Taiwan Today

Six prominent local artists will be awarded the National Award for Arts, the National Cultural and Arts Foundation announced July 6. Visual artist Chen Chieh-jen, architect Wang Da-hong, conductor David Liao, theater performer Jin Shi-jie, film editor Chen Bo-wen and writer Wang Wen-hsing will each be awarded a monetary prize of NT$600,000 (US$18209). The award is regarded as one of the most prestigious tributes to those working in culture and the arts, in addition to the official prizes given by the government—the National Cultural Award of the R.O.C (Taiwan) and the Presidential Cultural Award. The award categories include literature, fine arts, music, drama, dance, architecture and cinema. This year, the category of dance did not have a winner. Winners of this year’s prizes vary in style and age, and the list features many firsts. The 49-year-old visual artist Chen Chieh-jen is the youngest recipient in the art category since it was founded. He is famous for his video installations and photography retouched with Photoshop software. David Liao is the first conductor to receive the honor. He is the founder of the Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra and teaches in the Department of Music, National Taiwan University of Arts. NCAF Chairman Huang Ming-chuan praised Liao for organizing a large orchestra on his own and continuing for 40 years. Huang also emphasized Liao’s dedication to music education over the past 50 years. Film editor Chen Bo-wen is the first winner to have worked on both documentaries and animations in the film category. His works include the hit movie “Cape No. 7.” The jury felt that Wang Da-hong’s design of the National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei City has not received the recognition that it deserves and therefore chose to give the honor to the 92-year-old architect. Writer Wang Wen-hsing, famous for his novel “Family Catastrophe,” was honored for his innovation, influence and persistence in literature. Actor and director Jin Shi-jie is considered a representative figure in the field of theater. The awards ceremony is scheduled for October. Conventionally, the foundation will make documentaries and publish biographies for the award-winning artists, but this year it will only produce documentaries. (WFW-THN)