Taiwanese artist Jun T. Lai (賴純純) has been invited to showcase her large-scale installation sculpture Flower of Hope at Expo 2025 in Osaka, making her Taiwan’s sole representative in the event’s public art program.
Lai, one of 20 international artists featured in the public art program, yesterday said that her 4m by 2.9m lotus-inspired stainless steel sculpture seeks to reflect a respect for cultural diversity, aligning with the theme of the expo.
The sculpture seeks to convey Taiwan’s image as “a blossoming flower in the Pacific Ocean” to the world, she said.
Photo courtesy of Jun T. Lai Foundation of Art via CNA
Flower of Hope, previously exhibited at London’s Sculpture in the City event, is installed at the east entrance of Yumeshima, the human-made island where the expo is held.
It is to remain on display throughout the expo, which opened yesterday and is to run until Oct. 13.
Lai said she would engage visitors through a character inspired by Alice from Alice in Wonderland, distributing flower masks and inviting participants to dance, highlighting female empowerment and transformation in a separate interactive performance scheduled for the middle of next month.
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