The Space II Archive chronicles the trajectory of one of Taiwan’'s most influential avant-garde art collectives, which, during the late 1980s, defied the established norms of the island’s art scene. Comprising over nine distinct categories with 410 records, the highlights include extensive records of exhibitions held at Space II, particularly those between 1993 and 1994; a collection of self-published zines; and a video documenting Space II’s final exhibition that includes valuable interviews with the collective’s members. The collection illuminates the interconnected histories that shaped Space II's evolution—their exhibitions, publications, internal and external communications, and the broader art scene in Taiwan they engaged with.

Biographical Notes  

In 1989, two years after the lifting of martial law, Taiwan’s art scene remained dominated by traditional oil and ink paintings, while conceptual and avant-garde expression remained on the margins. To challenge this prevailing trend, Hsiao Tai-Hsing (蕭台興), an artist affiliated with the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM), rallied a group of fellow artists and acquaintances to establish a cooperative gallery, drawing inspiration from his experiences in Los Angeles. Hsiao repurposed his own apartment on Heping East Road in Taipei, aptly naming it “Apartment No. 2” (二號公寓).

The twelve founding members included Hsiao Tai-Hsing, Huang Wey-Jeng (黃位政), Lee Mei-Rong (李美蓉), Emily Shih-Chih Yang (楊世芝), Cheng Chiung-Ming (鄭瓊銘), Wu Chih-Fen (吳志芬), Lin Pey-Chwen (林珮淳), Lin Chen-Long (林振龍), Hong Mei-Ling (洪美玲), Marvin Minto Fang (范姜明道), Chang Green (張青峰) and Lien Teh-Cheng (連德誠) —predominantly consisting of artists who had returned from the United States. The gallery’s name also signalled a departure from the traditional artist group model, prioritising a platform for diverse artistic practices over a collective of artists with similar styles. Five additional members—Huang Chih-Yang (黃志陽), Chen Chien-Pei (陳建北), Hwang Buh-Ching (黃步青), Tseng Ching-Kan (曾清淦) and Hou Chun-Ming (侯俊明) - joined after the gallery’s opening in 1989, while Wu Chih-Fen opted to leave the group, resulting in Space II becoming an assembly of sixteen members.

As the first of its kind, Apartment No. 2 garnered media attention, and was hailed as a “self-help...autonomous space.” This self-sufficiency extended to facilitating artistic dialogue through artist talks and their own publication, Apartment No. 2 Art Newsletter (二號公寓藝訊), later renamed Art Forum (藝術論談). Launched in 1990, the publication showcased exhibition-related news, translations of Western art trends, critical essays, reviews, and conversations between members, attracting considerable attention from media, art museums, and fellow art spaces.

To uphold its autonomy and champion experimental art practices, Apartment No. 2 adhered to a strictly non-profit model. Each artist was responsible for covering all expenses during their designated exhibition period, and commercial activities were prohibited on-site; any artwork sales were to be conducted privately by the artists. However, a disagreement surfaced in late 1990 concerning Hou Chun-Ming’s proposed admission fee for the performance The Red Trailed on the Ground (拖地紅), scheduled for January 1991. This promptly triggered discord among the members, resulting in Hsiao Tai-Hsing withdrawing from the group, which left the group without an exhibition space. Hou Chun-Ming’s performance was then relocated to Taipei Tsun-Yan (臺北尊嚴). Hsiao’s departure from Apartment No. 2 prompted the group to relocate in March 1991 to a new location on Nanjing East Road, sponsored by Marvin Minto Fang’s relative Chan Teh-Hsun (詹德薰).

Following this relocation, the gallery’s English name changed from “Apartment No. 2” to “Space II”, accompanied by an expanded roster of twenty-three artists. This included the founding members Huang Wey-Jeng , Lee Mei-Rong, Emily Shih-Chih Yang, Cheng Chiung-Ming, Lin Pey-Chwen , Lin Chen-Long, Marvin Minto Fang, Chang Green and LienTeh-Cheng; Huang Chih-Yang, Hwang Buh-Ching, and Tseng Ching-Kan, Fu Chia-Hun (傅嘉琿) and Huang Li-Chuan (黃麗絹) who joined in the later half of 1990; and nine new members: Chang Cheng-Jen (張正仁), Liu Chen-Chou (劉鎮洲), Wu Mei-Song (吳梅嵩), Hou Yi-Ren (侯宜人), Chien Fu-Chuan (簡福鋛), Huang Chi-Wen (黃圻文), Li Jin-Shiow (李錦繡), Yan Ming-Huei (嚴明慧), and Chen Long-Bin (陳龍斌).

Shortly thereafter, Space II was invited to curate a group show at TFAM’s newly established Avant-Garde and Experimental Exhibition Room (前衛與實驗展覽室), marking a pivotal moment in the integration of contemporary art into Taiwan’s mainstream. The exhibition, entitled ‘Apartment’ (公寓), tackled social and cultural issues, provoking extensive discourse on artistic practices. It was lauded by the media as “one of the most ambitious exhibitions following the debates on artistic trends of the Ton-Fan and the Fifth Moon in the 1970s,” and ignited widespread discussion in major newspapers, further highlighting other alternative spaces in Taiwan.

Building on this success, Space II embarked on a series of initiatives over the next two years. They initiated multiple joint exhibitions and embarked on tours to various art spaces and galleries across Taiwan, including Up Art Gallery (阿普畫廊) in Kaohsiung, Go Go Gallery (高高畫廊) in Tainan, and River Art Centre (黃河藝術中心) in Taichung. In 1992, due to impending reconstruction plans at their previous venue, Space II relocated once again, this time to a basement on Longjiang Road, generously sponsored by Lin Hsiao-Tung (林曉東), ChienFu-Chuan’s father-in-law. Their collaborative spirit persisted through their move, and Space II extended their reach by hosting other emerging art groups and spaces, such as Yao Jui-Chung’s Ta-Da-Na Experimental Group (天打那實驗體) and Tainan’s Corner Culture (邊陲文化). Through their increasing number of thematic exhibitions, Space II members also garnered growing opportunities and recognition to exhibit at diverse art institutions.

This resounding success and acceptance by art museums and galleries soon filled the members' schedules. While some remained passionate about running an art space, others grappled with the demands of juggling numerous shows or harboured reservations about the non-profit model of the collaborative gallery. Ultimately, they decided to close the space in 1994, following their application for the group exhibition The Famous Brand at TFAM. This exhibition was subsequently subtitled with The Last Tango of Space II and served as the final showcase for this “famous brand” of Taiwan’s independent art scene, signifying the official closure of the space itself, while leaving open the possibility of future collaborations as a group.

In 1995, recognising the importance of an independent platform outside the established art world, some members of the former Space II, along with other like-minded artists, many of whom were recent graduates, founded another cooperative gallery, Shin Leh Yuan Art Space (新樂園藝術空間, SLY Art Space). As of 2024, it holds the distinction of being the longest-running independent art space in Taiwan.

Description of Series

The Space II Archive comprises nine distinct clusters that illuminate the diverse practices undertaken by Space II, both as a physical space and as an artistic collective. While not an exhaustive record of this pioneering alternative space in Taiwan, the archive highlights substantial documentation of the exhibitions held at Space II, particularly between 1993 and 1994. Also included is a collection of the zines published by the group, and a valuable video clip featuring footage of the final exhibition alongside interviews with Space II members.

Below is an overview of the nine archive folders:

Preparatory Documents: Documents outlining guidelines, the members’ address book, and the exhibition schedule before the opening of the space.

Member Files: An address book of the members from 1992, and member profiles from 1994.

Exhibition Files: Records of exhibitions hosted at Space II’s venues from 1989 to 1994, and participating exhibition files by Space II as a group from 1991 to 1994.

Correspondence: Correspondences between Space II members and others, particularly with the Taipei Fine Arts Museum regarding the incident of fire during the exhibition Apartment in 1991.

Publication: Zines and chronicles published by Space II.

Manuscripts: Manuscripts by the members of Space II.

Clippings: Newspaper and magazine clippings about Space II.

Photo Albums: Photographs of Space II’s various exhibitions and travels collected in albums.

Documentary Video: A video clip documenting Space II’s last exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and interviews of the members in 1994.

Dates (Inclusive)

1989-1994

Languages

Traditional Chinese.

Collection Access

Open for research. On-site-only and restricted materials—including but not limited to correspondence, newspaper clippings, and unpublished writings—are available for consultation at AAA in Hong Kong, New Delhi, and New York. Please submit the Application for Access to Research Collections Form at least five working days in advance.

Collection Use

Subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained from copyright owners. Please contact research@aaa.org.hk for further enquiries.

History and Project Team

The materials comprising this collection were generously provided by members of Space II, including Emily Shih-Chih Yang, Hong Mei-Ling, Hou Chun-Ming, Huang Chi-Wen, Huang Wey-Jeng , Marvin Minto Fang, and the families of Chien Fu-Chuan, Lin Chun-Ju (林純如) and Chien Cheng (簡正), respectively. The collection was processed from July 2022 to December 2023, with digitisation completed in February 2024, culminating in the launch of the archive in September of the same year.

The project team includes Project Researcher Nicole Wang, along with Project Archivists Tammy Ho and Kyo Hsieh. 

Credit

The Space II Archive is part of the "Independent Art Space of Taiwan" project, supported by the Kwang Hwa Information and Culture Center.