One of the outdoor artworks dotted around the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
When I was little, I was taught at school that humans have three primary needs: food, clothing, and shelter. Only when all of them have been fulfilled can we pursue the rest of what we desire. However, decades later I learned that we also have necessities that cannot wait, like our need for the arts, whether we realize it or not. Regardless of race, belief, wealth, and background, humans have always had an inclination to appreciate anything beautiful. It can be in the form of soothing melodies, visually-appealing crafts, enthralling movements of the body, or mesmerizing words, to name some. These, in fact, often help many people to cope with the difficulties they face in life.
In the late 1980s, Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan was bleak, polluted, and depressing thanks to the heavy industries in and around its urban area. The commissioning of a new fine art museum was probably not what the locals had expected to see in their city, especially with all the problems they had to deal with. However, five years after its construction, in 1994 the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (KMFA) opened its doors to the public. Admittedly, back then the city’s residents were not used to going to museums to appreciate artwork on weekends or during their time off. So, why bother?
It took more than two decades for the institution to evolve into an exciting place like it is now, just in time for the transformation of the city itself from an industrial center into a cultural hub. In the hands of the museum’s current director, the KMFA dramatically overhauled its outdoor landscape – which itself is part of the Neiweipi Cultural Park in the city’s northwest – as well as its lobby and café. As a result, the entire complex is now an inviting space both for art connoisseurs as well as the general public.
The opening of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) of the Kaohsiung metro network in 2017 proved to be a further impetus for the rejuvenation of the KMFA. With two stops right on the south side of the cultural park, the tram line makes it easier for the city’s residents to reach the decades-old contemporary art museum which previously was rather marginalized and off the mainstream. Thanks to its collaboration with world-renowned cultural institutions – which includes names like Tate, the Musée du Quai Branly, and the Mori Art Museum – the KMFA brings the world to Kaohsiung. While the city has for a long time been the main point for Taiwanese goods to leave the country and make their way to far corners of the globe, now it is also where masterpieces created by the likes of Rodin, Picasso, and Matisse are brought in for the local audience.
One of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) stops near the museum
Seeing through
No, it is not recommended where there are birds
A nice, shaded pathway to enter the museum
Echoes from the early 1990s
The redesigned lobby of the museum which felt airy and inviting
Which floor to start from?
Check this out if you’re in town
A haunting depiction of dictator Chiang Kai-shek by Wu Tien-chang
A 1996 work by Lee Ming-tse
Identity has always been a contentious issue, wherever you are on this planet
An ensemble of mundane objects that were put together to create thought-provoking artworks
While this painting depicts Kaohsiung’s gray past, I took this photo because this kind of truck was my favorite type of vehicle when I was little, thanks to its rotating cement mixer which I found fascinating
A work by Hsu Tzu-kuey portraying the transitional period in Taiwan, from a country ruled under martial law to a thriving democracy
Bold and clear
Screw goat by Liu Ting-tsan
We only saw this section from above
Our delicious lunch at the museum’s café
This green tea was rather strong
However, artworks from so-called developed countries are not the only ones highlighted by the KMFA. New understandings of their own indigenous peoples have made a growing number of Taiwanese seek an alternative view of their place amid the geopolitical dynamics of the region. While Han Chinese culture still very much dominates life in Taiwan, the island nation’s ancestral connection with the Austronesian peoples, whose footprints straddle across the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, has sparked a renewed interest among local people. Dialogues with different Austronesian communities have gained traction, and the KMFA is among those on the forefront of bringing the island’s indigenous cultures back from the fringes and shadows of mainstream Taiwanese society.
In addition to more profound discussions one can find at the KMFA, a new community hub has recently been inaugurated at the southwestern corner of the Neiweipi Cultural Park. Dubbed the Neiwei Arts Center, the cultural space that is jointly run by several of the city’s museums – including the KMFA – provides nearby residents and visitors alike with a more down-to-earth and less “intimidating” way to approach the arts. This project was largely attributed to the history of the eponymous Neiwei community right across the avenue, once cut off from the cultural park by train tracks that led to Hamasen. When these were moved underground, an empty space became available which prompted the development of a new cultural center to serve the neighborhood. This inspired the building’s architecture where a series of modular spaces are intertwined with one another to form a long structure that runs north-south, as if symbolizing the restitching of the community back to the cultural park that has been sitting right on their doorstep all these years.
If we revisit the question that might have been asked by the residents of Kaohsiung in the 1990s when they saw the opening of an arts museum in their city, “why bother?”, the answers couldn’t be clearer today.
As the city gradually reinvents itself amid changing economic realities, responding to a gradual shift from its past where it was highly dependent on heavy industry, the Neiweipi Cultural Park proves to be an inseparable part of Kaohsiung’s ongoing urban renewal. It takes leaders with a great vision to bring about such an inspiring and dramatic transformation, which the Taiwanese city is experiencing in earnest. To the east of the downtown area along the orange line of the metro, two ultra-modern art spaces with their arresting architecture have undoubtedly become among the most iconic structures in the city today. Together, they further boost Kaohsiung’s ambition to become a new cultural hub not only in Taiwan, but also in the region. And that’s where I will take you next.
Approaching the Neiwei Arts Center from the rear
The new community space is an exciting addition to the Neiweipi Cultural Park
Old and young are welcome
Inside, you will find little pockets of greenery like this
Those neon lights at the back actually depict Taiwan’s southwestern coast, rotated 90° counterclockwise
A café inside the arts center
This section focuses on the history of the indigenous Makatao people who once inhabited this part of the island
An edgy digital display
Teenagers gather near the projection of this artwork about digital identity
If you’re lucky, you can get a glimpse of art conservationists at work
Overall, the Neiwei Arts Center offers a fresh experience of enjoying the arts
Another LRT stop a few steps away from the relatively new cultural space
How can you not adore these trams?
What an Amazing World! 
This looks amazing. Thanks for the virtual visit. I totally agree with you that art in all of its forms are very important to our life. (Suzanne)
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When I was writing this post, I thought about how things like music can keep us alive even at the most challenging times. That’s when I realized how important art really is in our lives.
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Glad to see that the indigenous cultures are being integrated into mainstream galleries. On my visit, I only saw separate indigenous cultural centres.
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It really is encouraging to see how the once marginalized cultures of the indigenous communities in Taiwan are now getting the attention they deserve. It seems like more and more indigenous Taiwanese are re-learning their mother tongues which at one point in the country’s history were banned.
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Kaohsiung has made remarkable strides in development in the past few decades, going from an industrial hub to a cultural arts one. I especially appreciate the museums adding indigenous exhibits to highlight Taiwan’s indigenous history. I’ve yet to visit Kaohsiung, so this makes me want to go when I return to Taiwan some day! Thanks for sharing, Bama.
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It certainly has, and other cities around the globe can definitely learn a thing or two from it. If you visit Taiwan again one day, I really recommend you going to this southern city since there are a lot to see. Thanks Rebecca!
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What a forward thinking person/people who installed the first art museum. Your introducing so much more of Taiwan than I had ever expected – including the humour. The belly laugh sign is hilarious : Maggie
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I know, right? Sometimes some things are way ahead of their time, including this art museum. That belly laugh sign was so funny and comical I knew I had to take a photo of it.
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I agree with you that art is an expression of human nature, often expressed in a very humble, even unassuming way. This is the principle of Outsider Art highlighted by Jean Dubuffet.
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I had to google Jean Dubuffet and Outsider Art as I wasn’t aware of either of them before, and I ended up learning a lot not only about the artist, but also the movement itself. Thanks a lot! I really appreciate it.
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I admit that it’s a bit Europe-centric, but it can be applied everywhere.
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Omg the tram! Just too cute! Lol. Some great art to explore here, thanks for the little tour!
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Ha! Don’t you think the cartoon characters in a way remind you of Japan? They also love kawaii things in Taiwan.
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Yes if I hadn’t known any better I would have thought it was Japan! I’ll have to take my kid to Taiwan or South Korea for her next kawaii fix! Lol
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I think your kid would love the cuteness overload there. 😄
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Oh wow… these museums are interesting! Love that belly laugh sign.
Thanks for the guides. I think the city of Kaohsiung owe you a big thank you for giving them some publicity.
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Well, even if this goes unnoticed, I will still see myself returning to the city one day. There were so many things I found inspiring during my stay there, and I know Kaohsiung is still transforming itself into an even more livable place.
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It was such a treat to revisit these two museums with you in September, and actually be able to really stop and ponder the meaning of the artworks. Because of the insane scheduling, I only had about 30 minutes to breeze through the “South as a Place of Changes” exhibition at the KMFA when I was there for the first time last March. Things were less rushed at the Neiwei Arts Center as my interviewee turned up half an hour late! And I did not get to explore the park and the outdoor installations inside it, or ride the Circular Light Rail into those cool-looking stations.
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That’s why I don’t like business trips since they usually don’t allow us to explore a place at our own pace. But at least because of your first trip to these museums, when we went in September you already knew how to get there. It would be really nice if there is a special exhibition about the Austronesian communities in Taiwan and beyond at the KMFA the next time we’re in Kaohsiung.
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I couldn’t agree more about the importance of art. And while I may not get some (or a lot) of it, I do have an appreciation for it. I got a good laugh from the “belly laugh is not recommended sign”. That’s amazing! And your lunch looked yummy.
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Oh believe me, I ‘understand’ classical art more than the modern one, in general. But like you, I do have an appreciation for it — except for blank canvases submitted as an artwork. And nope, belly laugh is not recommended in the museum’s premises, unless you look up first to make sure there are no birds flying above you. Lol. That lunch turned out better than what I expected since we only went to a café, not a proper restaurant.
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I would not at all have expected this is Taiwan, let alone in Kaohsiung. Such a wonderful development.
Alison
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If you remember from my previous post on Kaohsiung, there’s a major art installation called Echo Across the Harbor. An indigenous community choir participated in its inauguration, which was very heartening to watch (go to 27:00): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwIO_KYAwSg
Honestly, if I closed my eyes, I would have assumed that those children were from a maritime Southeast Asian country because of how the language sounds.
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Love this tour, Bama! I too learned about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in school and in a way, cities are like humans. The focus is on the bare essentials first but then a sign of an evolved city is then what it does to nurture art and culture and to preserve and spotlight history. Then the infrastructure, such as public transit, that connects its citizen to these attractions.
Loved the tour you saw and the different pieces, both visual and structural pieces. And the museum cafe lunch looked yum. Never saw green tea in a bottle quite like that before!
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You said it well, Ab. A livable city should have all the things you mentioned. And from Kaohsiung we can learn how much benefit the local residents can reap when the city leaders care about these things.
That green tea bottle actually made it look like a booze, at least to me. 😄
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It is true…the arts can raise a place from devastation to replenishment. Thanks for this observation and the tour of a vibrant place.
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Exactly. It’s not unusual to read stories about how the arts help people recover from a particularly dark chapter in their life. The presence of the arts in a city devastated by a war, for example, is usually a sign of better days, weeks, and months ahead.
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What an amazing community space, Bama.
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And the great thing is this part of the city is only one of many amazing community spaces Kaohsiung has to offer. Such a contrast to how it was decades ago!
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It really is a shining example of what can be done to turn a city around and make it a wonderful space for its residents.
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It was definitely incredible foresight (or risky intuition) that allowed for the museum to be built. It was obviously the right move to make, and great to see it developing along with the city it represents. Thanks for the museum tour and the history and culture surrounding it!
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It certainly was a risky decision, but it’s a good thing the city government pushed ahead. I can imagine how grateful the local residents are now seeing this part of their city evolve into what it is today. I hope all is well with you, Sue!
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Our kind of museum. Thank you!
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That means you shouldn’t give these places a miss if you happen to be traveling in this part of the world one day!
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I love your beautifully captured photos – this very much looks like my kind of place, Bama! So often, we forget to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of art and its effects on our mental health. I find that art can bring us joy, peace, and inner wellness. It also captures memories, sparks emotion, and expresses ideas in ways that words cannot. For me, art is more than just something pretty to look at—it’s an integral part of our lives that nourishes our souls and brings us closer to ourselves. Thanks for sharing, and have a wonderful day 🙂 I hope all is well 🙂 Aiva xx
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I agree about how exposure to the arts can have a positive impact on one’s mental health, not to mention the other benefits it brings. It is just something that is inherently human. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Aiva. Have a great weekend!
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🥰🥰🥰
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What a nice tram! I’m sure it took inspiration from the cat-bus (or perhaps bus-cat) from Totoro 🙂 I laughed so hard when seeing the sign “belly laugh not recommended”. So creative!
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It was just so nice and refreshing to see those cute trams traveling through the city center. It did bring smile to my face. There were certainly more than one signs in Kaohsiung which made me laugh. The people there do have a good sense of humor!
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It is amazing to see how art and culture (and education) can literally change the face of a city and the lives of its residents. This is such a fantastic project, and the fact that they don’t only feature Western artworks is fantastic too! Including also a “community centre” to make art more approachable for everyone is also a great idea to encourage people to engage in such activities. Thanks for sharing this great and inspiring story!
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Too many people think that money is the most important thing for a city to thrive. However, places like Kaohsiung have shown that other aspects that make a city kinder to its residents are actually equally important. It’s definitely interesting to see what Kaohsiung will be a few years from now.
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