In order to promote modern and contemporary art, starting in 1984 and until 1991 the Taipei Fine Arts Museum hosted the exhibition projects ‘Contemporary Art trends in the R.O.C’ and ‘An Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Sculpture in the Republic of China’ on alternate years. In 1992, these two exhibitions were consolidated to form ‘The Taipei Biennial of Contemporary Art’, which was the precursor to the Taipei Biennial that everyone is familiar with today.

In its early years the artists participating in the exhibition were selected through an open judging process. In 1996 six Taiwan artists and scholars were invited to curate the biennial exhibition. After 1996, in order to adapt to the international biennial trend, and in order to raise Taiwan’s contemporary art to international acclaim, the TFAM began to invite internationally-renowned curators to cooperate with local Taiwan curators, marking the first time that Taiwan had held an international art biennial. The exhibitions held over the past decade have increased the visibility of Taiwan contemporary art on the world stage, and have also involved Taiwan in the Asian and global international art network.

The biennial has broadened Taiwan’s artistic vision, its professional, exhibition-organisation ability, and its exposure in the international media. The Taipei Biennial has become a primary symbol of Taiwan’s contemporary art development and international artistic exchange.

Source: www.taipeibiennial.org