Topic
The Need For a New Cultural Identity For China – Contemporary Art and Architecture
Instructions
1.1 Definition of new
Answer Preview
The evolution of contemporary art and architecture started to manifest in the early 1920s when the western influence provided a new identity to Chinese artists and architects. A great deal of cultural evolution and the ensuing impact on the sense of identity are attributable to the economic reforms and globalization (Jensen et al., 2011). In 1924, the spread of Western culture in medicine and architecture culminated in the establishment of small private climate clinics. Hospitals began to gain recognition in China, particularly to take care of military personnel and royal families (Chan, Liu & Tsai, 2011).
Figure 2: A photo showing a small clinic to represent the newly established healthcare system in 1924. Source: (Chan, Liu and Tsai, 2011, p. 793)
1933
Evidence of the western architectural aspect started in 1933, with the construction of the government buildings. In the architectural sphere, a group of American-trained Chinese architects returned to China with the aim of rejuvenating Chinese architecture with modernity (Lee and DiStefano, 2016). This required imitation of western art and architecture to promote Chinese identity and nationalism. An example of the earlier contemporary architecture is the Shanghai Municipal Government office block.
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