New Indigenous Artists Reshape Taiwan's Contemporary Art Scene
A transformative wave of Indigenous artists is emerging in Taiwan's art community following the loss of the National Award for Arts by prominent artist Sakuliu Pavavaljung due to a sexual assault conviction in April. Significant initiatives include 'Hagay Dreaming', a project by Shu Lea Cheang and Dondon Hounwn, which premiered at the Taipei Performing Arts Center in May and is set to debut at Tate Modern in 2025. In June, Tai Body Theatre earned the grand prize at the Taishin Arts Award. Since the 2010s, Indigenous artists, who represent roughly 2.5% of Taiwan's population and have endured historical oppression, have been redefining artistic norms. Watan Tusi's qaqay, recognized at Taishin, offers a critique of Indigenous performance outside of conventional frameworks.
Key facts
- Sakuliu Pavavaljung was stripped of Taiwan's National Award for Arts in April following a sexual assault conviction.
- Hagay Dreaming, a collaboration between Shu Lea Cheang and Dondon Hounwn, had its Taiwan debut at the Taipei Performing Arts Center in May.
- Hagay Dreaming premiered at Tate Modern in London in 2025.
- Tai Body Theatre won the grand prize at Taiwan's Taishin Arts Award in June, becoming the first Indigenous collective to do so.
- Indigenous peoples make up about 2.5% of Taiwan's population across 17 officially recognized nations.
- The Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts launched its contemporary Austronesian art program in 2005.
- The Pulima Art Award, established in 2012, is Taiwan's first dedicated Indigenous contemporary art prize.
- Watan Tusi's qaqay, which won the Taishin Arts Award, explores the forced relocation of his Swsal tribe during Japanese colonial rule.
Entities
Artists
- Sakuliu Pavavaljung
- Shu Lea Cheang
- Dondon Hounwn
- Watan Tusi
- Aluaiy Kaumakan
- Chang En-Man
- Ciwas Tahos
- Wei-Lun Lu
- Manray Hsu
Institutions
- Taipei Performing Arts Center
- Tate Modern
- Tai Body Theatre
- Taishin Arts Award
- Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
- Pulima Art Award
- Liang Gallery
- Nunu Fine Art
- PTT Space
- Art Basel Hong Kong
- Pulima Art Festival
- Biennale of Sydney
- Asia Pacific Triennial
- Sharjah Biennial
- Hawai'i Triennial
- Manif d'art 12 – La Biennale de Québec
- Art Taipei
Locations
- Taiwan
- Taipei
- London
- Hualien
- Pingtung
- Kaohsiung
- New York
- Paris
- Sydney
- Sharjah
- Hawai'i
- Québec