The opening ceremony for the “2026 25th Tsai-Mo Art Festival in Taichung (臺中彩墨藝術節)” was held on the morning of September 20 at Taichung City Seaport Art Center (臺中市港區藝術中心). The event centers on two main programs, the “International Tsai-Mo Art Exhibition (國際彩墨藝術大展)” and the “Tsai-Mo New Artists Award (彩墨新人賞)”. The International Tsai-Mo Art Exhibition features 128 artists from 22 countries, while the Tsai-Mo New Artists Award encourages young artists in Taiwan to create freely and boldly, showing the contemporary transformation and creative energy of Tsai-Mo art.

Secretary-General Ching-Ping Hsiao of the Cultural Affairs Bureau said that since its launch in 2002, the Tsai-Mo Art Festival in Taichung has set a theme each year and continued to work with the international Tsai-Mo art community. Now in its 25th year, the festival marks an important milestone in years of dedication. It also shows how Tsai-Mo art has gradually become a key cultural brand for Taichung, giving artists a place to create and exchange ideas in the city, while connecting Taichung with the world through art. This year’s theme, “LOVE: In the Name of Love”, expresses people’s care for family, land, nature, and peace. Through art, love can cross languages and national borders, helping people from different cultural backgrounds understand and appreciate one another.

The Tsai-Mo New Artists Award continues to give emerging artists in Taiwan a platform to be seen. Through the competition, promising creators are discovered, the diverse perspectives and creativity of the younger generation are highlighted, and new energy is brought into Tsai-Mo art. This year’s Outstanding Artist Award (新銳獎) in the Tsai-Mo New Artists Award went to WU Jia-Da (吳佳達) for “Interrupted Texture (截紋)”. The jury noted that the work creates a scene of harmonious interaction among animals and skillfully uses ink, color, and brushwork. The treatment of the lizard’s scales is especially distinctive, showing a delicate and complete creative expression.

The three New Artist Award (新人獎) winners also showcased distinct creative visions. LIN Chong’s “Uniquely Feathered．2026” (林沖〈羽眾不同．2026〉) uses an image layout like an Instagram chat window to explore the positioning and evolution of life. HONG Yun-Cing’s “Bus in the Dark” (洪韻晴〈暗班車〉) uses the image of fish to present brief moments of encounter, with surprise hidden in calmness. JIAN Huei-Ting’s “Wandering Between” (簡卉婷〈遊間〉) uses stairs as a metaphor for the experience of growing up, depicting the process of keeping a childlike heart, climbing step by step, and facing unknown challenges.

A “Tsai-Mo Lecture (彩墨專題講座)” was also held in the afternoon, featuring Lien-Tung Chuang, professor at National Taiwan Normal University (國立臺灣師範大學) and Chairman of the Federation of International Tsai-Mo Artists (國際彩墨畫家聯盟). He shared how the sights, feelings, memories, and cultural exchanges from his travels in Europe became creative nourishment for his Tsai-Mo works.