Chinese literati of 700 years ago were not much different from their contemporary counterparts. They trained in literature and philosophy, "loved good houses, nice clothes, delicacies, night life, going to entertainments, collecting vintage items ..." Ming dynasty prose writer Zhang Dai (
As Literati Aesthetics in the 21st Century, (
The literati painters in the past set themselves apart from those producing meticulously realistic works for the imperial academy. While earning their bread on government jobs, they sublimated their longing for an idyllic life away from the treacherous world of politics to express themselves in ink and paper.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF HSU'S ART
The works of 10 of the contemporary artists in the exhibition constitute a wide range of genres, from oil painting, furniture/sculpture, installation, to traditional ink painting and calligraphy. As ancient literati artists enthused about their moods and enjoyments in the tranquility of their homes, today's literati artists are more self-absorbed and express that through depicting the apparently uneventful surroundings of their lives.
"The transition into a new century sounds an alarm for traditional literati. Paper fans [a favorite medium in the past] have been replaced by air conditioners. The prevalence of computers made ink brushes useful only for a few calligraphy die-hards. The onslaught of technology and a transformed, Westernized society are testing the traditional literati lifestyle," writes curator Michael Chen (
At first glance, the works are all flowers and mountains, but in their respective choice of media and styles, they are all attempts to solve the traditional/modern and Chinese/Western conflicts.
Lin Chuan-chu (
Chen Kun-de (
Extension of the Unusual combines two studies of popular Sung dynasty subjects -- a gentleman on a horse and a dancing lady. What prevents the Sung man and the woman from catching sight of each other is an expanse of meadow on top of today's Yangmingshan. A stray zebra also betrays the post-modernist era in which Chen made the work.
Cheng Tzai-dong's (
"Literati Aesthetics in the 21st Century" will run until Oct. 5 at Jeff Hsu's Art, B1, 1, Ln 200, Sungteh Rd. (台北松德路200巷1號B1).
June 23 to June 29 After capturing the walled city of Hsinchu on June 22, 1895, the Japanese hoped to quickly push south and seize control of Taiwan’s entire west coast — but their advance was stalled for more than a month. Not only did local Hakka fighters continue to cause them headaches, resistance forces even attempted to retake the city three times. “We had planned to occupy Anping (Tainan) and Takao (Kaohsiung) as soon as possible, but ever since we took Hsinchu, nearby bandits proclaiming to be ‘righteous people’ (義民) have been destroying train tracks and electrical cables, and gathering in villages
Dr. Y. Tony Yang, Associate Dean of Health Policy and Population Science at George Washington University, argued last week in a piece for the Taipei Times about former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) leading a student delegation to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that, “The real question is not whether Ma’s visit helps or hurts Taiwan — it is why Taiwan lacks a sophisticated, multi-track approach to one of the most complex geopolitical relationships in the world” (“Ma’s Visit, DPP’s Blind Spot,” June 18, page 8). Yang contends that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has a blind spot: “By treating any
Swooping low over the banks of a Nile River tributary, an aid flight run by retired American military officers released a stream of food-stuffed sacks over a town emptied by fighting in South Sudan, a country wracked by conflict. Last week’s air drop was the latest in a controversial development — private contracting firms led by former US intelligence officers and military veterans delivering aid to some of the world’s deadliest conflict zones, in operations organized with governments that are combatants in the conflicts. The moves are roiling the global aid community, which warns of a more militarized, politicized and profit-seeking trend
This year will go down in the history books. Taiwan faces enormous turmoil and uncertainty in the coming months. Which political parties are in a good position to handle big changes? All of the main parties are beset with challenges. Taking stock, this column examined the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) (“Huang Kuo-chang’s choking the life out of the TPP,” May 28, page 12), the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) (“Challenges amid choppy waters for the DPP,” June 14, page 12) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) (“KMT struggles to seize opportunities as ‘interesting times’ loom,” June 20, page 11). Times like these can
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