Department of Cultural Affairs

By Psyche Cho
Staff Reporter

In line with International Museum Day which falls on May 18, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) has installed a series of three-dimensional statues in its lobby to expose facts about TFAM and hence advance general public’s understanding of the art venue.

In the belief that communication starts from the perspective of visitors, the TFAM chose daily operations as the theme for the exhibit. Six figures closely connected to the everyday operations of the TFAM have been designed as concrete sculptures blending with the elements of noted works in art history.

They are “1: Taiwan’s First Large-scaled Modern Art Museum,” “20｜50: Temperature and Relative Humidity of Exhibition Venue,” “81: Number of Staff for Opening,” “100: Number of Volunteers at the TFAM Every Day,” “11,741: Overall Exhibition Area of TFAM,” and “16,631,631: Number of Visitors as of March 2012.”

These numbers reflect the preparation tasks the TFAM staff have to undertake before opening to visitors at nine thirty in the morning every day.

Currently the statues are on display in the lobby, and the museum encourages visitors to stroll by, or even rest on them to virtually feel the numbers. The TFAM hopes the exhibition will help to unveil facts that closely connect with yet are rarely known to visitors, thereby tying a closer bond between the two.

International Museum Day was initiated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in 1977 as a worldwide celebration in the hope of ‘raising awareness on how important museums are in the development of society’. 

The event, to be held in various countries in Africa, Europe and Asia, may last a day, a weekend, a week or even a month. So far nearly 30,000 museums in more than 100 countries have joined up to celebrate the day.
 
The showcase in Taipei will run until May 27.