Exhibition of Chen Cheng-po’s painting and calligraphy collection captures life in the art world: A journey through Taiwanese art history starting at 23.5°N
The
National Museum of History and the
National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall will jointly hold a special exhibition titled "From Lines to Network — Chen Cheng-po and His Collection of Painting and Calligraphy" from Nov. 22, 2019 through Feb. 8, 2020 at the Taipei-based memorial hall.
Born in the Tropic of Cancer-straddling county of Chiayi,
Chen Cheng-po (1895-1947, 陳澄波, also credited as Tan Ting-pho) has become known as the Taiwanese incarnation of oil painting. His legacy includes a wealth of valuable items, which have been carefully preserved and restored by the Chen Cheng-po Cultural Foundation (陳澄波文化基金會) before making their formal debut in this exhibition. These works of calligraphy and paint are not just by Chen's hand, they are also the concentrated results of the artist's early 20th century travels, and thus a showcase of Taiwanese diverse artistic development during that era.
This exhibition is a very special recounting of the history of Taiwanese art. Through 114 ink wash paintings, it presents Chen's aesthetics while also interweaving the interpersonal networks between Taiwanese, Chinese, and Japanese artists from the 1920s to World War II. Through this personal collection that serves as witness to the diverse context in which Taiwanese art developed, including the artistic atmosphere and historical milieu Chen found himself in, exhibition-goers will gain new perspectives and interpretative angles.
Chen Li-po (陳立栢), chairman of the Chen Cheng-po Cultural Foundation, found some 70 ink wash paintings stashed in a hidden compartment at the back of his father's closet in 2012. The paintings had been a gift from good friends in the art world. Moreover, according to his grandmother Chang Chieh (張捷), his father had all the creators' names obscured in order to hide the paintings and protect their identities.
Among them was Lin Yushan's (林玉山) "Bamboo and Buffalo (竹林與水牛)," gifted in 1926 when the two artists were living together as overseas students in Japan in a dormitory next to Tokyo's Ueno Park. When Lin saw his own piece in an exhibition in 1979, he was tremendously excited and re-signed his name to it, commenting on his gladness that after 53 years it was still well preserved and still stood witness to the friendship between the two men.
"From Lines to Network — Chen Cheng-po and His Collection of Painting and Calligraphy" traces a path through Chen's friendships via paintings and calligraphy works, combing through the three main axes of development of modern Taiwanese art: Taiwan, China, and Japan. Divided into five major themes — Interpreting Lines, Calligraphy Education, Zhuluo County Style, Shanghai Era, and Travels in the East — the exhibition shall present Chen's network of artistic connections across East Asia. This unique approach to interpreting Taiwanese art history is aimed at opening new avenues of exploration in research and revitalization.
‘From Lines to Network — Chen Cheng-po and His Collection of Painting and Calligraphy’Date: Nov. 22, 2019 – Feb. 8, 2020
Venue: National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Hours: 9am – 6pm (Mondays through Sundays)
Site:
https://events.unitas.me/2019/CCPCollections/index.html