Latin American art exhibition opens

The exhibition, titled Landings 8, is the eighth series of the Landings project showcasing 50 artistic works alongside 100 video clips created by 18 young Caribbean and Latin American artists during a two-week stay in Taipei.

Noting that the TFAM hosted two exhibitions on the region in 1999 and 2002, respectively, during his tenure as Taipei mayor, Ma said at the opening ceremony that "this is a good continuation of what we did" and helps broaden the public's vision of the world. Ma, who will be inaugurated May 20, said Taiwan should be proud of its "soft power" of culture, democracy, freedom and the hospitality of its people, and he promised that his administration will focus on cultural affairs.

Vice Foreign Minister Javier Hou said that although Taiwan does not have many cultural exchanges with Latin American countries, "Landings 8 will serve as a symbol of Taiwan's bilateral exchanges with Caribbean and Latin American countries."

"I am positive that Landings 8 will have a positive influence on Taiwan's contemporary art...it will also enhance people's understanding of Central America as well as its art and culture," he added.

Lee Yong-ping, commissioner of Taipei City's Department of Cultural Affairs, expressed hope that Taiwan will someday also send groups of artists abroad to create pieces to promote the country.

According to Joan Duran, the curator of Landings 8 as well as the Belize Ambassador for Cultural Affairs, the project is a new platform for contemporary artists from Central America to engender a cultural space, bringing a fledgling art movement from across the region into a succession of public arenas.

Landings was initiated in 2004 and has been exhibited in seven places, including Mexico, Costa Rica and the United States. After Taiwan, according to the museum, it will go to Japan.

The exhibits will be on display in the museum's Gallery D May 17-July 6.