Taiwan Lantern Festival Returns to Kaohsiung, City of Light, in 2022

KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN – Media OutReach – 20 January 2022 –
Kaohsiung is once again, two decades later, hosting Taiwan Lantern Festival.
Unprecedented, it will be a dual-venue event taking place at Love River Bay and
Weiwuying simultaneously to highlight the port city’s joviality and vibrance
against a pleasantly diverse cityscape.

A
glittering Love River Bay after nightfall

Taiwan Lantern Festival 2022 revolves
around the theme of “Zoom in to Taiwan, Highlight Kaohsiung.” A ray of light is
geometrically configured to form the first Chinese character of the city’s
name, ablaze. The concept of light is further accentuated with the use of
bright colors, thereby spotlighting the city’s warmth and geniality and the
exciting array of lantern works at the festival.

The main lantern at Weiwuying marks a first
attempt at incorporating the art of calligraphy. While Weiwuying is located in
the port city’s Fengshan District, this collaboration of artist Benson Lu and
calligrapher Tong Yang-tze centers on the first of the name’s two Chinese
characters: feng, or phoenix. Aptly dubbed “Phoenix Dancing,” the work
readily conjures up an image of lively and vigorous flourishes in calligraphy.

Weiwuying is home to the world’s largest
single-roofed performing arts center. Complete with woods, fungi, and a lake
against rolling hills, the Weiwuying Metropolitan Park stands out as a fitting
land art venue for Taiwan Lantern Festival 2022.

At the Love River Bay site, in the
spotlight, literally, is “Absorbed by Light.” The seat left vacant on the bench
means that anyone can sit down and become part of the work. The widely shared
worry about the interpersonal isolation caused by smartphones does not stop
many from congratulating themselves for having such gadgets to perform daily
chores, solve problems, keep track of the pandemic, and stay one with the
world.