Returning to Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I collected stories from 14 vendors at my hometown’s first traditional market, many of whom have been familiar faces since my childhood shopping trips with my mother. They reflect on the golden days of

Returning to Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I collected stories from 14 vendors at my hometown’s first traditional market, many of whom have been familiar faces since my childhood shopping trips with my mother. They reflect on the golden days of traditional markets and their adaptation to modern competition. Some are ready to pass on their stalls, while others feel pessimistic about the future. The project highlights the vendors’ decades of dedication to feeding my hometown and sustaining market culture, drawing a parallel to the metamorphosis of insects and its role in species survival, emphasizing the collective effort needed to preserve traditional markets.

Humans of Yuanlin First Market4.jpg
Humans of Yuanlin First Market5.jpg
Yuanlin First Market.jpg
IMG_2800.jpg
Chen Veggie.jpg
IMG_3414.jpg
 Returning to Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I collected stories from 14 vendors at my hometown’s first traditional market, many of whom have been familiar faces since my childhood shopping trips with my mother. They reflect on the golden days of
Humans of Yuanlin First Market4.jpg
Humans of Yuanlin First Market5.jpg
Yuanlin First Market.jpg
IMG_2800.jpg
Chen Veggie.jpg
IMG_3414.jpg

Returning to Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I collected stories from 14 vendors at my hometown’s first traditional market, many of whom have been familiar faces since my childhood shopping trips with my mother. They reflect on the golden days of traditional markets and their adaptation to modern competition. Some are ready to pass on their stalls, while others feel pessimistic about the future. The project highlights the vendors’ decades of dedication to feeding my hometown and sustaining market culture, drawing a parallel to the metamorphosis of insects and its role in species survival, emphasizing the collective effort needed to preserve traditional markets.

show thumbnails