Boundless Aesthetics: A Contemporary Dialogue from Tainan to Rotterdam

▌Beyond the Frame of Art

The name “Bug 2” (虫二) is said to originate from an inscription by Emperor Qianlong at West Lake in Hangzhou. By removing the outer frames of the Chinese characters for “wind” (風) and “moon” (月), the phrase becomes “boundless”—suggesting a world beyond limits.

This idea forms the core philosophy of Bug 2 Gallery: to move beyond conventional frameworks of art, and to explore the intersection of Eastern philosophy and Western contemporary practices within an open and boundless field.

▌A Dual Foundation: Where Artistic Practice Meets Humanistic Thought

Bug 2 Gallery was founded through the convergence of two distinct yet complementary forces.

Pascal van der Graaf, the gallery’s artistic director, is a classically trained Dutch artist. He was awarded the Royal Award for Modern Painting (Netherlands) in 2007, affirming his position within the European contemporary art scene. After years of working in Taiwan, he was also awarded Second Prize in Sculpture at the New Taipei City Art Exhibition in 2025, reflecting the evolution of his cross-cultural practice. His curatorial eye ensures a high level of rigor in both technique and conceptual depth.

Dr. Arwen Yang, who leads the gallery’s strategic direction, brings a strong humanistic and philosophical dimension. Holding a PhD in Chinese Literature from Peking University and having taught at Macau University of Science and Technology, her research focuses on Confucian and Daoist philosophy. She translates these intellectual traditions into a curatorial vision, positioning Bug 2 not merely as a gallery, but as a platform for ideas and cultural dialogue.

▌Three Years in Motion: Rooted in Taiwan, Looking Outward

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Over the past three years, we have not simply operated a gallery space—we have been building a bridge across continents.

We have introduced a number of significant Dutch contemporary artists to Taiwan, particularly within minimal and geometric abstraction. These include Jos van Merendonk, who deconstructs the act of painting; Lily de Bont and Jan Maarten Voskuil, who challenge the boundaries of canvas and frame; and Suzan Drummen, whose kaleidoscopic installations expand perception.

Our roster has become an important entry point for Taiwanese audiences to engage with European contemporary abstraction.

Beyond exhibitions within our own space, we have actively developed Taiwan–Netherlands group exhibitions, fostering a dynamic exchange between Taiwanese resilience and Dutch structural precision. These efforts have extended into museum contexts, including YunFeiFan Art Museum (Tainan) and Neiwei Arts Center (Kaohsiung), bringing contemporary art into broader public engagement.

▌Trajectory and Vision: From Art Taipei to Kiaf Seoul

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Our presence in art fairs has evolved steadily. From regional platforms such as Art Tainan and Art Taichung, to the larger stage of Art Taipei, and further into the international arena with Kiaf Seoul, each participation has served to test and expand our vision.

Our aim remains clear: to connect artistic energies between Taiwan and the Netherlands, and to extend this dialogue across Europe and Asia.

▌Art Rotterdam 2026: A Duet of Material and Cultural Translation

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From March 26 to 29, 2026, Bug 2 Gallery will take a significant step forward with its first participation in Art Rotterdam.

For this occasion, we present a curated dialogue between Pascal van der Graaf and Taiwanese Atayal artist Yuma Taru:

• Pascal van der Graaf transforms the traditional practice of origami into three-dimensional pictorial structures, challenging the boundary between painting and sculpture.
• Yuma Taru reinterprets Atayal weaving traditions, translating cultural memory into contemporary fiber-based forms that embody fluidity and lived histories.

One brings Eastern folding into Western painting; the other brings indigenous Taiwanese weaving into the language of contemporary art.

This presentation in Rotterdam embodies the spirit of “boundlessness”—where art transcends geography, and dialogue emerges not between East and West, but between forms of thinking and ways of being.

We look forward to welcoming you in Rotterdam, and to sharing this journey that spans across continents.