Gaia Formosa | 2025
by Chia Hsuan Kuo 郭家瑄
Mid- to high-fired ceramic (clay body with glaze)
Artist’s Website
“Gaia Formosa” – The Elegant Lady symbolizes Mother Taiwan taking root in a foreign land, inspired by a 1930s photograph of a young Truku mother. Her form, composed of iconic Taiwanese plants, reflects the island’s natural beauty, while her skirt interweaves symbols of Taiwan’s social movements. Holding a rose growing from stone—an homage to Yang Kui’s The Rose That Cannot Be Crushed—she embodies resilience and cultural heritage. The title combines “Gaia,” the Earth Goddess, with “Formosa,” meaning “beautiful island,” honoring Taiwan’s enduring spirit.
