Oken

Oken - Birth of a Poet is based on the semi-autobiographical essay collection Shan feng hai yu ("Wind from the Mountains, Rain from the Ocean") by the famous Taiwanese poet Yang Mu. The essay intertwines the poet's childhood memories with his thoughts as an adult to depict his spiritual journey and artistic exploration on the path to adulthood. The hero of the comic, young Oken, experiences events such as World War II, changes in Taiwanese language policy, a major earthquake in Hualien, and the imposition of martial law in the years leading up to 1950. He also undergoes his sexual awakening and the trauma of death. With his sensitive and keen perspective, he is merely an observer of these confusing events in his life until he meets a sculptor of temple statues. As he observes the sculptor's craft and the beauty of his work, he realizes that creating art will be his path in life. As an adult, Oken reflects on his experiences in Hualien and how they have influenced his work as a writer. The artist Wu Shih-Hung, who comes from the animation film industry, received the prestigious Belgian award "Prix Raymond Leblanc de la jeune création" for his comic debut in 2021.