The chess-like public art at the main entrance of Binjiang Junior High School is created by the French artist Daniel Buren, who used to exhibit at Pompidou and other art centers, and it symbolizes education is like playing chess through merging the school entrance with artistic elements; the school even hosted a gobang competition to elect a winner—Chi-Hang Hsiao. Hsiao then competed gobang with the principal in front of the chess building and Ma, Ying-Jeou was the referee; this symbolizes the official start of this education and reasoning garden. There are institutional situational arrangements hidden at various corners in the campus in order to let students cultivate the habit of learning actively everywhere, every time through the “omnipresence of learning elements.”

This work is designed with the overall appearance of the building in mind, using artistic forms to highlight architectural features such as the repetitive elements of the balconies, while also drawing attention to the main entrance—the most important focal point of the structure. A school, however, is not only a place where young students receive instruction. It should also be an environment where they can experience the joy, pleasure, and fulfillment of learning, rather than a dull, compulsory, or uncomfortable space. Based on these ideas and reflections on education, the design introduces adjustments to the building’s façade to convey a greater sense of friendliness and approachability. The intention is to create a space where students can find both the joy of strengthening their bodies and the deeper meaning that enriches their minds.

Daniel Buren
Born in Paris, March 25, 1938

Daniel Buren is recognized as one of the most important contemporary artists of our time. His works have been exhibited in major museums around the world and are held in the collections of institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Centre Pompidou in France.

What makes Buren’s work distinctive is his emphasis on the relationship between the artwork and its site. He begins by carefully evaluating the conditions of the space and then develops his artistic concept accordingly.

Artwork Description