Copyright by Lei Zhang Shanbhag

ARTIST STATEMENT

2008

Taipei 101 is a 101-floor landmark skyscraper, which has been the world’s tallest building since 2004, located in Taipei, Taiwan. It has been hailed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World

The building stands as an icon of Taipei and Taiwan as a whole.  Its safety features enable it to tolerate typhoons and earthquakes, which frequent that region.

We lived as common people for 4 months in Taipei in the later part of 2007, as part of my husband’s sabbatical leave of absence. I was intrigued by the ever looming presence of Taipei 101, which seemed to follow you every where and all the time. Yet there is a big contrast between the city and the tower, and the political, social and economical disparity.