In Li Mei-shu's (
Even more ironic is Li Shih-chiao's (
All these pieces are good testimony to the hardship laced throughout Taiwan's tumultuous history. They are among the 37 oil paintings featured in the Taiwan section of the exhibition, which also displays oil paintings of the first half of the 20th century from Korea, Japan and China.
"The common characteristic of the pioneering artists is their tenacious vitality and unyielding idealism," said Lin Man-lee (
Indeed, these paintings vividly convey the island's past to contemporary audiences. Taiwan's early immigrants, who came mostly from China's Fukien Province, had to deal with the difficulties of living in an undeveloped, virgin land and of colonization. In the first generation of oil paintings, as well as other art forms like Taiwanese operas, there seems to linger a sad tone as justice is not served, and surrendering to a powerful regime is inevitable.
Since 1895, when Japan took over Taiwan, the art scene has been enriched by Japanese and western disciplines. Until Japan ceded Taiwan to China in 1945, the Japanese were a leading force in the development of fine art on the island.
In the 1920s, several Japanese artists-cum-teachers fostered the first batch of local painters. Ishikawa Kinichiro (
For the next decade, the art circle was full of students returning from schools in Japan. Some featured in the exhibition are Liao Chi-chuen (
Two of the 21 oil painters featured in the exhibition, Liao Chi-cheun and Li Shih-chiao, became mainstays for promoting art. Liao taught at university and Li had a private studio. Both attracted numerous followers who studied painting with them. As can be seen from the pieces Court with Banana Trees, and Scene with Coconut Trees, both on view at the exhibition, Liao Chi-chuen's style is more romantic. He was daring, able to break through and embrace new concepts on modern art. His teaching was based on instinct and imagination, cutting off redundant academic interpretation. On the other hand, Lee has more of an intellectual approach to art. He was theoretical, systematic and his paintings, such as Happy Farmers, convey a concrete sense of reality.
As viewed from the exhibition items in the show, Taiwan's oil painters in the first half of the 20th century drew most of their material from rural society, with colonial culture also acting as a catalyst.
This large-scale exhibition on oil paintings collects 160 items that are representative of the four countries featured in the show. Guides are available at the museum that will give more in-depth background into the development of oil paintings in East Asia, and contrast and compare the contents and forms.
Following the shock complete failure of all the recall votes against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers on July 26, pan-blue supporters and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were giddy with victory. A notable exception was KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), who knew better. At a press conference on July 29, he bowed deeply in gratitude to the voters and said the recalls were “not about which party won or lost, but were a great victory for the Taiwanese voters.” The entire recall process was a disaster for both the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The only bright spot for
As last month dawned, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was in a good position. The recall campaigns had strong momentum, polling showed many Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers at risk of recall and even the KMT was bracing for losing seats while facing a tsunami of voter fraud investigations. Polling pointed to some of the recalls being a lock for victory. Though in most districts the majority was against recalling their lawmaker, among voters “definitely” planning to vote, there were double-digit margins in favor of recall in at least five districts, with three districts near or above 20 percent in
From Godzilla’s fiery atomic breath to post-apocalyptic anime and harrowing depictions of radiation sickness, the influence of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki runs deep in Japanese popular culture. In the 80 years since the World War II attacks, stories of destruction and mutation have been fused with fears around natural disasters and, more recently, the Fukushima crisis. Classic manga and anime series Astro Boy is called “Mighty Atom” in Japanese, while city-leveling explosions loom large in other titles such as Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Attack on Titan. “Living through tremendous pain” and overcoming trauma is a recurrent theme in Japan’s
The great number of islands that make up the Penghu archipelago make it a fascinating place to come back and explore again and again. On your next trip to Penghu, why not get off the beaten path and explore a lesser-traveled outlying island? Jibei Island (吉貝嶼) in Baisha Township (白沙鄉) is a popular destination for its long white sand beach and water activities. However, three other permanently inhabited islands in the township put a unique spin on the traditional Penghu charm, making them great destinations for the curious tourist: Yuanbeiyu (員貝嶼), Niaoyu (鳥嶼) and Dacangyu (大倉嶼). YUANBEIYU Citou Wharf (岐頭碼頭) connects the mainland
RSS