Art and politics

British artist Richard Bolton captures a Taiwan far from the hustle of Taipei

A quiet afternoon away from the concrete buildings and the noisy crowds of Taipei is what Richard Bolton can offer you through his watercolor landscapes. The 50-year-old English artist has traveled through Taiwan and southern China this year and put some beautiful scenic locations down on paper. Of the 32 paintings on view at the show, only two of them are portraits -- the remainder are landscapes.

The images that Bolton has captured are mostly towering, craggy mountains, and the rivers that run through them. He has grasped the beauty of such popular tourist destinations as Taroko Gorge and the peaks of the Central Mountain Range. He has also painted the elaborately ornamented rooftops of Taipei's Lungshan Temple, suggesting the appeal of these traditional Chinese motifs even to a foreign eye more attuned to natural scenes.

Bolton's landscapes have a clean, poetic calm about them, mirroring the peaceful mind of the artist. His colors are rich, full of subtle hues, particularly blues and purples, and he is a master of manipulating light and shade. Viewers are encouraged to stand at distance from the paintings to appreciate the clever use of light.

Although this is only his first solo exhibition in Taiwan, Bolton is already a well known figure in the UK. He is the author of several books on paintings and his own work has been featured on the cover of the UK telephone directory. His books are available in Chinese translation at the gallery.Su Wong-shen takes aim at Taiwan's political scene for his latest exhibition

While many people may be fed up with Taiwan's current political scene, Su Wong-shen (蘇旺伸) has taken his dissatisfaction a step further. He has turned away from his usual landscape painting and produced a series of satirical pieces to vent his frustration. Regarded by many as one of Taiwan's most important painter, Su, 48, has now turned his attention on the theme of how the media has produced a flood of politics in our lives.

The Media(2000) draws its inspiration from large commercial sign boards that are placed along highways. Two rectangles, representing signboards, are depicted in the painting. One shows the image of a fierce beast, the other, a dog in front of a microphone. Above this second rectangle is a crown. Su's intention in these satirical paintings is to depict the powerful way the media influences our lives.

Su is acutely aware of the way politics are conducted through a variety of media tools, an example of which is broadcasting a political platform through a microphone. By painting a crown above the rectangle containing the dog with the microphone, Su is pointing to the overwhelming power of broadcasting, seeming to ask "Does the media think itself king?"

Su's two dozen paintings from last year and this year are very different from his solo show three years ago of landscapes from the coastal town of Tamsui north of Taipei. A long time resident of Tamsui, Su moved to Kaohsiung two year ago, where he experienced a different lifestyle. He is impressed by the directness and passion of southern Taiwanese, especially in matters relating to politics. And last year's presidential election naturally brought politics into the foreground of public debate. "It's not possible to get away from it," said Su, replying to why he has now turned to political and social themes in his art.