TFAM's Cheng was more cautious in endorsing the future prospects for Aboriginal art. She said: "We should not use the standards of modern art to judge Aboriginal art. Aboriginal art has its own potential, but it should be judged in its own terms," suggesting mainstream and fringe arts can coexist.
But while the experts analyze, Aboriginal artists around Taiwan fret over the limited opportunities on offer. Government support for Aboriginal art has a patchy record, and high-profile events such as the monumental wood carving event held in Taipei's Ta-an Park last November, have been dismissed by many, including Lahatze, as nothing more than a trivalization of Aboriginal cultural heritage. "These are just cultural 'activities' and have nothing to do with artistic endeavor."
While most hope that the government would show greater sensitivity, or that arts venues would offer exhibition space to Aboriginal artwork, the ultimate challenge, as everyone around the camp fire recognized, lay with the artists themselves, and how they balance economic advancement with artistic and cultural integrity.
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