Tonsan Bookstore 唐山書店
Taipei, Taiwan
2024
Reading won’t stop gentrification. But supporting Tonsan Bookstore can!
Before
Always underground, and always near National Taiwan University, Tonsan Bookstore has offered students left-wing books since the 1980s, when they were unavailable under martial law. More recently, the internet, e-books, and the impact of the pandemic have led to a decline in business. Its owner, Chen Lung-hao 陳隆昊, recalls: “When Tonsan Bookstore opened, there were no personal computers, so all students relied on books. In the 1980s, there were hundreds of publishers and bookstores around Taipei Main Station’s Chongqing South Road. However, the advent and proliferation of personal computers significantly changed people’s reading habits. With the arrival of the digital age, even if I can’t keep up, I still have to face it.”
Subversive, cozy, and friendly, Tonsan is like a den of knowledge with a unique charm. However, the entrance door showed clear signs of decay, and Mr Chen suggested that we do something to improve it.
Subversive, cozy, and friendly, Tonsan is like a den of knowledge with a unique charm. However, the entrance door showed clear signs of decay, and Mr Chen suggested that we do something to improve it.
Process
The entrance and the staircase that leads down to the store are filled with posters of concerts, demonstrations, and other events. This says a lot about the bookstore’s role as a space for social interactions in the neighborhood. We decided to make the most out of this aspect and unify the shop´s visual identity. For that, we used blue and magenta as the main colors to differentiate Tonsan from the neighboring stores, and produced a custom-made adhesive tape, so the store’s staff could use it for practical and esthetic purposes: from hanging posters to wrapping up boxes. Together with Mr. Chen, we came up with a bold slogan which was printed on the tape: “Reading may not stop gentrification, but supporting Tonsan Bookstore can” 閱讀不一定可以改變世界，但支持唐山書店可以。We also replaced old and worn out panels with new ones, using the new custom-made tape. Parallel to this makeover, we decided to underline the store’s unique atmosphere with a sound installation. We asked Mr. Chen to make a selection of books on gentrification and urban issues and pick a quote from each of them. Then we recorded his voice reading these quotes on a number of motion-sensitive devices and distributed them around the store.
Results
Motion-sensitive sound devices are very popular in Taiwan, and are mostly used to welcome customers into a store. In this case, as visitors roam around the bookstore, the devices activate different audios with Mr Chen’s voice, just as if the books would be whispering their content, thus creating a magical atmosphere that entices you to pick up the book and get lost in it. We presented the sound installation during an event at the bookstore, followed by a discussion on gentrification and Rotulama’s mission together with urban activists, musicians, the bookstore staff, clients, and public in general. We also printed a series of postcards with a picture of the gentrifying neighborhood and a graffiti with the bookstore’s new slogan. Furthermore, we distributed a number of special edition Rotulama t-shirts to celebrate this memorable occasion. Overall, the event was a round success; an unforgettable evening full of stories and discussions on gentrification in Taipei, a problem that has intensified over the last over the last few years, particularly after the pandemic. We also had the great opportunity to talk more about Rotulama on Radio Taiwan International, on a show hosted by Hong Kong-born artist and activist Lenny Kwok.
Super Eclectic would like to thank Tonsan bookstore owner Chen Lung-hao for the collaboration, and the amazing Rotulama Team Taiwan for making this happen: Yen Lee, Jamie Chung, Wen Sha, and Yuan Yuan Liao. Big thanks to Nordisk Kulturfond + Taike Arts Promotion Center Finland for the support.
Super Eclectic would like to thank Tonsan bookstore owner Chen Lung-hao for the collaboration, and the amazing Rotulama Team Taiwan for making this happen: Yen Lee, Jamie Chung, Wen Sha, and Yuan Yuan Liao. Big thanks to Nordisk Kulturfond + Taike Arts Promotion Center Finland for the support.
