A subtropical island balancing between hi-tech industrialization and ancient tradition, Taiwan has seen phenomenal progress in the late 20th century - and the arts were no exception. Revealing one of Asia’s best kept art secrets, we seek out Taipei’s ten best contemporary galleries, proving that the Taiwanese capital is a booming and fascinating creative centre.
A 100 Pieces of a Mosaic
Gallery 100
With
only five years under its belt, Gallery 100 has managed to cause a
sensation in the local art scene. Widely focusing on the promotion of
Taiwanese and Chinese artists, it often organises themed exhibitions,
where established and up-and-coming talent comes together in a
heterogeneous and vibrant mosaic. That can include everything from the
distinctly Chinese poetry, calligraphy and painting of Chiang Hsun to
the structuralist sculptures of Szumin Kuo, via the surrealist
Neo-Japanese snapshots of Araki Nobuyoshi.
Eyes into the Future
Galleria H
A fairly new space, since opening in 2011 Galleria H. has sought to add forward looking pieces to the artistic puzzle. Despite representing a fair amount of young Taiwanese artists, the gallery is more concerned with work that constructively interacts with the present, laying down the steps for the future to move forward, than any particular geographical affiliations. Among its roster are abstract painter Sheau-Ming Song and his minimalist, muted palette, and visual experimentalist Kun-Feng Chen, who blurs reality with saturated colours, in the spiritual crossroads between painting, photography and new media.Art with Ambition
Asia Art Center
With
three decades of existence already behind it, the Asia Art Center has
by now spread its wings towards Beijing and Singapore, as well as
establishing a second Taipei branch. On the way, it has promoted its
philosophy; that drawing from the rich Asian heritage is a vital step
towards future evolution. Naturally, in appearance, works like Liao
Yuan’s marginal cartoon-y characters, Li Hui’s laser and metal artworks,
or Chen Wenling's psychologically disturbed sculptures, have nothing to
do with Asian legacy - but they all found a place in the Center’s
tight-knit community. Persevering through many obstacles, the Center is
committed to supporting its artists, and creating, as a result,
monumental shows like Greatness of Spirit: Li Chen Premiere Sculpture Exhibition in Taiwan - probably the region’s most ambitious open-air sculpture exhibition to date.
Photography 101
1839 Contemporary Gallery
Taking its’ name from the year photography was invented, 1839 Gallery, Little Gallery and Little Shop are a united trio dedicated to bringing great photography to a wider public. The team is passionate about connecting emerging Taiwanese artists with the world, through both local and foreign fairs, exhibitions and open calls. It also consistently provokes cultural dialogue with international talent, through various programs of exchange. In the shop, books on Ansel Adam’s serene black and white landscapes sit alongside Diane Arbus’ unusually commercial magazine work, while at the Little Gallery the latest exhibitions of up-and-coming photographers, such as Chie Murakami’s ‘Japanese Girls’ exhibition, provoke reflection and debate.A Modern Guide to Asian Art
Tina Keng Gallery
Whether
freely depicting local artistic vision, or exchanging ideas with
international institutions and connoisseurs, both the Tina Keng Gallery
and the TKG+ creative platform welcome all things related to Asian art.
Photography, installation, painting or mixed media, modernist or
historically-minded; the types of expression within Tina Keng are many
and varied. From established Chinese painters Zao Wou-Ki and Lin
Fengmian, to pioneering local media artist Yuan Goang-Ming, and other
young talent experimenting with the Taiwanese quotidian, the gallery’s
generous space, in Taipei’s Neihu District, sets the stage for a dynamic
regional artistic presence into the 21st century.
Porcelain Oddities and Boxing Girls
Aki Gallery
Forming
an intriguing new art district in the vicinity of the Taipei Fine Art
Museum, Aki Gallery focuses on emerging contemporary artists from around
the globe. As member of the Taiwan Contemporary Art Link (TACL), an
international marketing platform for local artists, it joins three other
Taipei galleries, focused on the promotion of new Taiwanese artists for
greater strength and visibility. TACL this year also organised the
first Contemporary Hotel Art Fair, ‘Young Art Taipei’ (YAT), which
promoted artists under 45. That is how Lian Yu-Pei’s porcelain oddities
and Lee Chen-Dao’s feisty, colourful girl paintings found a platform to
prove their strengths to the world.
Pop Ping Pong
Ping Art Space
Two floors of exhibition space opens up to all forms of Contemporary Chinese Art, combining unique art with a distinct surrounding lifestyle. A large supporter of young talent with an original vision, the gallery’s director Hsu Chih-Ping backs up artists he believes in with both exhibitions and high-quality publications, propelling them towards international recognition. Shichinohe Masaru’s highly imaginative children paintings meet with Ren Zhe’s mythical bronze sculptures and the ironic pop blends of KEA in an unlikely mix that is both inspired by Chinese legacy and pop madness.Art as Lifestyle
Fish Art Center
The team of the Fish Art Center uses creativity in ways to colour and inspire everyday reality. Representing only a handful of artists, it also aims to build bridges with international creative talent and galleries with a true passion for art. Represented artist Huang Mingchun established red, yellow and green as the primary colours of light, bringing up different mixtures of blue straight on the canvas; two of his paintings, The Return of Grace and Come On!, have been purchased by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Lin Chiahung’s unsmiling children paintings, on the other hand, have won great acclaim (plus an entry to the museum’s collections), by inviting us to see, with their gloomy eyes, ‘Beneath the Aloofness’.A New Media Era
Galerie Grand Siècle
Initially
focusing on modern and contemporary art by Taiwanese and Chinese
artists, Galerie Grand Siècle has concentrated, in time, on Taiwanese
contemporary work, with an emphasis on new media. Taking its artists to
fairs from Barcelona to Miami and Cologne, it has had a consistent
international presence for years. As a result, young photographers like
Ting Ting Cheng, whose work revolves around the concept of foreignness
and life in the margins, have found their way into international
acclaim, as well as a place in several private collections.
Material Revolution
J. Chen Gallery
Right
in the heart of Taipei’s emerging cultural community, J. Chen
is one of
the latest additions in the promotional arena for Asian Contemporary
art. Its’ roster has already expanded from local creative talents, to
artists from China, Singapore and Japan. With exhibitions like A New
Form of Material Revolution from Contemporary Artists like the inventive
Hung Shiaopei, to the humorous, flamboyant designs of the Singaporean
collective PHUNK and Yayoi Kusama’s Silkscreen on Canvas, J. Chen is set
to bring new rules to the Taiwanese art game.
By Danai Molocha
Images courtesy: 1: Gallery 100. 2: Re-focus exhibition, Galleria H. 3: Asia Art Center. 4: 1839 Contemporary Gallery. 5: Tina Keng. 6: Aki Gallery. 7: Ping Art Space. 8: Fish Art Center. 9: Wang Jun-Jieh, Love & Death, Galerie Grand Siecle. 10: J. Chen.
Published: The Culture Trip, 01/05/13.
Extras: The following images were not public at www.theculturetrip.com, but I really feel they should be somewhere... For more art like this, follow the gallery links above.
Soundtrack: Doll Parts by Hole
Published: The Culture Trip, 01/05/13.
Extras: The following images were not public at www.theculturetrip.com, but I really feel they should be somewhere... For more art like this, follow the gallery links above.
Soundtrack: Doll Parts by Hole
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