Our Ocean Life

“Our Ocean Life: Taiwan–Korea Marine Cultural Exchange Special Exhibition” marks the first international exhibition jointly curated by the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology and the Korea National Maritime Museum. Set against New Taipei City’s coastline of more than 120 kilometers, the exhibition brings together archaeological research, fishing-village memories, women’s labor, traditional shipbuilding craftsmanship, and contemporary approaches to sustainability.

Beginning with shells, fish bones, and fishing tools excavated from the Tapenkeng and Shihsanhang archaeological sites, the exhibition traces the relationship between people and the sea through the development of Bali’s modern fishing industry, Korea’s tidal flats, and the culture of Jeju’s haenyeo (female divers). Memories of traditional sampans along the Tamsui River further connect the narrative with Korea’s traditional shipbuilding tools, revealing shared maritime experiences across Taiwan and Korea.

The curatorial team also invited the Kuroshio Ocean Education Foundation, artists Tsai Wan-Hsuan, Yeh Hai-Di, and Liu Hsing-Yu, as well as teachers and students from Dakan Elementary School and Yehliu Elementary School to participate. Their involvement allows the exhibition not only to foster international cultural exchange, but also to preserve local voices and inspire younger generations to imagine new relationships with the ocean.

Through its overall design and curatorial approach, the exhibition demonstrates how museums can respond to cultural research, educational outreach, and public issues through exhibition design, bringing the ocean from a distant landscape back into the fabric of everyday life.