Eye-catching exhibition reminds us of the importance of protecting wildlife
An outdoor exhibition featuring 1,600 papier-mache giant pandas opened in downtown Taipei recently, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors after some imaginative panda "flash mobs" made headlines across the country in the buildup to the event. This eye-catching, not to mention incredibly cute, exhibition is not simply an opportunity for people to take pictures with adorable panda sculptures, however. It is designed to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation.
The exhibition is intended to remind people that only 1,600 giant pandas remain in the wild. And pandas are not the only creatures on display, as the exhibition also features artworks representing other endangered animals, including green sea turtles and Asian elephants. It also includes Formosan clouded leopards, which sadly are now believed to be extinct. Meanwhile, the organizers of the exhibition went to special lengths to highlight the plight of Formosan black bears by creating 200 papier-mache versions of Taiwan's endangered endemic bear species. It is also important to note that all of the animal sculptures were created using recycled materials.
The exhibition garnered widespread attention before it opened thanks to a series of high-profile publicity events. To the joy of pedestrians, the paper pandas began appearing at famous landmarks and parks shortly after arriving in Taipei on Feb. 19. The traveling art display first visited the city's Dajia Riverside Park, before moving on to Daan Forest Park, where a crowd soon gathered to take pictures of the pandas, explained Taipei City Government official Yu Shu-hui. The paper pandas then went on to make appearances at various other city landmarks, such as Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office.
The series of events was aimed at raising public interest in the much larger-scale exhibition, which is first being held from Feb. 28 to March 9 at Civic Plaza in front of Taipei City Hall, where organizers hoped to create a laid-back atmosphere by setting up arrangements of flowers and green sculptures around the exhibition area. After its visit to Civic Plaza, the exhibition will move to Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall from March 14 to 30, when the 200 artworks based on the Formosan black bear will be displayed for the first time.
The city worked with French papier-mache artist Paulo Grangeon to stage the "1,600 Pandas" exhibition, which was first held by the French section of the World Wildlife Fund in a joint project with Grangeon in July 2008 at Paris City Hall. As part of his efforts to create vivid representations of the Formosan black bear, the artist visited Taipei Zoo to study the endangered animal. This is the first time that the exhibition has been held in Asia, after touring more than 20 countries worldwide, according to the city government.
The exhibition is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is free. After the exhibition closes, the displays will be auctioned off and the proceeds will be donated to local charities, the city government said, ensuring that the organizers will be able to raise money as well as awareness for the endangered creatures featured in this special event.
引人注目的展覽提醒我們保護野生動物的重要性
一項展出一千六百隻紙貓熊的戶外藝術展，最近在台北市中心登場。在為該展覽宣傳的天馬行空紙貓熊「快閃行動」登上全台新聞頭條之後，吸引了成千上萬名遊客前來參觀。不過，這項超級可愛又引人注目的藝術展，卻不僅只是一個供民眾與可愛紙貓熊合照的機會而已，其展覽目的在於喚起野生動物保育意識的重要性。
這項藝術展的用意是要提醒世人，目前全世界僅存的野生貓熊數量只有一千六百隻。貓熊不是唯一的展出動物，藝術展上還展有其他瀕臨絕種動物的紙雕，其中包括綠蠵龜、亞洲象，以及現在很遺憾據信已絕跡的台灣雲豹。同時，藝術展主辦單位還特別製作了兩百隻台灣黑熊紙雕，來突顯這種台灣在地瀕臨絕種熊類所面臨的困境。此外必須特別強調，所有這些動物紙雕都是使用回收材料製成。
拜一系列高調宣傳活動所賜，藝術展在揭幕前就受到了廣泛的關注。這些紙貓熊在二月十九日抵達台北後不久，就開始在各知名地標景點和公園內出現，讓路人樂不可支。台北市政府官員游淑慧表示，巡迴紙雕展品首先抵達大佳河濱公園，接著轉往大安森林公園，那裡很快地聚集了不少的民眾拿起相機拍照。這些紙貓熊而後又現身於台北市的其他地標，像是總統府前的凱達格蘭大道。
這一系列活動的目標，是要提高外界對更大規模展覽的興趣。這場藝術展率先從二月廿八日至三月九日，在台北市政府廣場展出。主辦單位希望在此營造出輕鬆悠閒的氛圍，於是在展場周圍安排了花壇和植栽景觀。在市府廣場的展覽結束後，藝術展將從三月十四日至卅日移師中正紀念堂展出，屆時兩百隻的台灣黑熊紙雕將首次加入展出。
台北市政府和法國紙雕藝術家保羅格蘭金共同合作推出「1600 貓熊世界之旅」，這項展覽原先是世界自然基金會法國分會與格蘭金的合作計畫，於二○○八年七月在巴黎市政廳展出。為了製作台灣黑熊的生動紙雕，藝術家格蘭金特別前往台北市立動物園，參觀這瀕臨絕種的動物。據台北市政府表示，紙貓熊藝術展在全球廿多國巡迴展出後，這是首次在亞洲展出。
藝術展的展出時間為上午九時至晚間九時，免費入場。台北市政府表示，結束所有在台的展覽後，紙貓熊展品將進行拍賣，義賣所得將捐贈本地的慈善單位，以確保主辦單位能藉由這項特別的展覽活動，來提高大眾對展中瀕臨絕種動物的保育意識，同時也為這些動物請命募款。
資料來源 http://www.chinapost.com.tw/guidepost/topics/default.asp?id=4179&next=1&sub=23
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