TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan Art Museum Building 2 has been selected as the site for a new national art museum, the Tainan City Government announced Thursday (Sept. 26), with a preparatory office scheduled to be established in March 2025 to introduce central government resources.
The location is a key area with a high concentration of historical sites and museums. Nearby attractions include the Tainan Confucius Temple, the Hayashi Department Store, and the National Museum of Taiwan Literature, per CNA.
This will lay an important foundation for the future creation of a "heart of Taiwan," a museum cluster similar to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Museum Island of Berlin. This cultural hub will serve as a window for international visitors to understand Taiwanese culture.
Since its opening in 2019, the Tainan Art Museum has been dedicated to promoting art education and laying a foundation for future development. It also showcases the works of southern Taiwan artists, such as Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波) and Guo Bo-chuan (郭柏川), through exhibitions, lectures, and international collaborations.
Chen Cheng-po, one of Taiwan's most-known artists, was born in Chiayi on Feb. 2, 1895. Taiwan was ceded to Japan in April of the same year, according to People Who Light Up Taiwan.
After successfully passing a language school entrance exam at 19, Chen moved to Taipei. He met Japanese painter Kinichiro Ishikawa (石川欽一郎), teaching in Taiwan at the time, who guided him into the world of painting.
Chen overcame numerous challenges throughout his life, fueled by his passion for art and the Taiwanese community. In 1945, with Japan's surrender, Taiwan underwent another political transition as the Nationalist government (Kuomintang, KMT) took control.
Chen, fluent in Mandarin, was appointed to assist in the government's takeover. In the unstable post-war period, he was elected as a Chiayi government official and served as a juror for the Taiwan Provincial Art Exhibition.
Chen hoped to gradually rebuild Taiwan's society and art scene through these roles. Then, the Feb. 28 Massacre of 1947 took place, leading to heavy casualties across the country.
Chen, representing the people, went to Chiayi Airport to negotiate a peaceful resolution with the KMT-led Nationalist army. As soon as Chen and his delegation arrived at the airport, they were detained and tortured, per Thinking-Taiwan.
Two weeks later on March 24, Chen expressed his willingness to sacrifice himself for the 120,000 citizens and his unwavering love for art in a farewell letter. The following day, Chen was publicly paraded through the streets on a charge of “rebellion and riot.”
Chen was publicly executed at Chiayi Station without trial, leaving a lasting legacy at the age of 53.
The budget for the museum in 2025 will be prepared as usual, and the team will continue to operate Building 1 and Building 2 before the transfer. The Tainan Art Museum will maintain independent operations after the transfer and will not become an administrative corporation.
