The 2025 Creative Expo Taiwan will take place from August 2 to 11 at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei. This year’s theme, Water Scapes, centers around water as an essential element of daily life, showcasing how Taiwan’s cultural ecology has been shaped by its diverse aquatic landscapes—from the misty forests of high mountains and cascading hot springs in the foothills, to the rushing rivers and tidal waves along its coastal plains.
Curated under the guidance of Chief Advisor Jou-Jiun Gong, current Director of Tainan Art Museum and Professor at Tainan National University of the Arts, the theme is co-curated by designers Ellen Peng and Blaire Ko. The exhibition examines how the relationship between humans and water has evolved since Taiwan’s modern development, and reflects on the shifting global concepts surrounding water. Through the lens of Taiwan’s historical transformations and local practices, the expo invites audiences to rediscover water as a vital force in cultural imagination—resilient, inclusive, and constantly in flux.
As an island carved by flowing waters, Taiwan is home to a myriad of “water scapes” that have long defined its cultural landscapes. This year’s exhibition unfolds across four themed sections: The Island of Seascapes, The Realm of Mist, The Spirit of Water, and Taiwan as Endless Streams. Each zone draws from regional characteristics to explore the energetic, adaptive, and richly layered forms of Taiwan’s water-based cultural vitality.
In The Island of Seascapes, a monumental floating woven installation sets the stage for an immersive cultural journey shaped by Taiwan’s geography and memory. The exhibition features 24 curated audiovisual works, with participation from 7 artists and photographers, alongside nearly 40 books centered on water culture. This open-plan space allows visitors to roam freely, inviting personal reflection on the connections between water, environment, and cultural memory.
The Realm of Mist brings the atmosphere of mountain fog into the city. Through the use of forest scents, reusable domestic timber, and a leaf-strewn trail, the space activates the viewer’s senses. As visitors tread across the soft forest floor, the rustling leaves evoke sensory memories of Taiwan’s highlands, guiding them on a symbolic journey from the urban world back to nature—where ecological and cultural narratives intertwine.
The Spirit of Water highlights the diverse myths, rituals, and spiritual traditions of Indigenous, Pingpu, and Han communities, revealing how water nourishes both daily life and rich cultural beliefs. Visitors are invited to light a floating lantern, sending their wishes downstream in a gesture of connection and remembrance.
Taiwan as Endless Streams gathers locally recommended artifacts from across Taiwan. Curated selections highlight the most iconic and beautiful water-born creations from various regions—making it possible to experience Taiwan’s water-inspired ingenuity and terroir all in one place.
In addition to the main exhibition, the theme Water Scapes extends into a curated selection of creative works. These include Routes in The Dream, an immersive narrative that blends water imagery and grand historical layers; movies like The River, The Great Buddha+, and Whale Island, which explore human relationships with water; and Gold Leaf and The Taste of Salt Island, which tell the stories of water-based industries. Folk culture publications such as Taiwan Mazu Calendar and Taiwan Monster Atlas illustrate the role of water in religious and mythological imagination. In music, Ilid Kaolo’s Island of Women gives voice to the fluid resilience of womanhood, while the late Chi Po-Lin’s team presents Co-Forest and Reflected River, using cinematic imagery to spotlight Taiwan’s aquatic and forest ecosystems. Together, these diverse works weave the cultural fabric of Water Scapes—a collective tribute to water as a wellspring of creative inspiration.
To further engage the public, this year’s Creative Expo Taiwan will feature the special program Waterway Walking Tours. From August 2 to 10, six guided tours led by cultural practitioners will explore water’s imprint on the urban landscape. These walking experiences—based at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Nangang Exhibition Center—invite participants to observe, reflect, and trace the cultural and historical transformations shaped by Taiwan’s waterways. Tour reservations open on July 4 via the official expo website.
Official Website: https://creativexpo.tw/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/creativexpo.tw/
Press Contact: Lo Shih-Hung, Department of Media Relations, Ministry of Culture
Tel: +886-2-8512-6077 / +886-919-596134
Project Contact: Lan Ya-Chi, Cultural and Creative Development Division, Ministry of Culture
Tel: +886-2-8512-6558
