8 Highlights From Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas 2024
On May 10, Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas 2024 — Taiwan’s global art fair — opened its doors to excited viewers. Located at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei, this art event hosted over 32,000 attendees, 78 galleries from around the world, and seven robust programs across its three days.
Although Taipei Dangdai is a place for major players in the global art world to gather, it also has carved out a special place for local Taiwanese artists and galleries. EnVi rounded up eight highlights from the 2024 Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas, from spotlights on notable and rising Taiwanese artists to a viewer’s perspective of the NODE installations.
Each Modern
Based in Taipei, Each Modern exhibited a group show of six artists they represent. The works of German artist Hell Gette and Taiwanese artists Lin Yi-Hsuan, Lee Chi Hsiang, and Wu MeiChi, and Chinese artist Wu Qu are tied together through their genuine expression of emotion via abstract depictions. While contemporary society pushes for simplification — such as “reducing nearly every visual signal to a mere emoji” — and, thus, stripping emotions of their nuanced layers, these artists at Each Modern thrive in this “intricate labyrinth of complexity.”
Qi Chao, a curator at the gallery, noted, “The reason it’s called ‘Respective Structures’ is because in the post-internet era, the younger generation, whether they are artists or not, are hard to classify.” Qi further explained, “I don’t think they can or should be categorized. The purpose of this exhibition is to showcase and communicate: to showcase the exploration of art by each young artist and to communicate with the Taiwanese audience […] I believe these six artists are all trying to reflect our current era through their creations, and when we view their worlds, we are looking at our era.”
These ideas of a labyrinth and being caught in between a world torn between the natural and the artificial heavily applies to Still Life (2023) by Taiwanese artist Wu MeiChi. A finalist for the Discovery Award at the Jimei x Arles Photo Festival, Wu creates a dialogue with Taiwanese-American hyperrealist artist Hilo Chen’s work. Wu shared with EnVi, “To be so fascinated by Hilo Chen seems to reflect our shared desire and longing for the world, a very pure physiological need.”
Still Life is described as a “visual labyrinth of psychedelic imagery.” In the collage-like piece, Wu layers natural images, such as greenery and trees, with digitally edited shots of money. Placed at the center of Still Life — and capturing viewer’s attention the fastest, as a result — the grainy money dominates the space in the frame and the space in so many people’s minds.
gdm
The Hong Kong-based gallery gdm showcased eight “prominent diaspora artists” at their Taipei Dangdai booth. These internationally-renowned artists hail from Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. From the latter island nation comes Wu Chi-Tsung, whose piece Cyano-Collage 187 氰山集之一百八十七 captured a prominent place in gdm’s exhibition. In works such as Cyano-Collage 187, Wu blends Chinese and Western aesthetics through a technique called cyanotype. This cameraless photography technique allows the artist to physically bring together the traditional and the modern. Utilizing xuan paper and a mountain subject (山 shan means “mountain” in Mandarin), Wu’s piece evokes memories of traditional Chinese ink paintings in tandem with cyanotype.
To create this large-scale artwork, Wu exposed many different pieces of crumpled xuan paper to light. Due to the cyanotype technique and the effect of the sunlight, each paper became an abstract landscape within themselves. Wu created a collage out of this blue and white paper — the dark blue areas meaning more light exposure, while the white areas retained the color of the original material. The artist also scored and treated an aluminum board to create the silver sky in the background. In the end, Cyano-Collage 187 looks like the sea or a mountain, depending on who looks at it.
Connecting to the art of the other exhibiting artists, Wu’s Cyano-Collage 187 plays with fluidity with inspiration drawn from his cultural background. Although the mountain he has created is tightly compressed into a vertical shape, it is also intricately detailed. It is as if Wu has given viewers select permission to take a peek at the formidable natural force. Shadows and highlights cut up and down the mountain, making it look like erratic waves about to crash down at second glance.
Hanart TZ Gallery
Hanart TZ Gallery brought together some of the brightest Taiwanese, Chinese, and Chinese American artistic minds for this year’s Taipei art fair. The featured works by these seven artists dwell on unhurried and calm moments. Notably, Taiwanese artist Lin Chi-Wei’s mixed media work Nine Peonies (2015) contemplates the intertwining of the natural world with her family history. For this piece, Lin was thinking about homesickness and repurposed personal mementos that may look like “trash” to other viewers. Although the golden frame presents the work as museum ready, by taking a closer look into the contents beyond the shiny frame, more personal memories are revealed.
A “near-legendary figure in Taiwan” Yeh Shih-Chiang (1926-2012) and his 2010 work A Small Sparrow on a Tall Pole appeared in this Hong Kong gallery’s exhibition, too. Another one of his pieces was also the crowning glory at Hanart TZ Gallery’s booth at the fair. When viewed from a distance, the large painting seemed to be swathed in a fog of light blue and white paint. Yet, upon closer inspection, viewers notice the traditional Chinese architecture etched into the canvas in white. Despite having to flee his home country — China — due to its civil war, Yeh’s artworks are calm and inspire the same feeling in those who look at them.
Alongside Yeh’s art at Taipei Dangdai was Yeh Wei-Li’s, who also dedicated eight years to a research project focused on the elder Yeh and his abandoned house. (Yeh Wei-Li also crafted the interlocking wooden frames that house Yeh Shih-Chiang’s pieces at the art fair.) The younger Yeh was born in Taipei but emigrated to the United States when he was eleven years old. He received his Master of Fine Arts in photography from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and later moved back to Taiwan when he was in his 30s. Yeh’s photographs capture stillness and, oftentimes, solitude. He pulls viewers into a scene through unconventional angles and a slightly spotlit subject. However, darkness always tugs at the corner of his framed shots.
Lin & Lin Gallery
Lin & Lin Gallery’s showcase featured prominent and emerging German, Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese artists. The gallery’s four Taiwanese artists included Wu Tsan-Cheng, Liu Shih-Tung, Tseng Guan-Shiung, and Huan Chia-Ning, each with their own distinct styles.
Two of Wu Tsan-Cheng’s nature photographs were showcased in Lin & Lin’s dedicated area at Taipei Dangdai. One of the works, titled Parallel World – Off-screen Sound 2 (2016–2023), is a close-up photo of a spider, resting in the grass. Cast over the original image are seemingly erratic etches made into the canvas itself. However, these patterns are not random; rather, Wu recorded the sound of this specific area where he found the spider. Then, he carved this “sound map” on top of the image.
Meanwhile, Huang Chia-Ning’s work titled Leaves and Drops (2023) casts another light on the significance of an artists’ technique. In this oil painting of a water droplet resting on a green leaf, Huang encourages viewers to think twice about medium. The minute details she has captured — including the reflections within the water droplet and the texture of the leaf — often steer people into thinking the work is a photograph. However, Huang only used the original photograph she took as a guide, since Leaves and Drops is indeed a painting.
Moon Gallery
Moon Gallery — a gallery based in Taichung, Taiwan — featured just one artist at their Taipei Dangdai booth. Pan Hsin-Hua’s vibrant paintings, which often feature rusted red or orange backgrounds, incorporate elements from Taiwanese culture and history. These pieces of his work are things that only locals would recognize. As he explained to EnVi at the fair, his art is a collection of his real life experiences combined with his imagination. For example, an extremely old tree with small trees on its bark appears in one of Pan’s works. The artist decided to work this image into his art because he found a similar tree when he was scootering around, searching for inspiration.
When EnVi spoke with Pan at Taipei Dangdai via a translator, this exploration of everyday life was a constant in Pan’s responses. He noted that he tries to collect as much material and stories as possible just from looking around his life. These nods to his findings then find their way into his meticulous paintings. Beauty and stories from the lives we are living can be used as a springboard for our imaginations — as is clear through Pan’s artwork.
Moon Gallery revealed that Pan’s art “create[s] a state of mixing old and new, ancient and modern.” There is a fantastical playfulness to the artist’s bright and eye-catching works, which often emphasize natural elements. Living in many different places around the island of Taiwan influenced this aspect of Pan’s art. As he mentioned to EnVi, his father is Indigenous Taiwanese, specifically Paiwan from Pingtung County in the south. Pan, however, was born in Taitung (a county on the east coast of Taiwan) and moved to the Penghu islands. When Pan was growing up in Taitung, he lived in a very rural place. He pointed to his grandmother’s house as an example: the house didn’t have concrete floors; instead, they were made out of mud. As a result, the mud floor detail made it into his fantastical pieces of art.
Spotlighting Taiwanese Artists at the Ideas Forum
Besides the diverse gallery presentations, Taipei Dangdai hosted its Ideas Forum on all three days of the fair. The Friday and Saturday Forums, in particular, featured the “Before Thunders: Taiwanese Artist’s Talk” panel. Based off of the Taipei Dangdai exhibition co-hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture, this talk brought together some of the curators and participating artists to speak more on this project. (The artists included in “Before Thunders” are Chang Wen-Hsuan, Chiu Chen-Hung, Kang Ya-Chu, Luo Jr-Shin, Raha Raissnia, Rawus Tjuljaviya, Su Yu-Hsin, Su Yu-Xin, Wu Chi-Yu, and Hsu Chia-Wei.) The Friday panel consisted of curators Binghao Wong and Martin Germann, who were joined by Raha Raissnia and Hsu Chia-Wei (who are both curators as well).
During the talk, curator Binghao Wong mentioned that another curator, Esther Lu, came up with the exhibition title. This name speaks to both the changes in society and nature and is particularly apt in light of the 7.2 magnitude Hualien earthquake in April. The panel description also added that this name embodies the “broader potential for human and environmental catastrophe through which artists build their practices.” Curator Martin Germann spoke about what the 10 artists share in their distinct works. He noted that humor, technology (along with the history of technology), and collaborating with others are staple characteristics. These artists also share “work beyond media” and focus on connection.
Iran-born artist Raha Raissnia shared her presentation first. Although she was born and raised in Iran, she has also lived and studied in the United States. Now, Raissnia is a professor in Taiwan, hence why the curators consider her a Taiwanese artist. She started as a painter when she was around six years old, but her presentation at Taipei Dangdai focused on film, which is “relatively new to [her] practice.” To conclude her presentations, Raissnia played a short song for the audience. The music blended with — and sometimes slightly overpowered — a man’s words as he spoke about the love he has for his house in Palestine.
After Raissnia’s presentation, artist Hsu Chia-Wei focused on technology in his artwork. As he introduced various projects via an English translator, he noted how he is interested in “presenting technology as it is.” Although he has a background in film — noting that “technology is a form of media” — a major turning point in his career came in 2017. The National Arts Council asked him to study what is now C-LAB in Taipei, which assisted him in curating an interest in the history of technology. Hsu focused on sharing some of his art at the panel event, emphasizing how he always “learn[s] along the way” while he produces works.
Hong Foundation and “Credit Makes You Free”
In addition, this year’s Taipei Dangdai featured impactful art commissioned by one of the fair’s Key Cultural Partners, Hong Foundation. “Credit Makes You Free,” described as “a bait with an ulterior motive,” was created by Taiwanese artist Cheng Hsien-Yu. Attendees became active participants in this interactive art installation as they assumed the role of “collector.” From there, they had the power to assign a monetary value to an unknown artwork, which then became the artist’s commission fee. Through this seemingly small action, “Credit Makes You Free” forces visitors to confront how and why a certain monetary value is placed on art and creativity.
The artist Cheng Hsien-Yu shared with EnVi over email, “I aim to cultivate an environment or scenario that prompts contemplation on the intersection of the artist and the art market.” Interestingly enough, Cheng was on security guard duty when EnVi interacted with the installation. Dressed in dark blue pants and a long-sleeved shirt, he often did not receive even a glance from the curious attendees. As Cheng mentioned to EnVi at the fair, “Credit Makes You Free” is quite literally a trap. The door to the space only opens if people walk by or someone taps their credit card to activate an “exchange.”
Cheng added over email, “This is not my first time participating in an art fair, but it is my first time at Taipei Dangdai. The participation of the Hong Foundation at Taipei Dangdai was unexpected because their focus has traditionally been more aligned with cultural preservation, encouraging experimentation in art and cultural activities, and education rather than commercial art events. Their involvement in this context signals a shift towards a more integrative approach, blending cultural heritage with contemporary art practices. This unexpected participation highlights the evolving nature of art institutions and their roles within the art ecosystem.”
He continued, saying, “Through installations like “Credit Makes You Free,” we strive to provoke thought and dialogue about the relationship between artistic creation and commercial success with a sense of humor. This approach may not necessarily enhance the appreciation of art but encourages a more holistic understanding of the art market’s impact on artistic practices.”
Executive Director of Hong Foundation Grace Cheung commented over email as well: “Artist Hsien-Yu Cheng has a formidable programming background, hacker’s skills and a prankster sense of humor, someone who would surf the dark web for fun. Yet on the other hand, his work starkly exposes our existential anxieties with technology, although their philosophical underpinnings are always delivered with humorous punches.”
She also noted, “In the context of art fairs, we believe Hsien-Yu Cheng can bring a different mind set to play. In buying and selling art, where prices are set by some obscure or opaque measure, we see the opportunity to lay bare the process, by giving everyone a say in setting the worth of a particular piece of art.” Cheng concluded with emphasis, “The act of su[b]mitting your credit card info to pledge commitment is unsettling, yet necessary in order to participate in changing the outcome.”
Since its founding almost 60 years ago, Hong Foundation has been dedicated to their central tenet, “Culture as Creation.” To ensure the intersection between education, culture, and art is robust in Taiwan, the Foundation created the Tung Chung Prize in 2015. The one million NTD award (over $30,000 USD) supports an emerging artist and their work over the course of a year. In 2019, Cheng Hsien-Yu received this prestigious prize. This year’s Tung Chung Prize winner — Taiwanese visual artist and experimental filmmaker — Musquiqui Chihying presented his new solo exhibition, “Ghost in the Sea,” at the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB) in Taipei.
The Hong Foundation also hosted Anty Yeh Ya-Ting’s solo exhibition called “The Slices Between” at their Project Seek Space. Running parallel to Taipei Dangdai and “Ghost in the Sea,” this emerging Taiwanese artist investigates the growing distance between people and the natural environment surrounding them.
Becoming Art With Node Installations
Taipei Dangdai hosted two large-scale installations as a part of the annual NODE section. Both pieces sought to expand the boundaries surrounding traditional weaving practices. Infinite Pink (2024) by Julia Hunt, presented by Isart Gallery, was situated near the main food area of the fair (across from Sinchao Rice Shoppe, which has made it into the Michelin Guide three consecutive years in a row). While people rested on benches around Infinite Pink, the curious walked around and inside the piece. Hung’s artwork is made out of pink, red, and white thread; however, the artist created a free-standing sculpture by gluing these strands together with transparent resin. By doing so, Hung transformed the soft and malleable material into a place of shelter and light. It is an unexpected method that challenges — or even bypasses, one could argue — the art of weaving. In addition, this method encourages viewers to think deeper about how weaving is a traditionally “female” craft.
On the other side of the venue stood Circulation (2023) made by Tanabe Chikuunsai IV and hosted by YUMEKOUBOU GALLERY. Just like the area around Infinite Pink, there were benches set up around Circulation. Chikuunsai IV chose a basket weaving technique for this piece made out of tiger bamboo; however, it also took an unconventional form. Placed on a white block, Circulation rose above Taipei Dangdai attendees. Yet there was enough space for viewers to see the intricacy of the weaving. While the work was a big, sweeping vortex in its entirety, the finer pieces making up the whole looped and curled, too. There were also slices of tiger bamboo that suddenly just ended in the middle of Circulation. The artwork held together, nonetheless. As a result, Tanabe Chikuunsai IV created a sturdy yet simultaneously delicate piece for the fair.
*Writer’s Note: Translations by Eric Yeh.
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Want to learn more about Taipei Dangdai? Check out EnVi’s breakdown of the global art fair here!
