Final Report of research on the exhibition Painters' Tales of the Low Countries at the Chimei Museum, by Dr. Laia Anguix-Vilches, Postdoctoral Researcher. Department of History and Art History, Faculty of Humanities - Utrecht University.
Digital Storytelling at the National Museum of Taiwan History
What did you use the grant for?
I carried out fieldwork on the exhibition Painters' Tales of the Low Countries: Flemish and Dutch Paintings of the CHIMEI Collection at CHIMEI Museum in Tainan, Taiwan. During my trip, I also met with Taiwanese curators and museum scholars, and visited several museums and heritage sites relevant to Dutch colonial history, including Fort Santo Domingo in Tamsui, and, in Tainan, Fort Zeelandia, Fort Provintia, the Koxinga Shrine, the Tainan History Museum, and the National Museum of Taiwan History, where I also delivered a lecture addressed to the museum staff.
My research at CHIMEI comprised an analysis of the exhibition spaces, object placement, interpretative materials, and wall texts. Interviews with curators provided information regarding display decisions and logistical challenges, while incognito visitor observation offered details on audience engagement. In the other museums and heritage sites, I collected information and took photographs on interpretation and display strategies, and audience engagement methods.
Drawing Workshop, Chimei Museum
What are the most important 'lessons learned' in the field of international exchange?
The study of the exhibition Painters’ Tales of the Low Countries and the visits to history museums and colonial heritage sites gave me crucial first-hand information about how institutions in former colonial contexts collect, interpret, and present European art. Both the conversations with local professionals and the onsite observation of visitors helped me to understand how Dutch cultural heritage is made relevant for local audiences. I was particularly interested in the museums’ strategies for historical contextualisation, audience-focused curation, and public engagement. Digital media, tactile displays, and clearly signposted learning corners made the exhibition contents accessible for different visitor profiles. I was also really fortunate to spend time with colleagues at CHIMEI Museum, the National Museum of Taiwan History, and the National Taipei University of Education, who generously shared their ideas on professional practice, and who were open about the difficulties their encountered and their strategies to navigate them.
School visit at the National Museum of Taiwan History
What would you like to share with the Dutch ICOM members?
I would encourage ICOM members, especially those working with seventeenth-century Dutch art and heritage, to connect with colleagues in Taiwan to see how colonial histories are being interpreted to resonate with local audiences there. Institutions such as CHIMEI Museum and the National Museum of Taiwan History offer exciting examples of how to provide additional layers of historical, socioeconomic, and geographical context to this complex period. Their curatorial strategies would also be beneficial for Dutch museums working with international visitors, who may have limited knowledge of seventeenth-century Dutch culture and history. I find Taiwan’s interpretation, education, and accessibility tools particularly exciting, with their use of interactive design features and digital storytelling. I would be glad to share more details with the Dutch museum community: please keep an eye on my forthcoming publications, or feel free to get in touch if you are interested in having a conversation on this topic.
