Introduction
Up the River During Qingming: NPM New Media Art Exhibition is an exhibition co-organized by the National Palace Museum (NPM) and River City Bangkok, and the NPM’s first large-scale new media art exhibition in Southeast Asia. In order to connect with the urban riverside terrain along the Chao Phraya River in Thailand, this exhibition focuses on the theme of ancient riverside cultures and lifestyles, and presents as its centerpiece the animated version of Up the River During Qingming, the timeless long scroll masterpiece from the NPM's extensive collection.
Through the dynamic representation of digital technology, this installation brings to life the vivid riverside scenery during the Qingming Festival observed in the original painting, and animates the vibrant urban lifestyles dotted along the river, providing visitors with a modern view of the classic painting and a closer look into the everyday life of the ancient Chinese.
Facing the Chao Phraya River, the exhibition aims to create a "rainbow bridge" for cultural exchange and learning between Thailand and Taiwan, transporting visitors back in time to wander amid cultural landscapes along ancient rivers. Showcasing a diverse selection of interactive and immersive multimedia installations, visitors of all ages will be able to join the ancient Chinese literati in appreciating natural riverine sceneries, deepen their understanding of the museum’s collection and its profound cultural heritage, and in turn reexamine the local and personal experience of living along the banks of Southeast Asia.
The exhibits include new media art interactive installations, VR, multimedia films, and artifact reproductions. In the Roaming through Fantasy Land VR installation, visitors can walk into the landscape painting of Autumn Colors on the Qiao and Hua Mountains and leisurely proceed along the ancient Yellow River; through the high-definition films and replicas in Traveling through Brush and Ink, visitors are able to appreciate the aesthetics of classical Chinese painting and calligraphy, and explore the landscapes in which the ancient literati "amble, behold, wander, and abide." Others include Summer Lotus, which allow the audience to experience an ancient lotus pond brimming with vitality, as well as Castiglione's Magical Horses in which the audience can watch horses of their creation playing along a riverbank. In addition, this exhibition will showcase the NPM’s latest work, Marvels within the Sea—Immersive Interactive Theater, enabling visitors to travel along the winding river of history, cross ancient waters, and enjoy a cultural feast for the eyes!
About NPM:
The NPM was relocated to its current location (Waishuangxi) in 1965. The museum houses nearly 700,000 pieces of magnificent national treasures, allowing it to remain popular to this day. To keep up with social development and advances in technology, the NPM has introduced various technology, giving birth to numerous creative, exciting, and visitor-friendly new media exhibitions. In addition, the NPM has developed several visual, reproductive, and design innovations to bring NPM artifacts closer to its visitors, enabling visitors to roam freely in the realms of reality and virtual reality, as well as make artifacts more approachable and available to people across the world.