Taiwanese Photography
30-Second Overview: Taiwanese photography germinated during the Japanese colonial period. In 1965, Chang Chao-tang and Cheng Sang-hsi held the "Modern Photography Duo Exhibition," pioneering an avant-garde aesthetic. In 1987, Juan I-jong's People and Land became a classic of documentary photography. In 2019, the National Center of Photography and Images was established, marking Taiwanese photography's entry into a new phase. From experimental to documentary, Taiwanese photographers have used the lens to record the island's transformation and its human spirit.
Taiwanese photography has developed over more than a century, from the introduction of the technology during the Japanese colonial period to today's multifaceted contemporary creation — undergoing significant aesthetic transformations along the way. Two key figures, Chang Chao-tang and Juan I-jong, established the classic styles of Taiwanese photography through avant-garde experimentation and humanist documentary respectively, with influence that persists to this day. From the government establishing a dedicated institution to innovations in the digital era, Taiwanese photography continues to seek a distinctive language of expression between tradition and modernity.
The Japanese Colonial Period: The Introduction of Photography Technology
The appearance of photography in Taiwan is closely tied to Japanese colonial rule. After Japan's victory in the Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Japanese military photographers recorded the process of conquering Taiwan, opening the first chapter of Taiwan's photographic history. The spread of dry-plate photography made photography an important tool of colonial survey.
Japanese scholars such as Torii Ryuzo and Mori Ushinosuke carried cameras deep into Taiwan's mountains, measuring and documenting Indigenous peoples and leaving behind valuable photographic records. Though tinged with a colonial character, these early photographs objectively preserved a wealth of historical images of Taiwan.
Beginning in the 1920s, local Taiwanese youth began learning photographic techniques — through study in Japan or as apprentices in photography studios. According to documentary evidence, the earliest photography studio opened by Taiwanese was the "Erwo Photo Studio" established by Shih Chiang of Lukang in 1901. The Chiang family of Beipu is also an important photographic family, with glass-plate negatives from the 1890s still preserved to this day.
Taiwanese photographers were initially influenced by Japanese "artistic photography," pursuing a painterly beauty. As the "new photography" style spread, they began emphasizing "street realist observation," advocating that photography should confront reality directly — laying the foundation for later documentary photography.
Chang Chao-tang: Pioneer of Modern Photography
Chang Chao-tang (1943–2024) was the most important pioneer of modern Taiwanese photography. He joined a photography club at Taipei Chengkung High School in 1958, beginning his photographic work under the guidance of mentor Cheng Sang-hsi. Though admitted to the Civil Engineering Department of National Taiwan University, he absorbed substantial amounts of modern literature, existentialist philosophy, and Surrealist thought — nourishment that deeply influenced his later creative work.
In 1965, the 22-year-old Chang Chao-tang and Cheng Sang-hsi held the "Modern Photography Duo Exhibition." This exhibition had a landmark significance in the history of Taiwanese photography: its thematic forms and content diverged sharply from the then-mainstream salon photography style, sparking fierce controversy and broad attention in photographic circles.
Chang's early works were deeply influenced by existentialism and Surrealism — filled with images of bewilderment, depression, and absurdity. The most famous are his 1960s headless-man series, in which human heads are deliberately concealed or cut off, creating a powerful visual impact and expressing philosophical thinking about the human condition.
As Chang matured, his work gradually shifted from purely experimental to a documentary style with humanist concerns, and he began focusing on Taiwan's social transformation. He was not merely a photographer but a comprehensive visual artist — participating in television production, and co-producing such classic programs as Pictorial Journey with Lei Hsiang, Juan I-jong, and Christopher Doyle.
Chang Chao-tang's importance lies not only in his personal creative achievements but in his opening of a new direction for Taiwanese photography. He demonstrated that photography can not only record reality but also express ideas, explore philosophy, and create poetry — infusing Taiwanese photography with deep cultural significance.
Juan I-jong: Poet of Rural Humanity
Juan I-jong (1950–) was born in Toucheng, Yilan, and is a representative figure of Taiwanese documentary photography. He worked early in his career as a literary editor at Youth Literary Magazine before transitioning to photography after joining the English-language Chinese-language magazine Echo. His real engagement with photographic creation came during his time as a photography editor at Family Monthly, when he traveled deeply into Taiwan's townships and villages for photo reportage.
In 1987, Juan I-jong published his most important work, People and Land. This photography collection is acclaimed as a classic in the history of Taiwanese photography — using a warm, deeply humanist perspective to leave a precious visual record of Taiwanese society.
People and Land is precious for capturing the true face of Taiwan's social transition in the 1970s and 1980s. In an era of rapid economic development and drastic social change, Juan I-jong pointed his lens at traditional ways of life that were on the verge of disappearing, recording the most unpretentious living conditions of Taiwanese people.
These photographs record rural pastoral scenery, the concentrated expressions of traditional craftspeople, the kind smiles of the elderly, and the innocent play of children. With acute observation and deep humanist cultivation, Juan I-jong transformed moments of ordinary life into enduring works of art.
Juan I-jong's work carries a strong nostalgic and sentimental character; he believed that the honest, mutually supportive virtues of Taiwanese people were disappearing. By juxtaposing the traditional and the modern, he prompted people to reflect on whether, in pursuing material progress, more precious things were being lost.
Beyond still photography, Juan I-jong also participated in television documentary production. Beginning in 1981, he and Chang Chao-tang and others produced the program Pictorial Journey, depicting Taiwanese artists' creative works, the development of folk art, Indigenous life, and urban-rural transformation — still regarded as a classic in the history of Taiwanese television.
The National Center of Photography and Images: An Institutional Milestone
In 2015, the Ministry of Culture promoted the "National Photography Asset Rescue and Photography Culture Center Construction Plan." In January 2019, the National Center of Photography and Images was formally established — an important institutional milestone in the history of Taiwanese photography development.
Using the former Taipei Branch of the Osaka Merchant Shipping Company as its Taipei venue, the Center introduces developments and aesthetic significance in photography and image arts through professional curation. It not only collects and exhibits Taiwanese photographic works but also actively promotes photographic cultural research and outreach, providing crucial support for academic research on Taiwanese photography.
The establishment of the National Center of Photography and Images marks Taiwanese photography's transition from individual creation to systematic preservation and promotion. Regular photography exhibitions of various kinds introduce the development of the history of Taiwanese photography, promote the creative achievements of contemporary photographers, and enhance public awareness of photography as an art form.
The Diverse Development of Contemporary Photography
Entering the 21st century, Taiwanese photography presents a diversely developed landscape. A new generation of photographers explores various innovative possibilities on the foundation of tradition: Shen Chao-liang examines Taiwan's identity under globalization in his Drifting series; Ho Ching-tai documents significant social events in the field of reportage photography, revealing photography's power as social conscience.
The spread of digital photography technology has brought new opportunities and challenges to Taiwanese photography. On the one hand it has lowered the barriers to creation, enabling more people to participate in photographic work; on the other, how to maintain the artistic quality and cultural depth of photography in an era flooded with images has become a challenge contemporary photographers must face.
The rise of social media has changed the ways photography spreads. Young photographers share their work through Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms, building personal brands. This direct connection provides independent photographers with the possibility of livelihood and promotes the democratization of photographic creation.
Developments in artificial intelligence technology have brought new possibilities to photography. AI-assisted image processing, automated shooting technology, and intelligent image analysis are all transforming traditional models of photographic creation. Yet technological progress cannot replace photographers' creativity and humanist concerns — in an era of constant technological innovation, photographers' unique perspectives and cultural cultivation become even more precious.
Photography's Social Function
Taiwanese photography has played an important role in the island's democratic process. From political protest during the martial law era to social movements after the lifting of martial law, photographers have used the lens to record critical moments of Taiwan's social transformation, becoming historical witnesses. These reportage photographs possess not only news value but are also important historical documents.
The 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake was a major disaster event in modern Taiwan, and photographers played an important role — recording the catastrophe's devastation and the luminosity of humanity. Juan I-jong picked up his camera again in the aftermath of the earthquake, pointing his lens at relief volunteers and recording the spirit of mutual aid and resilience Taiwanese people showed in the face of disaster.
As environmental awareness has grown, an increasing number of photographers have focused on environmental issues — recording industrial pollution's destruction of the environment, climate change's impact on ecosystems, and the changing relationship between humans and nature. These environmental photography works, through the power of visual impact, have awakened public concern for environmental issues.
Globalization and Local Identity
In the tide of globalization, how to maintain Taiwanese photography's local character is an important question contemporary photographers face. On one hand they need to engage in dialogue with international photography, learning advanced creative ideas and technology; on the other they need to be deeply rooted in local culture, expressing Taiwan's distinctive cultural content and lived experience.
Successful Taiwanese photographers have typically been able to find a balance between globalization and localization. Their work both possesses an international vision and standard, and is deeply rooted in Taiwan's cultural soil — demonstrating Taiwanese photography's distinctive appeal.
Taiwanese photography has, over its development, established a complete spectrum from classical masters to emerging creative voices. With a rich cultural tradition, a diverse creative environment, and an open international outlook, Taiwanese photography will continue to write its remarkable chapter in the history of world photography. As Chang Chao-tang said, photography is a questioning of life's condition, a capturing of a moment's flash of insight. The value of Taiwanese photography lies not only in its documentary function but in the humanist spirit and cultural significance it carries.
References
- Chang Chao-tang — Wikipedia
- Photographer Chang Chao-tang passes away at 81 — United Daily News
- Interview with Taiwanese photographer Chang Chao-tang — The Initium
- People and Land: Juan I-jong's Classic Photography Collection — Books.com.tw
- National Center of Photography and Images
- National Center of Photography and Images — Wikipedia