The seven winners of the 22nd National Award of Arts received their awards at a ceremony in Taipei on Friday and President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) presented each one with a bouquet.
The awards, organized by the National Culture and Arts Foundation, are a major event for those who work in the field of art and culture, and the winners truly deserve the honor and recognition, the president said.
The ceremony was held with the headlining theme “people in love with art” at the newly opened Taipei Performing Arts Center.
The winners in seven categories announced by the foundation in December 2021 were — actor-director Sylvia Chang (張艾嘉) in the film category, novelist Ping Lu (平路) for literature, filmmaker Huang Ming-chuan (黃明川) in the visual arts, beiguan music performer Chiu Huo-rong (邱火榮) in music, choreographer Puljaljuyan Pakaleva in dance, Golden Bough Theatre founder Wang Rong-yu (王榮裕) in drama, and architect Kuo Chung-twn (郭中端) in architecture.
Tsai praised Puljaljuyan, founder of the Bulareyaung Dance Company, for expressing his identity and promoting the culture of the Indigenous Paiwan peoples in Taiwan.
The choreographer wore for the first time traditional clothing made for him when he was 15 by his mother, who presented him the award at the ceremony.
Puljaljuyan thanked Cloud Gate Dance Theatre founder Lin Hwai-min (林懷民), late Cloud Gate 2 director Lo Man-fei (羅曼菲) and Australian choreographer Ross Parkes, who taught in the dance department of what is now Taipei National University of the Arts for 21 years.
He dedicated the award to Parkes, who passed away in 2019. Lo and Lin won the fourth and sixth edition of the award, respectively.
Actor-director Sylvia Chang received her award from veteran TV host Chang Hsiao-yen (張小燕), Ping Lu from Examination Yuan President Huang Jong-tsun (黃榮村), Huang Ming-chuan from Digital Art Foundation Chairman Huang Wen-hao (黃文浩), and Chiu from Peking opera actor Lee Bao-chun (李寶春).
Kuo was presented with her award by architect Joshua Jih Pan (潘冀), while playwright and novelist Chi Wei-jan (紀蔚然) presented the award to Wang.
Nearly 300 guests attended the ceremony, the organizers said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel