• 2025-02-16

To explore the limitless possibilities of paper art, the National Central Library has curated the exhibition "It Begins with Paper: Entering the Wonderful World of Paper." The exhibition was held in the Reading Hall on the second floor and started with an opening ceremony on February 15, 2025, drawing numerous artists and cultural enthusiasts. The exhibition features five themed areas: "The Look of Paper," "The Subtraction of Paper," "Wandering Through Paper," "The Rise of Taiwanese Paper Art," and "Relief Dialogues." Each area presents a unique theme to showcase the diversity and creativity of paper art.

The Opening Ceremony

An opening performance featured the Taipei First Girls’ High School String Ensemble, whose graceful yet energetic music marked the beginning of the event. National Central Library Director-General Han-ching Wang then delivered the opening remarks, starting with the etymology of the word “library” — liber, meaning “book” or “bark” — to highlight the deep historical connection between libraries, pages, and tree bark. Director-General Wang went on to describe the library’s recent renovations. Planning began in the second half of 2020, with initial work focusing on waterproofing and repairing the exterior walls. A major transformation of the reading spaces was launched on April 16, 2024. As part of this renovation, the library restructured its collections, relocating some open-shelf books to storage in order to free up more space for readers. On the third floor, new discussion rooms, a laptop-friendly area, and a periodicals display zone were added. The second floor now includes a collaborative learning space and an audiovisual lounge. The reference section has been relocated to the fifth floor, significantly improving both space utilization and service quality.

Following this, former Directors-General Min Gu, Wen-lu Wang, and Shu-hsien Tseng each gave speeches. Tseng emphasized the growing trend of the “museumification” of libraries — using exhibitions to connect with collections and to present library resources through displays, thereby attracting more visitors to engage with the library and learn. In recent years, many libraries have actively transformed into multifunctional spaces for experience, learning, lectures, creativity, and social interaction, moving beyond their traditional role as places solely for borrowing and reading. For example, the National Central Library has established the Open Lab Multimedia Center, which provides maker spaces and equipment to foster innovation and inspire creativity — with the hope of contributing to Taiwan’s knowledge and creative capacity.

Lastly, exhibit advisors Professors Hsin-Fu Hung and Yi-Chin Tu shared their curatorial concepts and the distinctive features of the exhibited works, guiding the audience to a deeper understanding of the exhibition’s core vision and the unique charm of paper art.

An Original Opening

The opening ceremony featured a thoughtfully designed puzzle that formed the exhibition title “It Begins with Paper.” Director-General Wang, former Director-General Tseng, and Advisors Hung and Tu completed the puzzle together, symbolizing the official launch of the special exhibition and marking a new beginning for the National Central Library’s revitalized spaces.

Exhibition Highlights and Artistic Works

The special exhibition brings together a wide range of pop-up book artists, collectors, and paper art creators, including Ermin Handmade Paper Design, the Taiwan Origami Association, the Department of Comic Art at Tainan University of Technology, and the Half-Sheep Pop-Up Book Laboratory. Exhibited works include handcrafted paper creations by Meng-Shu Lee of Ermin Handmade Paper Design; Lisa, a large-scale origami doll by Shih-Hao Chen of the Taiwan Origami Association; Aspiring to Become a Dragon by Chia-Hao Chuang; intricate paper-cutting works by Hsin-Hui Lee and Yen-Ting Lai; and the Taiwan Pop-Up Book Reading Zone, featuring carefully curated collections from various artists. Together, these exhibits comprehensively showcase the evolution and innovative achievements of Taiwan’s pop-up book artistry.

In addition, Hsin-Fu Hung of Fufeng Culture also served as a docent artist, personally guiding visitors through the exhibition. He began by introducing the history of papermaking and origami, and spoke especially on 1936 Taiwanese pop-up greeting card on display in the Taiwan Pop-Up Book Reading Zone. This uniquely designed card features a moving element—when opened, the hands of the immortal figure inside lift in a gesture of congratulations, as if personally greeting the recipient. Notably, the card was patented during the Shōwa era by Mr. Gen Huang. This rare discovery not only showcases Taiwan’s advanced pop-up paper art techniques during the Japanese colonial period but also reflects the creativity and ingenuity of the Taiwanese people.

The Final Act — A Live Origami Demonstration

The event concluded with a captivating demonstration by Chia-Hao Chuang of the Taiwan Origami Association. Using a 6-square-meter piece of fabric without any crease lines, he collaborated with two other instructors to gradually fold a large 福 character, which means “fortune”. This special performance was a heartfelt blessing dedicated to the National Central Library and the audience present. This unique demonstration not only showcased the artistry of origami but also embodied the spirit of creativity and cultural fusion.

Interactive Zone: Try Your Hand at Origami

The exhibition also features a specially designed interactive zone where visitors can experience the joy of origami firsthand. More than just a visual and creative feast, it offers a magical journey into the limitless possibilities of paper.