You may be familiar with film cameras and digital cameras, but have you ever heard of a democratic camera?
In this talk, the initiating team of the “Democratic Camera” project—Lightbox Photo Library—together with their collaborators, Atelier YenAn and FabLab Dynamic, will share the origins of this collaborative initiative, its design concepts, technical experiments, and the challenges they faced throughout the production process.
What makes a camera democratic? Why build one? What is the relationship between democracy and the camera? And how might we reimagine the design and making of a camera to reflect civil society’s visions of democracy and freedom?
If you are curious about the “Democratic Camera” or interested in exploring the ties between photography and democracy, join us for this talk, where we’ll explore ideas together and share experiences!
▌Speakers
｜Yen-An Chen
Yen-An Chen is a Taiwanese curator, director, and object designer with a background in industrial design. He holds dual master’s degrees in Design and Social Design from the UK and the Netherlands, and founded Atelier YenAn in 2020. His curatorial projects include the Erfgoedhuis Archaeological Museum (NL), the 2020 Keelung Ciao Festival, and the Pangcah Tafalong Cultural Center. In 2024, he launched p.n.g., followed by Signs: and the Neon Lamp Series at 3daysofdesign. Chen uses design as a tool to narrate contemporary cultural issues through objects.
｜Po-Ting Lee
Po-Ting Lee is a new media artist. In 2011, he co-founded the interdisciplinary art group XOR, beginning a journey of cross-disciplinary experimentation that won First Prize in the Digital Art Performance Award. In 2013, he founded the FabLab Dynamic, promoting digital fabrication by localizing practices within an international framework. Lee focuses on creating socially engaged projects, interactive experiences, and research in areas such as free energy and medical technology. In recent years, he has been exploring various AI technologies and XR, developing new hybrid experiences and applications that integrate the physical and the virtual.
▌Moderator
｜Liang-Pin Tsao
Liang-Pin Tsao, a native of Hsinchu, Taiwan, is engaged in artistic projects, organizational management, and public services. In 2016, he founded the Lightbox Photography Library to preserve, research, and promote photography in Taiwan. In 2025, he established the first Taiwan International Photography Festival to enhance public understanding of Taiwanese photography and encourage the democratization of art. His first photography book, Sojourn, was published in Taiwan in 2015. His second book, Becoming・Taiwanese, will be released by Akaaka in Japan in 2025.