A rainbow of emotions in woodcarving

A far cry from the tourist dollar-inspired and ho-hum woodblock carvings created by the supposed "artists" who ply their trade in the woodcarving capital of Taiwan, Miaoli County's Sanyi Village (三義), the work of woodblock carver Donald Harn (韓旭東) expresses facets and forms of social progression rarely found in the craft.

As a graduate of National Taiwan University's Department of Anthropology, Harn's approach to woodblock art is not centered on some childhood yearning to become an artist, but instead on his desire to explore the anthropological complexities of human development, or in some cases its baser elements.

In his 1994 intimidating breakthrough, War Series (戰爭系列), Harn quite literally stripped human conflict to the bone by creating an anti-war camphor world in which the viewer was confronted by dead doves of peace and gnarled and bullet-riddled bodies clad in tattered fatigues. Although taking a softer approach in his 2000 project, Them and Us (我們.牠們), a series in which Harn explored the relationship between man and animal by creating works that were part human and part beast, Harn's works remained highly unconventional and startlingly progressive.

Recent years have seen Harn breaking even further from tradition and taking the art of camphor woodblock carving to new and exciting levels. By incorporating metal castings, copper plates and even stone into his already remarkable works, the artist has extended the boundaries of the traditional art form in ways never before seen.

While shocking woodcarving purists with his non-conformist ideas, Harn has put himself in the enviable position of being one of very few artists in Taiwan to employ camphor as a medium and successfully avoid the uniform sameness of his woodcarving peers.

Harn's growing reputation and untraditional outlook have also led to his being considered by many as one of the nation's leading contemporary artists regardless of medium.

For his latest exhibition, which is called simply Wooden Sculpture by Donald Harn (韓旭東木雕展), Taipei's East Gallery (東之畫廊) is playing host to a collection of Harn's works dating from 2000 to this year.

Unlike his previous exhibitions, however, there is no theme to his latest show. Instead the gallery has opted to display a selection of works by the artist they feel best exemplifies Harn and the ideologies his art expresses. Incorporating a total of 40 works, the exhibition includes atypical woodcarvings such as I Still Can't Retire (我還不能退休), a 2001 bust of an aging scholar in which Harn has managed to create such acute facial features that the work allows viewers to literally feel the pain and suffering of old age and overwork.

Not that it's all doom and gloom, as the exhibition still boasts a selection of more vibrant and uplifting pieces. Ah La's Paper Airplane (阿拉的紙飛機) is a surreal, yet amusing piece in which a faceless entity is seen throwing a paper airplane into the air, showing viewers a glimpse of Harn's more playful side.

Exhibition notes: Wooden Sculpture by Donald Harn (韓旭東木雕展) is on display until Dec. 29 at East Gallery (東之畫廊), located at 8F, 218-4 Chunghsiao E. Rd., Sec. 4, Taipei (台北市中孝東路4段218-4號8F). The gallery is open from 11am to 6pm, Tuesdays through Sundays.