On View: July 29 to August 17, 2014

Opening Reception: August 2, 2014, 3-5pm

This exhibition is binary and binocular. We peer through a small aperture to see a spectacular world that is composed of Taiwanese artists in US. On another level, the exhibit will be meaningful if it encourages the community to recognize Taiwanese artists, to admire, and to support them.

This exhibit combines different generations of expatriate artists – old and the new settlers “€“ which adapted to various aspects to the new culture. The correspondence is also extended to artists in Taiwan rooted in their native land. Different geopolitical periods display both differences and commonalities in creativity.

The exhibit does not separate artists who live and work in the US from those from Taiwan. However, viewers will find subtle cultural influences revealed in their art. These works might tend to express inner thought or to reflect the external environment; therefore, one can glimpse traces of the expression of nourishment from their own local motherland, as well as contemporary Western art trends.

To observe the moving flow of this minimal art group, recall New York’s Soho art district of the 80s; this is where the first generation of overseas artists settled; they were quite active within the main western artist circle, and they created a splendid historical moment. The second wave of artists from Taiwan in the 90s faced a changing, confusing insecure world of economic and immigration difficulties. Artists based in the United States find themselves awash not only in the conflict between Eastern and Western, but also in the cultural whirlpool that is urban America. So it may be that residence in one’s native country and language enable an artist to better sift through various trends and create strong new art. A metropolitan life “€“ especially in New York – famously requires toughness and resiliency; at the same time metropolitan artists absorb multicultural influences to enrich their inherited outlook. For artists of the last ten years or new students, fixed residence in the United States is not mandatory, and the use of new media is indispensable; their work shows is clearly more diverse and more challenging.

Of the selected artists living in Taiwan, some are bound to the land on which they stand, and thus to consequent norms of culture, custom, and folk traditions; and this can be seen in the subjects which they choose. For example, eating is still an important component of a very recently rural society. In this exhibition, all art works from Taiwan are silkscreen prints, because of the passion and call of the pioneer of Taiwan modern printmaking.

Participated Artists (alphabetically by last name):

(US) Chang Lishan 張力山, Long Bin Chen 陳龍斌, Jenny Chen 陳張莉, Chen Jia Rhon陳家榮, Tina Chen陳秋瑾(PA), T.F. Chen陳錦芳, Eric C. Chiang 江俊雄(CT ), Gao Yuan 高媛, Shida Guo 郭旭達, Ni Hao 倪灝, Hsu Ruey Hsiann 徐瑞憲, Tang-Wei Hsu 許唐瑋, Huang Benrei 黃本蕊, Catherine Lan 藍巧茹, Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao廖健行, Lin Shih Pao 林世寶, Alen Lien 連任, Vivian Tsao曹志漪, Leigh Wen 鄭麗雲, Lan-Chiann Wu吳嵐倩(LA), Chin Chih Yang 楊金池, C.J. Yeh 葉謹睿, Marlene Tseng Yu 虞曾富美. (Taiwan) Silkscreen prints from Taiwan絹印版畫 ：張正仁Chang Cheng-Ren、陳永欽 Chen Yong Ching、鐘有輝 Chong You-Hui、朱哲良Chu Zhe-Liang、 廖修平Liao Shiou Ping、林雪卿Lin Xue- Ching、郭博洲Kuo Bo-Chou、徐明豐 Hsu Ming Feng、許自貴Hsu Tze-Kuai、黃坤伯Huang Kun-Bo、賴振輝Lai Chen Hui、彭泰一Peng Taiyi、沈金源 Shen Ching Yuan、蔡義雄Tsai Yi- Hsiung、田文筆Tien Wen Bi、楊識宏Chih Hong Yang 、袁金塔Yuan Chin-Ta

About TAAC

The Taiwanese American Arts Council was established in 2014 to carry forward the mission of the Taiwanese Art Endowment Fund which spurred the creation of a named Taiwan Gallery by the Queens Museum of Art. Dr. Lung Fong Chen and Taiwanese community leaders Thomas Chen and Patrick Huang had the vision to create an organization to provide a platform for Taiwanese American artists. Professional curator Luchia Meihua Lee, with the pioneer of Taiwan modern print making, Prof. Liao Shiou Ping, provided the expertise and art resources to realize this dream. The TAAC aims to provide assistance to Taiwanese artists, scholars, and specialists in the arts. TAAC will support cultural and art leaders in different fields and in all states in the US and all counties in Taiwan; it is expected to expand annually.