Taiwanese author Chi Ta-wei (紀大偉) will be visiting Canada to participate in events held by the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) and to hold talks at the prestigious institute McGill University and feminist bookstore L'Euguélionne in Montreal. Chi will also be promoting the English and French editions of his science fiction novel "The Membranes (膜)" and the French translation of his short story collection "The Pearls (珍珠)," allowing readers to feel the charm of Taiwanese queer literature.
Chi is a renowned author, an associate professor at the Graduate Institute of Taiwanese Literature of National Chengchi University, and one of the pioneers in Taiwanese LGBT studies. "The Membranes" is a queer sci-fi published in 1995. Set in a high-technology city in the late 21st century when people live under the sea, Chi depicted a future where body and consciousness can be separated, and one's gender or sexual orientation has become meaningless. Not only did Chi explore scientific ethics and monetary hegemony but also the fluidity and diversity of gender.
"The Membranes" released its French edition in 2015, with the support of a grant by the Ministry of Culture, the English edition was published by the Columbia University Press and translated by Ari Larissa Heinrich in June 2021. "The Pearls" is a collection of six short stories discussing the technological influences on society and has released in French edition in 2020.
In addition to readings, discussions, and book signing events, Chi will be creating an essay on the topic "We come back together, only to fall apart" with ten other authors around the world at the event held by TIFA.