The National Museum of History reopened to the public on Wednesday after a nearly five year long renovation. One of the highlights of the reopening is the new exhibition “The Birth of Modernist Art Movement in Taiwan”, which will be on until April 28. Curator Hsiao Chong-ray (蕭瓊瑞) says the exhibition is a must-see for people hoping to learn about Taiwan’s history of art.
“The Birth of Modernist Art Movement in Taiwan” features two important art groups, the Fifth Moon Group and the Ton-Fan Painting Group (or the Eastern Painting Group), both founded in the late 1950s. Their members were mostly born in Mainland China shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and later exiled to Taiwan. Artists of the groups pioneered the modern art movement in post-war Taiwan. Legacy of artists such as Liu Kuo-sung (劉國松) and Cheng Chung-chuan (鄭瓊娟) of the Fifth Moon Group, and Ho Kan (霍剛) and Shiy De-jinn (席德進) of the Ton-Fan Painting Group and many more continue to influence the current day art scene in Taiwan.
Cultural Minister Shih Che (史哲) said on Wednesday at the exhibit opening that visitors could feel the strength and innovative spirit of the artists despite living in a rather conservative society during post-war Taiwan. Shih says the exhibition offers a precious opportunity for Taiwanese people to learn more about the history and culture of their homeland.