Shiy once said, "I turn glamour into plainness through the gentle attitude of Chinese culture. Moreover, I understand the simple allure of nature in Taiwan through its endlessly extending horizons. My watercolors aim at plainness, pursuing modernity while abandoning the fake exterior of civilization. Endless change and joyful spirit are then born from the wondrous interaction of the five techniques of coloring."
Jioujiou (99) Peaks is a famous mountain in Nantou County, Taiwan. It came by its name from its 99 magnificent peaks. Shiy De-jinn painted his "Jioujiou Peaks" watercolor while viewing the peaks from a distant valley. The detached and graceful scenery is illustrated by heavy brushwork and the quality of the water in the scene.
To commemorate the 90th birthday of late Shiy De-jinn, Ravenel organized in Taipei the "Special Auction of Shiy De-jinn's Works: His Close Friend's Collection of 30 years" in June, 2013. The auction recalls art lovers' memories of Shiy, the painter who was once so active in the cultural circle of Taipei. The artist poet Yu Kuang-chung even lamented that "Taipei became empty after you left." Shiy transmitted and surpassed traditions. He dared to bring forth new ideas and live his life by walking his own path. Through these rare and precious paintings that were carefully kept by his close friend, his admirers have rediscovered the master's passion in life and elegance in demeanor.
Ever since the 1960s, Shiy De-jinn's name, on par with that of a movie star, rooted itself in people's minds with its accompanying aloof and resolute image. His paintings are so colorful, unique, and breathe the breath of tranquility and pride. If not for this special auction, collectors in the younger generation might not have had the opportunity to see so many remarkable works by Shiy. To attract attention to Shiy's artistic achievement and restore the value proper to his works, his close friend, L, released nearly all of his collection, bringing them to the 2013 spring and autumn auctions of Ravenel in Taipei. Ravenel is honored to be entrusted with this task again with its hosting of the second special auction of Shiy De-jinn, "His Close Friend's Collection of 30 Years: Landscapes of Shiy De-jinn," on December 1, 2013. The auction will present 23 important paintings created in Shiy's later years. There will be included many modern landscape paintings depicting the scenic uniqueness of Taiwan, which are stunning in their depictions. Several great works of flowers, ducks, and Chinese calligraphy have also been included.
When Shiy returned to Taiwan from Europe and the US in 1966, he began to make friends in the literary and artistic communities. It was then that he became acquainted with L, and the two developed a precious friendship that survived generations. When time allowed, L would accompany Shiy in his travels and sketch scenes from nature. The artist established a warm relationship with L's family and was seen as one of their own. Even at the end of Shiy's life, it was L who stood beside him. They shared a very deep and sincere friendship. When the artist died in 1981, L and other friends arranged his funeral and established the "Shiy De-jinn Foundation" to manage his abundant treasures in respect of his last wish. They gave 10 of his best oil paintings and watercolors to the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, which was then reaching completion. Most of the other works and collections were donated to the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung.
According to L, he had once entertained thoughts of donating theses paintings that accompanied him for 30 to 40 years to art museums. However, the levels of maintenance and treatment in museums fall well below L’s expectations. Some of Shiy's works have been damaged from poor preservation according to the museum employees, which led L to reconsider the destination of his collection. If there are people who cherish Shiy's art as he does, people who will preserve and appreciate them properly, why not give the works to those who understand the true value of art?
This special auction, "His Close Friend's Collection of 30 Years: Landscapes of Shiy De-jinn," introduces many beautiful landscapes and solemn watercolors and ink wash paintings drawn from the landscape of Taiwan. Fully grasping the essence of Eastern and Western culture, Shiy became both master and pioneer in Chinese watercolor by establishing late in his career a unique style in watercolor called “Taiwanese landscape, Chinese artistic concept.” He added line, washes of ink and color, as well as the vibrations of water to his paintings with airy vapors and a sense of layering. Watercolor became the inheritor of Chinese ink wash and became a new style in modern Chinese painting. Shiy explained his new style thus: “It is about searching for new topics, new compositions, and new concepts; blending the textures of watercolor into ink wash and thereby adding vitality to the colors of Chinese painting.”
This special auction especially introduces works embodying the concept of “Taiwanese landscape, Chinese artistic concept.” It brings Chinese painting back to reality and back to our lives. Most of the works were created in the period between the early 1970s and the early 1980s, a period when Shiy reached maturity in artistic creation. Among these much-praised landscapes are “Snowscape of Jade Mountain”,“Landscape in Lishan”, “Landscape” (Taichung), “Jioujiou Peaks”, “A Delightful Contrast of Sea and Mountain” (Jioufen), “Mist over Pu-Li”, “Landscape of Mountain Houyan” (Miao-li), “A View of the Coast in Hsinchu County”, “Old Houses in the Mountains”, “Landscape of Tamsui River”, “Two Boats over Tamsui River”, “Boats by the Riverbank”. With the contrast and the combination of ink and color, he sometimes shows touches of the Southern, "literati," School of Chinese painting, while at other times he invokes the gorgeous tones of folk art with Taiwanese subtropical landscapes. Together, they create a contemporary feeling in his art.
Some paintings of flowers and ducks, Shiy's specialty, will also be introduced at this special auction. Chinese flowering crabapple and narcissus often appear in his works from the 1970s. Considering that the flowers are of a particular Eastern flavor, they are presented in a very unconventional way. Shiy uses light shadow in the background to immerse his flowers in a kind of feminine gentleness. There they are given a handsome posture that is full of vitality. As a foil to the flowers, the hazy leaves are gentle dreams, softening the sharpness of the twigs. The artist celebrates the abundance of life and praised the beauty of youth with the full bloom of flowers. This special auction also includes two paintings of Muscovy ducks painted with the “no lines technique.”They represent the artist's concern for the land of his hometown. In composition and form, they are simple and straightforward without redundancy. He confers a romantic or nostalgic sentiment to the materials seen in everyday life, which is a very personal mark of his style.
The 23 lots of “His Close Friend's Collection of 30 Years: Landscapes of Shiy De-jinn” (Lot 675-Lot 697) present the artist's superb skill in sketch and his remarkable creativity overall. These rare paintings are no less than his museum pieces. "Shiy De-jinn brought Chinese landscape into Taiwanese painting,” and his new interpretation enriched the scope of modern Chinese painting. Setting his life within beautiful landscapes, Shiy leaves us a precious cultural heritage for later generations.
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