Reading A Bridge / Chung Tsung FENG

Artists: Cheng Tsung FENG
Area: 114 m²
Year: 2019
Photography: Cheng Tsung FENG
Project Designer: Wei Chun LIN, Chi Yun CHEN
Electrical Engineering: Wei WANG Hydropower Engineering
Lighting Design: Oude Light, Chien Kuo HO, Hao Wei LIN, Yi Chang CHEN
Brand Curation Hub: Shu Ching HSIEH, Nick WU, Asta LEE
Space Consultant: I Ju HUANG
Wooden Structure: Chien Tung CHEN, Zhong Yi HUANG, Chang Feng LI, Jian Wei YAN, Yu Cheng SHEN, Yumu Manufacture & Research
Project Assistant: Wei Zhe HUANG, Cheng Wei CHANG, Zhe Wei ZHANG, Fei Mu WU
Client: The Eslite Corporation
City: Taipei
Country: China

The “Reading a Bridge” installation by Cheng Tsung FENG, created for the 30th anniversary of Eslite Bookstore in Taiwan, draws inspiration from the traditional Chinese Stitched Binding technique. Incorporating over 1,500 three-dimensional tiles, the installation forms a bridge-like structure integrated with the store’s escalator. This symbolic design reflects how reading transcends time, space, and imagination, engaging the viewer in a journey of the mind. The project was completed in 2019.

Cheng Tsung FENG, a Taiwanese artist known for highlighting traditional handcrafted culture, centered this work on the ancient practice of Chinese Stitched Binding. His large-scale installation for Eslite Bookstore exemplifies his dedication to reviving historic techniques, celebrating the artistry of bookmaking as part of Taiwan’s cultural heritage.

In this installation, FENG transforms the two-dimensional binding method into over 1,500 three-dimensional tiles. These are combined with the store’s escalator, creating a space resembling both a bridge and a tunnel.

The movement of the escalator mirrors the turning of book pages, symbolizing how reading moves one’s spirit and consciousness forward.

Reading is metaphorically presented as a bridge, linking past and future, reality and fiction, and transporting readers across different worlds and identities.