Toward the Modernity: Images of Self & Other in East Asian Art Competitions

This exhibition is the first of its kind to introduce the modernity of arts in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Northeast China (former Manchuria) in the first half of the 20th Century in the leveling context of “Kantan” or a government sponsored art competition.

At that time, many Japanese systems and infrastructures were applied to Korea, Taiwan, and Manchuria, which fell under the Japanese political rule or its influence.  Also, in the art field, a government sponsored art competition system, which firstly started in Tokyo in 1907, was introduced to various places and resulted as the Chosen Fine Arts Exhibition in Seoul (former Keijo) began in 1922, the Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition in Taipei in 1927, and the Manchuria Fine Arts Exhibition in Changchun (former Shinkyo) in 1938.

With four sections including 129 pieces created by 93 artists, this exhibition takes a look back over the Kanten held the most spectacularly in these counties/regions at that time.  The four sections of the exhibition present how the modern arts, unique to each country/region were formed.  Such formation of the modern arts happened not only in Western style painting and sculpture, but also in traditional paintings while the modern art from the West was taking root in and became adjusted to the traditions and aesthetic inherent to each place.  Furthermore, the artworks must show each artist’s interest and distinctive creativity on their expression.