Nomad Papaya Books – Miss Read

Nomad Papaya Books

Nomad Papaya BOOKS is an artbook / zine publishing house focusing on transition of culture(s) and identit(ies), based in Taiwan / Germany.
The founder started questioning the identity and nationality of Taiwan but get really confused by himself, so he decided to make art books and collaborate with people, try (not) to answer yet to form new ideologies & relations.
What is changing when you cross the border, leaving your own history/home behind?
Can new encounters also form new identities?
The Image Book of Nomad Papaya Bird
Nomad Papaya Books, The Image Book of Nomad Papaya Bird, Nomad Papaya Books, 2025, © Nomad Papaya Books

This is a small parody publication containing the internal dialogs between our members in Germany & Taiwan. About how papayas in Germany and papaya birds in Taiwan meet in this small booklet. It explores the ecology and projection of distance & Nostalgia, with three-line poems and Phtographs.

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The Iconography of Tropical Plants of Taiwan Vol.VII
Kenneth Ting-Yu Lin, The Iconography of Tropical Plants of Taiwan Vol.VII, Nomad Papaya Books, 2026, © Kenneth Ting-Yu Lin

”The Iconography of Tropical Plants of Taiwan Vol.VII“ traces back a Tropical plant photo book published between 1933-1943 in Taiwan, during the Japanese Colonial period.
The publication serve as a "shadow" of the original copy and explores the question on traces - the traces of antiquarian books(bibliology), the traces of time(color and stains), and the traces of colonialism in east asia - with the ambiguous love towards plants and nature, and the colonized places.

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Kinderszenen:How to Slack Off during Piano Practice
zhaoyuefan, Kinderszenen:How to Slack Off during Piano Practice, Nomad Papaya Books, 2026, © zhaoyuefan

"Kinderszenen:how to slack off during piano practice" is a sheet music version of zhaoyuefan’s 13 acts performance, recreating the artist childhood memory of practicing piano. The tension between the piano (a large, heavy European classical instrument) and the performer (a small Asian woman) throughout the performance indicated multi-layers of patriarchal power structure in the society, reflecting western classical music education from a feminist and postcolonial perspective.

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