The 2026 Taichung ChingShui Art Festival (臺中清水走走藝術季) is in full swing at Gaomei Wetlands (高美濕地). This year’s festival has strengthened its connections with local communities and campuses. Among the featured works, “Finding Limbo”, located at the Gaoxi Branch of Taichung Municipal Qingshui Preschool (清水幼兒園高西分班), skillfully incorporates class characteristics and marine life into the artwork. The playful character “Limbo” now appears on the preschool’s exterior wall, creating a summer art highlight filled with childlike charm.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taichung City Government said this year’s festival brings together artists from Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia to create eight installation artworks. Among them, artist Zhang Chia-Wei (張家偉) uses the preschool’s white exterior wall as an extended visual interface, incorporating the playful character “Limbo” with preschool and local elements to create a work full of childlike delight that brings a knowing smile to passersby.

Principal Wang of Taichung Municipal Qingshui Preschool said happily that the artist incorporated elements from the preschool’s class names, such as the Whale Class and Jellyfish Class, into the mural. The adorable “Limbo” characters and marine life interact joyfully on the wall, filling the scene with childlike fun and imagination. The campus landscape that children see every day has been transformed into an art picture book created just for them. After the work was completed, many children immediately found their own class on the wall and excitedly shared with their teachers and parents, “This is my class!” .

Artist Zhang Chia-Wei (張家偉) said the idea for the work came from the image of sunlight shimmering on the sea. “Limbo” symbolizes exploration and walking. For the color palette, he specifically chose refreshing shades of blue and white to echo the preschool’s blue-and-white building exterior, hoping viewers can feel the strong coastal character of central Taiwan. In addition to the Gaoxi Branch, many different “Limbo” characters can also be found in the lanes of the Yuliao Historic Houses Area (魚寮古厝), guiding visitors as they explore Haikou culture and local spaces. “Limbo” is not only a static visual symbol, but also serves as a guiding spirit, leading the public step by step from downtown Qingshui toward the surrounding areas and connecting local culture with the coastal landscape. After the festival ends, this work will remain on site and continue to accompany preschoolers on their way to and from school.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau said this year’s festival is themed “ Between Water and Wander (粼波微步),” covering wetland ecology, tidal rhythms, wind-shaped landscapes, and the memories of coastal settlements. The festival also connects exhibition areas including Gaomei Wetlands, Gaomei Lighthouse (燈塔園區), and the Yuliao Historic Houses Area.