It's a reflection, they say, of the changes brought about by globalization and telecommunications. And between different forms of art, where exponents nowadays might be filmmakers, musicians, or entertainers. Often, too, they are using new references. They are nomads of the imagination, the knights errant of the contemporary art world. Thai exhibitor Navin Rawanchaikul, who made his reputation by arranging art shows in the back of a taxi, converted his corner of the museum into a northern Thailand teahouse.
Visitors can sit on mats, sip soft drinks and . . .
I have gone a step further in challenging the Taipei public. In the first six weeks, the exhibition drew about 70,000 visitors. The exhibition is mainly underwritten by the Taipei city administration and the government's Cultural Affairs Bureau, with extra help from foundations and other sponsors. Taiwan's art critics have been largely supportive, though sometimes unsure about how seriously they should take an art form that has so few credentials in Taiwan. Art Collection critic Chung Li-hau described the interactive nature of the installations as a kind of virus that attempts to transport people from hate to love.