Dear Taiwan, Outdoor Exhibition

Since 2006, Taiwan has frequently ranked among the top countries in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual Democracy Index. For many living in Taiwan today, democracy may feel like a given. Yet, when we ask ourselves what “democracy” truly means, the answers are as diverse as the people themselves.

What is democracy? And how might it take root in our everyday lives?

This exhibition is a collaboration between TIPF, the Taiwan Youth Association for Transitional Justice and Kiōng-Seng, g0v (gov-zero), and Taiwan Information Environment Research Center (IORG). Each organization embodies an essential dimension of a democratic society: transitional justice, democratic innovation, and the defense of democracy. Artists Chien-Yu Liu, Xhin Toh, and Wei-Lun Lin collaborate with these groups to visually express their core values and ongoing efforts.

Driven by the belief that the 228 Incident must not be forgotten, a group of young people launched the Gong Sheng Music Festival. After years of engagement, the group went on to establish the Taiwan Youth Association for Transitional Justice and Kiōng-Seng, creating a space for advocates to learn and grow together. The association focuses on historical awareness, youth empowerment, and transitional justice.

Artist Chien-Yu Liu, a member of the association, takes an unexpected approach to these issues. Rather than turning to portraits or historical sites, she directs her lens toward foods such as squid congee, fruit, fish, and Japanese rice balls. Behind these everyday foods lie the stories and emotional traces of those who fought for Taiwan’s democracy. Liu’s darkroom experiments lend her images a textured quality that evokes the passage of time and the marks it leaves behind.

g0v advocates for information transparency, open results, and open collaboration. Through a decentralized and collaborative approach, the organization brings together the strength of Taiwan’s citizens to work toward change. Xhin Toh, who moved from Malaysia to study and work in Taiwan, observes the g0v community through the lens of a new immigrant. Inspired by the motto “No one knows everything, but everyone knows something,” Toh’s photographs capture stark, unpopulated landscapes connected to various g0v projects. He overlays fleeting facial recognition grids onto these images, marking the invisible presence of those who have contributed, while also leaving open spaces for viewers to step in, reflect, and imagine their own role in shaping an ideal society.

IORG grounds its work in data and scientific research. More than just publishing reports to expose information warfare, IORG seeks to strengthen the public’s ability to interpret information and to foster dialogue. In response, artist Wei-Lun Lin collaborated with IORG to create the “Information Defense Calendar,” transforming complex data into an accessible format of communication. A simple monthly calendar at first glance, each entry reveals facets of the ongoing “gray zone conflicts” Taiwan faces. Time itself takes on political significance, whether in the cycles of information warfare or in the days that deserve remembrance. Each moment reflects a struggle among competing narratives, systems and power structures.

“Dear Taiwan,” serves as both a greeting and an invitation to dialogue. The exhibition reflects not only the exchanges between organizations and communities, but also the ongoing process of discussion and thinking each group shares with its collaborating artist. It is as if someone is sitting down to write a letter to Taiwan, sketching out shared visions for the country’s future. The three participating groups, the Taiwan Youth Association for Transitional Justice and Kiōng-Seng, g0v, and the IORG, each bring distinct concerns and approaches. In response, artists Chien-Yu Liu, Xhin Toh, and Wei-Lun Lin engage with these issues through their lens of inquiry and visual languages. Intriguingly, all three projects ultimately return to the everyday.

This exhibition serves as a platform for dialogue. The conversation takes place not only between organizations and artists, but also with you, the viewer. Have you sensed the democratic practices quietly at work within everyday life? What is your own vision of “democracy”? And are you, in some way, working to safeguard that shared landscape?

We look forward to your response.