About Program X-site
Based on the outdoor plaza of the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM), Program X-site (2014 - ) launches an annual open call for experimental temporary installation projects. From multiple perspectives, such as architectural construction, contemporary art, environmental research, and public participation, the event encourages interdisciplinary and publicly engaged projects that emphasize innovative experimentation. Meanwhile, it inspires the public to imagine and explore the issues related to public space, urban environment, and human development. Over the years, Program X-site has supported various pioneering projects proposed by cutting-edge teams in architecture and art, establishing itself as an important incubator of openness and experimentation for young and mid-career generations in Taiwan.
The Jade: Plaza Calls to Plaza, conceived by the interdisciplinary team, was selected as the 13th laureate in 2026.
About The Jade: Plaza Calls to Plaza
In response to the environmental conditions of the TFAM outdoor plaza, the installation gently lifts the ground plane to create a shaded yet fluid, transparent space that invites visitors to linger, and thereby restores a sense of publicness to a once “blank and absent” plaza.
To evoke the sensation of “gently lifting the ground plane,” the installation manifests as a fluid, transparent space—entirely free of columns or walls. The steel cables required to counteract wind uplift resemble the tightly stretched strings of a musical instrument. Inspired by such structural imagery, the installation is transformed into an interactive sound device: visitors touching the “strings” to reveal an unnoticed soundlandscape embedded within the museum.
During his lifetime, Paul Cézanne painted Mont Sainte-Victoire more than a dozen times as a pursuit of truth rather than mere repetition. Drawing inspiration from the painter’s lifelong dedication, the atelier has analyzed the satellite images of the TFAM plaza as pixels, reconstructing them into a new serpentine pattern across the roof panels. This design serves as an inquiry into the nature of “reality” and “time.” On the underside, each panel is finished with a mirrored surface. Tilted at gradually varying angles, these reflective surfaces simultaneously capture the activities under the roof, the plaza’s serpentine bricks and the TFAM main entrance, drawing visitors into a heightened awareness of their presence as part of the environment. This plaza has once offered visitors a touch of “beauty”, which will be shared with a wider public by the work.
The project aims not so much to create a work of strong intention, but rather to “create an environment” (shape blank) where humans, events and objects all become part of the work and where may flourish freely laughter, tears, black cats, rustling sounds, raindrops, sensitive plants, dragonflies, songs and dreams.
Visiting reminder
Visitors are invited to sit or lie down to experience the work in the most comfortable posture. Feel free to touch different “strings” for a short or long moment and see what happens.
1. Important notices for the exhibition experience:
- The roof structure is not designed for walking. Please do not climb on it.
- Due to the design of the installation, the clearance near the ground is limited. Please mind your head.
- Please mind your head as the clearance near the ground is limited.
- Children under the age of 6 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to ensure safety and proper guidance.
- Strollers or other similar vehicles, please park them outside the exhibition area.
- For the safety of your pets and the public, please use a leash, carrier, or crate at all times.
- Please keep the exhibition area clean while eating or drinking.
2. In the event of heavy rain, typhoons, or other severe weather conditions, this installation will be temporarily closed for safety reasons. Please do not enter the area and consider visiting on another day.
3. According to the preliminary arrangements for the public events, certain areas of the exhibition will be closed for 60 minutes before and after each session. Please refer to on-site announcements for daily updates and plan your visit accordingly.
4. The organization, postponement, or cancellation of the public events will be determined based on weather conditions. For more information, please visit the official TFAM website.
5. Commercial photography (e.g., wedding photos, product catalogs, photography workshops, etc.) and any filming that may compromise safety or the quality of the visitor experience are prohibited.
6. The venue reserves the right of final interpretation for exhibition access and any modifications to the rules. Thank you for your cooperation.