Li Jiun-Yang (Taiwan)

Artspace

The son of a movie poster painter, Li Jiun-Yang is self-taught and is known for his paintings, sculptures and installations. The inspiration for his works, he says “come from heaven, earth and in-between as well as daily life, folk religion as well as pop culture”. Li Jiun-Yang has worked on temple paintings, movie posters, calligraphy, Taiwanese glove puppets, and multi-media installations that engage with traditional Taiwanese art forms, diverse religious representations, and vernacular culture on the island. From Southern Taiwan, Li Jiun-Yang’s distinctive cultural environment – influenced by Taiwanese Indigenous people and Hoklo (descendants of the first Chinese migrants on the island) – sees his works promote a Taiwanese identity distinct from the Chinese Nationalist idea that views Taiwan as part of a homogeneous Chinese cultural world.  

Presentation at the 24th Biennale of Sydney was made possible with generous support from the Taiwan Ministry of Culture and Cultural Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney.