TAIPEI, Taiwan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More than 30,000 people attended the inaugural Matsu Biennial, which was held from February 12 through April 10, 2022, setting a record number of tourists who traveled by air and sea to the islands. The indoor exhibition also attracted more than 23,000 visitors.
Co-organized by the Lienchiang County Government and the General Association of Chinese Culture (GACC), the Matsu Biennial is a ten-year project that aims to unveil the mysteries of Matsu through art and culture. Featuring 39 artworks, 8 projects and 3 exhibition spaces, all of the art creations were created locally among 41 creative teams. Several well-known performing groups, including the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, were also invited to perform at the event.
Lienchiang County Magistrate Liu Cheng-ying (劉增應) said that after the inaugural edition wraps up, they will commence the preparation for the next edition of the Matsu Biennial, and he is looking forward to meeting visitors from all over the world next fall. The inaugural edition has raised the visibility of Matsu, and it is necessary to increase participation in the future, Liu added.
GACC expressed its gratitude to the county government, curatorial team, volunteers and cross-sector partners for their joint efforts in spreading the beauty of Matsu to the world. GACC said they are pleased to co-host the first Matsu Biennial with the county government to introduce the beauty of Matsu’s natural and humanistic landscapes to more people domestically and internationally, as well as deepen local culture, and promote international exchanges. “We hope that the Matsu Biennial will become a flagship brand of Taiwan, attracting visitors from around the world,” GACC added.
The county government pointed out that selected artworks such as “Zhuluo in Blossom (珠螺花開時),” “Daylighting (採光),” and “Another Story Starting with a Fishing Village (又是一個以漁村開頭的故事)” will be permanent installations; and the popular site “Stronghold no. 53 ” will not be opened to the public for the time being, but the works will be preserved for future educational purposes.
Located along the border between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, Matsu was once a military outpost in the conflict with the Chinese Communist army, and it has the world’s highest density of military tunnels.