Born in 1954 in Nanto, Taiwan, J.J. Shih holds a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts from National Normal University and a Master Degree from the Graduate School of Art History, Temple University (USA). Prior to taking up the directorship of Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, J.J. Shih was Chief Curator, Exhibitions and Deputy Researcher at Taipei Fine Arts Museum. He also serves as a Trustee of the Dimension Endowment of Art and the Contemporary Art Foundation. He is a committee member of the Public Art Program and Taipei Council of Cultural Affairs, a consultant of National Culture and Arts Foundation, and Artistic Director of Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture.

Since 1992, J.J.Shih has published more than two hundred art reviews. His reviews could be seen on art magazines such as The Lion Art Monthly, Artist Magazine, Dragon Art Magazine, Mountain Art, Art China, Art Touch Magazine, and Asia Art Pacific, which is based in Australia, and won the 1997 DEOA Art Criticism Award.

In 2008, he became the director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei, and has committed to promoting both the international and local relations for the museum. In addition to bringing European, American, Japanese, Australian, and other countries’ contemporary art to Taiwan, he also promotes Taiwanese contemporary art and introduces them to Shanghai, Beijing, Venice, and other exhibition sites. After four years of dedicated efforts, he has successfully emerged art with the neighboring communities, parks, and the MRT underground streets through the consistent exhibitions and educational activities.