TAIPEI (Taiwan News)— After a record-breaking run in Kyoto, the immersive exhibition "Ninagawa Mika with Eim" has opened at Taipei's Huashan 1914 Creative Park.
Moving beyond traditional photography, the exhibition integrates video, light installations, and spatial design to showcase Ninagawa’s signature saturated aesthetics. The Taipei stop features exclusive installations and local elements.
Ninagawa arrived in Taiwan days early to personally oversee the complex setup, marking her first major return to the city in 10 years.
Ninagawa said that this exhibition is a collaborative effort with the Eim team and partners from cinema and art direction. "I hope the audience enters with a spirit of adventure to find their own stories within these film-like atmospheres," she said.
The exhibition consists of eight zones utilizing innovative digital technology to explore themes of life, death, and the boundary between reality and dreams.
Upon entry, visitors encounter "Breathing of Life," where neon lights and water tank installations reflect urban vitality. During a secret scouting trip to Taipei six months ago, Ninagawa photographed local temples and alleyways. These images are hidden within the projections.
"Taipei’s temples are sacred yet magnificent, distinct from those in Japan," Ninagawa said. “The streets blend nostalgia with modernity, and I was deeply inspired by that energy.”
The Taipei exhibition marks the debut of "Remains of Life," a section not seen in Kyoto. Massive fabric veils printed with flowers descend from the ceiling, creating an ethereal path that explores the present of fresh blooms versus the memory of faded ones.
Another highlight, "Whisper of Light, Dream of Colors," features 2,000 crystal strands. Motifs of butterflies and flowers sparkle within the refraction, transforming the space into a kaleidoscopic jewelry box.
The exhibition culminates in "Beyond the Abyss," a 720-degree panoramic experience. Using mirrors and giant screens, the room shifts between falling cherry blossoms, fleeting fireworks, and endless oceans, immersing visitors in a world that transcends the physical.
The exhibition features limited-edition merchandise supervised by Ninagawa, including umbrellas designed for Taipei’s rainy climate. Reflecting the artist’s personal affinity for tea, the collection includes local Oolong tea sets packaged in designs that merge Ninagawa’s aesthetics with traditional Taiwanese floral fabrics.
(Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
