New Southbound Policy Portal

“On-the-Spot Vacation Mode Practice No. 2” by Taiwan artist Liao Yu-an is among the artworks featured in the show “Future Allegories: An Exhibition of Taiwanese Contemporary Arts” running through Oct. 27, 2018, at the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore. (Courtesy of Art Bank)

An exhibition of Taiwan contemporary art kicked off Oct. 26 at the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore as part of a government program aimed at expanding cultural exchanges and promoting the nation’s vibrant arts scene.
 
Organized by the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs under the former’s Art Bank program, “Future Allegories: An Exhibition of Taiwanese Contemporary Arts” features 37 works by 29 Taiwan artists. The show will run through Oct. 27 next year.
 
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Francis Kuo-hsin Liang, head of the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore, said Taiwan and the Southeast Asian nation enjoy close ties in areas including trade, tourism and artistic development. This exhibition is a testimony to the deep friendship and cooperation between creative talents from the two sides and marks an important milestone in efforts to boost cultural exchanges, he added.
 
Such measures to foster ties and mutual understanding are also in line with the government’s New Southbound Policy. The initiative, a central plank in Taiwan’s national development strategy, seeks to deepen agricultural, business, cultural, education, trade and tourism links with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
 
The works featured in the Singapore show comprise paintings and mixed-media creations exploring life in the technological age and prevailing perceptions about societal development. Among the showcased pieces is “A Sweet Summer Tour” by Ke Chen-chieh, an abstract oil painter celebrated for his vivid depictions of pastoral scenes.
 
Also on display is “On-the-Spot Vacation Mode Practice No. 2” by Liao Yu-an, who is known for juxtaposing colors and patterns to create paintings inspired by animation, comics and pop art. Equally impressive is “Firmament” by Lu Hsien-ming, a veteran artist hailed for incorporating materials such as cotton, iron, rope and stainless steel into his paintings of landscapes and urban structures.
 
Art Bank, launched by the MOC in 2013, procures works from emerging Taiwan artists and leases the pieces to government agencies and private companies so as to promote the nation’s arts scene and nurture local talents. Since its inception, the program has collected nearly 2,000 artworks from 870 artists, according to the ministry.
 
Also under the Art Bank program, an exhibition titled “What Do You See? Contemporary Art from Taiwan” will be held Nov. 30 to Jan. 26, 2018, at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. A total of 19 works by seven local artists will be displayed during the event. (KWS-E)