Dear Franklin | Kurt Tong Solo Exhibition

28/10/2023 - 20/01/2024

UP Gallery 
No.47-1, Ln. 53, Dongnan St., East Dist 
 
 Hsinchu City 300

www.uniquephoto.com.tw/English/index.asp   

 

UP Gallery is delighted to present Dear Franklin, a solo exhibition by artist Kurt Tong. Since his two-person show with our gallery in 2019, his series Sweet Water Bitter Earth has garnered significant recognition, Kurt has since embarked on a profound exploration of his cultural roots and deepened his connection to his homeland through a series of new works. Over the course of five years, the project, which initially ignited in 2018, has evolved into a groundbreaking “artist’s book” that was officially published in 2022. This remarkable artistic endeavor received the prestigious Prix Elysée, and it earned the distinction of being named one of the best books of 2022 by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, USA. UP Gallery is excited and honored to present this outstanding project in the form of an exhibition.

The genesis of this project unfolded when Tong stumbled upon an old chest brimming with a treasure trove of love letters, portraits, dried flowers, and a collection of Chinese and Japanese newspapers and magazines spanning the decades of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. It was within these evocative relics that he commenced the intricate task of reconstructing the daily lives of the project’s central figures—two star-crossed lovers separated by the tumultuous currents of history. The narrative unfolds as we delve into the life of a young man hailing from a modest family in Canton during the last century. His heart entwined with the daughter of a Kuomintang general, their love story unfolds amidst the backdrop of a politically charged era. Franklin Lung and his fiancée Dongyu bore witness to the ravages of war, the trials of exile, and the profound impact of acculturation. Beneath the veneer of this serial-like love story, Kurt deftly weaves in the broader tapestry of the end of China’s political and social history in the first half of the 20th century. Vintage press clippings, intimate letters, artifacts and a compelling array of photographs are thoughtfully integrated throughout the exhibition space. Visitors are warmly welcomed to immerse themselves in these captivating artifacts, providing a unique window into a bygone era of love, resilience, and the dynamic forces that shaped a nation’s destiny.