Established in 1951, the São Paulo Art Biennial stands alongside the Venice Biennale (est. 1895) and the Kassel Documenta (est. 1955) as one of the world's three major art exhibitions. Among these, the São Paulo Art Biennial holds the distinction of being the first international biennial in which our government participated.
Between 1957 and 1973, the National Museum of History (NMH) represented the nation in coordinating and executing participation in the São Paulo Art Biennial. Spanning 17 years and nine editions, it was a momentous era in the art world. This served as a quintessential case of cultural diplomacy and was a pivotal thrust in the development of Taiwan's modern art. However, following the loss of UN representation in 1971 and the severance of diplomatic ties with the United States in 1978, the nation gradually lost official diplomatic relations with countries worldwide, hindering its ability to participate in major international organizations as a formal state. Consequently, few are aware of how Taiwan charted its path toward the international stage during that period.
For this exhibition, Thrust: Convergence and Expansion of the São Paulo Art Biennial through the NMH Collection, the museum utilizes its collection of artworks and archives from the Biennial as its axis, while extending the narrative through the artists who participated and their subsequent works. Organized into four sections, “Paving the First Mile to the International Stage,” “Special Rooms at the São Paulo Art Biennial,” “Expansion (I): Oscillating between Europe and America,” and “Expansion (II): Mutual Reciprocity and Coexistence,” the exhibition invites audiences to rediscover this overlooked history. It explores the multifaceted development of art, reflects on the journey taken, and charts the path of Taiwanese art toward the modern and contemporary eras.

►　Thrust: Convergence and Expansion of the São Paulo Art Biennial through the NMH Collection
►　Date：2026/04/10-2026/5/31
►　Venue：National Museum of History
　　（No. 49, Nanhai Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City）
►　Opening Times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM – 06:00 PM 　　(Closed on Mondays. Additional closures may occur on national holidays or special events, with updates posted separately.)