Exhibition Introduction
“It emphasizes the idea of cities as places of intersection between many webs of social, cultural and technological flow, and the superimposition of these relational webs on the physical spaces of cities.” (Amin and Graham, 1999)[1]
Every day, thousands of people enter cities from various places, and the scale of human migration and movement vastly exceeds our imagination. As people from different traditions and backgrounds come together, cultural integration or clashes occur as a result. A city evolves through the cycle of construction and destruction, instilling a desire for survival in its inhabitants while constantly transforming in an ever-changing balance of coexistence amid differences.
Within and beyond the city, the flow of people and materials weaves relational networks that can either be closely linked or dispersed. These connections are influenced by various forms of power, including finance, economy, culture, and international politics, creating hierarchies and structures that continue to interconnect, separate, reorganize, and even dissolve. Meanwhile, a city serves as a space where identities take shape and a site of dynamic forces driven by the collective human will that continuously propels society forward.
As one of Taiwan’s largest metropolitan regions, New Taipei City epitomizes global urban trends through its development. "Reimagining Radical Cities" showcases the works of twenty-three local and international artists/art groups. Drawing on the rise of a modern city within a globalized context, the exhibition investigates the changes in industry, labor migration, economic and trade landscapes, and urban spatial politics that have emerged throughout urban modernization since the latter half of the twentieth century. Building on this contextual development, the exhibition draws attention to urban development experiences from the perspective of the Global South and further explores the formation of diverse identities, new social interactions, and the reconstruction of spiritual dimensions in today’s society.
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[1] Amin, Ash, and Stephen Graham. “Cities of Connection and Disconnection.” Unsettling Cities: Movement/Settlement. Eds. John Allen, Doreen Massey, Michael Pryke. London: Routledge, 1999, p. 9.