An exhibition featuring 116 iconic sculptures by 11 artists recognized as Taiwanese masters is taking place in Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall Square, Guangfu Auditorium, in honor of pioneering artist Huang Tu-shui (黃土水).
According to the Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs, this year marks the 120th year of Huang’s birth, and to pay respect to the trailblazing artist and his generation, Huang and 10 other well-known Taiwanese artists’ works are displayed in “Homage to the master: Special exhibition of 11 grand old sculptors.”
Influenced by his elder brother, a carpenter, Huang nurtured an interest in sculpting since he was a child. He moved to Japan after graduating from Taiwan Normal University to study Western sculpture at Tokyo University of the Arts, the spokesperson said. He was the first Taiwanese student in the university’s history.
Photo: Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs
In 1930, Huang died in Japan at the age of 36 due to peritonitis.
In his short life, Huang created many works such as Sweet Dew (甘露水), Bust of a Girl (女孩胸像), the Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha (釋迦像) and Study of a Woman Tying her Hair in the Nude (結髮裸婦), the department official said.
The Ministry of Culture’s Antiquities Commission declared Huang’s alabaster relief Water Buffaloes (水牛群像) a national treasure, the first Taiwanese artifact to receive the distinction in the 20th century, the official said.
The other artists whose sculptures are displayed include Pu Tien-sheng (蒲添生), Chiu Yun (丘雲), Chen Hsia-yu (陳夏雨), Chueh Ming-te (闕明德), Chen Ting-shih (陳庭詩), Ho Ming-chi (何明績), Chen Ing-chieh (陳英傑), Wang Shui-ho (王水河), Yuyu Yang (楊英風) and Lee Tsai-chien (李再鈐), the official said.
Major art pieces displayed include Hair Combing (梳頭), Wu Feng on Horse (吳鳳騎馬), Lu Xun — The poet in Meditation (沉思的詩人魯迅), and Lin Jin-chuan the Teacher (林靖娟老師), a bronze statue dedicated to the kindergarten teacher who died saving her students in a 1992 fire, the department said.
A temporary post office has been erected near Zhongshan Hall, where special commemorative stamps of Huang’s Water Buffaloes are sold in addition to other souvenirs such as illustrated books, postcards, fans, notebooks and canvas bags, the official said.
The exhibition runs until Jan. 31 next year.
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