Oasis: Group Exhibition of Zhi-Hao LO, Yi-Ting SU, and Wei-Wen CHEN

We all have a secret Utopia hidden deep in our hearts, a land that allows us to roam freely, filled with dreams in their purest forms. This space is like an oasis in the desert, safeguarding all that is good. Three young artists, Zhi-Hao LO, Yi-Ting SU, and Wei-Wen CHEN, present their own spiritual oasis through varying painting methods, sharing the most profound moments and allowing us to inspect ourselves through the annotations of lush lands, resonating to the oasis in the hearts of viewers.

Zhi-Hao LO uses elements from the natural world to reflect phenomena that surround daily life. Symbolic objects are placed within the works in different compositions to articulate the nuanced state of ongoing or completed incidents, connecting and echoing the simplest human interactions. LO’s paintings emit a light and burdenless atmosphere that allows viewers to inspect the works in a relaxed manner; viewers may realize that what the works depict are familiar states in our own lives.

Yi-Ting SU searches for everyday materials or objects that have the possibility of harboring memories. SU’s works attempt to discover familiar landscapes within memories of traveling between urban and countryside settings. Throughout the travels, clear and blurred memories constantly flash by; the works are endeavors of the artist to search for a method to document fleeting moments amid perplexing realities and memories. The fiber material used in the works have become a carrier for memories, reproducing the lucid and blurry perspectives of life. The personal urban images are presented through the reproduction methods of fiber images.

With windows, Arowana, and aquatic plants, Wei-Wen CHEN weaves a land of intertwined time and space. The windows separate reality into interior and exterior times and spaces while the Red Arowana pass through history with a mysterious and ancient veil, gracefully, elegantly, and freely moving between the fluidity of time created by the aquatic plants, waving with the tides. Since everything leaves a mark, with the changes in space and the proceeding of time, memories become profound, creating a unique four-dimensional space.

Internal Visions and Responses of the Mind: Chuang Lien Tung Solo Exhibition

When examining the existence and appearance of concrete objects through their external characteristics and extending deep into meaning through clarifying internal states, we apply the vision of the physical eye for the former, and vision of the mind in the latter. The vision of the physical eye observes objective form, understanding regularities and experiencing appeals, while the vision of the mind develops subjective interpretation with thoughts continuously circulating and imaginations endlessly extending.

Chuang Lien Tung’s 2017 exhibition displays new understandings towards the vision of objects within the external world. By combining the visual and imagery speculation on the vision of the eye with that of the mind, Chuang conducts the internal vision towards the inner state of mind. With implications of external objects and the multiple possibilities in the relationship between that object and other objects, the artist infers a painting vocabulary that conforms with the current social environment and expresses personal subjective consciousness and image interpretation.

Therefore, the images depicted in Chuang’s works are all agents for transmitting messages. Apart from the metaphorical vocabulary of the image themselves, the works are also spokespersons for specific meanings. This meaning might refer to a reflection of the essence of humanity, but also a discussion that probes into social phenomena. Naturally, investigations targeted at the core of the problems are profound observations of life of artist Chuang Lien Tung. Hence, the images have become a reflection of the artist’s transference and expressions that not only match personal states of the mind but also reflect collective opinions. The correspondence of the “Turtle” can be the variation of any object or transformed into any composition, filled with freedom of imagination. The self-observation through “Fish” either inflates or belittles the self, reflecting with either clarity or obscurity, presenting authentic representations of the different appearances of life in this world. The mutual influence between the “Lizard” and “Statue of the Buddha,” the self-transformation of the “Flower” and the “Butterfly,” all express the differences between varying perspectives.

“Internal visions” are inner sensations reflected by observations on the eternal world, while “responses of the mind” are expressions displayed from the induction of the mind. In the eyes of the painter, the rule of circulation in the universe and the state of operation in the world are hidden in the lives of tiny creatures.

   “Sin Titulo: Hsieh Chi-Chang Solo Exhibition” is the display of a series of works inspired by my living aesthetic abroad and life experiences after returning to Taiwan. As the creative process unfolds, simple scribbles and graffiti transform into energies of abstract plastic arts, attempting to construct realistic space and document memories using symbols, abstract calligraphy, and incidents of everyday life.

In general, western philosophy tends to stress the discussion of concepts and the analysis of language, viewing philosophy as pure speculation and discourse. Chinese philosophy, however, focuses on personal experiences and the cultivation of body and mind, interpreting philosophy as a way of life. In other words, Chinese art emphasizes metaphysical beauty, while western art is a series of pursuits aimed at changes in form. Noting this difference, I have combined the concepts and expressions of Chinese and western art in my works. Professor Liu Feng-Jung reviewed my works in his article as: “a unique annotation of form and color that conveys the artist’s accomplishments in ink and wash paintings, western aesthetics, abstract paintings, and the artist’s training and education in Spain. Hsieh applies the western concepts of instinct, emblems, symbols and forms, imaginations and psychoanalysis, and Kant’s theory of play, while also stressing the arrangement of illusion and reality, black and white, or the configuration of the subject and background, movement of brushstrokes, and the flow of curved lines. Geometric boats, buildings that symbol the home space, or floating shapes that are both semi- and non-figurative are seen within the abstract works of the artist, giving the viewers a sensation as if merging into the vast and void world of ink and wash paintings…”

   This exhibition presents the “Travel and Architecture Series,” “Calligraphy and Nature Series,” and “Abstract: Sleep Diary Series.” These works were completed between 2013 and 2016. Some were finished after on and off work; some works took months to complete, while others took up to one year. After going through construction, destruction, and reconstruction, the memories of the manuscript undergo recollection and free coverings. Ultimately, the artist’s subconscious usually becomes the source of inspiration. This drawing pattern born through intuition and playful expression results in mixed lines and symbols that hint to time and space, intertwining and forming into “quasi-maps.”

Diaries and unconscious graffiti drafts remind the artist of past events. Without planning and arrangements in advance, everything gradually comes to form along with the creation process. From the moment the paintbrush touches the surface, the small portion gradually extends into shape, slowly growing at will in space. With calligraphic graffiti and shapes that form occasionally and automatically, I pay attention to the nuances throughout the creative process, hoping that the final work will be able to present the painting process, just like the scene of an ongoing march.

With silhouettes of boats, houses, and ladders that resemble the shape and form of written characters, I attempt to create an atmosphere that involves symbolic elements. These are symbols of memories and emotions, also documentations of emotional traces. The black silhouette designs, calligraphic graffiti, mechanic lines, and contrasting colors, scatter randomly on the image as if a moving map. The spilling of oil-based liquids creates an ambiguous dialogue with space. This mystical atmosphere quietly motions and continuously extends through the density, size, and color of lines, continually stretching and covered with mingled images and lines, naturally displaying the motives of the artist. The strong emotions carve deep into the works, growing and spreading, giving missions to the symbols of the scene.

Initiated and Writing－Contemporary Taiwan Eastern – Gouache Painting.

Exhibition by Chan Chien-Yu, Lee Chen-Hui and Kao Yung-Lung

Exhibition Organizer: Kao Yung-Lung

The development of Gouache Painting in Taiwan after transferred from Japan can be divided into several stages: Initial Stage (1895～1923), Taiwan Governor Art Exhibition (1924～1945), Taiwan Art Exhibition (1946～1972), Name Rectification Stage (1972～1985) and Academic Stage (1985～ ). During the Taiwan Governor Art Exhibition, it is the splendid golden age for Gouache Painting, and encountered the dispute of “Legitimate Chinese Painting” during the Taiwan Art Exhibition stage, it had declined down until the campaign of Name Rectification emerged after the abolition of martial law. In addition, Taiwan had entered the Democracy Stage, thus it could be taught and re-developed in academic education systems. Historical traces of Gouache Painting exactly reflect to the changes in Taiwan’s culture and politics.

From early Japanese Official Art Exhibition styles with pursuing local characteristics to greatly intake the performance techniques of Western Painting, as well as blended with water-ink panting’s styles, the development of Gouache Painting style had influenced by different cultures and painting styles to show a mixing and fusion style, and it has become one of painting styles for presenting Taiwan’s diversified cultural characteristics.

During several decades since 1960s, Gouache Painting has been in the enclosed and private school system, self-heritage, fossilized and standardized performance styles for a long time, which is difficult to cope with new artistic thoughts. Until 1990’s, Taiwan’s Gouache Painting started having a new transition pattern, and its change has come from the Gouache creation in academic education systems and new painters’ involvement, which broke the enclosed and conservative Gouache heritage, and used modern thought to create the new styles for Gouache. According to their efforts, Gouache Painting has rapidly and splendidly developed in recent years. In many and frequent official activities and exhibitions, the Gouache Painting has become a complete and independent section, as well as become a painting style, together with the water-ink painting, of representing oriental painting.

This exhibition invited 3 Gouache painters who initiated Taiwan’s Gouache Painting restoration:

Chan Chien-Yu (1952～), who has been addressed respectfully as “Postwar Taiwan’s Godfather of Gouache Painting Education”, and could be considered as the major driving force of Gouache Painting Renaissance. His artworks are mainly the silk scroll, and on the basis of Fine-Brushwork Ink Painting and blended with Gouache material techniques to create an innovative pattern. His delicate and elegant art styles have become a paragon of Taiwan’s Gouache Painting. 

Lee Chen-Hui (1961～): Inspired by Lin Chi-Chu when he studied in Tunghai University, and went to University of Tsukuba, Japan, after her graduation, who was one of those first batch students studying in Japan after the 50-year stoppage since the Japanese Occupation. She brought those performance techniques of the contemporary Japanese painting and initiated the technique revolution of Taiwan’s Gouache Painting.  Her artworks are in the combination of metal foils, ink colors and rock colors to present the transition of reality and imagery and life embracing. In addition, her ecriture feminine characteristics has continuously influence the tendency and direction of the contemporary Gouache Painting.

Kao Yung-Lung (1962～): In his early stage he was well-known with the Ink-and-Water Painting in the painting world, and later he changed to make Gouache creation, and researched on the making of ancient heavy-color painting materials and performance technique in Tibet, Xinjiang, Japan and Europe. With the creation concept of making innovating out of ancient arts, his artworks with rich texture and complicated techniques had beyond general Gouache patterns, as well as added his broaden and experienced visions, thus his artworks all have tremendous momentum. He is a unique painter in Taiwan’s Gouache Painters.

Gouache Painting has limited to the operating property of medium and tool for a long time, thus it is difficult to be popularized. However, the boundary of current Taiwan’s Gouache Painting has continuously expanded, penetrated and influenced on various fields. Restoration of Taiwan’s Gouache Painting represents a cultural awareness, these 3 masters, Chan Chien-Yu, Lee Chen-Hui and Kao Yung-Lung, had put great efforts in Gouache Education, and initiated a new era of Taiwan’s Gouache Painting. Their artwork styles had not only led the tendency and direction of contemporary Gouache Painting, but also showed the Gouache Painting to be one of the restored painting styles in 21st century. More nobly reflection and vision, on the basis of diversified integration, they used new innovation thoughts to perform the real self’s cultural spirit.

Vigor Style of Chin Up

I have lived in Kaohsiung with simple life since 1972.  I upheld an attitude of "everyone is frivolous throughout his young life", also, I have experienced life of "crying for poverty" and "be brave to every accident”. I have witnessed too many circumstances where people attack with each other to strive for more power, be desirous about complicated social fairness and justice, also labeling myself a lot and posting with symbol. In artistic creation, regardless of deconstruction and dialectics of the materials, or artistic expression of symbol, we have repeatedly flipped and transform for being innovative; I always create problems on my own, then, resolve them one by one ranged from "withered landscape", "humanity series" to "dark complex" and even "multimedia-based contemporary ink painting", rich and wonderful, strange and strong.

Artistic creation is foundation of mankind and nature enjoying honor jointly; it is also the soul of time. My masterpieces share glory of nature, breathing together that they are closely related to the pulse of society; it has idea belonging to philosophy, also reflection on sociology. The research made on art is not limited to the work itself, but should discuss more social situations, as the vacuum state or surgery of transplantation or window culture is not about flesh and blood, and I only rely on sensitive genes and origin of idea seed with anxiety.

I am getting old and intend to take some rest; however, I cannot stop…

In recent years, the social and political transformation in Taiwan changes, but, it was not vigorous or brilliant as the martial law period after 1987; on the contrary, it is like a circus tightrope game, dangerous, absurd, and helpless....  Is the tragedy fate of Taiwan an ordained "void" image?  If so, how to express it with "reality"?

All activities from the sales of national land, food safety issues to urban city redistricting process can trace back to a monster reforming culture..., and the style of hero brevity in our consecutive eagerness of facing glory is expected to "act with mighty wind and broad cloud", however, it became confusion throughout blurred vision, and all of these have become the decoction of medicine; certainly, the lyric writing of personal life also is used to tell a joke with irony tone and exaggeration, so narcissistic in the trend. Being arrogant, not like an artist with purity of style, I realized such coldness and peevish is not good for the art gallery and wife, hence, the art gallery had rare invitation to me, as only “boring work” would make others have a “mixed feelings".

Anyway, except for transcription of scripture, I had nothing to do but obsessed myself with painting in the studio over the last year. "102" was courageous to declare a solo exhibition with invitation dispatched. A promise worth one thousand in gold, and “102” is not tolerated in those new works; however, not only “six circles”, but also “five worlds” exist in a dozen of works. There is "wisdom" and "ignorance" exaggerated therein, but I always develop myself throughout works, so that "Bodhi" is filled in my life and the social environment in Taiwan, and culture and art at hometown can be enlightened. The attitude I uphold in the face of reality with "humanitarian" is applied to "look into the world", and "artistic interpretation", which is very hard, lonely; however, I was happy to hide among brown painting materials of the studios in the dilapidated military dependent community, thinking of the scene in the "Monument in Shabby Home" composed by Liu, Yu-Xi, “Adjust my plain zither, reading gold scripture, neither with the chaos of string disturbing my ears, nor exhaust formed by a variety of tasks", or let me daze and look at

 a body with chin up

 strength of character after death

                                                                                          Hong, Ken-Shen        2016.7

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,

it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,

it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,

it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,

it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,

we had everything before us, we had nothing before us,

we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…

Aren’t we living in the same time as Charles Dickens describes in A Tale of Two Cities?

The circulation of information and substances is getting faster but our soul is becoming emptier than ever. Through the memory of time hidden in the scenery, the more internalized and deeper way is applied to explore the creator’s expression of scenery in mood/eye. “Mood Scenery” is therefore a theme generated on the premise of this inspiration.

For Fan, Sih-Ci, the artistic creation is a process that is mysterious as well as beyond description. The journey is carried out without burden. It is simple and clings to the original aspiration. In the journey, lines are the way she cognizes her own creation. Straight lines and curves come across it in silent and moving rhythm, using body to communicate with it. Because of it, the fast pace of the world slows down. She finds a new way to connect with the world.

Hsu, Shih-Pei interprets time and space through drawing and words. She expresses the profound and touching resonance through the hierarchy of life in heart. In a restless world like this, she listens and faces the silent voice in heart.

Tsai Yi-Chieh’s work is created based on city landscape. She is inspired by the way that people in urban cities are used to gazing upon scenery through diverse image frames. She uses saturated colors and plastics material to draw various modified and edited scenery pictures placed within our daily contemporary view.

Different life experiences and growing backgrounds make distinctive descriptions of mind. In the time like this, three artists interpret the world they see through creation, which also enables the viewers to take a glimpse of the life scenery in three artists’ heart.

“I rarely use words to express my thoughts, painting is the tool to I use to express my ideas and thinking.” Lai Mai-Hua states the purpose of her artistic concept from the very beginning. Actually, there are many more ideas in her sensitive mind. She has long been used to recording her daily experiences through painting. Flowers, a passing cloud, a new moon, the ocean, music, literature and indeed any lovely things in the life can all inspire her to create. To become an artist capable of expressing beauty was her ambition from childhood, thus, flower, leaf, seed, eye … natural features appear throughout her work as creative elements, painted in delicate brushstrokes and gentle lines, and containing many shades of colour.

Lai´s works are full emotion and imagination, with influences from feminism and expression of the subconscious mind through surrealism; thus the composition of her paintings is bright, vivid, varied, and vibrantly-coloured. These come together to create a strongly individual character, which sets out Lai´s passion for life and leaves the viewer affected with a fierce tension. In her work, flowers, masks, human figures and animals are often interweaved closely, laid out in a way to suggest a sexual meaning.

“I don´t mind people thinking my painting symbolise sex” Lai said, “Sex is a big deal for human beings, sex is a kind of naturalness.” Art critic Lu Yung-Chi recognises Lai as significant in Taiwanese native feminism: “Lai´s feminism originates in her instinct of conscientious initiation, not as part of a trend or a movement of ideology. It looks like it is not very theoretical, but just because of that, the artist comes across as more righteous and bold.” Above all Lai´s work is full with emotion and feminine delicacy, which expresses her thoughts and feelings about being and existence; on some occasions it shows surpassing beauty, on others it unveils a fearful secrecy.  It touches a chord with the viewer.  

Solo exhibition by Zheng Jianchang

Words by Hsieh Chi-Chang

Open: May 8 2015 to June 27 2015

Location: 102 Art, Tainan

A notable feature in the history of the arts in Taiwan is that after the lifting of martial law, those artists who had experienced it entered a period where their focus was on critical examination of authority, their art part of a wider post-modernist movement. We see this among both Taiwanese locals and those who arrived after 1949. Directly or indirectly, they found ways to express suspicion and anger towards power.  Zheng Jianchang is one of these artists. He and a few art-loving friends founded ‘Taipei New Art Consortium’, and they used the urban backdrop as material, attempting to capture the connection between people and city.  

In 1983, in order to put down roots, and to gain some distance from the overwhelming influence at the time of western art, Zheng decided to return to his home county, Jiayi. After his experience of urban life in Taipei, he finally found meaning in the land and soil and history of his home patch. And it was there that he gradually established a mode of thinking for his future work, namely ‘Documenting Creation’. This allowed him to think deeply about Taiwan, reconsidering his past experience of Martial Law, an experience that came to help him treasure and value his birthplace.

Taking the role of observer is a necessary element of Zheng’s work. While acting as observer, he re-discovers himself. He self-reflects, seeking to explore meaning in life. He seeks to find joy in being alone in this place. At the same time he is conscious of a certain feedback in his work from daily activities, and from the objects that he observes, in which he finds his own reality.  

Over the years, ‘Documenting Creation’ shows Zheng’s growing ability in self-reflection. At the same time, he was experiencing a horror that people, culture and land were disappearing. In ‘Documenting Creation’ we see again and again his journey of the heart in recording the death and rebirth of parts of Taiwan, calling people to pay attention to processes of decay and to urge them participate in rescue and renewal. His works have similarities to Hayao Miyazaki’s manga creations, which are full of breath-taking and heart-touching scenes.  The visual language of his work is so rich and imaginative; yet at the same time there is evidence of deep thought, a demonstration of his thinking on reality and problems in society.

Zheng has devoted his life to this land and its human landscape. His paintings record his silent and faithful observations of the environments, land, people and culture. He also contributes his thoughts on important issues facing society. His concerns for Taiwan’s land and people will become more and more apparent as time passes. We are looking forward to seeing Zheng’s ‘Documenting Creation’. 

Bo-Lo & Stallion  -  Xu Yun and Yang Zi-Ann /A Collection by Prof.Louis W. Chang

Bo-Lo, in Chinese legend, was a person who could recognize a stallion (horse with great potentials) although that horse was still unnoticed by most common people. Such ability in "foreseeing" long-ranged potentials of an artist's art is the essence in art collection. Indeed, a successful art collection depends more on one's "foresights" than just on one's "financial capability". Prof. Louis W. Chang is a renowned art collector, especially on paintings. He has built an admirable collection of paintings by using his "foresights" on art before many paintings have risen to unreachable values. 102 Gallery is fortunate to get Prof. Chang to share some of his foresights with art lovers in Taiwan. In this Special Exhibition, Prof. Chang will introduce works by two artists, Xu Yun and Yang Zi-Ann, whom he felt to be "hidden stallions" in the world of art.

Both Xu Yun and Yang Zi-Ann are still relatively "young" (under 60 year's old) artists in China. Xu is especially famous for his horse paintings. His horses were painted with splashed ink technique providing the horses with life, spirit, and power. He also liked to paint with sensuality of Tang dynasty: ladies, horses..........  portraying both elegance and grace.

Yang Zi-Ann is the Associate Director of the Zhiangsu Ju-Yung Art Institute in Nanjing. Yang painted his "Chinese" landscape paintings with "western" concepts via unique and self-created techniques. From a distance, one sees "Chinese landscape" paintings with "traditional" floating lines and vibrant colors. However, at close, one sees "contemporary" motifs and delicate textures. Viewers many times would utter: "Ohhh, look at this !" or " Wow,  how did he do that ?!".........

Regardless of the "boldness" of Xu Yun or the "delicacy" of Yang Zi-Ann, one will be totally "swallowed" by the arts of these two artists. Come to Prof. Chang's lecture sponsored by 102 Gallery at smile hoo coffee at 9:30AM ,Mar.10,2015 , as well as to the 102 Gallery exhibition between Mar.10 – Apr.26 and experience this wonder. It promises to be an pleasing experience, in either viewing or in purchase, that you will never forget.