Taiwanese artist Wang Su-ling (王淑鈴) was awarded the U.S. Department of State Medal of Arts award at a White House ceremony on Sept. 13, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Born in Taichung City, Wang is known for her large- scale, abstract paintings that explore her sense of place and the distance between Eastern and Western cultures.

The award to Wang “symbolizes the role of cultural diplomacy in strengthening the people-to-people ties between the United States and Taiwan,” AIT said.