Re-orienting Taiwan: The China factor in contemporary art from Taiwan

Free to read on publisher's website (Excerpt): "In the current news headlines Taiwan’s President, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), announces Taiwan and China have reached an “historic juncture.” Given that only a decade ago mainland China was considered Taiwan’s arch political rival from which this “renegade province” sought independence, today the future of this island is being aligned and re-defined by the increasingly close relationship forged between Taiwan and China. As Taiwan’s government steps up its campaign, promoting cross-Strait cooperation and exchange with mainland China, certain questions arise: what are the implications of this closer relationship on Taiwan’s visual arts field; and to what extent will it impact on the political and cultural freedoms and sense of local identity consciousness which artists in Taiwan have come to cherish?" (continued...)