Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas Concludes its 6th Edition with Strong Attendance and Solid Sales, Reaffirming Taipei’s Position in the International Art Scene.

The 6th Taipei Contemporary Art Fair concluded successfully, with impressive attendance and solid sales results, consolidating Taipei's position on the international art stage.

TAIPEI, The sixth edition of Taipei Dangdai Art & Ideas, presented by UBS and organized by The Art Assembly, successfully concluded on 11 May 2025. This year’s fair brought together galleries from across 22 countries and territories, presenting a dynamic and diverse selection across the Galleries, Edge, and newly launched Embody sectors. The fair welcomed a total of 31,511 visitors, including established collectors, curators, artists, and art enthusiasts from Taiwan, across Asia, and around the world.

Robin Peckham, Co-Director of Taipei Dangdai, remarked, "This year’s edition saw an inspiring convergence of galleries, collectors, artists, and curators from across the globe, forging meaningful cultural dialogues. We are honored to once again host such a vibrant professional community in Taipei and are deeply grateful for the enthusiastic support from the local art scene. With world-class exhibitions and citywide programming coinciding with the fair, Taipei’s growing cultural significance across Asia was clearly on full display."

Magnus Renfrew, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Taipei Dangdai, added, "Over the past six years, we have witnessed Taipei Dangdai’s evolution into a vital platform for the Asian art world. In 2025, alongside a robust gallery line-up and the introduction of the new Embody sector, we successfully launched the inaugural Edge Artist Award and introduced the Professional Day program to foster deeper international exchanges. This year's success underscores our commitment to supporting the expanding art ecosystems across Asia and sets a strong foundation for continued growth."

“As we conclude this year’s Taipei Dangdai, we reflect on the profound connections woven through art. UBS is proud to have been part of this dynamic gathering that celebrates creativity and cultural dialogue. The exceptional range of artistic expressions witnessed here not only enrich our appreciation of contemporary art but also remind us of the shared human experience that connects us all. We look forward to nurturing more cultural conversations and supporting the vibrant creative community in Taiwan and across Asia,” said Henry Su, UBS Taiwan Location Head and Head of Global Wealth Management Taiwan.

International Collectors and Institutions Drive Robust Attendance and Dialogue

The attendance of prominent collectors, foundation representatives, and museum directors from across Asia and beyond further strengthens connections between Taiwan’s art scene and the global cultural landscape. Notable attendees included Chiang Wan-An (Mayor of Taipei City), Yami Chou (Ph.D, Director of Department of Arts Development, Ministry of Culture), Chen Tien-Li (Director of National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute), Wen, Kao-I (Exhibition & Performance Section Chief of Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center, Council of Indigenous Peoples), Jenny Yeh (Winsing Art Foundation), Rudy Tseng, Patrick Sun (SUNPRIDE Foundation), Grace Cheung (Hong Foundation),  Daisuke Miyatsu, Ryan Su ( The Ryan Foundation), Thomas Shao, Judy Chiang (CTBC Foundation for Arts and Culture), Chen Rong-Chuan (Director, RC Culture and Arts Foundation), Joy Chen, Grace Yang, C.H. Teng, Stephen Wu, Peng Pei-Cheng, David Chu, Gerald Tseng, Jack Huang, Susanna Miu, Lee Ming-Te, Thomas Pan, Ellie Lai, Liu Ru-Rong, Jason Chi, Lorries Chang, Leo Shih, Rosy Wu, James Chu, Shan-Shan Huang (Jut Museum), Chung-Chih Chan, Wade Chang, Jackson See, Bryant Chao, Eugene Yau, Andrew Lee (King Car Cultural & Art Center), Linda Neo, Albert Lim, Naoko Sasagawa, Yuyu Chen (Live Forever Foundation), Nick Yang, Yao Chien, Cheng Tsung-Chieh, Wang Wei-Chung, Hsu Chi-Yau Hongjohn Lin (Curator and Writer / Curator, 6th Asia Triennial Manchester (ATM6); Professor, Graduate School of Transdisciplinary Art, National Taipei University of the Arts), Philippe Pirotte (Curator and educator, art history professor at the Städelschule Frankfurt am Main, Germany), Vera Mey (Art historian and curator, Tutor (Research) Royal College of Art / Curatorial Research Fellow of the Asia Triennial Manchester 2025, X Zhu-Nowell (Executive Director & Chief Curator, Rockbund Art Museum), Philip Tinari (Director of UCCA Center for Contemporary Art), Eva Lin (Independent curator, Curator of Jogja Biennale 2025), Nicolas Trembley (Art critic, curator, and advisor, and Director of the Syz Collection for Contemporary Art), Yoko Choy (China Editor of Wallpaper* and Creative Consultant), Beatrice Hsieh (Director, Center for Arts and Culture Art Museum, National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan)), Lai Hsiang-Ling (Director, New Taipei City Art Museum), Stefano Pansero-Ribera (Founding Director, Khao Yai Art Forest and Bangkok Kunsthalle), Yulin Lee (Director, Asia University Museum of Modern Art), Mark Rappolt (Editor-in-Chief, ArtReview & ArtReview Asia), Cheang Shu Lea (Artist), and Etan Pavavalung (Artist, Curator and Documentary Director).

Gallery Responses

Across its VIP and public days, galleries reported strong sales across all sectors. Gallery representatives praised the high level of collector engagement, noting the fair’s increasingly professional and dynamic atmosphere. Quotes of participating galleries can be found in Appendix. 

Ana de Alvear Wins Edge Artist Award

The inaugural Edge Artist Award ceremony was held on 9 May. The award has been launched to recognize emerging artists for their innovations and breakthroughs in contemporary art. The winner of the 2025 Edge Artist Award is Ana de Alvear, exhibited by Espacio Valverde. The Madrid-based artist is known for her meticulous colored pencil drawings that blend hyperrealism and deep attention to detail. Her latest series, “Objecto de colección” (“Collectible Object”), is inspired by a primal human urge to collect. It reflects a childhood fascination with shiny little stones, an early and intuitive connection to beauty that is seen as an artistic impulse. As a representative of the jury for the Edge Artist Award, Lee Yulin, Director of Asia University Museum of Modern Art, shared, “Ana’s work revels in a timeless beauty, and reminds us that we can look at contemporary art from a different perspective. She has chosen a road less traveled over the past decades, and as an artist she chooses to stay true to herself. This is the power of her work.”

Ideas Forum: Curators and Scholars Examine Cross-Cultural Dialogues Through "Braided Strands of Fate"

A signature program of Taipei Dangdai, the Ideas Forum in 2025 brought together leading curators and scholars from around the world under the theme "Braided Strands of Fate", exploring three interwoven strands: geography, spirituality, and materiality. The Forum reaffirms Taipei as a hub for intellectual change across the art world.

9 May: A panel featuring leading biennial curators, including Hoor Al Qasimi, Hongjohn Lin, Philippe Pirotte, Vera Mey, and Sam Bardaouil discussed recent research and exhibitions.

10 May: Co-organized with the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center, a special day of forums focused on global indigeneity and indigenous arts, featuring speakers such as X Zhu-Nowell, Etan Pavavalung, Cheang Shu Lea, Dondon Hounwn, Philip Tinari, Nicolas Bourriaud, and Eva Lin.

11 May: Panels spotlighted digital art and market trends with speakers including Shao-An Huang, Su Hui-Yu, Zhang Xu Zhan, and Shavonne Wong, alongside discussions exploring the intersections of art, craft, and design with Nicolas Trembley, Yoko Choy, and Chen Tien-Li.

Building on the successes of the sixth edition, Taipei Dangdai will return in 2026 and continue to expand its diverse sectors and deepen its international programs.

More details will be announced on the official website: www.taipeidangdai.com