Culture emerges from the accumulation of lived experiences, and craft is one of the most tangible manifestations of those experiences. Rooted in the everyday, craft has endured within the fabric of daily life for centuries. As times change, technology advances, and lifestyles evolve, the forms of craft may constantly evolve, but its essence rooted in everyday life remains unchanged. However, as craft becomes increasingly confined by traditional classifications and conventional frameworks, it begins to detach from the realities of daily life.
The 2026–2027 Craft Pilgrimage, centered on the curatorial theme “More Than Craft,” seeks to reopen a dialogue between craft and contemporary life. Craft is no longer presented merely within a single disciplinary framework; instead, it becomes a medium that resonates across cultural tourism, art, music, and technology. Transcending established boundaries, craft naturally flows back into everyday life, weaving itself into the textures of daily living.
The focus of “More Than Craft” is not merely a change in form, but a re-exploration of how craft reintegrates into modern living. From local culture and material usage to sensory experiences and future technologies, craftsmanship reflects how humanity responds to its environment, leaving cultural traces of each era. Just as technology comes from humanity, craft originates from life; both are intimately linked to human needs, emotions, and the passage of time.
The curatorial framework, “Island Craft,” unfolds through four distinct realms. The Nantou Realm, titled “Tracing the Imprints of the Land,” transforms natural elements and landscape textures into perceptible traces. The Hualien Realm, titled “Constructing Contemporary Expressions,” transforms the creators' emotions and life experiences into contemporary narratives. The Taipei Realm, titled “Condensing Sensory Rhythms,” unfolds a profound dialogue between craft and sound through the deconstruction of musical instruments and the translation of sensory dimensions. The Kaohsiung Realm, titled “Driving Technological Evolution,” presents emerging forms of craft culture through technological intervention and generative transformation.
Dialogue has always been fundamental to human understanding and the building of societies. Through the collision of diverse perspectives and worldviews, sparks of innovation are ignited. “Craft × Interdisciplinary Dialogue” invites viewers to re-examine craft from an entirely new perspective. By transcending traditional boundaries, this exhibition explores the multifaceted roles and values of craft in contemporary society. It is not merely a visual presentation, but an exchange of ideas, perceptions, and creativity—breaking frameworks to explore the deeper cultural significance of craft and life.
No element of society exists in isolation; instead, they evolve through constant interaction and mutual influence. This project centers on craft to re-interpret its diverse roles across culture, daily life, and industry. “More Than Craft” does not seek outward expansion, but rather a return to the essence of life—much like water, it flows naturally through the everyday, subtly shaping contemporary culture and serving as a vital bridge between tradition and the future.
Nantou: Tracing the Imprints of the Land
Cultural Tourism Zone
Dates: June 5, 2026 – May 9, 2027
Venue: 1-3F, Craft Exhibition Hall, National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute
(No.573, Zhongzheng Rd., Caotun Township, Nantou County, Taiwan)
Beginning with local landscapes, everyday customs, and material traditions, this zone explores how craft emerges in response to diverse environments and ways of living. From mountains and forests to coastal regions, settlements, and cities, craft is not merely an expression of technique, but a vessel of collective memory, carrying the cultural contexts and emotional ties cultivated between people and the land over time.
Through the convergence of craft and cultural tourism, the exhibition transforms craft from a static object of viewing into a cultural pathway that guides audiences deeper into local narratives and lived experiences. By translating natural elements and geographic textures into sensory encounters, local stories become tangible traces woven into everyday life. Viewing thus extends beyond observation into an immersive cultural experience, allowing craft to flow organically through daily life while continuously embodying warmth, local vitality, and cultural value.
Hualien: Constructing Contemporary Expressions
Creative Arts Zone
Dates: September 4 – November 22, 2026
Venue: 1F, Building 17, Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park
(No.144, Zhonghua Rd., Hualien City, Hualien County, Taiwan)
Beginning with ethnic patterns, material textures, and traditional techniques, this zone reinterprets craft through contemporary artistic language. As time evolves, so too do people’s lifestyles, emotional landscapes, and forms of cultural expression. Through objects, techniques, and modes of living, craft continues to preserve the emotional memories and cultural identities of different generations.
Through the interdisciplinary integration of craft and creative arts, craft is transformed from a preserved cultural symbol into a living language capable of expressing emotion and responding to the spirit of the times. Through reinterpretation by diverse creators, craft and art intertwine within the dialogue between artwork and space, allowing cultural heritage carried from the past to evolve into contemporary narratives of life. In doing so, the exhibition awakens humanistic emotion and cultural resonance within the viewer.
Taipei: Condensing Sensory Rhythms
Pop Music Zone
Dates: January 14 – March 14, 2027
Venue: 1F Lobby, Taipei Music Center Cultural Cube
(No. 99, Sec. 7, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Nangang Dist., Taipei City, Taiwan)
Taking sound and rhythm as its point of departure, this zone explores the transformation and extension of craft within contemporary popular culture. Through the structures, materials, and acoustic qualities of musical instruments, craft is no longer understood merely as a static mode of making, but as a sensory medium that shapes perceptions of emotion, memory, and the rhythms of urban life.
Through the interdisciplinary fusion of craft and pop music, the exhibition centers on an exploded instrument installation that disassembles and expands the internal structures, components, and sonic trajectories of musical instruments throughout the space. Hidden details of craftsmanship, once concealed behind performance, are brought back into view. Through the interplay of installation, lighting, and sensory pathways, fleeting moments of musical rhythm and energy are spatially condensed. Audiences are invited not only to listen to music, but to step into an immersive sensory environment co-created by sound and craft, experiencing the new cultural vocabulary generated through the encounter between popular culture and craftsmanship.
Kaohsiung: Driving Technological Evolution
Future Technology Zone
Dates: January 29 – May 2, 2027
Venue: 6F Special Exhibition Gallery, Square Hall, National Science and Technology Museum
(No. 720, Jiuru 1st Rd., Sanmin Dist., Kaohsiung City, Taiwan)
Centered on digital fabrication, generative interaction, and material innovation, this zone reconsiders the role and value of craft in the technological era. As technology evolves alongside changing modes of living, craft is no longer simply an extension of traditional techniques. Through technological intervention, it expands into new forms of creation and sensory experience, shaping emerging visions of future life.
Through the interdisciplinary convergence of craft and future technology, the exhibition presents these fields not as forces of replacement, but as systems of mutual influence and co-creation within an evolving technological environment. From digital computation and material experimentation to interactive installations and responsive sensing technologies, craft becomes more than the display of manual skill; it emerges as a vital medium connecting humanity, technology, and future ways of living. Within immersive experiences that blur the boundaries between the physical and virtual, audiences witness how craft continues to respond to changing times while generating new cultural imaginaries and possibilities for everyday life.