2025 Taoyuan International Art Award Exhibition

‘Red Eagle Sangmorakot: No More Hero In His Story’ wins the Grand Prize
By A&M 

Chulayarnnon Siriphol Kasamaponn Saengsuratham, Arjin Thongyuukong, Krongpong Langkhapin, ‘Red Eagle Sangmorakot: No More Hero In His Story’, 2025, 3-channel video installation.

This week, the 2025 Taoyuan International Art Award (TIAA) exhibition, hosted by the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts (TMoFA) opened at the Taoyuan Arts Center, and runs till 18 May 2025. The jury panel reviewed the 11 shortlisted works on display to select the final winners. The jurors are Reuben Keehan, Curator of Contemporary Asian Art, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art; Abby Chen, Head of Contemporary Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco; David Teh, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore; Zoe Chia-Jung Yeh, Director, Hong-Gah Museum; and Pei-Yi Lu, Associate Professor of Critical and Curatorial Studies of Contemporary Art, National Taipei University of Education. 

The Grand Prize has been awarded to Thai artists Chulayarnnon Siriphol, Kasamaponn Saengsuratham, Arjin Thongyuukong, and Krongpong Langkhapin for their work ‘Red Eagle Sangmorakot: No More Hero In His Story’. The Sojourn Award went to Taiwanese artist duo Working Hard (She Wen Ying and Kuo Po Yu) for ‘Sleep in Fish (Ikan Kapan Bobok)’. In addition, an Honorable Mention was granted to Japanese artists Hiroki Miyazaki and Reiko Asao of couch for ‘A fable of a fable <Wildcat>’, American artists Kevin Corcoran and Jorge Bachmann for ‘Refrained Invocations (Encodings)’, and Malaysian artist Lee Tek Khean for ‘Gai Gaau’. 

Chulayarnnon Siriphol Kasamaponn Saengsuratham, Arjin Thongyuukong, Krongpong Langkhapin, ‘Red Eagle Sangmorakot: No More Hero In His Story’, 2025, 3-channel video installation.

The award is aimed at establishing a local-global arts network, given its unique proximity to Taiwan’s national airport in Taoyuan. Chang Chih-Min, TMoFA Acting Director, says, “The award brings together outstanding contemporary artworks from around the world, providing audiences with a glimpse into globalized art.” She elaborates, “The award helps build an international art network by inviting esteemed international curators and scholars as judges. Additionally, the museum actively organizes exchange platforms, enabling direct interactions between curators and participating artists. Through local art and cultural visits, international artists gain insight into Taoyuan’s cultural ecosystem.”

Among the entries for the award, collaboration appears to be the preferred way of working. Jury chairman Reuben Keehan shares, “Many artists are working in groups or engaging with non-artists—sometimes professionals from fields such as anthropology, and sometimes local communities.” He adds, “This commitment to ongoing dialogue and relationship-building is particularly compelling. More than just producing objects, many artists today are creating and sustaining meaningful connections beyond the period of production.”

Lee Tek Khean, ‘Gai Gaau’, 2024, mixed media.

Another theme that stood out for Keehan was the artists’ exploration of reality through different mediums. “The use of AI in animation has appeared across several works in the exhibition, as has a critical engagement with the media's role in shaping perceptions of reality and falsity—often depending on who is controlling the narrative,” observes Keehan. “This concern with truth and fiction seems especially relevant today.”

These themes shed light on the state of contemporary art. Keehan says, “When considering these two dominant themes—collaboration and the exploration of truth and fiction—it suggests that contemporary art is emphasizing relationships as a fundamental source of truth.” He adds, “In contrast, when individuals are isolated and solely engaging with screens rather than human connections, reality becomes far more ambiguous.”

Fellow juror David Teh similarly observed the exploration of truth as a recurring theme. “Many artists are exploring the concept of truth in a world where the veracity of information is constantly being challenged by new media and the overwhelming flow of digital content,” says Teh. “Artists—who are not traditionally positioned as educators or information providers—find themselves navigating a responsibility to be informative while also contending with the flood of fiction and misinformation that shapes our daily experience.” Class issues were also explored among the works. “A surprising number of artists are engaging with class issues, particularly through video,” notes Teh. “I didn’t necessarily expect to see such a strong focus on class relationships, but I find it a very encouraging development.

With regard to the judging process, both Keehan and Teh appreciated the conversations and camaraderie shared among the jurors to decide on the winners. Teh says, “In the contemporary art world, artworks are often mediated in ways that can obscure the artist’s original intent.” He explains, “Sometimes, the focus shifts to whether a work aligns with current trends, references the right theorists, or engages with popular cultural themes in a way that resonates with the broader discourse. However, in our discussions, we really tried to center the artists’ voices and what they were aiming to communicate. I think this kind of dialogue is incredibly valuable and refreshing.” Keehan concurs, “I have greatly enjoyed the conversations within the jury. The combination of different levels of expertise, knowledge, and critical perspectives has been incredibly insightful for me as a professional.”

Working Hard (She Wen Ying, Kuo Po Yu), ‘Sleep in Fish (Ikan Kapan Bobok)’, 2024, bucket, fishing lure, lighting, line, mesh wire, water, paint, rope, second-hand furniture, sugar, sugary drinks, wood, and other found objects.

Tsai Yu Ting, ‘See you next time’, 2024, single channel video, installation, mixed plane map.

In the context of the award’s roots in Taiwan, the works from local and overseas artists shortlisted have a lot in common. Keehan says, “ It has been particularly interesting to see certain preoccupations and ways of working among Taiwanese artists, as well as among artists engaging with Taiwan and its context. Many of these works reflect a genuine desire to explore and connect more deeply with this cultural and artistic environment.” Teh echoes this sentiment and says,“I find it very interesting that Taiwanese artists are grappling with many of the same concerns as visual artists elsewhere—particularly the importance of community engagement and socially engaged practices. 

Placing the works within the wider contemporary art scene, Teh adds, “There’s also the challenge of translating these engagements into a gallery setting. This is something we’ve discussed extensively within the jury—the difficulty of giving a platform, within contemporary art, to conversations and research that are deeply specific to particular communities, sites, or locations. Balancing this with the artistic agenda of individual artists or collectives is a tension that exists throughout global contemporary art.”

This article is presented in partnership with the 2025 Taoyuan International Art Award. Look out for the next story about the award, where we speak to artists about the works on show at the 2025 Taoyuan International Art Award exhibition. 

The 2025 Taoyuan International Art Award exhibition is open from 26 March to 18 May 2025 at the Taoyuan Arts Center. For more information on the award, click here. To visit the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts official website, click here. The Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts is scheduled to officially open in 2027.