Shang Shui Historic Reminder

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The interactive design delicately evokes viewers emotions, creating an additional mobile visual world within the artwork.
AR enhances the interaction between passengers and the space, transforming the MRT station from just some place people pass by into a hub where passengers can experience the past and present of Jiushe, continuing their journey with newfound satisfaction and joy.

Dimensions & Packaging

700cm x 700cm x 507.5cm

Tags

Public Space, Public Art, AR, Interaction, History, Memory

Production Technology

The main material used in the artwork is mirror-finish
stainless steel sheets.

Design Challenge

The mirrored stainless steel design of the "circle" in this artwork is intended to symbolize the "wholeness" brought by water and light in terms of creative concept. However, lifting, securing, and aligning it posed a significant challenge. In the end, the decision was made to cut the circular steel structure into four equal parts and design connecting arms at the seams. This installation method simultaneously addressed concerns related to aesthetics, structure, installation, and future thermal expansion and contraction.

Project Duration

The artwork is complete and open in July 2022 and it is located in MRT Jiushe station, Beitun District, Taichung, Taiwan.

Operation Flow

Under the mirror stainless steel lighting plates around the center are three interactive AR installations. Viewers can interact with these AR devices and learn about the past beauty and glory of Jiushe through three scenarios.

Passengers can capture different postures and appearances of the works, and save the images to recall the old stories of Jiushe.

Research

During the Yongzheng era, the irrigation system was developed to divert water from the Dajia River to the Taichung area, with the Leigong River in Jiushe serving as a crucial point for water diversion. During the Japanese rule period, the Japanese introduced tobacco leaves to Taiwan, and with the help of the advanced irrigation system, tobacco exports became one of the major sources of local income in Jiushe.

In 1898, during the heyday of tobacco cultivation, the area where Jiushe Station is now located was called the "Jiushe Village " during the Japanese rule period. At that time, the area was predominantly paddy fields and tobacco fields. The preserved "tobacco barn" stands as an important historic landmark that bears witness to the flourishing development of the local tobacco industry.

Inspiration

Shang Shui, also known as Water of Life in English, depicts the history of an irrigation channel branching off from the Dajia River, used for watering tobacco leaves in Jiushe. The MRT line now brings convenience and endless vitality to Jiushe. Shang Shui, derived from the Taiwanese expression for “most beautiful,” represents the local essence of "water and light" as symbols of the area's lifeline, conveying the notions of "sustainability" and "prosperity".

Image Credits

Main image: Photographer Chun Li, Shang Shui, 2022
Option image #1: Photographer Chun Li, Shang Shui, 2022
Option image #2: Photographer Chun Li, Shang Shui, 2022
Option image #3: Photographer Chun Li, Shang Shui, 2022
Option image #4: Photographer Chun Li, Shang Shui, 2022

Video credits: Chun Li, Yu Fan He, 2022

Colors of Shang Shui Historic Reminder