Tuesday, October 4, 2011

exhibition, transparent, delicate

World's Fairs and world expos are places where countries come together and erect temporary displays that reflect how they would like the host country, and the rest of the world, to see them. These expos and fairs are places of diplomacy and they often reflect the political climate of the time. The Shanghai World Expo in 2010 was no exception, with 73 million visitors and the largest fairground ever for such an event. Pictured above is the pavilion for Taiwan, which has a very delicate relationship with mainland China. Taiwan is recognized by many to be a separate country, but China claims it as a province; there is always the threat of force over this matter. The Taiwan pavilion showcased the goodwill and hospitality of the Taiwanese, while skirting around the issue of sovereignty. For many of the Mainland Chinese who visited the expo, this may have been their only direct interaction with Taiwan.

1 comment:

  1. I like the fact that you highlight how the displays are about the way countries would like to be seen by the rest of the world. This brings up the notion of false representation. How many of these pavilions showcase the true nature of the country for which they are built? Moreover, who is/are the driving force behind their design? Are these fairs an actual point of discussion or are they just a 'dog and pony show' with no real outcome?