After social-media posts by women claiming to be sexual-assault victims of Sakuliu Pavavaljung began to circulate online in mid-December 2021, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) decided to cancel the artist’s solo showcase at Taiwan’s collateral pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale.
In a January 12 statement, TFAM, which has organized Taiwan’s participation in the Biennale since 1995, cited the international attention that the allegations have attracted as well as the need to “protect Taiwan’s diplomatic image and reputation” and “avoid distraction from the Taiwan Pavilion’s artistic performance” as reasons for terminating the commission. The decision was reached by an advisory committee comprising individuals who had nominated the artist, experts in gender equality, lawyers, and representatives of the museum. Pavavaljung was the first Indigenous Paiwanese artist selected to represent Taiwan at the major international event.
