The historic Twin Oaks estate, one of the most iconic witnesses to Taiwan-US relations, will play host to a special contemporary art exhibition from Feb. 1 through July 31. It will mark the first grand showcase of young Taiwanese artists in Washington, DC.
“Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art at Twin Oaks” is an avant-garde collection of paintings, sculptures, and installations crafted by five young-and-upcoming artists from Taiwan. The exhibition challenges the viewer’s perception of reality by contesting conventions in sight and language.
The five-month event is curated by Art Bank Taiwan as part of a pioneering collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (ROC).
The Ministry of Culture offers funding and autonomy to Art Bank Taiwan in purchasing and loaning Taiwan-made art, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides space and exposure via its overseas offices and embassies.
This joint pursuit of cultural diplomacy began last October, and Taiwanese artworks have since traveled to the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore and the Taipei Cultural Center in New York. The upcoming exhibition at Twin Oaks was made possible with the support of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US.
For nearly eight decades, twenty-three R.O.C. ambassadors and representatives have served as the official hosts of Twin Oaks, a 26-room English Georgian Renaissance-style mansion constructed in 1888. The 18.24-acre estate holds significant historic and cultural wealth and was included on the US National Register for Historic Sites in 1986.
Dignitaries including Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and George. W. Bush, as well as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, are among the esteemed guests who have graced this cultural landmark.
‘Meet Taiwan Contemporary Art at Twin Oaks’
- Date: Feb. 1 – July 31, 2018
- Venue: Twin Oaks
- Address: 3225 Woodley Road, N.W. Washington, D.C.
- Site: TECRO