“An artist’s creation is always entwined with their environment and inner state…” Ahead of the opening of In the Garden of Light & Sketches from Europe, writer Wu Chin-hsun penned Bountiful Radiance, reflecting on his conversations with Paul Chiang about artistic creation, while also shaping his own reading of the new exhibition.

 

Drawing on a philosophical lens familiar to his readers, Wu begins with the idea of openness (die Lichtung)—the moment when truth reveals itself within a work of art—and extends this notion to the openness of Chiang’s studio, and further, to every participant in the Art Center: the artist, the curator, the viewer, and the thinker. 

 

Through acts of creation, installation, viewing, and understanding, the works remain continually “open,” responding to one another over time. In this process, the truth embedded in art gradually becomes a shared experience—quietly inscribing itself into each visitor’s inner landscape.

 

On the winter solstice, when daylight is at its briefest and the air at its most tender, violinist Chih-Chang Hsueh, clarinetist Kai-Ni Liu, and pianist Yung-Jen Chen presented A Winter Interlude—a concert blending the passion of tango with a festive spirit.

 

From the introspective gaze of Astor Piazzolla’s Oblivion, to Por una cabeza, famously associated with Scent of a Woman, the music traced the rhythms and melodies of life’s journey. The concert concluded with the exuberant Libertango, infusing winter with renewed vitality. At the Art Center, music accompanies artistic creation as a shared expression of beauty and hope.

 

On January 17–18 at 3:30 PM, trumpeter Stacey Wei, pianist Guras Batu, and bassist Yu-Jia Liu will present a jazz trio concert, Improv. Learn more about the concert.

 

Recently, we welcomed a group of special visitors—international students from Minerva University, representing eight countries. As part of the Hualien–Taitung Indigenous Culture Immersion Program curated by the TECO Technology Foundation, the Art Center marked an important stop on their second day, offering a gateway into the cultural landscape of eastern Taiwan.

 

One student shared: “Being here, it feels as if the architecture has found its place—its sense of belonging. The artworks feel the same.” His favorite space was the Serenity Pond, which reminded him of his love for photography: “You can choose a frame, decide where the viewer’s gaze is guided—but the real ‘work’ has already been there all along.” More moments in photos

 

As we look toward 2026, the Art Center Museum Shop introduces a new selection of items this January, inviting art into everyday life.

 

Published by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, the biography Tracing Light・Purifying Beauty・Paul Chiang weaves together evocative text and imagery to trace the artist’s lifelong pursuit of light and inner order—an essential read for understanding his artistic spirit.

 

New lifestyle items include two baseball caps in washed green and washed yellow, featuring understated yet enduring tones that echo the Art Center’s vision of color and everyday aesthetics. Beginning January 15, two In the Garden of Light posters (Works No. 25-15 and 25-27), along with a set of art cards, will also be released—transforming color and rhythm into moments to collect and share. Discover more at the Museum Shop

 

The Art Center breathes like a living museum, moving in rhythm with the artist’s creative pulse and the cycles of nature. From the very beginning, Paul Chiang envisioned In the Garden of Light & Sketches from Europe as an exhibition shaped by time. Spanning ten months, it is not a static display, but one that evolves through periodic changes of works—allowing creation to remain in motion and in dialogue with its audience.

 

Recently, several works from In the The Garden of Light series were refreshed. Volunteers arriving for their daily shifts were among the first to see the newly installed pieces—and responded with audible wonder. The same familiar space revealed an entirely different sense of light and rhythm. We warmly invite you to return and experience these new encounters.