According to Mahayana Buddhism, anyone can attain enlightenment, and to assist the masses in reaching that state, known as Nirvana, a number a bodhisattvas and arhats roam the earth as spiritual coaches. Both are considered quasi-deities, but while bodhisattvas resemble Buddha in their appearance and commute between the human and divine realms, arhats look more like monks and live on earth.
In his latest exhibition, Taiwanese artist J.C. Kuo (
Modern-day Buddhist disciples are a concept Kuo began working on in 2000 and each of the arhats is based on male acquaintances of the artist. With strong religious and political overtones, his paintings act as guidelines for living in contemporary Taiwanese society.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAIN TREDN GALLERY
The walls of the gallery are covered by 20 large paintings, one for each of the arhats and two depicting the cycles of birth and rebirth. The works are rich in color and detail; most use a collage of materials including newspaper print, buttons and jewelry. Kuo's background in woodcarving comes through in his broad brush strokes. The pop-culture and religious iconography are also reminiscent of Roy Lichtenstein's work.
A cautious view of modern technology is a reccurring theme in several of the pieces. In Lohan 7 a man wearing a suit and carrying a notebook computer is surrounded by a multitude of stamps with the words "delete," "shift" and "enter." Similar to other paintings, the man is barefoot, indicating a need to stay grounded and in touch with nature. In Lohan 10 a man is cloaked in a scholar's robe and sits gazing at a mammoth flat-screen TV. The submissive position of the man kneeling in front of the screen indicates a need to question the authority and power of media that has become like a 21st-century religion.
In other works political sentiments are illustrated, such as in Lohan 4 where a middle-aged protester is clad in a white sweat suit and sports both a blue jacket and green headband. Outlining the figure is a burlap sack, which pays homage to the fishermen and farmers who were the forerunners of protest and democracy in Taiwan.
Democracy is also explored in Lohan 1, which shows a man wearing a suit rocking on a toy horse. Above the painting is written the date July 15, 1987, marking the end of martial law. The painting shows Taiwan's young democracy, like a child, needs time to grow and mature.
Traditional Chinese themes of fortune, marital bliss, fertility and long life are also expressed in four of the works. Considering that Buddhist deities are celibate, the inclusion of family men among the other arhats downplays the religious connotations in the exhibit and produces conceivable role models for the real world.
Exhibition notes :
What: J.C. Kuo's 2005 18 Lohans Solo Exhibition
Where: Main Trend Gallery (大趨勢畫廊), 209-1 Chengde Rd, Sec 3, Taipei (台北市大同區承德路三段209-1號)
When: Until April 16. Daily 11am to 7pm. Gallery closed on Mondays.
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern
RSS