By Wei Ruyu, compiled and reported
The Taipei Fine Arts Museum celebrates its 28th anniversary and will offer free entry all day on December 24 (Saturday). A commemorative ceremony will be held in the outdoor plaza from 1:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. This year, three Taiwanese indie bands—“Come On, Baibai,” “Lamp Grass Band,” and 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 “2011 Taipei Arts Award” award ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the basement exhibition space, where this year’s “Taipei Arts Award” Grand Prize and “Honorable Mention” awards 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 Pavilion features many exciting activities from the afternoon into the evening. (Photo provided by Taipei Fine Arts Museum)
Coinciding with the exhibition “Engaging the Public: Beautifying Taiwan – Yen Shui-Long,” the 28th Anniversary of the North American Pavilion sees the museum create special limited-edition Sun Cake art boxes, featuring a design inspired by Yen Shui-Long’s 1960s sketches for the Tai Yang Tang bakery boxes. Each box contains one sun cake and will be given to visitors on the anniversary day. In line with Yen Shui-Long’s lifelong mission to infuse everyday life with an appreciation of beauty—enhancing Taiwan’s material and spiritual values and realizing a life aesthetic—the museum has also organized two “Mosaic, Assemble!” mosaic collage workshops (10:00–12:00 and 13:30–17:00), three “Life Aesthete – Yen Shui-Long” family-friendly guided tours (10:30, 13:30, 15:30), as well as regularly scheduled group tours (10:30, 14:30, 19:00) catering to various age groups. These activities aim to help visitors learn about Yen Shui-Long, one of the most important pioneering artists in 20th-century Taiwanese art history.
Yen Shui-Long’s “Impressions of Orchid Island” uses the vibrant colors of southern Taiwan’s sunlight to represent the warmth of Taiwan’s land, while the towering boats of Orchid Island symbolize ancient elegance. The bright and warm palette conveys care for all things around us. (Photo provided by Taipei Fine Arts Museum)
Additionally, visitors can view “Ai Weiwei: Absence” on the first floor, the first major solo exhibition in the Chinese-speaking world by internationally influential contemporary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. The second floor hosts the “Taiwan’s Lone Wolf of Photography: Huang Tse-Hsiu 82-photo Exhibition,” reflecting the veteran photographer’s observations and social commentary through his lens, offering intimate views of Taiwan’s landscapes and human scenes.
The North American Pavilion extends its opening hours until 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a romantic Christmas night filled with art and culture. For detailed event information, please visit the museum’s official website: www.tfam.museum