Early bird tickets for the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts' (KMFA) 2026 major international exhibition, Decoding the Everyday, will be available for a limited 8-day period starting September 3. Tickets can be purchased at the KMFA ticket counter and on the ibon ticketing system. The exhibition invites viewers to start with familiar, everyday objects and follow the footsteps of the "Godfather of British Conceptual Art," Michael Craig-Martin, to reopen the profound dialogue between "seeing" and "thinking."

▐ Decoding Our Familiar World Through Line and Color

As a key figure in the development of contemporary British art, Michael Craig-Martin has not only established a highly recognizable visual vocabulary but has also inspired a generation of "Young British Artists" (YBAs) through his years of teaching. He combines the vivid imagery of Pop Art with the intellectual spirit of Minimalism and Conceptual Art, using saturated colors and clean lines reminiscent of industrial drafting to depict the everyday world. Objects from daily life—such as mobile phones, light bulbs, and headphones—are stripped of their original function and context in his work, magnified and transformed into visual symbols of contemporary life. When these familiar objects break free from our habitual ways of seeing, they awaken the viewer's perception. Guided by the artist's precise lines, colors, and choice of objects, we are invited to re-identify the everyday and reconsider how we see and understand the world.

Beyond the gallery walls, the exhibition extends into the museum's surrounding Art-Ecology Park. Here, the artist transforms the line-drawn objects from his canvases into three-dimensional sculptures. This series of large-scale sculptures integrates seamlessly with the outdoor environment. As familiar objects stand tall in nature, the surroundings become more than just a backdrop; they become an integral part of the viewing experience. The interplay of vibrant colors, large-scale objects, architecture, and landscape creates a unique vista exclusive to KMFA's Art-Ecology Park, allowing visitors to re-perceive the relationship between the everyday and the artistic environment as they walk and pause.

▐ Extending Beyond the Galleries: "Year of UK Culture" Infuses Art into Daily Life

As the centerpiece of KMFA's "Year of UK Culture" program, Decoding the Everyday is a key initiative connecting contemporary art with the city's fabric, extending the cultural experience from the galleries to the 43-hectare Art-Ecology Park for the first time. Following the launch of Hello! Big Ben at the Children's Museum in May, which sparked children's imagination about British culture and art through images and classic literature, a series of events will roll out with the main exhibition's opening in October. These include a British Cultural Carnival, educational programs, cross-disciplinary expert lectures, and themed gatherings, allowing audiences of all ages to explore the diverse facets of British culture. Through a multi-sensory experience of sight, sound, food, and customs, visitors can personally discover the classic and diverse nature of British culture, building a connection and dialogue with the world.

Early bird tickets for Michael Craig-Martin: Decoding the Everyday are priced at NT$190 (original price NT$380) and will be on sale for a limited time from September 3 to 10. For more information on the exhibition and the "Year of UK Culture" series, please visit the KMFA website (www.kmfa.gov.tw) and follow the "Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts" on Facebook and Instagram.

Exhibition Information: Michael Craig-Martin: Decoding the Everyday

• Exhibition Dates: 2026.10.03 – 2027.03.07
• Venue: Galleries 101-103 & Park Area, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (80 Meishuguan Road, Gushan District, Kaohsiung City)

• Advisors: Ministry of Culture; Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City Government
• Lead Sponsor: Ke Po-Ju
• Angel Sponsors: Dr. Lin Cheng-Hsien Dermatology Clinic; Rotary Club of Kaohsiung Da-Ai
• Educational Partner: Rotary International District 3510
• Promotional Support: Nanhung Group; O-TA Precision Industry Co., Ltd.; Wang Hong Enterprise Co., Ltd.; Radiant Opto-Electronics; Dean Chao-Ming Hung, E-Da Cancer Hospital; Yung-Yuan Education Development Foundation
• Cultural Equity Support: Applied Materials Taiwan
• Artistic Support: Gagosian Gallery; Xian Aesthetics Clinic