Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

Kaohsiung, Dec. 9 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian, on a visit to the 2001 International Container Art Festival in Kaohsiung, said Sunday he never believed artists could breathe a new life into cool, rigid metal freight compartments.

After touring the exhibition in the morning, Chen said Kaohsiung, the world's fourth top container shipping port, is uniquely qualified to show what few believe is possible, a metamorphosis of cool metal compartments into pieces of art.

Chen toured the site aboard a container-converted limousine. "With fine touches," President Chen said, "the artists have given the lowly containers a new lease on life."

Altogether 36 artists from 16 countries are displaying their masterworks at the one-month international exhibition, which opened at Wharf 21 Saturday.

On display are containers decorated with graffiti, paintings and artistic designs. A few appear as coffee shops, while 123 others form a "labyrinth," which has become a chief attraction.