The Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center is launching a diverse lineup of arts and cultural programs in May. The memorial exhibition "Roaming in Art: Chen, Chun-Ming Memorial Exhibition of Bamboo and Wood Carving" is now on view, and the Dadun Master Lecture will be held on Saturday, May 16. Ranging from traditional craftsmanship to contemporary media issues, the programs present the many ways in which art engages in dialogue with the times, and members of the public are warmly invited to participate.
This year marks the second anniversary of the passing of bamboo and wood carving artist Chen, Chun-Ming. The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government and the artist’s family have jointly organized this memorial exhibition, which is on view at the Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center through May 6. Director Chen Jiajun of the Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that Chen, Chun-Ming inherited the lineage of traditional craftsmanship and refined a profound artistic foundation through every cut and every stroke. This exhibition not only pays tribute to his artistic achievements, but also leads viewers in looking back on the life journey of a craftsman shaped through the accumulation of time.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that Chen, Chun-Ming (1941 to 2024) was born in Taichung into a family of carvers and learned the craft from his father from an early age. He devoted many years to bamboo carving and was skilled in intaglio carving, relief carving, bas relief, and fully three dimensional carving. His works are delicate and elegant in style and combine tradition with innovation. Throughout his life, he was committed to the promotion of craftsmanship and the preservation of cultural heritage. He received the National Award for Arts, and in 2013 was officially registered by Taichung City as the preserver of Traditional Craft: Traditional Bamboo Carving, making a far reaching contribution to the development of Taiwanese craft.
The exhibition features a rich range of subjects, including landscapes, flowers and birds, historical figures, and folk stories, and extends to scholar’s objects and three dimensional carvings, demonstrating the diverse possibilities of bamboo as a material. Among the representative works, "The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" was created from the root of moso bamboo. It preserves the material’s natural grain and structure, while openwork carving brings out the movement of the figures, resulting in a vivid and layered composition. Works such as "Peace Forever", "Nine Carp Transforming into a Dragon", and "Dragon and Phoenix Presenting Auspiciousness" likewise demonstrate the fusion of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary aesthetics through refined knife work and innovative composition. The Cultural Affairs Bureau noted that bamboo carving requires long periods of concentration and a very high level of skill. Once the knife is applied, the carving cannot be reversed, which further underscores the spirit of craftsmanship and the value of the artisan’s dedication.
In addition, the Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center will hold the Dadun Master Lecture at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, featuring senior news anchor Li, Wen-Yi, who will speak on the topic "On Screen and Behind the Scenes: New Challenges for News Anchors" and share the changes and challenges faced by journalists in the age of AI and digital transformation. Online registration for the lecture will open at 9 a.m. on April 27, and members of the public are welcome to sign up and participate.
As artificial intelligence and information communication continue to develop rapidly, the news media face unprecedented change. Drawing on her frontline experience, Li, Wen-Yi will analyze changes in the media environment and discuss how journalism can continue to exert its influence in an age of information overload. She stated that a news anchor is not only a messenger of information, but also bears the responsibility of interpretation and gatekeeping. In the tide of technological change, how to maintain both depth and warmth has become an important issue for contemporary media.
The Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center pointed out that Li, Wen-Yi is currently an anchor of Taiwan Headlines on SET News, and the host of The Borderless World. She has long worked on the front lines of journalism, has received recognition from the Excellence in Journalism Awards and financial journalism awards, and has taken part in reporting on international issues on many occasions, bringing with her rich professional experience and an international perspective.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that through the planning of this exhibition and lecture, it hopes to guide the public, on the one hand, to appreciate the beauty of traditional craftsmanship, and on the other hand, to reflect on trends in contemporary media and technological development, allowing art and life to continue their dialogue on different levels. For more information, please visit the official website of the Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center.