Taiwanese art

The artistic heritage of Taiwan is extremely diverse with multiple major influences and periods. Today Taiwan is one of the world's most significant art markets.

Pipe organ of National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, the largest performing arts center in the world

History

The Jade Cabbage which was brought to Taiwan by the retreating Nationalists
Tehching Hsieh’s exhibition One Year Performance 1978–1979 at MoMA, 2009
Liu Yong's The Setting Sun Shines on the Mountain Village (2019)

Stonecutters of the Changbin culture began to make art on Taiwan at least 30,000 years ago. Around 5,000 years ago jade and earthenware works started to appear.[1] Between 4000 BC and 2000 BC people in what is now Hualien produced and traded valuable jade ornaments and jewelry.[2] The Dapenkeng culture developed a unique style of pottery.[3][4] For centuries much of the art produced was religious with highly decorated temples being the beneficiaries of local wealth and education.[5]

Art was first institutionalized in Taiwan during the Japanese colonial period with the establishment of public schools dedicated to the fine arts. The Japanese introduced oil and watercolor paintings to Taiwan and Taiwanese artists were heavily influenced by their Japanese counterparts. As was typical of colonial rulers the Japanese did not establish tertiary institutions for art education in Taiwan, all students wishing to pursue an advanced degree in the arts had to travel to Japan to do so.[1]

In the 1920s the New Cultural Movement influenced a generation of artists who used art as a way to demonstrate their equality with, or even their superiority over, their colonizers.[6]

When the Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949 they brought many of China’s most prestigious artists and a large portion of the former Qing Imperial art collection with them. The artists Huang Chun-pi, Pu Ru, and Chang Dai-chien who all came to Taiwan during this period are collectively known as the “three masters from across the strait.” The Nationalists also established the first art colleges and universities in Taiwan. Along with Chinese influences the Nationalists also allowed the United States to establish a series of military bases in Taiwan, American pop culture and artistic ideas such as abstract expressionism were introduced to Taiwan by the Americans. Schools such as the May Art Association, a revolutionary art group, and Eastern Art Association, an avant-garde group flourished during this time.[1] The Ton-Fan group, founded in Taipei in 1956 by eight artists, brought abstraction to Taiwan. The Ton-Fan group reacted to Government disapproval of avant-garde art by championing it.[7]

The next major influence came when the ROC left the United Nations in 1971, this unmooring from the international community caused artists to search for an identity and a sense of self, a search which continues up to the present.[8] Artists of this era such as Lee Shi-chi and Shiy De-jinn adopted Taiwanese folk motifs and other elements from Taiwan’s traditional culture however the Taiwanese art scene still chafed under the KMT’s military dictatorship.[1]

Democratization in the late 1980s and the lifting of martial law granted Taiwanese artists freedom of expression for the first time in history.[1] The end of military rule allowed the Taiwanese to access films, literature, philosophy and culture from abroad which had been denied to them or censored.[9] Artists and activists began to grapple with the legacy of authoritarianism and embraced things like queer culture which had been oppressed under the dictatorship.[10] The economic boom of the '80s and ‘90s also saw the financial resources of Taiwanese museums and patrons increase significantly. As Taiwan’s art scene matured there began to be a greater specialization in exhibit spaces with dedicated museums for things like photography and ceramics opening.[1]

After the end of single party rule indigenous Taiwanese artists and groups began exploring and rediscovering their cultural heritage, this revival also led to a larger social embrace of indigenous culture.[11] In the 21st century Taiwan’s artistic community embraced new technologies and new mediums.[1] The Taiwanese government has begun to champion and highlight Aboriginal art.[12] An indigenous artist is selected to represent Taiwan for the first time at the Venice Biennale in 2021.[13][14]

Many contemporary Taiwanese artists grapple with issues of globalization in their work.[15] LGBTQ artists in modern Taiwan enjoy a degree of freedom denied in other Asian countries. This has made Taiwan a haven and a hub for both domestic and international LGBTQ artists.[16] Its freedoms have also made it a safe haven for artists like Kacey Wong fleeing an increasingly oppressive environment in Hong Kong.[17][18][19]

Art market

Art collecting has a long tradition in Taiwan however most important and deep-pocketed Taiwanese collectors prefer to fly under the radar. Taiwanese collectors are significant buyers of Chinese contemporary art as well as antiquities.[20] Both Sotheby’s and Christie’s routinely tour the highlights of their spring and autumn Impressionist and Modern and postwar sales in Taipei.[21] Taiwanese collectors have significant presence both at home and abroad, Taiwanese billionaire collector Pierre Chen is auction house Sotheby’s go-to guarantor for big-ticket items.[22] Taiwanese-German collector Maria Chen-Tu is one of the largest collectors of German art and is also active in Taiwan. In 2019 more than three hundred million dollars worth of artwork that she had loaned for exhibition in China went missing.[23]

By 1990 the Taiwanese art market was the biggest in Asia and served as a regional hub.[24] By 2000 Hong Kong and Taiwan held comparable shares of the market.[20] In 2006 Tamsui, an oil painting by Tan Ting-pho, was purchased in 2006 for $4.5 million (NT$144 million), setting a world record for an oil painting by an ethnically Chinese artist.[25] In the 21st century while no longer the largest art market in Asia (having been surpassed by China) the tastes of Taiwan’s collectors have matured and Taiwan remains the most cutting-edge art market in Asia.[26] After 2010 the art collecting market underwent significant diversification with a large number of young buyers entering the market and driving trends.[27] In 2019 art sales in Taiwan stood at $225.4 million.[28] The art market in Taiwan is centered in Taipei which remains an Asian leading art hub. During the COVID-19 crisis the deep pool of collectors in Taipei helped the art market sustain itself.[29]

Taiwanese art, especially contemporary Taiwanese art, is seen as highly collectable and there is significant international demand for it. The Taiwanese government has worked to support domestic artists on the international stage.[30]

Jade

After the KMT retreat to Taiwan the market for jade objects was significant due to the large amount of jade objects that the civilians, soldiers, and KMT leaders fleeing China brought with them. After the opening of trade relations between Taiwan and China the market became very strong with a high interest from Chinese collectors in high end pieces which could not be found in China outside of museums but in Taiwan could be found in numerous private collections. This market tapered off in the 2020s with the worsening of relations between Taiwan and China and the unrest in Hong Kong (the other major jade market). The perfusion of counterfeits through all levels of the market has also hurt the overall value and demand for jade.[31]

Wood carving

Wood carving has a long history on Taiwan. After the deforestation of much of Taiwan’s camphor forests a local industry emerged of excavating and then carving the remaining tree stumps.[32]

The town of Sanyi, Miaoli is the current center of the Taiwanese wood carving industry. Many of the wood carvers in Sanyi are concentrated on Shuimei Street.[33] The Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum exhibits a wide range of wood art.[32][34]

Much of the timber from illegal logging in Taiwan ends up in the local wood carving industry.[35] Cheap pieces which imitate Taiwanese masters are imported from China and Southeast Asia which cuts into the local industry. Wood art made in Taiwan can be issued a certification from the Taiwan Wood-carving Association.[36]

Religious art

Taiwan’s traditional temples are home to unique artwork which represents the height of art for its time. Much of the wealth in traditional Taiwanese society went into buying and decorating temples and tombs. In particular the doors of buddhist and taoist temples are often exquisitely carved and painted with many in Taiwan depicting Guan Yu. These traditional temples have often been damaged by years of smoke of from burning incense and joss paper, as a result they often require costly restoration work.[5] Religious architecture has also had to adapt to modern materials with concrete often replacing wood for structural components in typhoon prone areas.[37]

Many of Taiwan’s traditional tombs are carved from stone with generations of artisans from stone crafting villages in Huian County, Fujian traveling to Taiwan to build tombs and temples. Chiang Hsin was the most famous of these artisans.[38] The esteemed Yeh family of Penghu have been temple architects and carpenters since the 1600s.[37]

Christian art has a significant history in Taiwan.[39]

Performing arts

The Taiwanese government believes that "A country’s level of democracy is reflected in the development of its performing arts."[40]

Completed in 2018 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts is the largest performing arts center in the world.[41][42]

Glove puppetry

A modern style of puppet in Taiwan glove puppetry.

Glove puppetry has a long history in Taiwan and is considered one of the country's traditional arts.[43]

See also

References

  1. Chung, Oscar (January 2020). "Beauty in Diversity". taiwantoday.tw. Taiwan Today. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  2. Hsien-feng, Lee; Hsin-Yin, Lee. "Hualien Archaeological Museum opens, highlighting jade objects". focustaiwan.tw. Focus Taiwan. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
    • Jiao, Tianlong (2007). The Neolithic of southeast China: cultural transformation and regional interaction on the coast. Cambria Press. pp. 91–94. ISBN 978-1-934043-16-5.
  3. Huang, Shihchiang (2009). "Tapenkeng Site". Encyclopedia of Taiwan.
  4. CHOU, CYBIL. "Uffizi art conservator brushes up Taiwan's temples". asia.nikkei.com. Nikkei. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  5. Staff Writer. "FEATURE: Art from 1920s-1940s forms Taiwanese identity". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  6. Yao, John. "Catching Up with Taiwanese Art". hyperallergic.com. Hyperallergic. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  7. "Place/Displace: Three Generations of Taiwanese Art". pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu. USC Pacific Asia Museum. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  8. Berlatsky, Noah. "Review: What a queer Taiwanese 1995 sci-fi novel got right about the future". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  9. Lin, River. "Keep queer and carry on: the art of becoming in Taiwan". www.artbasel.com. Art Basel. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  10. Chen, Alicia; Shih, Gerry. "'Taiwan has always been the same': Indigenous artists are reclaiming the island's cultural heritage". www.independent.co.uk. The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-26. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  11. Hsiao, Sherry. "Taipei exhibition features Aboriginal culture, artists". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  12. Masters, HG. "INDIGENOUS ARTIST TO REPRESENT TAIWAN AT VENICE". artasiapacific.com. Art Asian Pacific. Archived from the original on 2020-05-03. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  13. However, the 2021 edition is postponed to the next year and Taiwan is not represented in 2022. See: https://www.labiennale.org/en/art/2022/national-participations
  14. Brooks, Katherine. "14 Reasons Taiwan Is A Rising Power In The Art World". www.huffpost.com. Huffington Post. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  15. Holland, Oscar. "Why gay-friendly Taiwan is a creative haven for LGBTQ art". www.cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  16. "HK artist says he came to Taiwan for '100% freedom'". Taipei Times. AFP. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  17. Shaw, Anny (4 August 2021). "'It's too dangerous to stay': Hong Kong artist Kacey Wong leaves for Taiwan as Chinese government curbs artistic and editorial autonomy". www.theartnewspaper.com. The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  18. Evans, John. "Artist Kacey Wong, attacking the red giant". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  19. Adam, Georgina (2019-01-11). "Taiwan's art market: matters of taste". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  20. Kinsella, Eileen (2019-01-17). "Meet 8 Influential Collectors Behind Taiwan's Growing Art Scene". news.artnet.com. Art Net. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  21. Schachter, Kenny (2019-06-19). "After Scooping the World on 'Salvator Mundi,' Kenny Schachter Has More to Reveal About the Leonardo—and Art Basel's Biggest Deals, Too". news.artnet.com. Art Net. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  22. Brown, Kate (2019-11-20). "$300 Million Worth of Work by Anselm Kiefer and Other German Artists Has Mysteriously Gone Missing in China". news.artnet.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  23. Chow, Vivienne (2020-01-24). "Taipei Was Asia's Biggest Market Hub 30 Years Ago. Can a Coterie of Art-World Insiders Return It to Its Former Glory?". news.artnet.com. Artnet. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  24. "Chinese painting sets record price - Taipei Times". www.taipeitimes.com. 27 November 2006.
  25. Goldstein, Andrew (2019-01-28). "Where Is Asia's Art Market Headed? Taiwan's New Taipei Dangdai Fair Shows a Region on the Verge of Massive Change". news.artnet.com. Artnet. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  26. Adam, Georgina (14 May 2021). "Taiwan and the balance of power". Financial Times. The Financial Times. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  27. Chow, Vivienne (14 July 2021). "Taipei's Thriving Art Scene Looks to Become an International Star". www.artnews.com. Art News. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  28. Devi, Reena. "Taipei's Community of Collectors Has Turned the City into a Leading Art Hub". www.artsy.net. Artsy. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  29. Ingram Allen, Jane. "5 Taiwanese artists going global". artradarjournal.com. Art Radar. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  30. Chen, Dene-Hern; Wang, Amber. "Taiwan's antique jade dealers see trade losing luster". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  31. "The Beginning Natural Wood Decoration". wood.mlc.gov.tw. Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  32. "Woodcarving in Sanyi, Miaoli". www.ntcri.gov.tw. NTCRI. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  33. Chung, Oscar (June 2015). "Inspiring Creativity in Woodcarving". taiwantoday.tw. Taiwan Today. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  34. Aspinwall, Nick (3 February 2018). "Contraband for Sale: How Poachers Supply Sanyi's Thriving Wood Art Market". thenewslens.com. The News Lens. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  35. Lee, Vico (14 June 2003). "'Made in Taiwan' and proud of it". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  36. Cheung, Han. "Taiwan in Time: Building shrines in changing times". taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  37. Cheung, Han (15 August 2021). "Taiwan in Time: Crafting Taiwan's temples". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  38. Weimin, Ye. "Christian Art in Taiwan" (PDF). hsstudyc.org.hk. Holy Spirit Study Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-15. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  39. Staff Writer (21 July 2019). "Performing arts indicate democracy, official says". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  40. Lavars, Nick (23 October 2018). "World's largest performing arts center opens in Taiwan". newatlas.com. New Atlas. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  41. Treviño, Julissa. "Taiwan Is Now Home to the World's Largest Performing Arts Center". www.smithsonianmag.com. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  42. "Literature and Art". eng.taiwan.net.tw. Taiwan.net. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.