Hope Talk
希望講堂
Tiled Memories: The Story of Taiwan in Ceramics
磁磚記憶：小磁磚、大歷史與台灣故事
Aug 23
8月23日
2:30pm - 4:00pm
About the Program
The development of tile culture originated from humanity’s growing attention to architectural decoration. The desire to create beauty has connected diverse architectural styles, ways of life, and religious beliefs across the world—giving rise to a wide variety of colorful and expressive tile designs. Though a single tile may seem small, it carries deep meaning and reflects the cultural essence of different nations.
Taiwan, as an island nation located along key maritime routes, has long been a place where cultures, goods, and people converge. This historical context is vividly reflected in the way tiles have been used throughout the island.
Majolica tiles, introduced to Taiwan from the West via Japan, became a popular substitute for traditional architectural carvings and decorations. Due to their affordability and ease of installation, they even inspired a uniquely Taiwanese form of tile painting. Today, tiles from around the world can still be found throughout Taiwan—turning the island into a kind of open-air museum without walls.
Kenji Horigome was born in Japan in 1947. He holds a Doctorate in Engineering from the University of Tokyo and is a certified first-class architect in Japan. He has lived in Taiwan for nearly 40 years. Deeply interested in Taiwan’s architecture, urban landscapes, and local lifestyles, he conducted extensive research and published the book “Taiwan Towns and Life” in Japan in 1980.
Kenji has also taught at National Taiwan University, Tamkang University, and Chung Yuan Christian University, offering courses on architecture, urban landscapes, cultural heritage preservation, and even feng shui. He has a keen eye for topics that are often overlooked by others, from which he discovers new subjects to explore. Among these, he has devoted considerable time to the study of tiles. His research culminated in the 2024 publication of “The Genealogy of Tiles in Taiwan” (Yuan-Liou Publishing).
From the Curating Team
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TAIWANfest Toronto is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, that is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered here, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples of this land while we engage in meaningful conversations of culture and reconciliation.