Shen Chao-Liang, a photographer and professor at Huafan University, visited India for the first time to present the Stage Trucks of Taiwan—mobile performance vehicles traditionally used to celebrate birthdays, religious ceremonies, weddings, and mark funerals across both historic and contemporary Taiwanese communities. Reminiscent of the traveling cinema tents that once brought Bollywood films to rural Indian villages, these trucks animate small fishing settlements and market districts such as Tsukiji, an enduring locus of communal festivity. Their itinerant presence transforms everyday streets into sites of collective ritual and entertainment, bridging past and present cultural practices.
Image Credit: Georgina Maddox
At the opening, Liang expressed gratitude to Museo Camera director Aditya Arya, Ambassador Chen Mu-Min, distinguished guests from throughout India, members of the art community, and Taiwanese compatriots residing in India. He remarked that, after completing his studies in Japan, he returned to Taiwan to work as a journalist; he now combines roles as university educator, photographer, and curator. This exhibition marks his inaugural show in India and represents the first major solo photographic exhibition by a Taiwanese artist in the country—an important cultural milestone within South Asia.
Liang conceives of photography as more than mere visual documentation; for him, “It is a tool of social observation.” His work interrogates the ways in which societies evolve under the influence of historical trajectories, political transformations, and economic developments. Taiwan’s own seventy-year arc—from martial law to robust democracy, and from traditional industries to advanced technological research—provides a compelling backdrop for his practice and underscores photography’s capacity to register and reflect complex social change.
The exhibition mainly comprises of his large format (4×5) photographs presents what he calls the Golden Hour of photography, “I like to capture that moment when evening slips into the night, because the sky is that magical shade of blue; the lights of the shops, restaurants and temples are just lighting up and it brings a surreal change to the otherwise everydayness of the market place. The Stage Trucks just slip into this perspective with a remarkable smoothness,” says Liang. A short documentary in time-lapse (fast forward) plays alongside the photo-exhibit to give an amazing context to the whole process.
Image Credit: Georgina Maddox
A table in the center of the display is laid with books. One is an accordion fold-out that has the colourful pictures of the Stage Trucks on one side and arresting black and white photographs of the female performer on the other side. Arya expresses that he would have liked to have some of the black-and-white photographs interspersing the colour images. “Perhaps that can be part two of this exhibition,” he says hopefully.
Liang points out that Taiwan plays a core role in artificial intelligence and semiconductor production. “This has reshaped our position and responsibility in the world, helping us stand strong and build resilience in global politics. India is an ancient civilization, a strategic hub in the Asia-Pacific, and the Leader of the Global South. India is also Taiwan’s strongest partner in high-tech manufacturing,” says Liang putting the exhibition in a socio-political perspective.
The STAGE series on display was shot between 2005 and 2023. “These photos show trucks that unfold into stages, captured in real environments across Taiwan. I hope these works inspire your imagination about this unique cultural landscape—in terms of time, space, and mechanical structure. This work connects to India in that street festivals also strengthen faith and unite communities, and daily life naturally shows a mix-and-match, collage, and surreal style,” says Liang adding that this series echoes how India keeps its traditional myths, religious faiths, and mass entertainment alive during modernization. It also connects with post-colonial ideas about mobile celebrations and street styles.
Image Credit: Georgina Maddox
Liang thanked the museum staff and the Taiwan team, and said that the exhibition could not have taken place without their cooperation. He added that he wished to give special thanks to Ms. Lin Pin-Hua, head of the culture division of TECC in India, and noted that without her hard work they would not have been there that day.
A public by the artist lecture will be held at 12.00 on July 5th The exhibition goes on till 20th July 2026
Georgina is an independent critic-curator with 18 years of experience in the field of Indian art and culture. She blurs the lines of documentation, theory and praxis by involving herself in visual art projects. Besides writing on immersive art for STIRworld, she is a regular contributor for The Hindu, MASH Mag and Architectural Digest.
