‘TC 60 ? Finding Tracks’

TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach – 11 March 2019 – The Taiwan Comic Base, a Ministry of Culture-led initiative for nurturing
the creation and applications of original Taiwanese comic content, officially
opened its doors with the “TC 60 ? Finding Tracks” exhibition to
celebrate 60 years of homegrown creativity.

The inaugural exhibition held
from Jan. 25 — Feb. 28 at Taiwan Comic Base was oriented towards showcasing the
history and development of Taiwan comics, encompassing the golden era of
nativist comics in the 1950s, censorship under martial law, renaissance in the
1980s, and the contemporary challenges of publishing under the digital era.

The exhibition also highlighted
the social and political criticism provided by comic panels serialized in
Taiwanese newspapers and the educational value of comic magazines for young
readers in the 1950s; the chilling effect of the 1966 enactment of
“Guidelines to Publishing Comic Strips “; the proliferation of young
talent awards held by publishing houses to recruit new artists in the 1980s;
and the trailblazers who have found thriving niches and strong voices despite
the global downturn in publishing revenue.

To delineate this history and pay
tribute to those whose comic characters have become household names, curator
Wang Pei-ti has gathered the manuscripts and artworks of 40 enduring comic
creators from three distinct generations who were active in Taiwan between 1958
and 2018. Several of these works were forcibly altered or outright banned
during their debut.

To offer a glimpse of what the
future may hold for Taiwan’s comic creators, Wang has also curated a
contemporary selection showcasing independent zines, collaborative works, and
other homegrown comics that delve deep into Taiwanese society, history, and
aesthetics.

With an eye on digital
publishing trends and the ACG sector, the exhibition has also employed 3D and
AR technology to offer a digital slot machine based on Liu’s “Brother
A-san and Big Auntie ” series; 3D projections of characters from Golden
Comic Award winner Ruan Guang-min’s works; and a digital darts game based on
Yeh Hung-chia’s” Zhuge Silang.”