 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Artist: Wen-Hsi Lin ( Taiwan, 1955 - present ) -
|
|
|
|
|
|
Main Category: Painting
|
|
|
Genres: Post Modern Art, Contemporary Asian Art
|
|
|
|
Biography: The early creations of Lin, Wen-hsi are often characterised by realism. He is especially fond of light, shading, and texture. His fine use of brightness and shading gives rise to different themes and yields a contrastive creativity which brings his spatial imagination into full play. From this period one can also sense among several of Lin, Wen-hsi works a sense of calling and righteousness, arising from discontent with the surrounding environment.
Through prominent compositional features and a sense of intense speed, in addition to conveying conflict among differing vantage points, one discerns Taiwan's transportation problem and disparate images of Taiwan's modern society and lifestyles, depicted via drawings of "crowdedness," "chaos," "danger," "indifference," "begging," and "work." Blind spots which the camera is unable to control; conflicts of differing viewpoints which give shape to shocking visualisations; chilling partial colour compressions; transformation between warm gray and complementary colours - all are creations which attempt to break new ground.
Lin, Wen-hsi is an artist of strong morals. In the scenes of society depicted in his works, there is an inescapable expression which does not attempt to avoid the negative or taboo. He endeavours through artwork to arouse people's values regarding their own surrounding environment, while at the same time capturing scenes from every corner of contemporary society and documenting materialistic society.
Lin, Wen-hsi also frequently visits many countries in Europe, taking temporary refuge from his ever-growing sense of mission toward his native environment. Therefore, Lin's creativity contain records of many lands. These drawings always appear fine and carefree, perhaps inpired by the beauty of vistas, or perhaps because they depict things other than his native environment. Regardless, in these drawings we no longer see vigorous, agitated, brush strokes and spatial re-deployment, but a concrete record of scenic objects from travels. Perhaps it is because Lin, Wen-hsi 's mood has been liberated and no longer constrained that these drawings contain no twists or distortions.
Lin, Wen-hsi dearly loves the environment in which he was born and raised. His creation Life in Taiwan's Metropolis is an outgrowth of this theme. Likewise, his Metropolitan Traffic Series and Metropolitan Men and Women in Love Series are explorations and self-reflections regarding the surrounding environment. Here, his drawing style is stronger and bolder, utilising structures which transcend reality - unfathomable spatial transformations; exaggerated pressure of brush contact; even humanlike twists and distortions - to display a type of "metropolisation" which suppresses human form. Rapid and "automatic" brush contact strengthens the sense of human and vehicular haste. Colouring, for the most part, is conveyed in lower or dimmer intensities, to emphasise air pollution or the coldness of human relations. Metropolitan Men and Women in Love Series also features a bold compositional structure, with strong colours and unified spatial transformation. This theme features similar multi-aspectual and innovative approaches - exaggeration, twisted brush contact and forms, a vigorous use of bright and dark contrast with complementary colours - as well as a smooth flow of fine dots. This creates visual rhythm and theatrical spotlights on the drawing surface, while seeking to reflect upon male-female sensuality.
In recent years, through his frequent travels, Lin, Wen-hsi has begun to notice an issue concerning life in the world's metropolises life and popular trends. In his Window Shopping Series, the structural composition of the drawings is divided into three levels. The first level is "scenery" on the street just outside the display window; for example, pedestrians, automobiles, architecture, street lamps, tree colonnades, etc. The second level is "reflections" on the display window glass, using the various ephemeral street scenes as reflected on the glass surface of the display window. The third level features display window models "inside the display window" wearing name brand labels, costumes and accessories, famous leathers; there are also large-scale posters of celebrities. The compositional structure utilises interlocking and overlapping of these three spatial dimensions to convey various transformations of ambiguities and reflections. As for colouring, the main content appears in full colour and is expressed through clothing and high-grade merchandise; while reflected scenery and human tints are expressed monochromatically; in this way, the desired themes can be brought out to form reliefs.
In his Metropolitan Life Series of recent years, Lin resumes his aesthetic discontent regarding traffic congestion, chaos, and lack of safety in the big city. From his early to recent periods, Lin, Wen-hsi 's drawing style has remained unceasingly innovative and changing in its brave utilisation of canvas space, brushwork, and colour, expressing the strong moral outlooks which he has always maintained. Lin is an artist as well as an observer of society who, in his deep concern for the surrounding environment, is also an extraordinary advocate for justice in today's society.
|
Exhibition History: SOLO EXHIBITIONS
1993 Solo Exhibition in Cultural Center in St. Louis, USA
1994 Solo Exhibition in Taiwan Museum of Art
1995 Solo Exhibition in Taichung Cultural Center
1999 Solo Exhibition in American Cultural Center
2001 Solo Exhibition in Taipei Fine Arts Museum
2002 Solo Exhibition in Fang-Chuan Gallery
2005 Solo Exhibition in Tsai-Feng Callery
JOINT EXHIBITIONS
1980 Provincial Invited Exhibition of Awarded Artists
1981 National Joint Exhibition of Young Artists
1982 Invited Exhibition of Modern Artists in Taipei County
1985 40th Provincial Retrospective Art Exhibition
1986 2nd Thousand Invited Artists Art Exhibition
1991 Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
1992 Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Korea
1993 Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Kaoshiung
1994 Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Shanhai (China)
1995 Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
Joint Exhibition of Hwakang Association
Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Tienzing (China)
1996 Joint Exhibition of Zishan Art Croup
Taipei Fine Arts Museum 1996 Biannual Exhibition
“The Art Individuality Exhibition in Taiwan”
1997 Taipei Teacher Art Exhibition by Taipei City Government
Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
1998 Taipei Teacher Art Exhibition by Taipei Fine Arts Museum
3rd 228 Art Exhibition “Staring and Statue”
Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Thailand
China and Taiwan’s Watercolor Exhibition in Ta-Lien (China)
Schoolmates Art Exhibition of Eelan Senior High School
Art Exhibition for 100th Anniversary of Shwangshi Elementary School
Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
1999 1999 Joint Exhibition of Citizen Art Teachers by Taipei Fine Arts Museum
2000 Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Hsuchuang (China)
2001 Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
2002 Joint Exhibition of Japanese Modern Art Association
2003 Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Singapore
2004 Asian Watercolor Joint Exhibition in Malaysia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
