Taipei, the largest city of Taiwan, lies in the northern part of the island, on the Danshui River. It is a city devoted to cultural history and the arts, which can be seen in the many galleries it is home to. If you wish to get acquainted with some of Taipei's contemporary art, don't miss the galleries featured in this walking tour.
1) Asia Art Center
Since its opening in 1982, Asia Art Center has been a professional art gallery and consultancy company that presents high-quality exhibitions of historic significance. The exhibition hall covers 3 floors and is filled mainly with contemporary Taiwanese art, but has begun to incorporate a great deal of Asian contemporary art as well. A second gallery space was established in Beijing in 2007.
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2) Angel Art Gallery
Angel Art Gallery was established after a massive earthquake struck Taiwan in 1999. The objective of the gallery is simple - to bring art into the daily lives of people. It has become a multi-functional platform that exhibits top-quality art, allows visitors to design and create their own digital art, and provides a meeting place for artists and the general public.
Image Courtesy of Flickr and kuoyoung
3) Chi-Wen Gallery
Founded as Taipei MOMA in 2004 by Joanne Huang Chi-Wen, this establishment became the Chi-Wen Gallery in 2006. It is considered the premiere gallery in all of Taiwan, having the best collection of contemporary Chinese art. While the spectrum of contemporary art is wide and varied, Chi-Wen Gallery focuses on artists who use digital media as their preferred choice of artistic expression.
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4) 99 Degree Art Center
99 Degree Art Center, established in 2003, is located in the circular Tienlin Building. It has gained a strong reputation in local art circles for presenting works of the highest integrity and representing artists committed to high standards and professionalism. The gallery also frequently holds educational seminars and a monthly "solo show," which exclusively features the works of one chosen artist.
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5) Eslite Gallery
Upon its opening in 1989, Eslite Gallery was the first in Taiwan dedicated to promoting Chinese contemporary art. It currently presents the works of about twenty Chinese artists based in surrounding Asian countries and the United States. The gallery has recently focused mainly on artists of Southeast Asia, but has a future goal of representing artists from many more Asian countries.
Image Courtesy of Flickr and kuoyoung