TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture has allocated NT$23 million (US$709,000) to Erdai Art Hall in Penghu to support structural repairs and preserve its collection of about 1,500 artworks.
The museum is dedicated to Taiwanese modern artist Chao Er-dai (趙二呆), a former government official known for his wide-ranging artistic contributions spanning calligraphy, ink and oil painting, printmaking, seal carving, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and literature.
During a recent legislative session, Minister of Culture Lee Yuan (李遠) defended the funding allocation and reaffirmed Chao’s significant contributions to Taiwan’s arts community, per CNA.
Chao’s granddaughter, Chao Yi (趙頤), issued a statement Monday thanking the government for the funding, saying it would help subsidize renovations to the museum and ensure the long-term preservation of the collection.
Hung Shih-yu (洪世佑), director of the National Museum of History, said the last major exhibition dedicated to Chao Er-dai was held 30 years ago. He added that a new exhibition featuring the artist would be prioritized in the future as the museum organizes up to 50 exhibitions annually.
During the Ministry of Culture’s budget review, KMT Legislator Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) questioned the project, noting that Erdai Art Hall was originally constructed before the establishment of modern build-operate-transfer regulations and comprehensive public-private partnership systems.
Lo said the planned structural reinforcement work goes beyond routine maintenance and could affect the artist’s original vision, requiring a careful balance between public safety and artistic preservation. According to the Penghu County Cultural Affairs Bureau, public land was allocated for the construction of the museum, while Chao contributed more than NT$10 million of his personal savings toward the project, per CNA.
Chao also donated more than 1,500 works to the Penghu County Government, including ink paintings, calligraphy, sketches, Western-style paintings, seal carvings, sculptures, ceramics, prints, photography, and poetry. The works are displayed regularly, with his ink paintings and ceramics considered particularly notable.
Born in 1916, Chao graduated from Peking University with a degree in law and commerce before relocating to New Taipei. He devoted nearly 50 years to artistic creation, exhibited internationally on numerous occasions, and had works collected by museums overseas.
Chao died peacefully in 1995 at the age of 79.
