Art and the Modernist Pursuit in Taiwan

This is the most up-to-date collection of essays in English on the trajectory of Taiwan and its modernist art movement currently available. Situated in a unique geopolitical and historical juncture, Taiwan provides a sole paradigm in Asia that critically engages the cultural and theoretical discourses on the issues of modernism in a global context. Chronologically and thematically structured, this volume is divided into four sections, from the Japanese Colonial (1895-1945) and Postwar (1945-1987) eras, to the present. In addition to situating Taiwan between the local and global with scholarly contributions, the volume concludes with engaging and personal essays by two of Taiwan’s most accomplished modernist artists. All of the contributing scholars are leading figures in the field of Taiwan, China and Asian modern contemporary art history, including Julia Andrews and John Clark. In addition, the artists Liu Guosong (b. 1932) and Mali Wu (b. 1957), are the most representative and critical of their respective times. The balance between scholarly discourse and artists’ presentation truly makes this publication one of a kind.