Artistic Flow, Genealogies, and the Academic Path– The Origins of Art Education in Greater Taichung

Art education in Taichung City is founded on the extensive cultivation by countless art creators, art educators, and cultural advocates. In 1946, the Taiwan Provincial Taichung Normal School (now National Taichung University of Education) founded the Department of Art Education, marking Taiwan’s first dedicated institution for professional art education. By 1983, Tunghai University established the Department of Fine Arts. It was the first university-level fine arts department in central and southern Taiwan, which aimed to nurture talent for the humanist spirit, cultural continuation, and creative skills while pioneering Eastern gouache art education in the country, setting a standard for the art form in Taiwan. Following this, teachers and alumni actively promoted art education throughout the central region.

To continue Taichung’s artistic and cultural heritage and establish the historical context of the city’s technical progress, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has commissioned Li Szu-Hsien from the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University to curate this pre-opening exhibition. Organized into several sections, namely, “Taichung Normal School System,” “Tunghai System,” and “Other Institutions,” the exhibition features 87 artists along with their notable works across various media, including Eastern media, Western media, image and mixed media, as well as three-dimensional creations and sculptures, thoroughly illustrating the artistic developmental trajectories and diverse creative expressions in the Taichung region. This exhibition not only honors past art educators but also emphasizes the significant role of art education in shaping the city’s artistic evolution.