Taipei Dangdai Launches Digital Platform With Ocula

Taipei Connections seeks to build a bridge between galleries and collectors separated by COVID-19.

Contemporary art fair Taipei Dangdai has announced a new digital offering in collaboration with global art platform Ocula.

Taipei Connections is an online presentation of artworks open to the 99 galleries who took part in Taipei Dangdai 2020. It will take place from 2–5 May, with a VIP preview from 30 April.

'Our new online platform, developed in partnership with Ocula, aims to help galleries continue to connect and re-connect with the Taiwanese collector base beyond the week of the fair,' said Taipei Dangdai co-director Robin Peckham. 'While we are aware that there can be no replacement for meeting in person, we are taking this opportunity to rethink how we can act as a bridge between our galleries and our collectors throughout the year and during difficult moments.'

'Conversations that start at a fair frequently conclude throughout the year and sometimes in other places,' added Magnus Renfrew, Co-Director, Taipei Dangdai. 'As there are fewer opportunities within the current context for these follow up encounters to happen in person, we want to provide a focal point that can allow conversations to continue virtually.'

Participating galleries will present richly contextualised selections of two or three works by one or two artists. Artists whose works will be presented include: Daido Moriyama (Each Modern), Doug Aitken (Galerie Eva Presenhuber), Zeng Fanzhi (Hauser & Wirth), Alex Katz (Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac), Al Held (White Cube), Erwin Wurm (Lehmann Maupin), Alvin Ong (Yavuz Gallery), Zhao Zhao (Lin & Lin Gallery and Tang Contemporary Art), Lu Song (Massimo De Carlo), and Dawn Ng (Sullivan + Strumpf).

Taiwanese contemporary artists being presented include Ho Kan (Chini Gallery), Li Yuan-Chia (Richard Saltoun Gallery), Yao Jui-Chung (Tina Keng Gallery), Tang Jo-Hung (Mind Set Art Center), Liu Chi-hung (nca | nichido contemporary art), Yeh Shih-Chiang (Hanart TZ Gallery), and young generation artists like An-Li Cheng (182ARTSPACE).

The digital initiative will also include online events, such as a Q&A with Peckham and Renfrew, a virtual studio visit with artist Wu Chi-Tsung, and exhibition walkthroughs of Erwin Wurm's show at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and the Sean Wang exhibition at Project Fulfill Art Space.

Taipei Connections builds on an existing relationship between Taipei Dangdai and Ocula. During the physical fair, which took place from 17–19 January, a digital catalogue was made available on Ocula.

Taipei Connections functions differently from the digital catalogue, however, as it makes use of the technology behind Ocula's newly launched Viewing Rooms, which feature high resolution images—allowing viewers to zoom in on small details—interspersed with short texts such as quotes from artists and critics.

Leo Xu, Senior Director, David Zwirner, said, 'We are very excited to participate in the launch of Taipei Connections to help us build on both our longstanding relationships with collectors in Taiwan and new relationships generated at the fair earlier this year.' —[O]

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