Life inspires the art of A-Kan

Another local art commentator Lin Chia-hua (林佳慧) is more precise about how A-Kan creates a piece and how it connects with the buyer.

"[The artist] has produced his artwork from his imagination and from feelings that he has about life. He first puts into use his ingenuity to dissect compositions or the constituents of a physical object. He then executes every dot, line and irregular shape from the new composition to set free [the object] from the bondage of physical appearances, to let his newly created art piece speak directly to the viewer's heart and mind."

Big feet and big black eyes are two prominent elements that epitomize the spirit of A-Kan's works, which articulates endless curiosity towards life.

Laheici (拉黑子．達立夫) is an internationally known artist in his 40s, also from Hualian, and knows A-Kan's works well. He believes that it's the natural setting of the East Coast that has inspired A-Kan and the way he develops his art.

"A-Kan's multi-media masterpieces stand out noticeably from the others. He is very keen to adopt ideas, both from the creative ways modern cartoons are produced and also using the latest scientific technology to ingeniously formulate the surrealistic configurations of his works of art. Yet, too many series may give people the impression of repetitive works of a similar artistic style," Laheici says.

A-Kan claims, however, he enjoys creating mainstream artworks and does not appreciate art intended for highbrow audiences only. He believes that a person needs to observe life with his own eyes and to confirm the experience with his own feet. This is the only truthful way to comprehend the rich and versatile aspects of life, he says. All art, as it is perceived by the artist, should originate from such feelings of human life, he adds.

The artist is now trying to introduce glass bottles of different shapes and colors as the fourth component to his experimental flower vase series. In A-Kan's eyes his decorative art pieces will comfort people in the same way a pleasant environment soothes the the mood.

Factbox:

What: A-Kan's JOKI

Where: 3, Shihmen, Gangkou Village, Fengbin Township, Hualian County (花蓮縣豐濱鄉港口村石門3號).

How to get there: Drive along Provincial Highway 11 from Hualien City, about 10 minutes after reaching Fengbin Township but before arriving at Shihti Harbor.

Open: 10am to 5pm, everyday.

Contact: (038) 781 616