National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) launched a physical exhibition "For the Love of this Land: Shiy De-Jinn Retrospective (茲土有情─席德進逝世四十週年紀念展)" that will last from Aug. 21 to Oct. 03 in addition to a livestream on its YouTube channel so that those who are interested in the works of late artist Shiy De-Jinn (席德進) will be able to appreciate the content of the exhibition.
"For the Love of this Land: Shiy De-Jinn Retrospective" will exhibit a total of 62 important works by Shiy from 1970 to 1980, themed around two major units "Taiwanese Landscapes (臺灣山水)" and "Traditional Architecture (民房古厝)" with the aim of highlighting the connection between Shiy and Taiwan’s cultural and environmental landscape, as well as the inspiration the artist drew from the island. At the same time, the NTMoFA hopes to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Shiy’s passing.
In recent years, the Ministry of Culture has been actively promoted the "Reconstruction of Taiwan's Art History project (重建臺灣藝術史計畫)" through exhibitions and activities organized by the NTMoFA over the years. In the development of Taiwanese art, Shiy De-Jinn had been one of the few to lay the foundation of Taiwanese contemporary art by merging the traditional, the contemporary, and the local based on Taiwanese cultural elements in his works. This exhibition thereby brings to attention a significant piece of Taiwanese art history.
Shiy De-Jinn once said, "My paintings, from my early days until today, have always had a constant tone; that is, the scenery of Taiwan is used as inspiration for my works."
Due to his love for Taiwan, a large number of his artistic creations were donated to the NTMoFA's collection after he passed away in 1981.
According to the NTMoFA, Shiy De-Jinn's watercolor works in the form of ink are considered his representative works. Among them, works that are themed around ancient architecture and natural scenery in Taiwan drew broad acclaim as they not only reflect Shiy’s sophisticated painting skills, but also incorporate traditional and modern aesthetics as well as thoughts regarding local culture and the natural environment.
For more information on the exhibition, please visit NTMoFA’s official webpage.