In an unprecedented collaboration, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) has joined forces with the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (IAIA MoCNA) in the United States to present the exhibition titled “Breaking Ground: Art and Activism in Indigenous Taiwan (破土：臺灣當代原住民藝術與行動主義).” The exhibition will kick off on Aug. 15.
The NTMoFA held a press conference on July 30 to promote the cultural event, with many dignitaries in attendance, including NTMoFA Director Chen Kuang-yi (陳貺怡), curators Nakaw Putun and Lai Chun-chieh (賴駿杰), and featured Indigenous artists. In addition, Dr. Manuela Well-Off-Man, curator at IAIA MoCNA, also delivered a speech via a pre-recorded video.
Curated by Dr. Manuela Well-Off-Man, Nakaw Putun, and Lai Chun-chieh, “Breaking Ground” highlights Taiwanese Indigenous peoples’ engagement in social movements and cultural resistance through art. This exhibition showcases works by ten Indigenous artists exploring critical themes such as “coloniality and indigeneity,” “gender, identity, and belief,” and “learning from nature.”
According to NTMoFA, the exhibition title, “Breaking Ground,” serves as a metaphor for the emergence of cultural seeds amid multiple layers of oppression and historical gap, showcasing the creativity and critical awareness of Taiwan’s Indigenous artists in addressing social issues. The exhibition is not only a practice in cultural diplomacy but also a significant milestone for the curatorial team in fostering cross-cultural exchange between Taiwan and the U.S. in the field of Indigenous art.