Illustrator celebrates Taiwan’s railway stations

2015-05-15

An illustration artist is bringing aspects of Taiwan’s railway history back to life with creative works featuring some of the most beautiful stations constructed on the island.

Wu Xu-yao, aka KCN to his legions of devotees, is passionate about Taiwan culture and committed to preserving the country’s history through vivid illustration pieces.

“Trains used to be the main form of public transportation in Taiwan and integral part of day-to-day life,” he said. “Stations were places where a lot of events took place and evoke a cornucopia of emotions.”

According to Wu, the rise of the automobile brought the curtain down on the golden era of rail travel and open interaction. “One old station after another was torn down and the rail tracks ripped up, leaving us with nothing but memories and fading photographs,” he said.

Unwilling to let this chapter of history fall by the wayside, Wu produced an illustration of the former Taiwan Railways Administration Keelung Station and had it incorporated into a T-shirt.

Built in 1908 during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945), the Baroque red brick building was considered the most beautiful train station in Taiwan until its demolition in 1967. Only five stations remain from the period, with none presently threatened by the wrecking ball.

“The T-shirt is like a walking billboard,” Wu said. “By wearing this little piece of the past, the public can contribute to preserving an important part of Taiwan’s collective memory.”

Although the garment has proven popular, Wu needs additional funds to ramp up production. He recently launched a crowd-funding campaign and is tying-up with other artists on related projects.

“Once finances are in place, I plan to expand this undertaking to include all of Taiwan’s old stations,” he said. “The public needs to be more aware of the country’s history and the importance of protecting cultural heritage.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=230408&ctNode=413)