AI Craft Taiwan: Generational Wisdom

AI, "Artificial Intelligence." British scientist Alan Turing proposed the "Turing Test" to examine whether computers can imitate humans and exhibit "intelligence," reminding us of two things: First, so-called "perfect results" are actually standards first set by humans through imagination and manual craftsmanship, and then machines are developed to achieve them; second, in manual craftsmanship, the relationship between "people, tools, and real materials" is irreplaceable, and this relationship nurtures diverse and innovative possibilities. In other words, beyond "Artificial Intelligence," we can also understand AI as "Artisanal Intelligence" — AI is HI (Human Intelligence). For a century, Taiwan's craft practitioners have consistently responded to challenges with creativity and resilience, allowing precious craft assets to be continuously innovated through generational inheritance, shaping Taiwan's unique cultural landscape — this is Taiwan's AI craft wisdom. Therefore, this exhibition adopts a perspective of "simultaneity": the local lacquer art of the 1920s that found itself under the colonial異文化 of the Japanese occupation period; the design vocabulary inspired by Yen Shui-long (顏水龍) in the 1930s-1950s as he deeply cultivated Taiwan's crafts; the legislation for cultural preservation starting in the 1970s; the indigenous cultural revival in the 1980s; the integration into community sustainable development after the 1990s; and current artistic expressions themed around "Taiwan's Terroir." This allows viewers to see the unique vitality of Taiwan's crafts as they roll, accumulate, and continuously regenerate through diverse interactions. Finally, we will proclaim a "Future Craft Manifesto," upholding the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute's (國立臺灣工藝研究發展中心) philosophy of "Living Craft, Craft Living" to unfold the future of crafts. Taiwan is not only a silicon island of artificial intelligence but also a craft island abundant with artisanal intelligence!