An exhibition curated by the Lynra Foundation featuring the paper-cutting works of Tzu Ching Chen. Centered on themes of spring’s arrival and the intimate relationship between identity and homeland, the exhibition presents a series of intricate compositions that reflect renewal, memory, and cultural continuity.
Designed as an immersive cultural experience, the exhibition invites visitors to engage with the material and symbolic qualities of paper-cutting, appreciating both its visual precision and its deep-rooted cultural significance. In parallel, a hands-on workshop component offers participants the opportunity to explore the technique firsthand, fostering a deeper understanding of the craft through guided practice.
By bridging exhibition and participation, the project creates a space where artistic appreciation and experiential learning coexist, reinforcing the role of traditional craftsmanship within a contemporary cultural context.
Spring's First Light
Date: 3/15/25 - 3/16/25
Location: Culture Center of Taipei Economic & Cultural Office
Artist: Tzu Ching Chen
Curator: Lynra Foundation
Photo Credits: Michael Yu, LipMan TV
A Letter from Spring
Across cultures, butterflies carry profound symbolism. In Eastern traditions, they represent more than just the freedom of love; they embody the essence of transformation, resilience, and the fleeting beauty of life itself. A symbol of health and longevity, the butterfly also speaks to the journey of breaking free from constraints, emerging renewed and unbound. Beyond life’s physical form, it represents a graceful transcendence—an acceptance of impermanence. Its ephemeral existence serves as a quiet yet powerful reminder: time is precious, and so is the present moment.
A Place to Return
“The longer I am away, the more I treasure and long to understand the land and culture that shaped me.”
Distance has a way of deepening our connection to home, making memories more vivid, and our roots more significant. Born in Taiwan and now living in New York, the artist often finds herself drawn back to fragments of her childhood—lessons in school about Taiwan’s culture, the mountains she once climbed with family, and the familiar taste of home-cooked meals. These moments are more than just recollections; they are the threads that weave together her identity.
Through sharing her homeland and the skills she cultivated in her youth, she invites others to rediscover their own origins. To seek one’s roots is to understand oneself more deeply—to recognize that history is not a distant narrative, but a story intertwined with one’s own. Our roots ground us, guide us, and, when the time is right, lead us home.