An inflatable artwork depicting the infamous “Tank Man” incident has appeared in the heart of Taiwan’s capital, Taipei, nearly two weeks before the 30th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing.
Recreating a widely-known image from China’s ill-fated 1989 pro-democracy protests, the provocative sculpture has been installed outside the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, one of Taiwan’s most visited tourist attractions.
“Tank Man” sculpture installed in front of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Credit: SAM YEH/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The image Widener shot for the Associated Press soon spread around the world, and is now the most recognized symbol of the bloody crackdown. It was taken the day after the so-called “June Fourth Incident,” in which China’s military cleared Tiananmen Square of protesters who had gathered to call for democratic reforms.
Vistors walk past the inflatable work. Credit: SAM YEH/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, named after the defeated leader who fled to the island after the Communist revolution in 1949, is considered one of the city’s top tourist sites, attracting, invariably, visitors from the mainland. According to statistics from Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau, almost 2.7 million visitors arrived on the island from China in 2018.
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The monument’s grounds have become a popular site for public art. Earlier this year, American artist KAWS installed a 36-meter-long (118 feet) inflatable of one of his signature characters, Companion, at the spot.
CNN has reached out to Shake and Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture for comment.
Source : Nbcnewyork
