Digitizing Arts Right & Sustainability Focus at Art Taipei
Art Taipei’s 30th Edition welcomes 144 international exhibitors & 70,000 visitors
Art Taipei’s 30th Edition welcomes 144 international exhibitors & 70,000 visitors
The Taipei International Art Fair, more known as Art Taipei, recently celebrated its 30th edition. It welcomed 145 galleries to the World Trade Center 1 in the center of the Taiwanese capital. Attracting over 70,000 visitors.
Surpassing last year’s exhibitor count, Art Taipei hosted 77 domestic galleries and 68 international galleries.
Some 47% of the galleries participating in this year’s edition of the fair are based outside of Taiwan. Focusing on the topic of sustainability, Art Taipei has opened a space introducing the ‘Art Assets and Sustainability Demonstration Zone’.
At the TAERCentre Forum, talks on net zero emissions in the art world and how technology can help organize art digitally are crucial since the fair’s decision to join the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC). These technologies are aimed at integrating the art industry with sustainable methods. And also promote ‘carbon mobility’ through art trading.
A special exhibition titled “ART ASSETS x ESG” curated by bísút aims at adding 3D effect to the history of ink art, a genre that has evolved throughout different periods in time.
This initiative introduces a new transaction model under its “Combining Carbon Rights with Artwork Collection” that helps registration and management of digital rights. In this way, collectors who purchase artwork from the exhibition will now own a blockchain certificate – a kind of smart contract that promotes a 21st-century carbon-neutral art transaction.
Taipei, Taiwan art
The list of galleries highlighted the participation of Asia Art Center, which has spaces also in Taipei and Beijing representing artists Katja Farin and Kayla Mattes.
Other highlights include contemporary Taiwanese artists such as Liu Guo-song (劉國松), Huo Gang (霍剛), and Wang Shu-ling (王淑鈴). Also popular were the vibrant and soothing paintings by South Korean artist IURUM, Katharina Arndt, and other international artists.
In addition to the main galleries and Flash, Art Taipei is also a platform and contact point for new talents in Taiwanese art, with the Made in Taiwan (MIT) section highlighting emerging names from the country; the artist Sun Chia-hun won the fair’s MIT New Artist Award at the fair.
Regional Exhibitors
With its close relationships with Taiwanese collectors, Tokyo-based Tomio Koyama Gallery brought its roster of gallery-represented artists, such as Xu Ning, Makiko Kudo, and Shintaro Miyake, with artwork prices ranging from $1,000–$40,000.
Another regular participant, LEE & BAE from Busan, presented a bold solo show of Korean artist Sangmin Lee with 13 works by the artist. Lee’s art is made of carved glass sheets to realize the beauty of light and shadow.
There are also a number of galleries making a first-time appearance at the fair this year. Hiro Hiro Art Space from Taipei joins the Flash section of the fair, presenting a duo show of Taiwanese artists: painter Chia-Chun Chung and ceramist Zong-Jia Yang.
International Exhibitors
New York gallery Crossing Art, whose founder Catherine Lee is half Taiwanese, is another standout exhibitor making its debut appearance at the fair. The gallery presents a group of artists from different cultural backgrounds and styles, ranging from $10,000–$200,000.
Founded in 1992, Art Taipei is organized by the Taiwan Art Gallery Association. Sharing its similar format with other regional art fairs such as Art Fair Tokyo and KIAF Seoul, all three fairs are the most current fairs since the pandemic. Alongside newer local fairs – Taipei Dangdai, Tokyo Gendai and Frieze Seoul – they make up a vibrant art marketplace in the region.
For more information about Art Taipei, visit their official website here.
