Here’s What You Need to Know About Taipei Dangdai, Taiwan’s Global Art Fair
Taiwan is home to a thriving art scene. Notable art museums and cultural institutions on this island include the Taipei Fine Arts Museum — which is home to “one of the longest-standing biennials in Asia” — in the north and the Chimei Museum and the multi-building Tainan Art Museum in the south. In between the Taipei capital and Taiwan’s oldest city (Tainan) are the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung, the Chiayi Art Museum, and the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), jsut to name a few.
From May 10–12, international and Taiwan-based galleries, local and worldwide collectors, and general art lovers alike will gather in Taipei’s Nangang District for Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas. Heralded as Taiwan’s global art fair, the 2024 Taipei Dangdai is the fifth edition of the event that celebrates the “dynamic art scene of Taiwan.” The highly-anticipated art world event first launched in 2019. It is presented by UBS and organized by The Art Assembly, which is affiliated with other major art events in Asia including Art SG in Singapore and Tokyo Gendai in Japan.
While May 9 is reserved for the Taipei Dangdai VIP Preview and Vernissage, the next day, general ticket holders will have an opportunity to explore the newest and noteworthy art from Taiwan and from around the world.
Welcome to Taipei Dangdai
Taipei Dangdai, in its essence, is a hub for exchange. As a dedicated place for artists, artlovers, galleries, and collectors to come together, Taipei Dangdai thus promotes the exchange of ideas and culture along with the awareness of trends. As noted in a press release, Taiwan has “established its place as a leading destination for cultural exchange” through Taipei Dangdai. It is broken down into five sections: Evoke (which is new this year), Galleries, Engage, Edge, Node, and the Ideas Forum.
Seventy-eight galleries from 19 countries and territories will showcase their standout art exhibitions. Notable international galleries that will be present at the 2024 Taipei Dangdai include Eric Firestone Gallery, Galleria Continua, and Tang Contemporary Art. Taiwan-based galleries attending the event include Each Modern, Liang Gallery, and Da Xiang Art Space from Taichung. Node, meanwhile, is the Taipei Dangdai section focused on “large-scale and immersive installation works.” The returning sector will spotlight the large-scale sculptures of Japanese artist Tanabe Chikuunsai IV and Taiwanese artist Julia Hung. Both immersive works contemplate the connections between heritage and physical materials, specifically those related to weaving.
The Ideas Forum returns in 2024, too, with the theme “Collecting as Culture.” This theme and the four talks on the program will “shed light on Taiwan’s rich heritage of influential collections.” The discussions presented at the Ideas Forum include “A New Approach from a New Generation” and “Making Antiques Contemporary.”
In addition, Taipei Dangdai invites visitors to interact with art and culture while at the event. Taipei Platform encourages everyone to participate in workshops, tours, and pop-up events hosted by cultural institutions such as Artpartment, Giloo, and Fotobook DUMMIES Day.
Robin Peckham, Taipei Dangdai’s Co-Director, stated in a press release, “Taipei will once again come alive in May to celebrate visual arts and further illuminate contemporary art practices in the region.” Director of Each Modern, Huan YaJi, echoed these thoughts saying, “Taipei Dangdai is not only a showcase, but a way to connect the artists, the collectors and the critics, and also the galleries to international ecosystems.”
What’s New: Art
One staple of the contemporary art world is innovation. This characteristic is clear in Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas, especially through its new additions for the 2024 fair. The latest section added to Taipei Dangdai — Evoke — is reserved for exhibitions about “historically significant artists.” This new sector includes a solo exhibition of Taiwanese painter Liao Chi-chun’s work and a joint show of the work of Nigerian artist Ozioma Onuzulike and Malaysian artist Anne Samat.
On the gallery side of Taipei Dangdai, Bowman Sculpture, Cuturi Gallery, FOUNDRY SEOUL, Jahn und Jahn, Praise Shadows Art Gallery, Polígrafa Obra Gráfica, and The Columns Gallery will be joining the fair in May. The locations and influence of these new participating galleries span across East Asia and Southeast Asia to Europe and the United States.
However, Taipei Dangdai always brings its programming back to its roots. For the first time, this year’s Taipei Dangdai will feature 12 “largely mid-career artists” in “Before Thunders: An Exhibition of Taiwanese Artists.” Curated by Zian Chen, Martin Germann, Esther Lu, and Wong Binghao, this exhibition is co-hosted by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and is anticipated to be an annual staple at the art fair.
The two-day event will feature exclusive VIP cultural tours for the first time. These cultural tours are reserved for collectors at Taipei Dangdai. The event has collaborated with CUYSINE to provide select VIPs with dining at Michelin-starred restaurants and first-hand experiences of Taiwanese culture and landmarks. At the 2024 Taipei Dangdai, Hong Foundation will host a live performance “blending traditional instruments, ethnic music, and electronic sounds.” This VIP event will accompany Taiwanese filmmaker and visual artist Musquiqui Chihying and his solo exhibition “Ghost in The Sea.”
What’s New: Culture
Cultural Partners and Cafe Culture will be introduced this year, too. The former emphasizes how cultural exchange can happen anywhere and between anyone. The new program will feature exhibitions from institutions around Taiwan, such as UBS Art Studio, CTBC Foundation for Arts and Culture, Hong Foundation, and Jut Art Museum. On the other hand, Cafe Culture is a special lounge area. Here, Taipei Dangdai visitors can learn more about the current exhibitions on view from all around Taiwan. The creative art space Little Art will also have art created by local children for sale with proceeds going to charity.
Lastly, 2024 Taipei Dangdai will once again feature illycaffè as their official coffee partner. However, visitors will not only get to taste a cup of illy coffee but also see the new illy Art Collection. This art project started at last year’s Taipei Dangdai, where the coffee company “transform[ed] the act of savoring coffee into a sensory and soulful art experience.” The illy Art Collection for this year’s Taipei Dangdai will further hone in on “transform[ing] an everyday object into an artwork,” as these cups will be signed by the Korean minimalist artist Lee Ufan.
Hosted at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, where veteran Korean singer IU just held two sold-out concerts at the beginning of April, Taipei Dangdai is about a 15 minute car ride from Taipei 101. The location is accessible via the Taiwan MRT (Bannan Line from Taipei Main Station) or the High Speed Rail (HSR), if you are attending Taipei Dangdai from a county on the west coast.
Tickets to Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas 2024 are now on sale. They can be purchased here.
Follow Taipei Dangdai on Facebook and Instagram to be kept up-to-date on all things happening at this year’s art fair.
Want to learn more about the Asian art scene? Check out our coverage of the “SoHo’s Got Seoul” exhibition here!
