This dissertation focuses on Chinese artists who migrated to the West (Australia, the United States, and France )during the late eighties and early nineties. Throughout the thesis, it is argued that transexperience encourages a more fluid perception of the relationship to the homeland, not only positing it in the past but also in the present. The structure of the dissertation, devised in terms of locations, is relevant to the author's argument that the site of settlement is a significant determinant in the development of artistic expressions of overseas Chinese artists. A brief conclusion explores some of the most recent developments in the relationship between overseas Chinese artists and their homeland as seen in more frequent travel back, the exhibition of their work (which would have been impossible only a few years ago), and official invitations to represent China in international exhibitions. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)