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About

Jason Cole Mager

Jason Cole Mager

Jason Cole Mager is an American artist working in New York City and Taipei, Taiwan. His artwork focuses on the history of Taiwan and the parallels between certain events in Taiwan's and America's history, specifically Dutch colonization and WWII.

MediumMixed Media
LocationTaiwan
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Jason Cole Mager is a New York City based artist currently working in Taipei, Taiwan. After a few visits to Taipei in 2013, Mager began studying the political and cultural history of Taiwan and allowing these new findings and insights to completely change his work. “I took my interests in history, which had usually been from a familial point of view, and redirected them into the vast images and icons which were used to denote political parties or family seals/crests (Japanese Kamon)."  Focusing mostly on the two major modern colonizations of Taiwan by the Dutch and Japanese, Mager illustrates the coming and going of cultures by placing one symbol next to, on top of, or completely replacing another. These are history paintings that may appear as nothing more than decoration or wallpaper if one is not intimately familiar with the historical significance of the symbols. Mager sees politics as part of history and something that should not polarize cultures but bring them together. “These are opportunities for us to learn from one another and show compassion and understanding. Although history is riddled with tragedy, it is there for us to learn from and should be embraced in our current lives as well as our art.”
Mager was recently awarded an Artist Visa from the Taiwanese government and will be spending the next few years calling Taiwan home in hopes of expanding on his work and further embracing the culture. 
 

Curriculum vitae

Born in Indianapolis, IN
Lives and works in Brooklyn, NY and Taipei, Taiwan

Education:
2005   Master of Fine Arts, Hunter College, New York, New York
2001   Post Baccalaureate Certificate, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2000   Bachelor of Fine Arts, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN

Exhibitions:
(*solo)

*2023   "To Taiwan” 99 Degrees Art Center (99度藝術中心), Taipei, Taiwan
2021   "Current Mindset," The Studio, Taipei, Taiwan
2020   "繁星冬夜" 嘉俬房 & other Art things, Taipei, Taiwan
2019   "Anniversary" Five Myles Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2018   "Just the Fax" Illinois State Museum, Lockport, IL
2017   "Nuit Blanche" Taipei Hakka Culture Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
2017   "Postcards From the Edge" Metro Pictures, New York, NY
2016   "To Benefit III" Five Myles Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2015   "Not Big Issue" Invisible Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
2014   "To Benefit II" Five Myles Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2014   "Narcissism and the Self-Portrait" Anne St. Gallery, Newburgh, NY
*2012   "Flesh and Bone" Blanc Gallery, Cambridge, MA
2012   "To Benefit" Five Myles Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2012   "Proof of Purchase" Samson Gallery, Boston, MA
2011   "The Pager Turners" Five Myles Gallery, Brooklyn, New York
2009   "Insight: Contemporary Approaches to Drawing" Anne St. Gallery, Newburgh, NY
2009   "Everybody" Envoy Gallery, New York, NY
2008   "Death Is Not The End" 31Grand, New York, NY
2008   "Drawing the Line" Center Against Domestic Violence, New York NY
2008   "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" 31Grand, New York, NY
2007   "Just A Ghostly Paper Sigh" 31Grand, New York, NY
2006   "Ignite San Francisco"; Gen Art, San Francisco, CA
2006   "Leave New York" Sweet Home Gallery, New York, NY
*2005   "Bad Hare Day" Brooklyn Fire Proof Inc.Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2005   "Williamsburg Summarts Festival" Galapogos Arts Space, Brooklyn, NY
2005   "Friends of Kris"; McCaig-Welles Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
*2005   "MFA Thesis Show" Hunter Times Square Gallery, New York, NY
2005   "Island Art Film & Video Festival" Prenelle Gallery, London, England
2005   "Every Little Bit Counts" Anatomy, New York, NY
2004   "Moving Images –Ides of March" ABC NO RIO, New York,NY
2003   "Open Hearts" 65 Hope Street Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2001   "Boston Drawing Project" Bernard Toale Gallery, Boston, MA
2001   "The Sweatshop" Fifth Stop Studios. Brooklyn, NY
2001   "Surface Deep" Little White Box Gallery, Boston, MA
2001   "Art in Context" Gallery First Expression, Boston, MA
2001   "Annual Juried Exhibition" SMFA, Boston, MA
2001   "Collective Progressions" Katherine Weems Gallery, Boston, MA
2001   "Toys" Gallery First Expression, Boston, MA
*2000   "Multiples and Repetition" Gallery First Expression, Boston, MA
2000   BFA Show, Herron School of Art, Indianapolis, IN
*1999   "Future Reflections" Oxbow Gallery, Saugatuck, MI
1998-1995   Herron Gallery (juried exhibitions). Indianapolis, IN
1997   "Selected Works" Faris Building of Fine Arts Indianapolis, IN

Curatorial Work:
2006   "Leave New York" Sweet Home Gallery, New York, New York

Collections:
American Institute in Taiwan
BNP Media
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Gibson Dunn and Crutcher
Illinois State Museum
Indiana State University
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

Selected Bibliography :
Sean Scanlan, American Artist Agitates Taiwan's Uncomfortable Past, Taiwan News, Jan. 2023
SETNEWS 三立新聞 Taiwan, Jason Cole Mager : Bravo Taiwan, March 2023
Jerry Russo, Artists During the Time of Covid Project, National Archives Washington, DC 2021
Steven Crook, Jason Cole Mager: An American Artist Inspired by Taiwan, LifeOfTaiwan.com, Sept. 2019
Zhang Lihao 张礼豪, To Taiwan 藝術是面對歷史的另一種方式:美國藝術家眼中的「台北大空襲,everylittled.com, August 2019
Zhang Lihao 张礼豪, Jason Cole Mager:成為藝術家,是因為你不得不, KaiAk.tw, July 2019
The Pager Turners, L Magazine, March 2011
Melanie White, With Narrative Artwork..., Prospect Heights Patch, February 2011
James Wagner, Death Is Not The End, JamesWagner.com, December 2008
J O'Shea, Ghost of the Lower East Side, Supertouch, December 2007
James Wagner, Leave New York?, JamesWagner.com, April 2006
William Powhida, Bad Hare Day, The Brooklyn Rail, February 2005
Keane Pepper, Art Crawl, Free Williamsburg, November 2003
Home & Design Magazine, Fall 2002

Selected Bibliography
Sean Scanlan, American Artist Agitates Taiwan's Uncomfortable Past, Taiwan News, Jan. 2023
SETNEWS 三立新聞 Taiwan, Jason Cole Mager : Bravo Taiwan, March 2023
Jerry Russo, Artists During the Time of Covid Project, National Archives Washington, DC 2021
Steven Crook, Jason Cole Mager: An American Artist Inspired by Taiwan, LifeOfTaiwan.com, Sept. 2019
Zhang Lihao 张礼豪, To Taiwan 藝術是面對歷史的另一種方式:美國藝術家眼中的「台北大空襲,everylittled.com, August 2019
Zhang Lihao 张礼豪, Jason Cole Mager:成為藝術家,是因為你不得不, KaiAk.tw, July 2019
The Pager Turners, L Magazine, March 2011
Melanie White, With Narrative Artwork..., Prospect Heights Patch, February 2011
James Wagner, Death Is Not The End, JamesWagner.com, December 2008
J O'Shea, Ghost of the Lower East Side, Supertouch, December 2007
James Wagner, Leave New York?, JamesWagner.com, April 2006
William Powhida, Bad Hare Day, The Brooklyn Rail, February 2005
Keane Pepper, Art Crawl, Free Williamsburg, November 2003
Home & Design Magazine, Fall 2002

Awards:
1999   The School of the Art Institute of Chicago's "Oxbow School of Painting Fellowship"
1998-1999 Donald M. Mattison Scholarship
1998   "Honors" Herron Exhibition
1997-1998   Charles Yeager Scholarship
1996-1997   Herron General Scholarship

Professional Affiliations:
The Drawing Center, New York, New York
Flatfile Project: Pierogi Gallery. Brooklyn, New York
Boston Drawing Project, Bernard Toale Gallery. Boston, MA

Teaching:
2003   Advanced Painting Teaching Assistant, Hunter College, New York, NY
1998-1999 Figure Drawing, Herron School of Art Saturday School Program, Indianapolis, IN

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