PRINTCatalogue Note:
Hsiao Chin began to learn painting in 1951. He was greatly influenced by Western modern artistic thought after he traveled to Europe in 1956, and was later an important pioneer of Modernization of Art, the first wave of Taiwanese avant-garde after the war. Hsiao went on to found Ton Fan Art Group in Taipei, the same period in which he attempted to further explore integrations between Chinese calligraphy and European non-figurative art whilst still grounded in Taoist thinking, an approach he had already began to practice in Europe. By creating connections between the forces of the universe and the vigor of life, the artist enables his viewers to experience a strong sense of empathy, just as if they could visually observe the macroscopic world and comprehend its profound meanings. An artist’s creation is veritably the creator of man’s spiritual civilization.
This work was created while Hsiao was emulating the essences and techniques of Western abstract art. In the 1960s, he began to demonstrate an interest in Zen and Taoism and started seeking artistic inspiration from Chinese culture, thereby developing a creative style that was quite distinct from Western mainstream abstract graphics. His works are the confluence of Western aesthetics, Eastern philosophies, and explorations into astrophysical and cosmic phenomena. With the gradual accumulation of personal experiences and reflections, he began creating a wider variety of artworks in hopes of exploring the profound meanings of man’s spiritual life. Hsiao once said that, Through the philosophies of Laozi, Zhuangzi and Zen, I endeavor to achieve the infinite extension of my love of and attachment to both the universe and China, my motherland. Critics believe this is exemplary of the Hsiao Chin style that alludes to a sense of temporal stillness and infinity. Hsiao effectuated new possibilities and styles in Chinese painting with his use of Western colors and pigments and instigated a revolution that resonated throughout the contemporary art scene. Through extraordinary persistence and constant self-reflection, Hsiao has engaged in a lifelong pursuit of harmony between heaven and earth as well as the attainment of a boundless realm that transcend the limits of life and death.
This work was created while Hsiao was emulating the essences and techniques of Western abstract art. In the 1960s, he began to demonstrate an interest in Zen and Taoism and started seeking artistic inspiration from Chinese culture, thereby developing a creative style that was quite distinct from Western mainstream abstract graphics. His works are the confluence of Western aesthetics, Eastern philosophies, and explorations into astrophysical and cosmic phenomena. With the gradual accumulation of personal experiences and reflections, he began creating a wider variety of artworks in hopes of exploring the profound meanings of man’s spiritual life. Hsiao once said that, Through the philosophies of Laozi, Zhuangzi and Zen, I endeavor to achieve the infinite extension of my love of and attachment to both the universe and China, my motherland. Critics believe this is exemplary of the Hsiao Chin style that alludes to a sense of temporal stillness and infinity. Hsiao effectuated new possibilities and styles in Chinese painting with his use of Western colors and pigments and instigated a revolution that resonated throughout the contemporary art scene. Through extraordinary persistence and constant self-reflection, Hsiao has engaged in a lifelong pursuit of harmony between heaven and earth as well as the attainment of a boundless realm that transcend the limits of life and death.