Kitsch now! - The journey of kitsch spectacle

Abstract

This thesis takes kitsch as the main research subject and inquires on the aesthetics of kitsch in our everyday life; in addition to retracing the background of myself, I also followed the thread, accumulating and digesting the historical context of kitsch through the gem of wisdom from many scholars' research, and then further reexamined and explored the things which are always fascinating but easily taken for granted all the time—— Taiwanese kitsch. In this thesis, I attempted to describe and document "Taiwan Kitsch" as much as possible, presenting a local aesthetic taste that has its own unique narrative. Furthermore, I even coined a new term “innocent kitsch” to describe this distinct local taste.

In the last half of the second chapter, this thesis also takes a look at other Asian countries, comparing and organizing more Asian concepts that are similar to kitsch, hoping to give readers a glimpse of the particular aesthetics in Asia that also share the kitsch genes. Finally, the chapter was wrapped up with argumentation of the inseparability of humans and kitsch, and the necessity of the existence of kitsch.

In the end, based on the literature references and personal insights, I listed some visual characteristics of the innocent kitsch and applied them to the experimental artworks. For instance, I attempted to check whether amping up or withdrawing some of the visual characteristics of kitsch would affect the nature of kitsch. Besides, with a personal interpretation of the innocent kitsch's inner characteristics, my practical series of artworks are well-documented at the end of this dissertation.

Although kitsch may not be considered pretty, it is unquestionable that kitsch will not be unlaughable.