YIRI ARTS started as a mixed-usage space known as "Sonnentor Cafe" in 2012, combining art, cuisine, and scent in a holistic aesthetic. In 2014. it transitioned into the YIRI ARTS we know today, seeking to create "everyday art museums". Within the year, we had established galleries in 3 Taiwanese cities - Kaohsiung (south), Taichung (central), and Taipei (north), each with its own unique style. YIRI ARTS has established itself in Taiwan's contemporary art scene through its style of experimentation in interweaving art into the tapestry of life and space.

Each Gallery an Art Piece

The first space is in the Pier-2 port of Kaohsiung. Consistent with its location as a seaside port city, YIRI transformed an old warehouse using boards like the deck of a cabin, a spiraling outlook ladder, and a large net 5-meters tall, evoking the imagery of a ship transporting visitors towards the sea of art.

Our second space is situated in a quiet Taichung neighborhood, making it the perfect place to create a welcoming, homelike atmosphere that has hosted artist residencies from Japan and Spain.

The third space is in Taiwan's capital, Taipei. Tucked in an old industrial office building, it is conceptually a dark collection room for the curious and strange, but hidden behind a large display case and a set of sliding doors is a pure white exhibition space 60-ping in size.

Artist World Tour Project

YIRI ARTS believes Taiwan's artists should make their way on to the world stage through exhibitions, promotions, and exchange. YIRI ARTS pairs Taiwanese and foreign artists in their home locale to create new chances for interaction while promoting Taiwanese art culture, systematically developing an international market. Thus far, we have made our mark at Art Fair Tokyo (Japan), Art Osaka (Japan), Art Busan (Korea), Art Beijing (China), Art Central (Hong Kong), Art Stage (Singapore), START (United Kingdom), Art 15 and 16 (United Kingdom), Art Madrid (Spain), among others.

Publication - another way for artists to be seen

YIRI ARTS publishes its own independent bimonthly magazine "YIRI Good Paper". We feature news from our three galleries, share experiences from international art fairs, aggregate international art news, interview collectors, showcase individual contributors, and host art reviews - there's something of interest for everyone.

In addition to regularly publishing artists' personal collections of work, 2015 marked the beginning of YIRI Arts' new publication project: "8 1/2". The title is inspired by the great Italian director Fellini, and also reflects the project's goal of publishing 9 books categorized by medium and theme, each featuring 8 different artists in depth. Through thoughtful curation, we plan to establish a new artist database for our era.

Art Without Borders - Make yourself free with art

YIRI ARTS founded the Taipei Free Art Fair in 2014. In the words of French writer Camus, "Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better". Thus inspired, we created a platform without restrictions, promoting artistic freedom. We saw artists and groups come from around the world, creating and interacting freely with visitors, spurring energy and inspiration.