There is no certain thing that 100% represent Taiwanese culture, if you were born and lived in Taiwan, you are representing the Taiwanese culture.
Many designer are stuck with the Taiwanese culture trap while designing things, they always think about what is “the thing” that can perfectly represent Taiwanese culture.
Be honest, NOTHING.
Taiwanese designers love to use ROC flag (which I personally does not agree is Taiwan national flag), Taiwan black bear (a type of bear originally born in Taiwan only), beef noodle soup, or bubble tea…etc.
Funny enough, even they put all this into their design, most foreigner does not get the point; only for those who really knew something about Taiwan or came visiting Taiwan before.
Why? cause we Taiwanese do not see the stupid flag everyday! we do not eat beef noodle soup everyday (I sometimes do not even eat it in two months), and we do not drink bubble milk tea everyday as well.
So, how can a designer do if they really want to represent Taiwanese culture?
Simple, just design with your life experience, because you are the perfect “thing” to 100% represent “your” Taiwanese culture; the one can not be replaced by others.
根本沒有所謂百分之百代表台灣的東西; 如果你是台灣出生或台灣長大的，只要你跟台灣有任何一絲絲關系，你本身就能代表台灣文化。
因為我最近常常看到很多台灣設計師，想方設法的一直要在自己的設計當中加入所謂的”台灣元素”…
但就像大家在路上很常看到的，不過是多麼不一樣的設計風格，上面的東西都大同小異，不代表台灣的中華民國國旗、台灣不知道多少人沒親眼見過的台灣黑熊、產米不產小麥國家中被硬掛上國民食物的牛肉麵、還有雖然到處可見但又不一定必點的珍珠奶茶…等其它好多好多例子。
但好笑的是，如果不是真的對台灣有印象或到過台灣觀光過的外國人，根本沒人知道你在畫什麼或你想表達什麼，他們根本抓不到你的「點」!!!
爲什麼? 就像我上面說過的，很多人不認識中華民國國旗等於台灣國旗，台灣黑熊沒幾個人親眼見過也不熟，誰天天吃牛肉麵? 茶飲可能常喝，但又不是都喝珍奶!
所以這些東西，怎麼能代表台灣文化呢?!!!
那肯定有人說，對，你好棒棒你最厲害你最會講，那你告訴我，什麼才能代表台灣文化?
其實真的很簡單，在你的設計當中融入和運用你的生活經驗，不管是有形的還是無形的東西，在這樣的化學反應下所設計出的東西，就是百分之百屬於你和你獨有的那種只能體會不得言喻的「台灣文化」!
LOVE YOURSELF
CHARLIE C YANG