ChouChou “The Taming Diary: From Solitude to Companionship” – Exhibition Review
Chou Chou, born in Taipei, graduated from the Department of Multimedia Design at National Taichung University of Science and Technology. She is skilled at using digital tablets to create illustrations with the warmth and texture of oil painting. By combining playful colors with delicate emotions, she builds a world that feels like a fairy tale. In 2020, she founded her illustration brand The Taming Diary, crafting characters and stories that open a window of dialogue between children and the world. Her animation works have been selected for the Las Vegas International Short Film Festival and other competitions at home and abroad. Today, she is devoted to picture books and character design, committed to bringing happiness and love to children through illustration.
The Taming Diary was born during the pandemic. In those days, the artist rediscovered rhythm and strength in life through her love for the shoebill stork. Out of this bond grew a wish: to one day publish her own picture book. The project evolved into a story world where every person has an animal companion to eat, play, and grow with. While it appears to be about humans taming animals, the truth is that through companionship, humans themselves are healed, understood, and made whole.
This exhibition presents many of Chou Chou’s vivid characters: the orange-haired girl ChouChou with her silent shoebill stork, the strong-willed Adam with his eagle companion Chelsea, Nada from the slums with her loyal monitor lizard Rafiq, and the alien Bobo who befriends a self-conscious pink elephant named Bubble. Each character carries solitude and imperfection, yet gradually learns companionship and growth. The four featured paintings capture moments from The Taming Diary, preserving not only their images but also the artist’s reflections on relationships and life.
The Taming Diary is not just a picture book; it is a journey from loneliness to companionship. This exhibition at POP MART Ximending Flagship Store showcases four years of the artist’s creative journey, along with interactive installations that invite audiences to enter this healing world. Through her works, Chou Chou reminds us that love is not instant harmony but the willingness to draw closer, step by step. What seems like solitude may, in fact, be the beginning of finding one’s true companion and belonging.
Exhibition Period｜ July 4, 2025 (Fri) – August 4, 2025 (Mon)
Exhibition Venue｜ POP MART Ximending Flagship Store 4F
Address｜ No.14, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei 108
Opening Hours｜ Sun.–Thu. 11:00–22:00 ｜ Fri. & Sat. 11:00–22:30
Born in Taipei, graduated from the Department of Multimedia Design at National Taichung University of Science and Technology. She creates digital illustrations with an oil-painting texture, blending playful colors with delicate emotions to build a fairy-tale world. She founded The Taming Diary, an illustration brand that uses characters and stories to accompany children and convey understanding and healing. Her work has been selected for the Las Vegas International Short Film Festival and other competitions. She now focuses on picture books and character design, aiming to bring happiness and love to children through illustration.
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