Tainan Art Museum Building 2 — Attraction in Tainan

This new modern art museum is a big gain for Tainan, for sure. It’s huge, the art spaces are equivalent to the new TATE modern buildings and the use of colours in de different rooms adds to the experience (the choice of colours is a matter of taste). The buildings architecture is impressive (watch the film where its structure is explained in building 1) and unique in many ways, the terraces beautiful. At any moment in the day you can find a seat in the shade. The access is free, thank you Tainan government for allowing anyone to enter and visit the arts. Two flours, on the moment of visit, we’re still being finished and will expand the total space even more.

There is one thing that needs consideration (besides the strange fact that none of the toilets has soap, which I presume goes against governmental regulations when it comes to public health in a public building for a public building): the light from outside is so bright (and this wasn’t even an sunny day) that is reflects so strongly on many of the exposed works, that it takes away part of the virus on the works. I think some blinds, taking away part of the bright light, could resolve the issue. Th roof structure does that work for the central hall, so now it just need so adjustment of the light how idly entered the exhibition spaces. That...

I came here specifically for their cafe on a sweltering hot day to cool off, which is open to the public without needing to purchase a ticket to the art museum. Funny thing is I wanted to go to Umber, but ended up being directed to their cafe on the top floor. I was slightly confused but decided not to change course because it wasn't that bad of a spot and my energy level was at 7%.

I ended up enjoying my time there as I recharged my batteries with a honeycomb cake and a hojicha latte.

As for getting to the cafe, let the museum associate at the front door know you're trying to get to the top-floor cafe. Or just cafe, since that's all I said and they assumed I wanted to head up to the top floor. They'll ask you to get on their waitlist via QR code (there's no wait, just one of their protocols?). Then you'll be directed to the info desk inside the museum to get a cafe-only visitor wristband, which comes with a $50NTD deposit (refundable upon ordering). Make your way to the fifth floor and voila! You made it.

Overall, it was a nice surprise! And, I'll make it to...

I found the most interesting part of the museum was the building itself. The actual exhibits I saw were quite underwhelming.

Of course modern art is meant to be abstract and most of it isn’t going to make much sense. It is also meant to be interpreted and discussed.

But I felt that a lot of the art work could have done with some descriptions about what the artist intended and was trying to convey.

The first exhibition was about Taiwanese and Canadian indigenous groups and how they experienced colonisation and subjugation.

However, I felt that I learned next to nothing from these exhibits. Nor was I prompted to think or feel anything. I just felt confused. What is the artist trying to say? How is this related to indigenous people’s experiences of colonisation?

As an art philistine my main concern is does the art look cool or is it inventive and does it make you think. I didn’t get that from many of the pieces.

I didn’t think the gallery was worth the high entry...