The award ceremony for the "7th Fiber Creation Award," organized by the Taichung City Government's Cultural Affairs Bureau, was held today (21st) at the Fiber Art Museum. This year saw a record number of submissions, totaling 339 entries, the highest in history. After two rounds of review, 54 works stood out. The Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that not only did the number of submissions reach a new high this year, but there were also participants from different nationalities residing in Taiwan, showcasing the diverse applications of various fiber materials and techniques across cultures. The winning works will be on display at the Fiber Art Museum from today until December 1, and the public is warmly invited to visit.

Deputy Director of the Cultural Bureau, Shi Chunfu, represented Mayor Lu Xiuyan at the award ceremony and pointed out that the Taichung City Fiber Creation Award has entered its 7th edition, becoming one of the most iconic awards in the field of fiber art in the country. This year's Fiber Creation Award accepted submissions from May 1 to May 15, with a total of 339 works registered in both the "Design" and "Art" categories. In addition to creators from Taiwan, there were also participants from Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and other foreign nationals residing in Taiwan. Ultimately, 54 award-winning works were selected by a panel of professional judges, with a total prize money of 680,000 NTD. The first place winner will receive 120,000 NTD, the second place 80,000 NTD, the third place 50,000 NTD, and the honorable mentions will each receive 30,000 NTD. The award-winning works this year are refreshing in terms of creative themes, material applications, and artistic expression, and they have opened up opportunities for international connections.

The Cultural Bureau stated that the first prize in the "Design" category was awarded to Wang Jili's work "Desert Sea Snorkeling," which is set against the ecological story of the Sahara Desert. Through the fantasy of diving into the desert, the work employs various shades of brown and beige to combine the imagery of the ocean and the desert, attempting to create a sense of time accumulation and transformation from ocean to desert, which received unanimous recognition from the judges. In the "Art" category, the first prize was awarded to Chen Liang for her work "A Seat Series." She combines traditional Paiwan weaving techniques with modern mixed media, exploring self and identity through the process of repetitive weaving.

The judge, Shi Wenying, expressed her admiration for the rich fiber creativity displayed in this year's exhibition. Some works showcase Taiwan's unique cultural heritage, while others demonstrate a grand vision. She also hopes that creators will move towards internationality and a sense of fashion in the future, while fostering more dialogue between their works and the audience.

The Cultural Bureau stated that in order to enhance the overall narrative of the award-winning works exhibition, this year they have specially invited fiber artist Yang Weilin as the curator. By breaking the framework of competition categories and rankings, the exhibition is themed "Mirrors of Each Other," arranging the award-winning works in a way that reflects each other from perspectives such as theme, material, and technique, providing viewers with different angles of appreciation. Curator Yang explained that this exhibition places works that are interrelated, can provide insights, and complement contrasts together, endowing all works with new relative relationships and ways of being viewed, which better showcases the uniqueness of each piece.

The Cultural Bureau stated that the award-winning works will be on display at the Fiber Art Museum from today until December 1. A special "Demonstration Exchange Area" has also been arranged, inviting the first female winner of the National Craft Achievement Award, embroidery artist Nian Bihua, and fiber art creator Huang Wenying to participate in the exhibition, inspiring more creative ideas among artists. During the exhibition period, there will also be promotional activities for the Creative Fiber Lecture Series. For more information, please visit the Fiber Art Museum's official website (https://mofia.taichung.gov.tw/) and their Facebook fan page.

At today's award ceremony, Legislative Yuan member He Xinchun, city councilors Li Tiansheng, Lin Deyu, Cultural Affairs Bureau Deputy Director Shi Chunfu, judges Shi Wenying and Wu Wenqi, curator Yang Weilin, traditional craft rush weaving preservationist Lin Huijin, National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Center group leader Guo Minhui, bamboo weaving craftsman Xu Mingsheng, Fiber Museum advisory committee member Zhou Wenhao, curator Zhu Lingrong, Dali District Office chief secretary He Zisheng, Guoguang Village chief Wei Yichuan, and Taichung City Industrial Development Promotion Association deputy secretary-general Lin Jiaxing were all present. Legislative Yuan Vice President Jiang Qicheng, city councilors Lin Bixiu, Zhang Fenyu, and Su Boxing also sent representatives to join the celebration.