The 8th Taichung Fiber Art Awards, organized by the Taichung City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau, held its awards ceremony on November 8th at the Fiber Art Museum. Taiwanese artist Fan Junqi's wool felt wet felt work, "Coral Geometric Forms," ​​and Hong Kong artist Huang Shaosi's hot melt adhesive creation, "From Thrive within the Soul," won first prizes in the design and art categories respectively, each receiving a prize of NT$120,000. A total of 48 works won awards this year and are on display at the Fiber Art Museum from now until January 18th, 2026. The public is welcome to visit and appreciate the innovative thinking and limitless potential of contemporary fiber art.

Chen Jiajun, Director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, stated that the Taichung Fiber Art Awards is the only national competition with a "fiber" theme. Now in its 8th year, it has become the most prestigious creative platform in the national fiber art field. This year, in addition to Taiwanese creators, the competition also attracted 219 entries from expatriates residing in Taiwan, including those from Hong Kong and Vietnam. After a two-stage judging process, the top three works in the "Design" and "Art" categories, along with 48 other selected and honorable mentions, were awarded a total prize of NT$680,000. These works integrate diverse fiber media, techniques, and methods, showcasing the creators' attitudes of constantly challenging themselves, actively innovating, and pursuing sustainable living. The Cultural Affairs Bureau will also actively develop the Taichung City Fiber Art Award into an international art brand.

The first prize in the "Design" category went to Fan Junqi for his work "Coral Geometric Forms." Inspired by Taiwan's past reputation as a "Coral Kingdom," the work explores the growth patterns of coral through geometry. The skillful combination of wool felting and embroidery techniques garnered unanimous praise from the judges. The first prize in the "Art" category went to Huang Shaosi from Hong Kong for his work "From Thrive within the Soul." Using mycelium and the symbiotic relationship between nature and the artist, the work metaphorically represents the connection between the artist and his faith in God. Hot glue was used to weave individual strands of a transparent dress with a mycelial texture. The microbial community created from scratch by hot melt adhesive mirrors humanity's evolution from fragile and primitive to powerful. The transformation of hot melt adhesive into fiber, and then into a medium for artistic expression, was highly praised by the judges for its unique characteristics.

National Craft Achievement Award winner, Ms. Zhan Bihua, who served as the convener of this year's jury, attended the awards ceremony to encourage the winning creators to not only pursue technical excellence but also to infuse their works with personal emotion, reflecting the spirit of the times and creating works full of vitality. Jury member Huang Liting also noted that many creators this year started from traditional techniques, injecting contemporary thinking into form or concept. Some combined different fiber media with creative methods, presenting rich layers and subtle variations; others demonstrated a high degree of rhythm and tension in color and structural arrangement, allowing viewers to feel the creator's thoughts and emotions through visual flow. These creative experiments have diversified the expressive vocabulary of fiber art and continue to expand its possibilities.

The National Fiber Museum explained that this year's exhibition of award-winning works has specially invited Mr. Kuo Chung-Yuan, director of the "Intermediate Research Studio" and one of the jury members, to serve as curator. The exhibition's main theme is "Taking from Nature, Creating Beyond Use," focusing on how creators draw inspiration from the natural environment and transform the cultural context and sustainability inherent in the materials themselves into a powerful narrative tool through craftsmanship. In the "Demonstration and Exchange Area," fiber artist Yang Wei-Lin and designer Pan Yi-Liang, known as the "Queen of Weaving," have been specially invited to exhibit their works, hoping to engage in dialogue and exchange with the award-winning artists and inspire even richer creative inspiration.

The "8th Taichung City Fiber Art Creation Award Exhibition" is on display at the Fiber Art Museum from now until January 18, 2026. Also on display are the "Lunchtime in Good Weather—Taiwan-Japan-Lin Culture Weaving Exhibition" and the "Taiwan Straw Hat Kingdom Miniature Exhibition." For more information, please visit the Fiber Art Museum's website (https://mofia.taichung.gov.tw/) and Facebook fan page (https://www.facebook.com/mofiataichung/).