28th Anniversary Celebration at the North American Gallery: Free Admission All Day on 12/24

Written/Compiled and Reported by Wei Ruyu

The Taipei Fine Arts Museum celebrates its 28th anniversary and will offer free admission all day on December 24 (Saturday). A commemorative ceremony will be held in the outdoor plaza from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. This year, three Taiwanese independent bands — "Come On, Baibai," "Lampgrass Band," and singer-songwriter Ko Min-hsiu — will take turns delivering lively rock performances for the audience. The event will also distribute 600 limited-edition sun cake art boxes to attendees. Additionally, the award ceremony for the "2011 Taipei Arts Award" will take place at 2:30 PM in the basement exhibition space, where the first prize and merit awards of this year’s "Taipei Arts Award" are expected to be presented. The exhibition will also officially open to the public on the same day.

The 28th-anniversary celebration of the North American Gallery coincides with the exhibition "Engaging the Public: Beautifying Taiwan – Yan Shui-long." Inspired by artist Yan Shui-long’s 1960s design drafts for Taiyangtang Bakery’s gift boxes, the museum has created special art boxes featuring his designs, each containing a sun cake, to be given to visitors on the anniversary day. In line with Yan Shui-long’s lifelong mission to infuse beauty into everyday life and elevate Taiwan’s material and spiritual values, the museum has also organized two “Mosaic, Assemble!” mosaic collage workshops (10:00–12:00 and 13:30–17:00), three “Life Aesthete – Yan Shui-long” family-guided tours (10:30, 13:30, 15:30), as well as regularly scheduled group tours (10:30, 14:30, 19:00) suitable for various age groups. These events aim to help visitors learn about Yan Shui-long, one of the most important pioneering artists in 20th-century Taiwanese art history, while enjoying the anniversary festivities.

Additionally, visitors can explore "Ai Weiwei: Absence" on the first floor, the influential Chinese contemporary artist’s first major solo exhibition in Chinese-speaking regions. On the second floor is the exhibition "Taiwan’s Lone Wolf of Photography: Huang Tsê-hsiu’s 82-Photo Exhibition," which reflects the veteran photographer’s social observations and concern through his lens, offering an intimate view of Taiwan’s diverse landscapes and human scenes.

The North American Gallery extends its opening hours until 8:30 PM on Saturdays, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a romantic Christmas night of art and culture. For detailed event information, please visit the museum’s website: www.tfam.museum