AbstractsHistory

This study is based on interviews with the painters,the limited literature which has been published in English or Chineseon art topics in Taiwan, and mainly on the study of the works in thepainters' studios and at exhibitions. Basic to such an investigation are certain questions regardingthe relation of these young artists to traditional Chinesepainting: on what basis can these painters be aligned with Chinesetradition; is it not possible that they are so influenced by thewestern 'isms' that they should simply be called Chinese who paintwestern style pictures; is it necessary to make such distinctionson cultural lines; is there agreement that certain qualities are inherently Chinese? There is no agreement among the painters themselves ortheir critics about the issue of whether they can legitimately claimto be the rejuvenators of Chinese painting. To some the desire tobe accepted as contemporary and Chinese is the major goal; toothers it is a meaningless debate for the literary magazines andshould be kept out of any criticism of their work, which they believeis valid and strong no matter how it is labeled. The latter feel that they themselves are Chinese, so of course, their painting is Chinese painting. Another equally complex problem we must try to cometo grips with in this study is western influence. The sociologicalfactors of western influence should be distinguished from purelyart influences. The problem concerns what has happened sincea culture with a tradition of thousands of years has felt the impactof western ways. Today the contact has been deepened to the pointof dependence. Ideally, since my thesis is that western influence hasbeen a constructive one in Taiwan, the same kind of study shouldbe done on the influence of western-rooted Communism on theMainland of China. Since it is impossible to move freely on theMainland, we can only examine those publications and reproductionsof contemporary painting which the Mainland authorities allow to besold in Hong Kong bookstores and try to piece together generaltrends which can be compared with the Taiwan study.