Potter at Night in Taoyuan Library Reading Room

Deep night light floods a library reading room in Taoyuan County with harsh, flickering fluorescent strips. A potter stands at the edge of the frame, knees bent over a kick wheel spinning a mound of wet clay. The early winter chill is evident in the heavy wool sweater worn over a long-sleeved shirt. Stark white beams reflect off the polished concrete floor, creating muted, elongated streaks that stretch toward the rows of silent bookshelves. Dust motes hang motionless in the overhead glow. The clay glistens with moisture, contrasting against the rough, unglazed texture of the studio apron. The potter's hands press firmly into the spinning earth, shaping a vessel under the clinical, unyielding light. A sharp shadow of the wheel's rim falls across the floor tiles.