Gaze Into the Street – Pictures of Hsinchu’s Beimen Street – Jiang Shan Yi Gai Cafe, Hsinchu – 30/7/16-28/8/16

An interesting exhibition by photographer Michael Geier focussing on Hsinchu’s Beimen Street….

Austrian expat photographer Michael Geier has a new solo exhibition opening at Hsinchu’s Jiang Shan Yi Gai cafe on Saturday. Gaze Into the Street (溫柔的凝視) is a collection of photographs taken by Geier of the historic Beimen Street (北門街) near the City God Temple (城隍廟). Some of the street’s architecture has remained unchanged since the late Qing dynasty. Lately, there have been protests against construction on Beimen Street and student-led groups have been promoting its preservation as a heritage site. Geier captures this sentiment — the struggle between preserving tradition and wanting to modernize — in his photography in a way that’s pensive yet evocative.

■ Jiang Shan Yi Gai (江山藝改所), 17-4, Jiangshan St, Hsinchu City (新竹市江山街17-4號), tel: (03) 526-6456. Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 2pm to 11pm