Heavy Lightness: Taiwanese Believing System

타이페이 ‘7-일레븐’워크샵 인스톨레이션

2007

Project Location: Taipei Taiwan

7-Eleven has been something instant, light, trivial, cheap, nearb, and ‘always-there.’ On the one hand these expressions are usually associated with non-importance or casualty, but its ubiquitous existence on the other hand can impose an incomparable persuasive power and cultural impact on the public, if it tries so.
On the date of my arrival in Taipei, I found out even three 7-Eleven stores in one block. 7-Eleven seems to be the most pervasive urban elements of the city. Of course 7-Eleven exist in other countries. But in Taipei we could see the raison d’etre of 7-Eleven, no matter which country this company was originated from. In the case of Seoul, although 7-Eleven started the era of convenient store by opening its first store in 1989, after severe competition now 7-Eleven are spread almost evenly with other brands.
Then It’s Mr. Chen-Ming Wang. Her was standing firmly on the every glass doors of 7-Eleven and greets to me whenever I enter the stores. When Taiwanese talked about this possibility of twenty wins, they were united over green or blue. Like ‘lotus,’ he was revealing the light but serious heart of Taiwanese spirit and 7-Eleven performs as the window through which we can see what happens in the society.

by Yoonjin Park for the workshop publication