On 28 March, Taipei Fine Arts Museum launched a new exhibition, “Paul Chiang: A Retrospective”, which is the very first solo exhibition for the artist Paul Chiang in this museum. Featuring over 100 paintings, from the 80s to the present day and including works on paper and large-scale works. This is the summarize of Paul Chiang’s 55-years career as an artist.
Paul Chiang was born in Taichung, 1942. Graduated from the College of Art, Nation Normal University. In 9647, he moved to Paris to further study and for his long-term career. However, the broke out of Mai 68 led to economic troubles. Chiang, therefore, moved to New York with his wife, this started up their nearly 30 years of living in the US. He returned to Taiwan in 1996 for taking care of his elderly father and beginning to set up a studio at Taipei. Chiang finally found his ‘dream’ studio in Taitung in 2007 where he continues making art.
The exhibition uses a timeline as a liner way of presentation. Using double entrance in both head and tail representing the start and present period of Chiang’s works. This arrangement shows clearly how his work transforms during these years. On the ground floor, we will first meet his present works. Walking upstairs, concentrated the former works and his biography. The last showroom (as known as the other entrance) was displaying his graduating work ‘Transfigured Night’ (1965). Most of his early works of the 1960s were destroyed and damaged in the flooding.
Looking at his works from different periods, shows the artist’s diversified style and attention on ideas about life. He said that it was for his self-development. He would shift to another topic when he had no more ideas. ‘It is the beauty of sincerity and the enigma of life and nature that keeps me painting.’ said Paul Chiang. His former works are about exploring himself and the religious from Paris to Taipei, using monochrome backgrounds with cool tones as formation. After he based in Taitung, works always filled up by colorful flowers and shaped sense of sight.
The recently large-scale works are communication with space. Like the Taitung’s east coastal gives him the vitality in using colors and in the 1/F main showroom, the series of work ‘Jinzun’ fused in.
Paul Chiang’s works conveyed his own mode of abstract and his expression which allow him to build his own symbolism. He cares about life, this causes the connection with audiences and a balance between abstract and realistic.
‘I still believe that art can transfigure the world’ said Paul Chiang.
The works named ‘Transfigured Night’ in 1965, the 80s and 2020 confirm Paul Chiang is still discussing life topics. From mysterious deep blue tone to capture the sill sense of water then replaced with heavy grays and blacks. As a reflection of his creation and persistence, The ‘Transfigured Night’(1965) and ‘Transfigured Night’(2020) are putting in the same room. Paul Chiang, no double he will continue to use his art to echo the discussion.
more article about Paul Chiang：
His Pisilian Dreams: Master Paul Chiang
www.yicollecta.com/zh/articles/74
Photos by YIART
