An exhibition on the work and life of artist Liao Hsiou-ping (廖修平), known as the “godfather of modern Taiwanese woodblock printing,” is being held at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts until June 29.
The exhibition, which opened on March 22, is divided into three areas documenting Liao’s works as a student, artist and teacher.
Along with Liao’s woodblock print pieces, which he is best known for, the exhibition also showcases his sculptures and oil paintings.
Photo courtesy of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
Stressing the importance of artistic originality, Liao, a chair professor at National Taiwan Normal University, said he has always encouraged his students to explore and develop their own unique styles, and not let his lessons interfere with their creative processes.
Hsiao Chong-ray (蕭瓊瑞), who curated the exhibition, said Liao’s works often blend tradition with modernity, fantasy with reality, and grandeur with isolation.
That helps visitors feel happy and calm, Hsiao said.
Liao was born in Taipei in 1936. From an early age, he observed his father and older brother, both architects, drawing blueprints.
While growing up near Longshan Temple (龍山寺) in Taipei’s Wanhua District (萬華), Liao became fascinated with the ornate paintings and patterns on the temple. These early influences came to have a profound impact on his artistic style.
Liao traveled to Japan to study painting in 1962, where he was introduced to woodblock printing. He moved to France to study at the Beaux-Arts de Paris in 1965.
In 1969, he was commissioned to hold an exhibition at the Miami Museum of Contemporary Art. He then moved to New York, before returning to Taiwan in 1973.
Liao gained international recognition for his distinctive style that blends traditional Taiwanese elements with woodblock printing, elevating the global profile of Taiwanese woodblock art in the process.
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS