ART TAIPEI 2014 -- A Grand Event, an Intimate Encounter with Art

TAIPEI, Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ART TAIPEI celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. After one year of rumination and reflection, it will inaugurate a new chapter in a more steady and placid manner. ART TAIPEI is the most important art fair in Asia. This year, the grand event will be held from the 31st of October to the 3rd of November at Exhibition Hall 1 of the Taipei World Trade Center, featuring 145 galleries, about half of which are from overseas. The 78 foreign galleries are from 15 countries/regions, including Japan, Hong Kong, mainland China, Philippines, Singapore, Israel, Germany, U.K. and U.S. New comers to the fair contain many foreign exhibitors, including Ota Fine Arts from Japan with Yayoi Kusama as the main artist, 313 Art Project which emerged rapidly in Korea in 2010, Beijing Art Now Gallery that represents several major Chinese contemporary artists and Yavuz Gallery, a famous gallery from Singapore specializing in contemporary art, etc. In this fair, classics that draw great attention include abstract paintings by Zao Wou-ki, renowned Chinese artist who lived in France, and Strip 926 by Gerhard Richter who has the reputation of pioneer of German contemporary art. In addition, the fair will feature works by masters who greatly influenced modern art history such as Picasso, Dali, Chagall, Sanyu or Ai Wei-wei and Liu Kuo-sung.

Not only will most of the major galleries in Northeast Asia be present, the fair this year further attracts many important exhibitors from Southeast Asia. ART TAIEPI this year will surely bring dazzling features to the public. Rather than emphasizing the global aspect, ART TAIPEI opts for creating an image of cultural conjuncture of Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. The fair also involves lots of research and transmission and forges regional professionalism, so that it can grow steadily, enhances its importance and becomes even more irreplaceable. Sections in the fair include ''Art Galleries'' which feature the majority of exhibiting galleries, "Classic Art Galleries" that promote works by senior Taiwanese artists, "New Media" that draws on the status of technology island and "Young Art Discovery" which aims at incubating young artists in the country and overseas. Furthermore, young artists from Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and other Asian regions are invited to take part, making ART TAIPEI an exchange platform for new talents. Within such structure, Made in Taiwan-Young Artist Discovery backed by the Ministry of Culture indeed plays the role of promoter that introduces young Taiwanese artists to the international art stage.

Essence of Contemporary Art：Renowned Artists Recognized by Academics and the Market

ART TAIPEI this year will invite many artists who have taken part in major biennials and whose performances are recognized both in the academic and artistic senses. Finale Art File from the Philippines will show works by Nikki Luna who just participated in Singapore Biennale last year. The artist prefers fabrics filled with female codes or objects associated with family (eggs, milk, diapers, curtain, etc.) as her media to raise awareness toward women's existence in a patriarchal society. Korean Hakgojae Gallery will show a work from Ma Liu-ming, a rather controversial Chinese action and conceptual artist. His work titled Add One Meter to an Anonymous Mountain consists of photos of an action art piece he carried out in 1995. The work not only created a great stir in the art world in mainland China at the time, but also made a furor at the Venice Biennale in 1999. As for Park Ryu Sook Gallery, it will show a giant sculpture titled Anthurium by Choi Jeong Hwa who has the reputation of "Father of Pop Art in Korea". The artist has taken part in Sao Paulo Biennial, Taipei Biennial, Setouchi Triennale as well as many international large-scale art fairs. He excels at combining flowers or things that are easy to find in daily life which he would blow up, thus adding particular delight to the space. Beijing Commune will show Chinese contemporary artist Hu Xiao-yuan who took part in the Taipei Biennial this year. In the fair, she will show Wood, the Vortex beneath the Vortex No.2 with its simple form, representing the artist's reflection of "substance" and "appearance". Lin & Lin Gallery will exhibit several video installations by Chen Chieh-jen who has the reputation of the "indicator of contemporary art in Taiwan". Edouard Malingue Gallery will bring works by Callum Innes from Scotland, a master of contemporary painting who has been nominated for the Turner Prize in the U.K. and whose works were shown in major art institutions like Tate Gallery in London, Guggenheim Museum in New York. Innes used to start painting by applying one single color to the entire picture before repeatedly superposing layers of paints unto the canvas, realizing each detail in a meticulous way. The entire process would sometimes take several weeks or months. The uncertainties during the period of waiting greatly enhance the uniqueness of the work. To our great expectation, his Exposed series, one of his most famous pieces rarely shown in Asia, will be shown in the fair.

Uncanny Epoch: Representing the Collective Anxiety in Asia

2014 is an eventful year for Asia. Through various catalysts, a series of social and economic tumults exploded one after another. Art is taken as a means of statement and the artists, by means of their unique points of view, come to interpret and read internal feelings or observations of the external world.

1335 MABINI will bring Philippine artist Kiri Dalena's Erased Slogan, a series of photos that document scenes of large-scale manifestations on the eve of the announcement of curfew imposed by dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. Through a certain post-production process, the artist obliterates one word after another on the board, as a denouncement against the government which altered history and distorted the truth of collective memory in an imperceptible way. Young artist Maria Taniguchi, also from the Philippines, insinuates thousands of parallel or perpendicular lines covered by shadow into the seemingly blank monochrome painting, thus challenging the geometric and iconic restrictions in the tradition of painting in Philippines. In the work titled Incense Mantra by Taiwanese Tsai Char-wei represented by Tina Keng Gallery, the artist carves the text of Heart Sutra on a piece of sandalwood before burning the wood and documenting the process with photography and video. The work attempts to explore the interdependence of spirit and material. Richard Koh Fine Art from Malaysia will bring Thai artist Natee Utarit's Optimism is Rediculuous. Utarit has been interested in cultural and social issues; the series of Utarit is his satirical discourse on Asian identity and Asian art. Galerie Paris-Beijing which participates in the fair for the first time will show a photo series titled Hiding in the City by Chinese artist Liu Bo-lin.  Michael Ku Gallery from Taiwan will exhibit works by J. Ariadhitya Pramuhendra, a young Indonesian artist born in 1984. As a Christian grown up in an Islamic country, he often implies the questioning of blind religious faith in his work. In sum, ART TAIPEI assembles artists from different parts of Asia whose works show distinctive features, which further manifests its cultural diversity and width.

Amid Surreal Experiences beyond the Senses

In the 17th century, Italian mathematician Galilei looked into the night through a telescope and saw a world light years away, thus opening up humanity's boundless fantasy about the vast universe. In an age of enhanced urbanization, high rises everywhere not only block our connection to the natural environment but also weaken our sensational sharpness in the face of the world outside. Art Front Gallery from Japan will show Argentine artist Leandro Erlich's installation Cloud. The artist's works have been included in the collections of major institutions and museums worldwide. This time, he is turned into a magician who picks the cloud over the sky and shows it in a transparent glass cover. The seemingly absurd act of collecting cloud is actually one of the ambitions that humans want to realize and have dreamed of for thousands of years. As for ARTCOURT Gallery from Osaka which aims at breaking traditional art frames, it will show internationally renowned master of public art, Kozo Nishino's Space Memory. As a seer who puts ideas into practice, the artist integrates his work into space. The viewer would find himself/herself under a giant installation, thus re-examining human existence and the dialectic relation with the space.

Another highlight of ART TAIPEI this year is works realized with various mediums that escape from traditional forms of painting. For example, Galerie Urs Meile will show works by German abstract art master Tobias Rehberger; Sundaram Tagore Gallery will show Japanese master Hiroshi Senju who excels at depicting the Zen spirit of waterfalls and young Chinese female artist Zhou Jie's little bear made of wire; ShanghArt Gallery from Shanghai will show Lu Lei's installation; Puerta Roja from Hong Kong will show works by Mexican surrealistic installation artist Hector Velazquez. Looking to Taiwan, Mind Set Art Center will show Shi Jin-hua's Pencil Walker, an action art piece realized in meditation and pondering. These works beyond the frame continuously make impact upon and challenge our imagination about art with their brand new forms.

Art, Therapy for Life

In an age of post-industrialization, the nine-to-five working hours day after day dominate our life. Yet what follows the economic profusion is the scant spiritual life. Art not only has the function of statement, it also has the effects of consolation and therapy. For example, Gallery Tsubaki from Japan will show Blue Bear by Mayuka Yamamoto. The protagonist in the picture wears a mask of a big blue bear with a lovely and pleasing expression. Looking at this, one cannot help smiling. As for Eslite Gallery from Taiwan, it will show Dream for Sale by Huang Ben-rei, a rabbit sculpture with human height in a wedding dress. When the 175 cm-tall lovely yet expressionless rabbit shows up, it undoubtedly opens a window that allows us to escape from the pressure of reality. Moreover, there are always moments in life when one feels helpless and needs to be understood. Such is the sentiment expressed through photography artist Yusuke Takeda's Untitled. The woman in the picture turns her back to the camera, looking afar towards the beams that loom behind layers of cloud. She seems stubborn yet also shows a certain strength. Renowned for abstract portraits, Korean artist Shin Kwang Ho always paints the faces with all sorts of colors and thus distorts them. His works always remind us of a past which one refuses to review and which is spiritually ruined. Yet they also constantly suggest that we should accept our own imperfection with courage. In addition to the aforementioned pieces, several domestic and foreign galleries will bring the timeless and ever powerful works by Yoshimoto Nara to satisfy the fans to the fullest.

Dear Art, Private Letters to Art

An artwork is never viable without artist and connoisseur. "Dear Art" is the spirit proposed by ART TAIPEI this year, showing a kind reminder through the starting words in letters, with the wish that each viewer can confront art directly and freely, followed by an intimate dialogue of exploration. In today's global artistic landscape, ART TAIPEI can be the start of a certain comprehension; it can also be the starting point of a long-term relation.

Then, after all, what kind of context of existence can interacting with art be? Through those who are deeply involved in art, like collectors, artists, curators, etc., we can acquire a full comprehension. Revolving around the core issue of "collecting", ART TAIPEI has organized a series of art lectures to explore and deepen the characteristics of the act of "interacting with art". Among the invitees are major collectors from Asia, including Budi Tek, Leo Shi, Hallam Chow, Powen Chen among others who will openly talk about how collecting became a kind of art. On the other hand, from the institutional perspective, Chinese curator Pi Li, currently working in the M+ Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, and Kianchow Kwok, the former director of Singapore Art Museum will talk about how the institutions act as the mediator between the governments, the public, and the art circle. Moreover, ART TAIPEI has invited Mami Kataoka, Chief Curator at the Mori Art Museum, to talk about how to rethink on relational aesthetics.

Dates | October 31 (Fri.) - November 3 (Mon.), 2014
Hours | 11:00am - 7:00pm (6pm on November 3)
Opening party | 6:30 - 9:00pm, October 30 (Thu.), 2014
Venue | Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1 (B, C, D sections)
            No. 5, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City 11011

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140930/149337  

SOURCE Taiwan Art Gallery Association