Cultural Translation Challenges for East Asian Artists in Western Artworld

A seasoned artist-educator with two decades of experience across Taiwan, Germany, and the UK sheds light on the cultural obstacles faced by East Asian artists in Western environments. Since 2013, they have provided English-language instruction tailored for Mandarin speakers in contemporary art, focusing on the nuances of cultural translation. A well-known Taiwanese artist sought assistance not for language proficiency but for building social networks and adapting culturally prior to relocating to the UK. Male East Asian artists encounter difficulties due to ingrained patriarchal norms that clash with Western values. Meanwhile, a South Korean artist in London adopted a different persona among cultural peers. The Identity Negotiation Model illustrates that identities may not seamlessly cross cultural boundaries, leading migrating artists to grapple with conflicts and identity anxiety, raising concerns about whether integration reinforces neocolonial dynamics.