Taiwanese art
[3][4] For centuries much of the art produced was religious with highly decorated temples being the beneficiaries of local wealth and education.
[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.
[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.
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.
[12] Its freedoms have also made it a safe haven for artists like Kacey Wong fleeing an increasingly oppressive environment in Hong Kong.
[13][14][15] Art collecting has a long tradition in Taiwan however most important and deep-pocketed Taiwanese collectors prefer to fly under the radar.
[16] Both Sotheby’s and Christie’s routinely tour the highlights of their spring and autumn Impressionist and Modern and postwar sales in Taipei.
After the deforestation of much of Taiwan’s camphor forests a local industry emerged of excavating and then carving the remaining tree stumps.
[32] Cheap pieces which imitate Taiwanese masters are imported from China and Southeast Asia which cuts into the local industry.
[34] In addition, since 1980, Taiwanese calligraphers have been influenced by various sources, including contemporary Japanese and Korean calligraphy, as well as Western postmodern and abstract art.
This collaboration demonstrates the effort to renew the way of displacing traditional Chinese calligraphy in contemporary Taiwanes art world.
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.
[42] The recognized tribes, including the Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Paiwan, and Rukai, contribute to the development of indigenous art in Taiwan.
According to ethnologists, Taiwan’s indigenous people came in waves during different periods and through different routes from the south with the help of ocean currents and seasonal winds.
[48][49] Taiwan's indigenous art finds expression in various forms including weaving, pottery, carving, music, etc.
The preservation and exhibition of these artefacts not only celebrate their appeal but also contribute to the understanding of indigenous social structures and traditions.
Wood carvings mostly came from the houses of the noblemen, with items as small as smoke pipes, spoons, cups, combs, wooden boxes, fortune telling box, dolls, sawing boards, gunpowder holders, knives, spears, wooden shields, staffs, bells, etc.
[citation needed] Weaving was considered an important necessity for the daily life of Taiwan’s indigenous tribes during the prehistoric period.
[58] Puppets are designed to look more lifelike and realistic, most famously the character Su Huan-Jen, who is crafted from heavy cloth, real hair and glass eyeballs.
[59] Cosplay became popular in Taiwan around the late 80s, and is a form of costuming, mostly as characters found in Japanese Manga or Anime.
[60] Being active in fan culture as a Doujinshi Artist, which is a creator of fan-made manga, often derived of their favourite media, or Cosplayer, can be immensely time-consuming, but it is highly valued in the community.
[60] Cosplay involves not only the artistry behind making the costume and accessories, often made from scratch by hand, but also the performance aspect behind portraying a character, which has many similarities with stage dramas.
Instead, they want to determine their ability and identity, make themselves visible to society, and challenge the social expectation of a successful and respectful life.
[63] Likewise, graffiti in Taiwan also reflects the changing psychological orientation of youths, from aligning with the social desire to self-expression or self-realisation.
On the other hand, by choosing graffiti as a means to realise themselves, they show attitudes opposed to the model successful path in Taiwanese society focusing on academic achievement.
