Edited by Dr. Hui-shu Lee (UCLA Art History), this volume presents the most up-to-date English-language collection of essays on Taiwan's modernist art movement and its place within global modernism. The volume examines Taiwan's artistic development from the Japanese colonial era through the postwar period to the present, highlighting the island's unique geopolitical and cultural position. Featuring contributions from leading scholars of Taiwan, China, and Asian modern contemporary art history, the book creates space for dialogue between academic scholarship and artistic practice.
Art and the Modernist Pursuit in Taiwan 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. Part of Springer's Sinophone and Taiwan Studies series, the volume was released on September 28, 2026.
Hui-shu Lee is Professor of Art History at UCLA. She received her doctorate degree from Yale University. Her field of specialization is Chinese visual culture in the pre-modern and modern era, with a particular focus on gender issues. She also works extensively on representations of place, cultural mapping, female agency, and garden culture. In addition, she writes and curates occasionally on modern contemporary art including the Taiwanese artist Chu Ko/Chu Ge and the American photographer Lois Conner.
Book: Art and the Modernist Pursuit in Taiwan
Editor: Hui-shu Lee, UCLA Department of Art History
Publisher: Springer Singapore
Release Date: September 28, 2026
Pre-orders for the volume are now available online.
Published: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
