Double Square 双方藝廊

After two years of preparation by curator Sean C. S. Hu, Double Square Gallery will open its doors to the public in Da-Chi area, Taipei in May 2015. Double Square Gallery derive its name from the two rectangular spaces that form the gallery space, seeking to create endless possibilities with contrasting perspective of mutual reference (e.g. artist vs. viewer, space vs. community, periphery vs. center, local vs. international, subject vs. object, and so forth). The gallery’s underlying philosophy of operation is reflected not in dichotomous differentiation but in mutual reference, implying the gallery will focus simultaneously on art promotion, curatorial practice, research publication, and collection service; developing from these activities, we find in the current trend within contemporary art on the international scene, artistic production, exhibition form, professional collection, data analysis, academic research, international exchange, personnel training, and resource exchange, are all subjects in need of contemplation, discuss and study for Taiwan, hence Double Square Gallery is determined to create a brand new horizons for Taiwan and international contemporary art.

As one of the pioneering cities of Asian contemporary art market, Taipei features a supportive environment with rich resource for the development of arts. However, art galleries and spaces in Taipei are forced to conform to commercial values as Taipei competes for the lead in art market with other Asian cities. Galleries and art spaces become conservative as such compromise restrict imaginations. Under the expectation of operating on the highest professional level, Double Square Gallery aims at expanding this landscape and become a supporter for the progress in arts. Different from museums, galleries, non-profit institutions, and alternative spaces, Double Square Gallery position itself as a brand new form of multi-functional art space. The gallery not only escapes the confines of traditional artistic practices, but also incorporates the best qualities from other institutions, allowing relief from the social stereotype to become the world’s first commercial art gallery that is able to fulfill diverse philosophies from artists and curators. Benefiting from close collaboration between curators and artists, every solo or group-exhibition hosted by the gallery will display commercial, academic, avant-garde, professional, and aspiring qualities. The gallery envisages itself to become a “museum-lized art gallery,” it also acknowledge the imagination, exploration and practice from the global trend, especially the recent expansion of major art galleries in Europe and United States, hence organizing high-quality exhibitions and delivering professional services provide not only the indispensable momentum for global competition, this is also the what Double Square Galley expects to achieve.

Over these years, Nei-Hu and Da-Chi area have become prominent destinations for galleries in Taipei. This prompts Double Square Gallery to consider on the perspective required to compete on the global arena. In addition to the vision of research-based curating, the gallery directs the collection service towards gaining international visibility, becoming the most effective bond between artists and collectors both domestically and internationally. Benefiting from familiarity with local art scene, along with the experience and ability in connecting international art communities, Double Square Gallery will provide collectors with the latest information, trends, and analysis, achieving the reputation as an international and professional art gallery, exceeding the expectation of collectors around the world. The gallery not only expects to write a new chapter in Taiwanese art, but also plans to transfer resources acquired from commercial services to the research and development of exhibitions. With the concept of “social enterprise”, the gallery wishes to establish mutual relationships with artists, curators, art galleries, collectors, and visitors.

Curated by Sean C. S. Hu, the inaugural exhibition Our Eyes embodies the name, direction and functions of Double Square Gallery. It not only point the way to a meaningful dialogue with the brand new space, but also creates new opportunities for arts by positioning itself as the place of happening. Hu writes, “with the help of art, we open another pair of eyes that can see through the disguise and unveil the kernel truth. They not only turn the invisible into the visible, but also shape our perception and understanding of the world, from which we create the momentum and possibility for the progress in the arts. The mysterious and sophisticated process of creation actually results from artists’ continued gazing at their distance from the external world (i.e. others). Such kind of mutual reference and contrast liberate, condense and refine our thoughts. However, the gazing is not so much the unilateral imposition of artists’ sight on the core of creation as the bilateral exchange between artists and others through which artists may reflect on their Dasein and thereby create transcending and inspiring artworks. These artworks may interact and communicate with the viewers, charting the course of the world.” From the inaugural exhibition, Hu expects the viewers to see beyond the confines of geographical, living and cultural contexts, and obtain a firmer grasp of ones self and the world by looking at a diversity of issues such as aes¬¬thetic form, subjective consciousness, identity, collective memory, philosophical speculation, media observation, exploration of desire, concern for the disadvantaged, sub-culture studies, and geopolitics. In the exhibition, the viewers are also encouraged to imagine how artists create their works in an inter-subjective way. Such imagination will enrich the thought and life of both the viewers and the artists.

Our Eyes, the inaugural exhibition of Double Square Gallery opens on 16 May 2015, exhibition features thirteen artists from Australia, India, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States to presenting works of interactive kinetic installation and sculpture to photography, video installation and painting.