Taipei Contemporary Art Center
Established in 2010, the Taipei Contemporary Art Center (TCAC) originated from an art project, titled A Contemporary Art Centre, Taipei (A Proposal), conceived by Austrian Chinese artist YANG Jun for the 2008 Taipei Biennial. In the project, the artist collaborated with the local art community, and began by asking the question, “Why does Taipei need a contemporary art center?” At that time, they formulated the basic definition of a contemporary art center, stating that it should include “the space for studies, discussions, and discourses,” “the space for the exchange between and the gathering of the Taiwan and foreign art communities,” and should be “controlled by art professionals rather than the official or bureaucratic system,” “free from interruptions of pollitical influences and policies,” and “independent from individual companies and other financial benefits.” In 2009, the Taipei Contemporary Art Center Association was founded, and was subsequently offered a temporary space in line for urban renewal from the Jut Foundation for Arts and Architecture. Together with the Open Contemporary Art Center (OCAC), the artist collective LuxuryLogico, and the Photographic Museum and Culture of Taiwan, the TCAC became an important member of the space named “Urban Core.” At the initial period, the funding for operating and managing the TCAC was raised from its first two exhibitions featuring artworks donated by various artists, including WANG Jun Jieh, YU Cheng Ta, WU Chi Tsung, YAO Jui Chung, etc. Meanwhile, the TCAC also organized events to bring the art community together, such as the “Young Artist Salon” and the “Friday Bar.”
In 2012, after Urban Core was closed, the TCAC moved to a new location on Andong Street in Taipei City, and elected new board directors. With CHENG Mei Ya serving as the chairperson, the office administrator, Eleanore CHEN, the executive directors Frankie SU and YU Cheng Ta, and the board director, FANG Yen Hsiang, formed a task force. In HSIUNG Szu Ting’s “An Energy-generating Community Center of Art: An Interview with the TCAC Chairperson, CHENG Mei Ya,” Cheng states that “the art center is a library, an art museum, and a gathering place for the art community, where local art research and production can be carried out, and international connections can be formed. It does not have to be large, or have a big budget to operate for a long time and continue its cultural accumulation.” In order to clarify its operation policy, after the lease of the Andong Street space ended in 2015, the TCAC moved again to a space on Baoan Street, and its operation structure was re-adjusted subsequently. The director, Esther LU, was hired externally to form a task force with the board director, FANG Yen Hsiang, and the project manager at the center, PENG Jo Ying. This was also the first time that the TCAC was adopted a wage system for its operation rather than being managed by a board of directors. In January 2021, it was decided in the TCAC member assembly that the TCAC was to be terminated, and after the lease ended in February, the space was closed down permanently. The farewell statement announced on its website states, “the socio-pollitical environment and situations at the beginning of this establishment was met with active and successive resistance from the cultural sector. During the course of ten years, the negotiation space of cultural governance, policy and production has been re-structured under different political powers, while the production, mobility and techniques of art around the world have changed drastically as well. This is a moment for us to re-examine our route of practice and instrument: today, this mechanism of community operation previously aimed for collective participation and critique requires more open imaginations and flexible strategies that could allow us to surpass existing systemic structures and stimulate our introspective thoughts on this era we are living. This farewell statement indicates our re-organization of thoughts to face towards the responsibility that would be cast upon our shoulders the future cultural scene.”
In “A Contemporary Art Centre, Taipei (Case Closed),” HSU Fong Ray believes that the resolution system adopted by the task force for better efficiency and management, the director system implemented later, and the subsequent operation difficulties encountered after the institutionalization of the TCAC, have cuaught the center in a dilemma as to whether it should maintain its independence, find an alternative route, or commence an initial mechanism of critique. “An art institution is not an organization independent from the social system. Operating an art institution means to deal with political and financial issues at the same time, which is itself a process of continuous production and route adjustment in this intricately complicated structure. In the end, the mission and vision of the institution will serve as the ultimate standard for decision making.” Therefore, how to convert the democratization of the institution and “participation” into a driving force for expanding discussions and propelling the progression of the institution, while avoiding the crisis of elitism is what needs to be considered by an independent art institution.
Reference
In 2012, after Urban Core was closed, the TCAC moved to a new location on Andong Street in Taipei City, and elected new board directors. With CHENG Mei Ya serving as the chairperson, the office administrator, Eleanore CHEN, the executive directors Frankie SU and YU Cheng Ta, and the board director, FANG Yen Hsiang, formed a task force. In HSIUNG Szu Ting’s “An Energy-generating Community Center of Art: An Interview with the TCAC Chairperson, CHENG Mei Ya,” Cheng states that “the art center is a library, an art museum, and a gathering place for the art community, where local art research and production can be carried out, and international connections can be formed. It does not have to be large, or have a big budget to operate for a long time and continue its cultural accumulation.” In order to clarify its operation policy, after the lease of the Andong Street space ended in 2015, the TCAC moved again to a space on Baoan Street, and its operation structure was re-adjusted subsequently. The director, Esther LU, was hired externally to form a task force with the board director, FANG Yen Hsiang, and the project manager at the center, PENG Jo Ying. This was also the first time that the TCAC was adopted a wage system for its operation rather than being managed by a board of directors. In January 2021, it was decided in the TCAC member assembly that the TCAC was to be terminated, and after the lease ended in February, the space was closed down permanently. The farewell statement announced on its website states, “the socio-pollitical environment and situations at the beginning of this establishment was met with active and successive resistance from the cultural sector. During the course of ten years, the negotiation space of cultural governance, policy and production has been re-structured under different political powers, while the production, mobility and techniques of art around the world have changed drastically as well. This is a moment for us to re-examine our route of practice and instrument: today, this mechanism of community operation previously aimed for collective participation and critique requires more open imaginations and flexible strategies that could allow us to surpass existing systemic structures and stimulate our introspective thoughts on this era we are living. This farewell statement indicates our re-organization of thoughts to face towards the responsibility that would be cast upon our shoulders the future cultural scene.”
In “A Contemporary Art Centre, Taipei (Case Closed),” HSU Fong Ray believes that the resolution system adopted by the task force for better efficiency and management, the director system implemented later, and the subsequent operation difficulties encountered after the institutionalization of the TCAC, have cuaught the center in a dilemma as to whether it should maintain its independence, find an alternative route, or commence an initial mechanism of critique. “An art institution is not an organization independent from the social system. Operating an art institution means to deal with political and financial issues at the same time, which is itself a process of continuous production and route adjustment in this intricately complicated structure. In the end, the mission and vision of the institution will serve as the ultimate standard for decision making.” Therefore, how to convert the democratization of the institution and “participation” into a driving force for expanding discussions and propelling the progression of the institution, while avoiding the crisis of elitism is what needs to be considered by an independent art institution.
Reference
- FANG, Yen Hsiang. “Rebooting the Possibility of the Public—The Taipei Contemporary Art Center.” Artist, no. 461, October 2013, pp. 220-1.
- HSU, Chu Chun. “A Continuous Change—A Decade of the Taipei Contemporary Art Center.” Artist, no. 551, April 2021, pp. 110-3.
- HSIUNG, Szu Ting. “An Energy-generating Community Center of Art: An Interview with the TCAC Chairperson, CHENG Mei Ya.” Online Magazine of the National Culture and Arts Foundation (NCAF).
- HSU, Fong Ray. “A Contemporary Art Centre, Taipei (Case Closed).” Column of ARTouch.
- Website of the Taipei Contemporary Art Center.
台北當代藝術中心(Taipei Contemporary Art Center)
台北當代藝術中心成立於2010年,來自於奧地利華裔藝術家楊俊在2008年台北雙年展的展示計畫《一個當代藝術中心,台北(提案)》,匯集了當時的在地藝術社群,從問題「台北為何需要一個當代藝術中心?」出發,當時提出了當代藝術中心的基礎定義,應該包含了:「研討與論述的空間」、「國內外藝術界聚會交流空間」、「由藝術專業執掌而非官方或官僚體系支配」、「不受政治影響力與政策干擾」、「與個別公司及其他經濟利益無關」等。2009年「台北當代藝術中心協會」成立,並在隨後獲得忠泰建築文化藝術基金會釋出都更用地,與當時的「打開—當代藝術工作站」、「豪華朗機工」與「台灣攝影博物館」成為「城中藝術街區」的重要成員。初期部分營運經費透過開幕前兩檔展覽藝術家包括王俊傑、余政達、吳季璁、姚瑞中等人捐贈作品籌募,同時舉辦如「青年藝術家沙龍」、「星期五酒吧」等活動凝聚起藝術社群。
2012年,隨著城中藝術特區的結束,台北當代藝術中心搬遷到台北市安東街,並且改選理監事,由鄭美雅擔任理事長,辦公室主任陳小雜、常務理事蘇珀琪、余政達與理事方彥翔組成工作小組。在熊思婷的〈能量發動中的藝術里民活動中心:訪台北當代藝術中心理事長鄭美雅〉(2014)一文中,鄭美雅認為「一座圖書館,一個美術館,一個藝術社群聚集的藝術中心,進行本地的藝術研究與生產,對外的國際連結,不需要規模很大、經費很高,或許才能長長久久,持續發生文化積累。」。為了使營運方針更為清晰,2015年隨著安東街租約到期,遷移到大稻埕的保安街並且重新調整營運結構,外聘總監呂岱如,偕同理事方彥翔與原專案經理彭若瑩組成工作團隊。這也是首次由給薪制而非理事會維持機構運作。2021年1月,台北當代藝術中心會員大會決議關閉協會,並且在二月的租約到期後結束空間運作,其網站公告的謝幕:「成立之初所面臨的社會政治環境態勢,充滿文化界前仆後繼的積極抗爭之姿,而十年之內的文化治理樣貌、文化政策與生產的協商空間,在不同的政治權力中重新組構;全球藝術的生產、流動與技術也日新月異。這是一個我們重新省視實踐路線和工具的時刻:這個旨在集體參與及批判的社群運作機制,如今需要更多超越現存系統結構的開放想像和靈活方略,激活我們對身處時代的反省;此時的謝幕是我們重新盤整思維,面向未來文化場景的責任。」
在許峰瑞〈一個當代藝術中心,台北(結案)〉一文中,認為為了集中效率與管理所改採的工作小組決議制及之後的總監制,以及機構化後所面臨的經營難題,都使得台北當代藝術中心陷入維持其獨立性質、另謀出路或是步入初期批判機制的兩難,「藝術機構不是獨立於社會體制外的組織,經營一間藝術機構要面對的政治、經濟問題,本身就是在此錯綜複雜的結構中持續生產並調整路線的過程,其使命和願景則是決策判準的最終尺規。」,如何使機構的民主化及「參與」成為開拓討論及累積機構前進的能動力,並且避免落入菁英化的危機,是獨立藝術機構所應該考量的。
參考文獻
2012年,隨著城中藝術特區的結束,台北當代藝術中心搬遷到台北市安東街,並且改選理監事,由鄭美雅擔任理事長,辦公室主任陳小雜、常務理事蘇珀琪、余政達與理事方彥翔組成工作小組。在熊思婷的〈能量發動中的藝術里民活動中心:訪台北當代藝術中心理事長鄭美雅〉(2014)一文中,鄭美雅認為「一座圖書館,一個美術館,一個藝術社群聚集的藝術中心,進行本地的藝術研究與生產,對外的國際連結,不需要規模很大、經費很高,或許才能長長久久,持續發生文化積累。」。為了使營運方針更為清晰,2015年隨著安東街租約到期,遷移到大稻埕的保安街並且重新調整營運結構,外聘總監呂岱如,偕同理事方彥翔與原專案經理彭若瑩組成工作團隊。這也是首次由給薪制而非理事會維持機構運作。2021年1月,台北當代藝術中心會員大會決議關閉協會,並且在二月的租約到期後結束空間運作,其網站公告的謝幕:「成立之初所面臨的社會政治環境態勢,充滿文化界前仆後繼的積極抗爭之姿,而十年之內的文化治理樣貌、文化政策與生產的協商空間,在不同的政治權力中重新組構;全球藝術的生產、流動與技術也日新月異。這是一個我們重新省視實踐路線和工具的時刻:這個旨在集體參與及批判的社群運作機制,如今需要更多超越現存系統結構的開放想像和靈活方略,激活我們對身處時代的反省;此時的謝幕是我們重新盤整思維,面向未來文化場景的責任。」
在許峰瑞〈一個當代藝術中心,台北(結案)〉一文中,認為為了集中效率與管理所改採的工作小組決議制及之後的總監制,以及機構化後所面臨的經營難題,都使得台北當代藝術中心陷入維持其獨立性質、另謀出路或是步入初期批判機制的兩難,「藝術機構不是獨立於社會體制外的組織,經營一間藝術機構要面對的政治、經濟問題,本身就是在此錯綜複雜的結構中持續生產並調整路線的過程,其使命和願景則是決策判準的最終尺規。」,如何使機構的民主化及「參與」成為開拓討論及累積機構前進的能動力,並且避免落入菁英化的危機,是獨立藝術機構所應該考量的。
參考文獻
- 方彥翔,〈重啟公眾的可能性—台北當代藝術中心〉,《藝術家》461期,頁220-221,2013.10。
- 許楚君,〈不停歇的變形體—台北當代藝術中心的十年〉,《藝術家》551期,頁110-113,2021.04。
- 熊思婷,〈能量發動中的藝術里民活動中心:訪台北當代藝術中心理事長鄭美雅〉,國藝會線上誌
- 許峰瑞,〈一個當代藝術中心,台北(結案)〉,典藏ArtTouch專欄
- 台北當代藝術中心網站