Arts

Exhibtion of Jelly Gen

An exhibition of 100 works from more than 32 young Taiwanese artists suggests they share many of the same qualities as China’s so-called “Jelly Generation”.

The phrase, coined by Zhang Qing, vice director of the Shanghai Art Museum, which is hosting the show, refers to artists born after 1980 and the diverse styles, colorful expression, fresh ideas and lighthearted attitude found in their works.

Such characteristics can be seen in young artists on either side of the Taiwan Straits as both tend to infuse their art with Japanese Manga-inspired images, record Cosplay video clips and produce installation art critiquing such modern evils as consumerism.

Zhang said it was no surprise to see such an overlap between the two groups.

“The world is flat: whatever youngsters on the Chinese mainland see, they see it on the other side of the Taiwan Straits,” Zhang said at the opening of the “Super Generation @ Taiwan” exhibition on Dec 14. More >