“ΔDesignArt 2026” Returns from May 15 to 17 Four International Curators and Fair Founders, Together with Works by LOEWE FOUNDAT

2025-05-31

“ΔDesignArt 2026” Returns from May 15 to 17 Four International Curators and Fair Founders, Together with Works by LOEWE FOUNDAT

The design-art energy of Nangang is set to flourish this May. Organized by The Place Taipei and curated by DESIGNSURFING and minari Brand & Culture co.,ltd, ΔDesignArt 2026 will take place from Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 17, 2026, at The Place Taipei.

As Taiwan’s first art exhibition platform centered on designers’ perspectives, ΔDesignArt enters its third edition this year with the theme “CRAFTING ASIA — Asian Voices on Collectible Design.” For the first time, the fair brings together four leading international curators and fair founders from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia. Through the creative languages and cultural logic of each region, they will share their practices, perspectives, and reflections on the rising momentum of design art in Asia.

Continuing its previous format of transforming 17 hotel rooms into exhibition spaces open free to the public, this year’s edition further expands into the hotel’s public areas on the 1st and 10th floors. A special thematic exhibition, “Object Plaza,” will invite visitors into a vibrant and ongoing Asian cultural field, introducing the international rise of Designart and Collectible Design in recent years.By connecting audiences, educational and industrial systems, and the art and design market, ΔDesignArt seeks to spark unexpected encounters and new possibilities. Ahead of the official opening of ΔDesignArt 2026, here are the key themes and highlights of this year’s edition.

Looking Toward Asia 「“CRAFTING ASIA” Reflects a Cross-Border Cultural Energy Now Taking Shape

As cultural exchange continues to intensify in recent years, the boundary between design and art has become less rigid than before. The “Δ” in ΔDesignArt refers to Delta, a mathematical symbol representing change in a variable. When variables such as material, technique, and cultural knowledge enter the spectrum between Design and Art, they often give rise to experimental works that expand how we understand creativity.

Since its launch in 2024, ΔDesignArt has now entered its third year. The first edition, themed “Spectrum,” opened up the boundaries of creative practice. In 2025, “Pairing” explored the chemistry generated through cross-disciplinary collaboration. This year, the fair extends its perspective outward toward Asia, asking a deeper question: as Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and other regions develop their own vocabularies of design art, where does Taiwan position itself?In this year’s theme, “CRAFTING ASIA,” the word “crafting” refers not only to craft itself, but also to an ongoing act of making and shaping. It declares that Asia is actively defining its own future in design art.

The main visual of this year’s fair also responds to this thematic spirit. Set against a highly saturated orange background and paired with blue ballpoint-pen lines, the visual preserves a sense of immediacy, improvisation, and an uncorrected creative state. It deepens this year’s focus on action and presence, allowing the visual itself to become a trace of an act.

As the host venue, The Place Taipei brings a sense of lived experience that resonates naturally with design art. Visitors are invited not only to view the works, but also to imagine how these objects may enter everyday life and form more tangible, intimate connections with the daily world.

ΔDesignArt takes The Place Taipei as its stage, transforming hotel rooms into platforms for design art. The images on the right show last year’s exhibition rooms. The 2026 main visual, shown on the left, responds to the theme “CRAFTING ASIA” with a highly saturated orange background and blue ballpoint-pen lines, preserving an improvised and uncorrected creative state. (Image courtesy of The Place Taipei)

This year’s fair brings together works by creators from across Asia, while also inviting four international curators and fair founders to participate in person. These include Budiman Ong, founder of Indonesia’s JIA Curated, a major event integrating craft, design, and culture; Hyeyoung Cho, Korean independent curator, Korean Commissioner and Expert Panel member of the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize, often described as “the Oscars of craft”; Yuta Takeda, founder of Tokyo’s design hotel DDD HOTEL, as well as PARCEL gallery and the design-art events alter. and EASTEAST_; and Taiwanese curator ShiKai Tseng, who is also a designer and full-time assistant professor at the Department of Industrial Design, Shih Chien University. Tseng has long been dedicated to translating and applying design and art across different cultural contexts, and was previously invited to curate and lead Taiwanese creators to participate in Indonesia’s JIA Curated.

Through the works of creators from each country, as well as the first-hand experiences and perspectives of curators and fair founders, ΔDesignArt 2026 invites audiences to explore the cultural energies currently being shaped across Asia. The fair hopes to loosen fixed understandings of “craft” and, by reflecting on the developmental paths of Japan, Korea, and Indonesia, further consider Taiwan’s distinctive position within the Asian design-art landscape.ΔDesignArt thus evolves from a fair into a platform for dialogue, where perspectives from different countries converge and collectively search for new ways to move forward together.

“A hotel is not merely a place for accommodation. It can also become a site where culture naturally happens. This year’s theme reveals that Asian creators have already moved beyond simply following European and American models. Instead, they demonstrate diversity, inclusiveness, and the vigorous vitality of their own cultural contexts.”

— Roni Hung, Deputy General Manager, The Place Taipei

For the first time, ΔDesignArt 2026 brings together four international curators and fair founders from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia. From left: Budiman Ong, Founder of Indonesia’s JIA Curated; Hyeyoung Cho, Korean independent curator and Korean Commissioner / Expert Panel member of the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize; Yuta Takeda, Founder of Japan’s DDD Hotel; and ShiKai Tseng, Taiwanese curator. (Image courtesy of the curators and fair founders, and The Place Taipei)

5 Highlights at a Glance Creators, Curators, and Fair Founders from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia Gather to Present Asian Perspectives on Design Art through Works, Forums, and Online Exhibitions

Chad Liu, curator of ΔDesignArt and General Manager of DESIGNSURFING / Admira Gallery, notes that this year’s fair represents the culmination of three years of accumulated energy. Continuing to place Collectible Design at its core, the 2026 edition further focuses on Asian perspectives. Through the integration of works, international forums, and online content, the fair aims to initiate international dialogue, connect resources, and present the multiple dimensions of design art today.Below are the five major highlights of this year’s edition.

Highlight.1：A Gathering of Asian Creative Energy Full Exhibition Room Lineup Announced Related Works by LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize Finalists and Alumni Presented in Taiwan for the First Time as a Small-Scale Group Exhibition

This year’s fair brings together creators and design-art organizations from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, forming a cross-Asian field of exchange.From Taiwan, Yen-An Chen, who transforms field research into design objects through the brand ayaᵃ, and Ting-Hsuan Chang, whose practice focuses on states of material flow and processes of formation, will present series including Neon Lamp Series and Dipping Net Series.

THZ Gallery will present works by Japanese artists Kazunori Onaka and Yoshihiro Nishiyama, as well as Taiwanese artist Wei-Cheng Wu. The gallery will also introduce Sabotensi, a plant shop known for its “transparent cacti,” presenting the multiple possibilities of ceramic and glass.Archive Curatorial Agency will present works by Taiwanese artist CIZ and Japanese artist Tamako Yamada under the theme “Trace and Kinetic,” with an installation that evokes the poetic cross-sections of geological strata.

zhēnzhēn Stained glass lab will debut a new work that moves beyond everyday lighting into sound and moving-image installation, guiding viewers through light into an inner landscape of sensory depth.

The creative unit Clothes.ZIP, which began as a graduation project from the Department of Visual Communication Design at National Taiwan University of Arts and has participated in ΔDesignArt since its first edition, will present a new direction this year. Through the Tableware and Food Series and the small-scale project ALL IN ALL, the unit explores further possibilities in textile regeneration.

ΔDesignArt 2026 brings together numerous creators from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, presenting exhibitions across all 17 rooms. From upper left: works presented by Archive Curatorial Agency、YenAn Chen、Ting Hsuan Chang、Clothes.ZIP 、THZ Gallery. (Image courtesy of the respective creative teams and The Place Taipei)

One of the most anticipated highlights this year is the exhibition room “LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize finalists and alumni,” which brings together related works by creators who have previously been selected as finalists for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize.

The room offers a view into the evolving practices of these artists, echoing the theme “CRAFTING ASIA” while presenting the vitality of Asian craft. Featured artists include Didi NG Wing Yin from Hong Kong / Finland with wood-based works, Maki Imoto from Japan with glass works, Pao Hui Kao from Taiwan / the Netherlands with sculptural works, and Jongjin Park from Korea with ceramic works. This marks the first time that related works by finalists of this internationally recognized award will be presented in Taiwan as a small-scale group exhibition.

Among them, Korean ceramic artist Jongjin Park, introduced by Korean curator Hyeyoung Cho, was shortlisted as a 2026 finalist for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize with Strata of Illusion. The work recreates geological strata near his coastal studio through ceramic practice. Park is among the contenders for the final prize, with the winner to be announced on May 12.

In addition, Cheongju Craft Biennale, the largest craft biennale in Asia, will also present a special exhibition room, adding further international weight to this year’s fair. Byeon Gwang-sub, Chairperson of the Cheongju Craft Biennale Organizing Committee, will visit Taiwan for the occasion and personally lead a guided tour during the opening event.

A room jointly presented by Sung Rim Park, Yoonjeong Lee, and Seasoning.objet will introduce diverse scenes of contemporary Korean design art. From Japan, galerie a will present works by Masayuki Kinuta, Enjo Yamazaki, and Kana Ueda, while JILL D’ART GALLERY will bring an installation by Iruha Amano, an artist known for working with metal and glass. Together, these presentations will lead visitors through a space suspended between order and playfulness.

The exhibition room “LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize finalists and alumni” brings together related works by artists who have previously been selected as finalists for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize. The room presents works that trace the development of each artist’s practice, including Maki Imoto (top left), Didi NG Wing Yin (bottom left), Pao Hui Kao (top right), and Jongjin Park. Among them, Korean ceramic artist Jongjin Park’s 2026 finalist work Strata of Illusion (bottom right), currently on view in Singapore, is also drawing attention as a contender for the final prize to be announced soon. (Image courtesy of the respective creative teams and The Place Taipei)

Highlight.2：Multiple “Firsts” in Taiwanese Design Personal Milestones and Milan Design Week Works Make Their First Public Appearance in Taiwan

Continuing ΔDesignArt’s curatorial spirit of discovering diverse creative possibilities, this year’s fair brings together many significant “first moments.” Hsiang Han Hsu, the first Taiwanese designer to collaborate with the iconic Italian furniture brand Cappellini, will present his creative universe at the fair. He will also showcase a new work exhibited during his seventh participation in Milan Design Week. Following the recent conclusion of Milan Design Week 2026, this will be the first time the work is publicly shown in Asia.

Also highly anticipated is the debut of designer yangshueiyuan ‘s experimental creative series, which shifts from the language of industrial design toward a more artistic direction. Known for transforming existing materials, META Design will make its first public presentation of an experimental project using recycled glass, titled Time, Temperature and Development.Senior designer, educator, and curator Sally Lin will not only serve as one of the curators of the 1st-floor thematic exhibition, but will also present her long-term creative trajectory in the form of a solo exhibition at ΔDesignArt for the first time.

In the “Wuba Yang + nothingshop” room, paper artist Wuba Yang collaborates with nothingshop, a creator long engaged in installation art and character design. This marks the first joint exhibition by the artist siblings.Netherlands-based designer Erco Lai has long sought to observe and imitate natural cycles in order to imagine forms of symbiotic circulation with nature. In the “ercoffice + For 3” room, Lai will collaborate with For 3 Design Studio to present works created in partnership with Taiwanese companies for the first time, exploring further possibilities for design across different fields

This exhibition brings together important “first moments” for many Taiwanese creators. From upper left: works by Sally Lin、META Design、Hsiang Han Hsu、yangshueiyuan（右下）。(Image courtesy of the respective creative teams and The Place Taipei)

Highlight.3：Curators and Fair Founders from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia Share Their Perspectives A Series of Major International Forums

Each year, ΔDesignArt organizes international forums to expand the intellectual dimension of the fair. This year, multiple international curators and fair founders will attend in person and participate in five forums. Topics include the rise of Southeast Asia’s craft ecosystem, the formation of Asian cultural subjectivity, and the pathways through which creative practices enter the market. Together, the forums will explore the current state and future imagination of Asian Collectible Design from multiple perspectives.

On Friday, May 15, Taiwanese designer ShiKai Tseng and Indonesian JIA Curated founder Budiman Ong will discuss “The Power of Co-Creation: The Formation and Expansion of Southeast Asia’s Design-Art Ecosystem.” Korean curator Hyeyoung Cho, who has long been active on international platforms such as the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize, will join curator, art critic, and cultural commentator Peini Beatrice Hsieh in a conversation titled “Asia as a Creative Center: Local Contexts and Global Connections.”

On Saturday, May 16, designer Hsiang Han Hsu and ΔDesignArt curator Chad Liu will discuss “From Creation to Market: How Can Collectible Design Become Possible?” On the same day, Yuta Takeda, founder of DDD HOTEL, will join Yu-Chen Hung, Deputy General Manager of The Place Taipei, for “The Management Methodology of Design Art: Building Cultural Systems from Hotels to Exhibitions.”

On Sunday, May 17, the closing lecture “OBJECT PLAZA | How Is the Value of Objects Created?” will feature the three curators of the thematic exhibition: Sally Lin, Yen-An Chen, and Janet Fang. Taking the exhibition as a starting point, they will explore how objects are redefined, and how their value is seen, judged, and produced.

For detailed forum descriptions and registration information, please refer to The Place Taipei official ACCUPASS PAGE . Each session is priced at NT$250 per person. After the fair, on Saturday, May 23, ΔDesignArt curator Chad Liu and designer Hsiang Han Hsu will speak at the “2026 Young Designers’ Exhibition｜Border Salon,” part of Asia’s largest graduation exhibition, the Young Designers’ Exhibition. Their talk, titled “Future Trends of Collectible Design in Asia from the Perspective of Milan Design Week,” will extend the dialogue of this year’s fair. Admission to the talk is free, but a separate ticket to the Young Designers’ Exhibition is required.

The “ΔDesignArt International Forum,” held during the fair period, attracts many participants each year and serves as a lively platform for discussion. The image shows the forum venue during the 2025 edition. (Image courtesy of The Place Taipei)

Highlight.4：The Exhibition Moves Beyond the Rooms Installations and Thematic Exhibitions Transform the Hotel’s Public Spaces into Design-Art Fields

ΔDesignArt 2026 further expands the exhibition into the public spaces of the hotel, allowing design art to become part of the everyday flow of travelers and visitors.Located on the 1st floor, the thematic exhibition Object Plaza is co-curated by Sally Lin, Janet Fang, and Yen-An Chen. With the concept of “a collective portrait of objects,” the exhibition brings together objects from different contexts, including nature, industry, design, art, antiques, and collectibles. They are deliberately displayed without classification, prompting viewers to ask: is the object before us a tool, an artwork, or a collectible?

As the starting point of the exhibition route, Object Plaza invites visitors to carry these questions and initial impressions upstairs, where they encounter the works in the hotel-room exhibitions. As the spatial layers unfold, the density of thought gradually deepens.

On the 10th floor, the public area will feature a conceptual installation jointly created by Japan’s HONOKA and Taiwan’s tistudioflower. Brands from Taiwan and Japan, including MOBJE and monouno, will also present works. Vessels, botanical sculptures, and home objects will appear within the flow of visitors’ movement, dining, and waiting, allowing design art to quietly enter everyday life.

The image on the left shows the latest work presented in 2025 by HONOKA, an award-winning participant of SaloneSatellite. The image on the right shows Tōka, an original series by Taiwanese floral creator tistudioflower. The two will present their first collaborative installation at this year’s fair.

The works presented by MOBJE during the period when designer Shinya Yamamoto served as its art director are elegant and full of charm.

Highlight.5：Opening a Space for Students New-Generation Creativity Seen through the “Design Students Art Salon”

As a design-oriented hotel, The Place Taipei has long hoped to make Taiwan more visible through curatorial practice. One of the original intentions of ΔDesignArt has also been to offer students in design and art fields another important platform beyond graduation exhibitions.

This year’s ΔDesignArt student open call was judged by the four international curators and fair founders participating in this year’s fair, along with Akio Aoki, founder of DESIGNART TOKYO, who has participated in previous editions of ΔDesignArt, and Jaeyong Kang, Artistic Director of the 2025 Cheongju Craft Biennale.

Six outstanding works were selected: Bloomi by Yun-Hsin Chang, Fish Swimming in Water by Yi-Hsiang Lin, From Thrive Within The Soul by Shao-Szu Huang, Afterform - FDM Sculptural Experimental Vase by Hsin-Hui Chiu, Lacquer Rhythm by Ya-Wen Cheng and Po-Chen Lu, and LEAHARD Hardened Leather Experimental Furniture by Pin-Wen Lai and Pin-Yun Lai.These works will be exhibited free of charge during ΔDesignArt 2026 in the Design Students Art Salon. The presentation reveals how young creators respond to material, technique, bodily experience, and cultural perception, forming the creative languages of their own generation. Together, the works point toward a larger question: within the Asian context, how else can Collectible Design be imagined?

“ΔDesignArt Student Salon” will present six outstanding student works selected for this year’s edition, showing how young creators respond to the theme “CRAFTING ASIA.” (Image courtesy of the respective creative teams and The Place Taipei)

Taiwan as a Hub　Letting the Voices of Asian Design Art Resonate

Located between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, Taiwan possesses both a geographical advantage as a regional hub and a cultural openness shaped by diversity and inclusiveness. It is well positioned to become a place where the energies of Asian design art converge.ΔDesignArt 2026 turns this potential into concrete action. By bringing creators, curators, fair founders, and institutions from different countries into The Place Taipei, the fair positions Taiwan as a site for witnessing the ongoing development of Asian design art. It allows practitioners from across the region to meet, exchange, and generate real dialogue and new possibilities.

Beyond the physical exhibition, the ΔDesignArt online exhibition area will continue to gather creator interviews, perspectives from international curators and fair founders, and video documentation. These contents will build an ongoing contemporary archive across the fields of design and art. Related materials will be available on The Place Taipei event website and the DESIGNSURFING website.

In alignment with The Place Taipei’s brand spirit of Fun, Fusion, and Fashion, ΔDesignArt actively positions the hotel as a site for nurturing creativity through curatorial practice and platform-building. It supports Taiwanese creators in moving toward the international stage.

For more information about ΔDesignArt 2026, please visit The Place Taipei’s official website, Facebook page, and Instagram. We invite you to enter this design-art symphony that belongs to Asia and reflects the present moment.

ΔDesignArt 2026

Dates / Opening Hours

VIP and Media Preview

Thursday, May 14, 2026

14:00–19:00

Public Opening

Friday, May 15 – Sunday, May 17, 2026

11:00–19:00

Free Admission

Venue

The Place Taipei

No. 196, Jingmao 2nd Road, Nangang District, Taipei City 115018, Taiwan