From Harbor to Kaiju Narratives: The Imagined Realities of Pier-2’s “UNIDENTIFIED”
Kaohsiung is a city shaped by the ocean, its harbor, railways, and industry. Over the past century, the footprints of industrial development—stretching from railways and docks to warehouses and massive steel structures—have sculpted the city’s appearance. They form Kaohsiung’s unique cultural landscape, carrying industrial and historical memories while harboring a vast space for imagination.
The value of culture lies not only in preserving memory, but also in opening up alternative ways of seeing the world. When creators gaze upon a place through different lenses, the otherwise familiar harbors, railways, and industrial facilities can reveal entirely different facets. The creation of fictional characters possesses the power to transform local characteristics into contemporary narratives, allowing people to rediscover the land beneath their feet through imagination.
The cover feature exhibition of this issue, “UNIDENTIFIED,” invites Shinji Nishikawa, the monster designer behind Japan’s famous Godzilla series, and Taiwanese steampunk artist KCN to serve as “witnesses.” They have taken up residency at the Pier-2 Art Center to create site-specific works. Seeking clues within the harbor landscape, railway culture, and industrial ruins, the two creators use monster design and steampunk mechanical imagination as their creative lexicon. By reinterpreting Kaohsiung’s unique harbor and industrial scenery, they connect imaginary lifeforms with real-world spaces, allowing familiar landscapes to unfold new narrative dimensions.
“UNIDENTIFIED” brings the creative process itself into the exhibition space. Audiences can appreciate not only the final pieces but also closely observe how the artists study the environment, gather clues, and gradually shape the monsters. The artists’ painting live on-site is a performance in its own right. Through time-lapse videos, viewers can look back at the trajectory of creation, while the subsequently released interviews, character concept designs, and monster archives reveal how an imaginary world is constructed. From witnessing the live creation to exploring the monster encyclopedia, and from the process to the results, “UNIDENTIFIED” invites audiences to participate in this ever-extending creative project at different stages, jointly witnessing how Kaohsiung’s scenery is transformed into a monster narrative unique to the city. Discover the unknown within familiar landscapes and find your own “UNIDENTIFIED” amidst everyday sights.
This scorching summer, we welcome you to step into Kaohsiung’s Pier-2, immerse yourself in the artistic atmosphere, and roam the beautiful harbor together with the “monsters”!
