Department of Cultural Affairs

By Yali Chen
 
Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) celebrated its 36th anniversary with a cello concert and a series of exhibitions.
 
Twenty three musicians performed together on December 21 on the first floor lobby of the TFAM. On the same day, all events were free and open to the public. Art lovers enjoyed the wonderful concert over the weekend.
 

Photo from TFAM
Taipei Fine Arts Museum opens its doors in 1983. Many people visit
the first public museum in Taiwan.

Taiwanese-American cellist Kenneth Kuo (郭虔哲) called on 21 cellists and one harpist to perform together. Their performance included 14 popular classics. Some of them acted as cello section leaders of important symphony orchestras at home and abroad.
 

Photo from TFAM
Taiwanese-American cellist Kenneth Kuo rehearses at Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

 
The TFAM is the first public museum in Taiwan. It has been in operation since its inception in 1983. While designing this building more than 30 years ago, architect Kao Er-pan (高而潘) expected it to function as an exhibition hall and a performance space. The lobby with a 15-meter high ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows embodied his expectations.
 
Kao drew inspiration from dougong – one of the most important elements in traditional Chinese architecture. Translated as “cap (and) block,” dougong is a system of wooden brackets that can support the overhanging roofs commonly found in Chinese architecture. The underlying physics are simple: The interlocking brackets transfer weight to vertical columns, lessening the strain on the horizontal beams. Nails or fasteners are not required.
 

Photo from TFAM
Taipei Fine Arts Museum has a very modern exterior.

 
The TFAM was designed for the modern exhibition space that can be independent or connected. Numerous wonderful exhibitions have been held in this building.
 
In celebration of its 36th anniversary, the TFAM selected many old photos, inviting viewers to compare the past and present of the museum.
 
Many exhibitions are also on display at the TFAM. They include Taiwanese artist Tong Yang-tze’s (董陽孜) “Moving Ink” from December 14, 2019 through March 8, 2020; Thai independent film director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “The Serenity of Madness” from November 30, 2019 until March 15, 2020; “Island Tales: Taiwan and Australia｜Taipei←→Perth” between November 16, 2019 and March 1, 2020; “2019 Taipei Art Awards” from December 7, 2019 through February 16, 2020; and “Art in Motion” from November 23, 2019 until April 26, 2020.