Messages can be communicated anytime anywhere nowadays, thanks to the omnipresent communication technology. National Science and Technology Museum has collected some 50,000 exhibits relating to communication technology; it is one of the rare institutions in Taiwan that contain all four categories of collections pertaining to voice, printing, video, and telecommunication. Therefore, the “Artificial Relationship – Unboxing: Communication Technology Special Exhibition” is launched to exhibit over 100 communication technology artifacts across the century in cooperation with the collector Lin Pen-Po, Sony Taiwan, Taigi TV Station of Taiwan Public Television Service, Department of Mass Communication of I-Shou University, Chunghwa Telecom, The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, and Multi-Media Center of Tainan National University of The Arts. By exhibiting the trans-century artifacts across the ages, the museum hopes to create resonance and moving inspiration in the audience of different generations and ages through this special exhibition.
Communication of Affection – Online/Offline Theatrical Puzzle Game in Integrated Clicks-and-Mortar Model
“Someone calling in the stream of time. Please respond now!” Apart from the physical exhibition that integrates theatrical scenes, the museum has also designed an “online theater version” to allow the audience travel through time and space, and partake in the love story of a couple through conversations and puzzle games. The audience not only has to find clues for the puzzle, they can also join the game and actually converse with the characters in the story. Let’s find out the intriguing secret code of love for this couple at the end of the story! The audience may alternate between the exhibition version and theater version of the story and roam between the physical exhibition site and the online theater. In either version, you’ll find appropriate messaging media in the story to build relationship, communicate affection and thoughts, and hence revisit your own profile of “love”.
Exhibition focus – a combination of science and literary art
Communication of Culture – Depicting the Context of Interpersonal Communication through the Classic of Poetry
Wilbur Schramm, the founder of communication studies, has the famous “last 7 minutes” analogy of communication: Assuming the history of human communication is done in one day, all critical development of communication technology is accomplished intensively and swiftly in the last 7 minutes. People are always fascinated by the wonders of technology, but forget the longstanding history. Therefore, the curatorial team of National Science and Technology Museum has specially picked verses from the over 3000-year-old Classic of Poetry to name the themes for various exhibition areas. The kind of trust depicted by verses like “(the girl) by the side of the stream” and “till old age we stay together” form a metaphor for the developmental context of interpersonal relationship and affection. The artist is also specially invited to make the mega installation art “The Stream of Time”. It is an unprecedented attempt to integrate science and technology with literary art.
Industry-Government-University Cooperation – The Amazing Conflict and Integration of Artifacts across the Ages
The numerous cooperating parties in this special exhibition have brought to us a wide array of diversified exhibits, including the first Albion press in Taiwan, the smallest pocket-size phonograph in the world, the first Sony Walkman® portable stereo in the world, an over 2-feet tall film projector, and Apple’s first bestselling personal computer Apple II. Museum collections have always given people a stereotypical old-fashion feeling. In order to catch the eyes of the young audience, the museum has taken a bold approach to create a sense of conflict, adopting a bright, penetrating, colorful visual style for the exhibition space, coupled with a funny mirror-surface wall for check-in photos, a wall of books, and photo sticker booths. The interesting combination of modern and antiquated artifacts is brought to the family visitors, young people, and even antique lovers. Don’t miss it!
Exhibition Info
Artificial Relationship – Unboxing: Communication Technology Special Exhibition
Date: 2023/11/11 (Saturday) – 2024/8/25 (Sunday)
Location: 6F Triangular Zone, National Science and Technology Museum (No. 720, Jiuru 1st Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung City)