Taipei Travel

In commemoration of the prominent Taiwanese contemporary art advocate Margaret Shiu, the exhibition “Small Is Bountiful: Margaret Shiu’s Contemporary Art Collection” centers on 43 works by 26 Taiwanese contemporary artists, which Shiu collected over the course of nearly 40 years (1976-2014) and donated to Taipei Fine Arts Museum in 2021. The exhibition title “Small Is Bountiful” has three meanings: First, the collection of single or small works is a reflection of entire series or large-scale works. Second, the art in this collection presents the abundant diversity of Taiwanese contemporary art. Third, the collections of individuals can have social and cultural significance, impacting the overall development of art. 

Mainly small-sized works, small-scale models, and single works from larger series, the donated works serve as the core of the exhibition and are augmented by related artworks from the TFAM collection, or borrowed from collectors or the artists themselves. Thus, single works may be seen within the context of the whole series, and small-scale models may be seen alongside the large-scale installations they correspond to. This affords an intriguing look at the multifaceted development of environmental and installation art in Taiwan since the 1990s. The works dialogue with the space in terms of scale, and visitors may engage in a process of physical participation and experience. The exhibition also features the symposium “Treasure Keeping: Collectors and Collections” in which contemporary art collectors share their stories and methods of acquiring art, bringing to light art collection’s relationship with contemporary art and its consequence to society.