Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei

Since 2009, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Taipei has organized a series of exhibitions that brought art into the neighboring communities, hoping to step out of the museum walls and let the general public encounter and experience art in their living environment. From a series of exhibitions, titled Vision of Tatong, to Street Fun, Fun Street Community Art Festival held annually around the time of the Moon Festival, MOCA, Taipei has been closely interacting and collaborating with the community residents, turning Chifeng Street into an innovative site of creativity and culture in Taipei. This year’s Street Fun, Fun Street – MOCA X Community Art Festival is comprised of three community-based subprojects respectively called “Art Buds,” “Art Wandering,” and “Street Journey,” interweaving a delightful, aesthetic landscape of the lanes and alleyways in the cool, crisp Fall season. Nine Taiwanese young artists are invited for “Art Wandering.” By subtle observation of the public spaces in the communities around MOCA Taipei, and studies on the interactions between local residents and visiting audience, the artists create various artworks, including participatory projects, kinetic installations, photos, mixed media sculptures, drawings, and biographical zines. Their works guide the audience to learn about and experience the characteristics of a community-based lifestyle and the newly created cultural spaces. Taking a walk in the community, art will be just around the corner. “Art Buds” aims to enhance the ability of artistic creation and the interaction with the participating community residents. We invited M. House Studio this year to guide the community residents to learn about and experience the co-existence between human and plant in the city. After the summer classes, the works created collectively by the residents will be displayed in the community space. “Street Journey” focuses on educational activities with the community. The experiential activities in various themes and divers disciplines, together with afternoon art events, guided tour and workshops, bring the audience to know more deeply about the public spaces in the community. By actual participation, experience sharing, and guided experience, the audience could learn how art interact with community mutually. Throughout the years, MOCA, Taipei has been promoting the concept of “a museum without walls,” and we are delighted to have had 10 artists take part in this exhibition. We would like to thank, in particular, the Guangneng Neighborhood Manager, Ms. Jing-yun Chen, the Jiantai Neighborhood Manager, Mr. Peng-cheng Chen, the principal of Jian Cheng Junior High School, Mr. Wen-hung Liu, as well as all the local residents for their valuable assistance and the enthusiastic participation and collaboration of various stores and shops in the city blocks. Together, we will continue to promote Taipei’s unique aesthetics of lanes and alleyways and a real, simple culture of life!