The Works of Sadao Watanabe and Kim Ki Chang Evaluated Through the Lens of Hybridity Theory

摘要

This thesis explores the works of Sadao Watanabe and Kim Ki Chang, two twentieth century, East Asian artists, with the goal of placing their works in a historical context through the understanding of cultural hybridity. Both the works of Sadao and Kim employ traditional techniques of their respective cultures, paired with biblical narratives, and strong modernistic overtones. Postcolonial approaches to art history have been prevalent in academia for the last several decades, yet this thesis will show that it is detrimental to view culture as a stagnant entity, as opposed to a constantly evolving, living entity, responsive to political and religious experiences, among a myriad of other factors; hybridity accounts for the fact that cultures are in a constant state of colliding with each other and in effect, engendering new philosophies and altering social fabrics, a phenomenon which will likely accelerate as the world becomes more globally connected. Using the cultural understanding of hybridity, I will investigate the unique, historical context in which the works were created, looking at the web of developments, which contributed to the cultural soil from which they grew, including the development of East Asian modernity, establishment of East Asian Christianity, as well as personal experiences in the lives of the artists. I will try to demonstrate how the works uniquely force viewers to jostle with preconceptions of identity and culture through interpreting their works, but are nonetheless, authentic representations of the cultural fabric, which makes up twentieth century East Asia. The relationship between culture and identity are interwoven, and are ever present in contemporary life as modernist notions of universalism melt away, and postmodern art historians attempt to contextualize works with new modules of interpretation, as will be considered in this thesis.