At the Taishin Art Awards exhibition, you won't get a second chance to see what you missed, but you will get an idea of what some of the best performances were last year. The nation's top-10 performances and the top-seven visual arts exhibitions -- according to the judges -- are on display until the end of the month at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in Taipei's Xinyi district.
One way to strengthen the capacity of Taiwan's cultural industry might be to gain more corporate recognition, but not everyone agrees. Culture funded by big business is contested by those who fear such sponsorship will place restrictions on what can be performed. The Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture has been providing financial aid to artists since it was founded in 2001.
Throughout the year, a committee formed of journalists, performers and art critics review various dance, theater and visual-art productions, and 10 performances and five exhibitions (in this case seven) are selected as finalists based on originality and quality of presentation.
Photo Courtesy of Taishin Arts and Culture Foundation
A separate jury composed of senior festival directors, producers, curators and museum directors from both Taiwan and abroad chooses and awards one winner from each category with an NT$1 million prize. An NT$300,000 jury award is also given to an emerging new talent.
The Visual Arts Area
Before the winners are announced, all the short-listed nominees are showcased in a public exhibition. This year's display is as much a credit to the artists nominated as it is to those who designed the exhibit. The visual arts area in particular has skillfully recreated mini versions of the original shows, such as Chen Song-jei's (
Photo Courtesy of Taishin Arts and Culture Foundation
The group shows are more limited in how many artists they can include, yet videos and installations allowed curators Hsu Su-chen (
Performance Arts Area
Logistics prevent the 10 dance, theater and concert performances from being staged during the exhibition, but in their place is a museum-like area with printed materials, photos, props and video clippings of the nominated productions. The displays are educational but slightly boring after the fifth one.
Photo Courtesy of Taishin Arts and Culture Foundation
Whether or not it was the intention of the curator to hold the exhibition in a department store, it was a clever strategy to attract more viewers. The finalists will be announced at a ceremony tonight and the exhibition of nominations will continue until the end of the month. For more information on the foundation or the annual arts awards visit the Web sites http://www.tsart.org.tw or http://www.taishinartsaward.org.tw.
Taishin Arts Awards Best Of 2004 (in no particular order)
Visual Arts Top 5 (this year 7) of 2004
Sky Way, a solo exhibition by Julie Chou
Then ? you see me like that, a solo exhibition by Chen Song-jei
Bubble Love, the art documents of Kao Jun-honn
City Odysseys: Losing and Loss, curated by Hsu Su-chen
Pilgrimage in Labyrinth, a solo exhibition by Shy Gong
Beautiful New Horizon: Arts Involved Planning Hai-An Road, curated by Tu Chao-hsien
Siamese Twin Symbiosis Project: The Result of Preliminary Research for Pseudo-Science Fiction, curated by Hsu Su-chen
Performing Arts Top 10 of 2004
Picture the Percussion, by Ju Percussion Group
NSO Opera Series: Don Giovanni, by National Symphony Orchestra
NSO Opera Series: Norma, by National Symphony Orchestra
Willow Dreams of Plum from Peony Pavilion, a Traditional Chinese Kun Opera, directed by Tai Chun-fang
Body Water, by Taipei Dance Circle
The Legend of the White Snake, by Ming Hwa Yuan Taiwanese Opera Company
Aurora, by Sun Son Theatre
Ocean Carnival: Weeping Ceiling, by Century Contemporary Dance Company
Who-Ga-Sha-Ga, by Creative Society
Reflection of Mind, by the Water Reflection Dance Ensemble
Exhibition Notes :
What: 2004 Taishin Art Awards
Where: 9F, A9 Building Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in the Xinyi New Life Square, Taipei (
When: Daily, 11pm to 7pm, until April 25
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