Taiwan’s history has been constantly categorized by punishing conditions - from colonialism to wars and other political turmoil. All this had a strong influence on the development of the Taiwanese nation as such and on the development of a collective cultural and national identity, which are both negotiated and expressed in Taiwan under the influence of various historical, cultural and socio-political factors. This thesis delves into the aforementioned factors and investigates how they influence and manifest themselves within Taiwanese artistic practices, and it does so by analyzing the works of four important contemporary Taiwanese artists: Mei Dean-E (Méi Dīngyǎn 梅丁衍), Yang Mao-lin (Yáng Màolín楊茂林), Wu Mali (Wú Mǎlì 吳瑪悧), and Yao Jui-cheng (Yáo Ruìzhōng 姚瑞中). In their works, all the above-mentioned artists delve into the discourses of identity and explore the themes of belonging, memory, nostalgia and cultural heritage, which they do by mixing personal experiences and broader societal narratives. The selected artists combine various techniques and modes of expression, thus presenting a holistic image of identity discourses within contemporary Taiwanese art. Through a formal analysis of their works of art, this thesis will explore the visual elements, techniques and stylistic choices of the artists, and through a contextual analysis it will touch on the individual factors that shaped their artistic practices. By combining the two approaches, we will gain a deeper understanding of how artists' works reflect and contribute to existing discourses of identity within Taiwanese artistic practices.
|
