The big businesses in Taiwan seem be increasingly interested in promoting the arts, which can only be to our benefit as the current Salvador Dali exhibition proves.

The exhibition is on now at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (or National Taiwan Democracy Hall if you prefer) running till the end of September. The focus is more on Dali’s works other than his famous paintings, but if you have any interest in Dali it is well worth a visit. The works include sculptures, glass and gold, furniture and sketches on Dali’s musings of the Spanish civil war and Carmen amongst others.

The highlight for me was a small, circular, enclosed area with the sculptures Dance of Time I, Persistence of Memory, Profile of Time, Horse Saddled with Time, Dance of Time II, and Woman of Time. Perfect if there are only two or three other people as was the case when I went, but it would be annoying with more. I am not sure if they have restrictions on the number of people allowed in at one time, although it did seem as though a coach load of very bemused tourists went through at one stage.

I went early (it opens at 9am) so it wasn’t that busy, and I would recommend doing the same if you go. It costs NT$250 which is reasonable considering there must be over 100 pieces. It might be better to wait till the schools go back, but I will be going again.

The site is here (Chinese only): http://www.mediasphere.com.tw/dali/