets. In addition, Taiwanese young artist Zeng Guo-rong (曾國榮), Filipino Taiwanese sand painting artist Mario Subeldia, Thai young artist Sakorn Wongratchasi, and Indonesian young artist Adam Yudistira are invited to create works themed around the monkey legend. Multilingual picture books of monkey legends that present images of monkey legends in Southeast Asia and Taiwan will also be on display.
After "Monkeys – Exhibition on the Legend of the 'Monkey' in Southeast Asia" is launched at the National Tainan Living Art Center, an online exhibition will be produced for the public to enjoy in-depth, followed by an exhibition at the Cultural Heritage Park in Taichung in November. In December, the exhibition will proceed at the National Taiwan Museum, with the physical and virtual exhibitions taking place simultaneously.
To book for the exhibition in advance, please visit https://reurl.cc/j8nlMn.