- Date 2003.12.13-2004.02.15
- Venue Taipei Fine Arts Museum
Parts of Toys – Solo Exhibition by Lai Chiu-Chen
Lai Chiu-Chen
Comments on the Finalist
The exhibition was an aggressive development of the possibilities of graphic art in the new age, brought new epistemological reflection into the semi-abstract context, manipulated effectively forms and methods in painting, and possessed intuitive sensitivity and rational exploring. The works were basically hand-painted, experimenting with the borderline between stylishness and sign character through materials, skills, and forms. The systematic exploration revealed further possibilities of graphic painting.
Artwork Introduction
Dissolve into primordial purity—“Parts of Toys” by Lai Jiu-cheng
The generation of Lai Jiu-cheng spent their childhood playing plastic toys. At the first glance, “Parts of Toys”presents the formal aesthetics and seems like a master stroke by one who is familiar with western modernism. However, in the other way, it seems to scramble the order inadvertently. The spirits of M. Rothko, E. Kelly, J. Johns, Rauschenberg, or even S. Rothenberg are randomly presented. The texture of acrylic fiber is explored to the full extent, not limiting by the arrangement of the tableau, color, concepts of the Pop art etc. This piece of work recovers the childlike eagerness to explore the world and satisfies us by the process of questioning, disassembly, simulation, description, drawing and recombination.
No matter whether it is a still object on the table or something played with in one’s hand, concrete objects are dissolved, concrete shapes are searched among abstract concepts, cultural boundary is crossed and all is simplified and presented on a 2 dimensional flat print. Thus, there is no boundary between the East and the West, the classic and the modern, but the visual exploration of the human being which is also the eternal topic of painting.(by Lin Ping）
About the Artist
In the tranquil mountains, early-morning light sifting through the trees, a voyager travels alone and plays with the permeating mist. He eagerly travels to an unknown destination. Along the winding road, he may stop to taste the wellspring, or dust himself off and then resumes the journey. The journey as a whole is such a blessing for him.
