The preparatory office for the planned Tainan National Museum of Modern Art officially opened yesterday, marking the occasion with an exhibition of several precious and rare works by notable Taiwanese artists.
“The Formosa Era: the Intellectual Enlightenment of Early Modern and Modern Art in Taiwan” was held in Building 2 of the Tainan Art Museum, showcasing works by Taiwanese artists born before 1950, according to the Tainan Art Museum, which curated the show.
The venue where the exhibition is being held is to be the site of the planned museum, the Ministry of Culture said.
Photo: CNA
Visitors to the exhibition would first be greeted by the iconic Daughter of Nectar (甘露水) by pioneering sculptor Huang Tu-shui (黃土水) opposite the entrance.
The piece was donated by a collector to the ministry in 2021 and was designated a national treasure of the Republic of China.
Several works by late painter Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波) were also on display, including the never-before-seen Mount Putuo of the South China Sea (南海普陀山).
Tainan Art Museum president Yu Wen-mei (游文玫) said the Formosa Era artworks included ink paintings, oil paintings and sculptures.
These works document the artists’ struggle to pursue innovation and change while staying true to their roots, providing visitors with new insights into Taiwanese art, Yu said.
Deputy Minister of Culture Sue Wang (王時思) said that the artworks at the exhibition represent the artists’ attempts to define who they were and what Taiwan stood for.
As such, they form an excellent pilot exhibition for the planned Tainan National Museum of Art, Wang said.
The museum is set to be the first art museum dedicated to modern Taiwanese art and is to focus on artworks from 1895 to 1960, the ministry said in a recent news release.
The exhibition runs until July 6.
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