MoCA TAIPEI’s One Year Project
The building that houses the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, dates back to 1921. It began its story as Kensei Shogakko (Jian Cheng Elementary School) during the era of Japanese rule, serving as an educational haven for young minds. In 1945, this historic structure found a new purpose as the office for the Taipei City Government. Fast forward to 1996, the edifice was declared a municipal heritage site, leading to its transformative rebirth. Under a heritage adaptive reuse policy, the main segment of this venerable building was reimagined into the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, while its wings were repurposed as classrooms for the Jian Cheng Junior High School. This innovative metamorphosis pioneered a collaborative model, blending an art museum and a school under one roof.
Situated within the same architectural marvel, the staff of the Museum of Contemporary Art and the community of Jian Cheng Junior High School share more than just walls. Through windows, they exchange glances, together cherishing a building steeped in history. Despite their proximity, their entrances are strategically placed at opposite ends of the street, creating a unique neighborhood relationship — intimate yet respecting boundaries. To an external observer, especially those visiting the museum, this intertwined existence of an educational institution and an art space remains an elusive narrative, hidden within the confines of the architectural layout.
This initiative seeks to rethink the ground floor's Entrance Hall exhibition space at the museum. It calls upon artists to engage directly with the space, drawing inspiration from and reflecting upon the symbiotic relationship between the Museum of Contemporary Art and Jian Cheng Junior High School. The project's ambition is to reshape our understanding and interaction with the museum's environment, drawing visitors closer to the essence of its historic fabric. It endeavors to create a passageway not just of bricks and mortar but of shared stories and histories, bridging the museum and the school both physically and metaphorically. As visitors navigate through the original entrance area and push past the glass doors, they step into a realm where the museum and school coexist, not just as neighboring entities but as a harmonious public space. This convergence offers a layered sensory and physical experience, intertwining the narratives of the museum, the school, and their collective heritage.