The construction of Taiwanese aesthetics through arts and humanities textbooks

This study examines the dominant view of aesthetics in Taiwan as it is presented in the state approved Art and Humanities Textbooks. By looking at how the artworks and artists are framed, where these artworks and artists are from, and which traditions influence the construction of art, I want to find the elements constructing Taiwanese identity presented by these Taiwanese textbooks. Taiwanese aesthetics is understood here as the specific style or appearances of any aural or visual form associated with the construction of an ideology of what is beautiful, worthwhile and artistic within Taiwan’s context. In the end, I conclude that the essential quality of Taiwanese aesthetics is hybridity and that Taiwanese aesthetics is not static. Instead, it is the ongoing construction and re-appropriation of values concerning arts from various discipline discourse and cultural traditions. Its fluid and changing quality makes it impossible to define Taiwanese aesthetics; it can only be constructed through living and doing by individuals.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Art Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Wu, Hong-An

Contributors dc:contributor

• Parsons, Michael J.

• Taiwanese aesthetics
• Arts and Humanities textbooks
• art education
• textbooks
• content analysis
• Taiwan

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2013 Hong-An Wu

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/44126

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/44126