Creative gems from Spartan conditions

　　　　◆Shell Paintings
A shell-relief masterpiece using mother-of-pearl, sea urchin, and other marine life. A respite from dreary prison life, such art pieces were given to fellow prisoners or shown at the canteen. (above left by Lin Yue-sheng)(above right  by Chen Peng-yun)

　　　　◆Diving Goggles
　　　　Made of commonly available local plant life, the material was soft yet kept its shape. Each pair was uniquely shaped to conform to the shape of the diver’s face. (Produced by Ou Yang Wen, photo by Taiwan Art-in Design Company)

　　　　◆Hand-made Violin
　　　　The top and bottom panels of this violin were carved from wood salvaged from a shipwreck, while the ribs were made from a window panel of a camp structure that had been blown down in a typhoon. The neck of the violin and the bow were fabricated using a hardwood hoe handle. The fingerboard and other parts were assembled from items contributed by inmates working in the camp’s carpentry department.The E and A strings were made of wire taken from a discarded electrical cable, while the D and G strings were made of brass wire wound on a specially made jig. The bow string was fashioned of fiber made from the stem of the Dracaena angustifolia. (Provided by Chen Ming-ho)

　　　　◆ABOVE,L : Life of Jesus
　　　　When Tu Nan-shan was transferred to Green Island, he secreted away two books, a Japanese Bible, and Yanaihara Tadao’s Life of Jesus. Separated into ten parts and wrapped in oxskin paper, the Life of Jesus was hidden away in a grass hut or in the cracks of the prison’s rock walls. Using his spare time, Mr. Tu produced a translation with nine evisions. Upon release, he took his manuscript with him. The Chinese edition of Life of Jesus was published by Taiwan Gospel Publishing in 1987. (Provided by Tu Nan-shan, reproduced by Taiwan Art-in Design Company)

　　　　◆ABOVE,R :Artistic Frame
　　　　Wu Shui-teng created this piece of photo handiwork. (Provided by Wu Shui-teng reproduced by Taiwan Art-in Design Company)

　　　　◆Musical Score
　　　　Besides labor and classroom instruction, the prisoners still had free time for such activities as transcribing guitar practice books by hand.The musical staff lines were made by inking a carved potato stamp. (Provided by Wu Shui-teng)

　　　　◆Astrological chart
　　　　Painted by former National Taiwan University Hospital ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin during his ten-year term, now held by his son, the violinist Hu Nai-yaun. The elder Hu once jokingly told his son it would enable him to find his way home upon release. (Provided by Hu Nai-yuan, photographed by Taiwan Art-in Design Company)