Taiching, Taiwan

I’ve just spent a delightful and inspiring two days in Taiching (aka Taichung). After arriving by bullet train from Taipei yesterday, our delegation gathered at Asia University to deliver a series of lectures—nice bonus, a chance to peruse the University founder’s private collection of bronze sculptures (including one of 25 Thinkers by Rodin). Japanese architect Tadao Ando has just designed an impressive bespoke museum that will house this collection in years to come.

Today’s highlight was a guided visit to the beautiful Taiwanese National Museum of Fine Arts, where the 2009 Asian Art Biennial | Viewpoints & Viewing Points was on exhibit (see photos above). After a sumptuous lunch at the Xin Yue Wu Tung (Shanghainese) restaurant it was off again by bullet train to Tainan…

Big thanks and a virtual hug to my personal interpreter this week, Tree (in striped dress—a Taiwanese fashion design student who has just returned from three years of study in Paris).