The art market, collectors and art museums in Taiwan since 1949

Radical changes in society have significantly influenced Taiwan since 1949. These changes have created a diversity of social forces, derived from politics, the economy and culture, which have widespread impacts. After 1980, these increasing forces contributed to a prospering art market, art collecting and museum expansion.;Political changes intensified the ethnical conflict between the Benshengren and Waishengren, Economic prosperity provoked the art market, encouraged art collectors and diversified collecting interests. Cultural awareness, which was influenced by political ideology and growing Nativism, caused people to re-evaluate local culture. Collecting local cultural objects became very popular and rivalled the collecting of traditional Chinese objects. These social forces, which interweaved and interacted with each other, contributed to cultural development in Taiwan and consequently provoked a diversity of phenomena such as collecting fever, artistic fashion, faking, smuggling, theft and an explosion of museums, auction houses and dealerships. These phenomena emerged rapidly, grew and strongly influenced the art market. The prosperous art market thus can be seen as a place reflecting the social impact and the cultural evolution of Taiwan.;Based on observation, historical review of contemporary sources and interviews, this thesis examines the complex relationships between these phenomena. Sociologically and historically, this research not only shows the complexity of these relationships but also provides a model for the operation of the art market as it enters Mainland China.