Origin of the Exhibition
U-mkt is now in its fifth year of operation.  Each year, we organize numerous exhibitions and activities with the aim of sifting through local culture and history.  In doing so, we have collected countless stories from residents and businesses.  Unlike the amateurs we were when we first came to Wanhua, the past years have enriched our understanding of the district and have given us a higher mission of telling the world about Bangka.

This permanent exhibition is co-organized with SANYO+SANIN design studio and with the theme “A Bite of U-mkt,” it starts with the development of the Xinfu Market and the collection of local tales, then moves on to the creation of special seasonal gift boxes.  Last but not least, it shares the warmth of Bangka with local recipes and exclusive interviews via texts and images.

Exhibition Strategy
Overall Strategy: Conduct field investigations of the Wanhua district.  In many residents’ memories, Xinfu Market lies in the square formed by Kunming Street to the east, Kangding Road to the west, Guangzhou Street to the north, and Heping West Road to the south.  Upon entering the Dongsanshui Street Market, you will see stalls of about 3.3 to 6.6 square meters in size, behind which are countless families whose lives are closely tied to the market.

Based on the above context, it can be observed that the element of 口, the Chinese character for “mouth,” acts as forms of nourishment and connection in different aspects.  As such, the curatorial team proposed “A Bite of U-mkt” as the theme of the exhibition.  The meaning of 口 is examined from the macro to the micro perspective.  "A Bite of the City": 口, as an architectural container in an urban context, acts as a platform for public participation and interaction.  "A Bite of Bangka": 口, as the bridge connecting the interior and the exterior, acts as the distribution center where the old and the new converge.  “A Bite of the Market": 口, as the core that nourishes the body and the soul, further branches out into the lives of others.  The three components—A Bite of the City: culture and core; A Bite of Bangka: Xinfu; A Bite of the Market: flavors and life—encompass the key narrative and spirit this permanent exhibition wishes to express.

#A_bite_of_the_city
From black and white Japanese newspaper articles to colored news footage in Mandarin, these records detail the birth, rise and fall, and rebirth of the historical market.  Through the organization of data, we can see how the market prospered and declined through time, and anticipate a new future after the transformation.

#A_bite_of_Bangka
Markets convey the changing seasons and the warmth of human interaction.  The curatorial team hand-selected products from the neighboring Dongsanshui Street Market to create seven limited seasonal gift boxes, practical goods filled with market flavors that come from the heart.

#A_bite_of_the_market
With a wooden stool and a cup of tea, local residents can always come up with an endless supply of fascinating stories about local markets.  Through videos and texts, this hall presents that unique human touch and the life trajectories found in local markets.  In addition, it features signature recipes from local merchants that visitors can recreate at home.

Date
02 October 2021 – 31 December 2024

Venues
U-mkt (No. 70, Sanshui Street, Wanhua District, Taipei)

Exhibition Team
Organizer & Coordinator | JUT Foundation for Arts and Architecture
Coordinator & Field Creation | SANYO+SANIN
Exhibition Organizers｜Aaron Y. L. Lee, Yi-Ling Hung
Exhibition Managers｜Wayne Yang ( Jut Foundation ), Janet Chen ( SANYO+SANIN )
Spatial Design｜Kobe Chang ( SANYO+SANIN )
Visual Communication｜Hao Zhuang
Photography｜Zi-Hsin Jian
Marketing and Promotion｜Hui-Chi Chih, Hui-Tzu Lin, Jia-Ian Lee