Introduction
Jun T. Lai (1953– ) is a Taiwanese artist, her practice includes sculpture, painting, public art, and other fields.
Life
Early years
Jun T. Lai was born to an intellectual family in Taipei, where she learned about music, dance, and painting in her childhood. . She graduated from the Department of Art, Chinese Culture University in 1974. During her study at Chinese Culture University, and inspired by Liao Chi-chun, Lai followed Henri Matisse works and Fauvism style. She received an MA degree from Tama Art University, Japan. She participated in several artist exchange programs in the US, France, and Switzerland. Her experiences from learning and living in these countries expanded her horizon and can be seen in her work.
Contemporary Art Studio
Jun T. Lai moved back to Taiwan after the opening of Taipei Fine Arts Museum in 1983. At the same time, Taiwanese artist Lin Show Yu, based in Britain, also returned and held a solo exhibition. The conceptual art and minimal art tendencies exhibited during the show inspired Lai. In 1986, Jun T. Lai, Tsong Pu, and Zhang Yongcun established SOCA Contemporary Art Studio which is located in one of Lai's property in Taipei. The studio was used for art practice and exhibitions. Before the establishment of official organizations such as Ministry of Culture (Taiwan) and National Culture and Arts Foundation (Taiwan), Lai was attempting to make a vital declaration that every artist should be able to hold their exhibition independently without any form of inspection or approval. Simultaneously, she held art courses, participated lively in international art communities, founded SOCA rookie awards, worked on art related education and promotion projects. By the mid to late 1980s, Lai's works were exhibited in major public museums and major art museums in Taiwan, which brought her career to an established level.
Artistic practice
Jun T. Lai, as a part of a group of female artists, uses her work to criticize the social norm which emphasizes the artist's female identity. In 1980s, She focused on materials of sculptures to present the piece and convey ideas.She is known for utilizing geometries to create sculptures.
The following are images of her works from Wikimedia Commons:
Taipei National Central Library《智慧》
Taipei National Central Library《.com》
National Nanke International Experimental High School《迎向未來》
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center metro station《空中天河》
Taipei Dapinglin metro station《都會的自然風景：呼吸》
Taipei Dapinglin metro station《都會的自然風景：流動》
Hong Kong Tsing Yi Station《海洋大關園》
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts《綠晶典》
Tainan Chang Jung Christian University railway station《長榮》
Taipei Nanshijiao metro station《青春美樂地》
Taiwan Chiayi District Court 大門前《真善美的臨界點-法：平等石》