Burning and Rebirth

The expression of identity is complex in Taiwan, reflecting an ongoing political and cultural struggle. There are two country names (Republic of China and Taiwan), two official passports (one for entry to China) and two national flags (the Chinese Taipei flag is used for official events such as the Olympic Games). Burning such symbolic objects is a form of protest and denial. Yet, in Taiwan, the act of burning can also be positive. People set fire to paper ‘ghost’ money as a blessing to help the deceased in the afterlife.
Inspired by this dual symbolism, in ‘Burning and Rebirth’ Yu-Tzu Huang redesigns the passport, in an all-black form. This, together with a new national flag and banknote, can serve as a platform for a contemporary national identity, incorporating the country’s diverse colonial past. The cover of the passport features the face of each individual owner. The aim is to reinterpret the different Taiwanese identities that have been denied, accepted or forgotten in the course of history, right up to today.