Discover Formosa!

“Discover Formosa!,” a sub-exhibition of the 2024 Creative Expo Taiwan, highlights Taiwan’s strong relationship with the ocean and its rich multicultural heritage. Designed as an immersive, participatory journey, the exhibition invites visitors to step into the role of explorers, co-creating experiences that reveal the diverse faces of daily life. In collaboration with acclaimed mural artist Chen Yu-An, vibrant large-scale artworks evoke the adventurous spirit of 400 years ago, while every young explorer completes a personalized expedition journal—bridging history, culture, ecology, imagination, and creativity.

The exhibition was originally staged in an open, partition-free commercial hall. To transform the vast space into a compelling narrative journey, the curatorial team redefined it into two zones, connected by a winding pathway designed to simulate an explorer’s trail. Darkened environments combined with theatrical lighting further immerse visitors, inviting them to step into the spirit of discovery.

The first zone features large-scale murals, created on-site by renowned mural artist Chen Yu-An. Inspired by the Age of Exploration, these works portray how 17th-century voyagers first encountered Taiwan, blending maritime history with the island’s natural and cultural heritage. Through vivid depictions of sika deer, russet sparrows, Taiwania cryptomerioides, millet, and Ai-yu, the murals evoke the feeling of opening an explorer’s notebook, allowing visitors to witness how early adventurers recorded their discoveries.

The second zone, “Island of Discovery,” shifts into an interactive, co-creative experience. Families and children become modern explorers by coloring illustrated “specimen” stickers, derived from mural motifs, and placing them onto an illuminated table. These designs are then projected onto a large LED screen, gradually forming a colorful new island. The more participants engage, the richer and more vibrant the collective creation becomes, symbolizing imagination and shared creativity.

As the first family-friendly themed curation at the Creative Expo Taiwan, the exhibition integrates participatory design with immersive storytelling. It not only highlights Taiwan’s biodiversity and cultural history but also transforms the audience into active co-creators, crafting a dynamic, multi-layered vision of an island that bridges past and future.