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Photographs of Taiwan captured during 1970s-80s to showcase in Australia

  • Date:2021-07-30~2021-10-28
Photographs of Taiwan captured during 1970s-80s to showcase in Australia

Featuring 35 works curated from the collection of National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) and other artists, "Wayfaring: Photography in 1970s–80s Taiwan (找路:1970–80年代臺灣攝影作品)" will be on view from Jul. 30 to Oct. 28 at the Australian Centre on China in the World Gallery of the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, showcasing the images of Taiwanese society during the 1970s and 1980s.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the society was coming to terms with a new political reality, many artists and intellectual re-examined the issues on Taiwan’s locality, history and cultural identity.

The selection of these images by 12 photographers including Chang Chao-tang(張照堂), Kao Chung-li (高重黎), Wang Hsi (王信), Juan I-jong (阮義忠), reflects the diversity and experiences of Taiwanese society and culture at the end of martial law in Taiwan.

According to the curators Olivier Krischer and Chen Shu-xia(陳淑霞), the theme of the exhibition was inspired by photographer Chang Chao-tang, who used the term "Wayfaring" to review his art career, as photographers often embark on journeys, search for a new way forward and capture the images of life.

For Australian viewers to better appreciate the cultural and social development in Taiwan, there will be a series of public outreach programs held in conjunction with the exhibition, including Taiwanese film screenings, panel discussion and lectures.

This exhibition builds on the earlier exhibition "Between – Picturing 1950-1960s Taiwan (間:臺灣五六十年代面影)" held in ANU. Since 2010, the Taiwan Studies Program has been a significant collaboration between the ANU and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. The program is to enhance and make accessible the knowledge of Taiwanese language, politics, society, culture and history.

Please visit the exhibition webpage for the latest public program.

(Photo courtesy of ANU)