Sculptures made with one of nature's most-enduring materials - raw stone - will be on display in central Taiwan from Dec. 2, 2016 through June 11, 2017.
The creative energy and trajectory of contemporary stone art will be reflected through the exhibition theme "Lei (磊),” a Chinese character comprised of three stacked rocks representing "honesty” and "decency.”
The time investment is often so consuming that stone sculptors may spend months or even years on one item. The durable quality of stone allows for no shortcuts or trickery, but hard work will etch out a piece of art that becomes a symbol of its time.
As a product of tectonic compression, Taiwan has a healthy supply of marble that metamorphosed from limestone. Quartzite, slate, basalt, and beds of sandstone provide plenty of quarry options as well. Smaller, ornamental pieces are often fashioned from smooth river pebbles or jade fragments.
Taiwan's stone art history has its roots in folk religion, exemplified by deity statues, cauldrons, and stone lion guardians. For many years, the crafts sector produced stone sculptures as a commercial commodity and building material.
The unique characteristics of stone makes it an attractive material for artists even today. This exhibition will focus on sculptures created after 1980 through four main sections: The Rolling Stone - Innovative Creation; New Land - The Changing Creation Environment; In Pursuit of Dreams - The Innovative Energy of Young Generation; and Stone Arena - New Uses of Old Materials.
Visit Nantou's National Crafts Research and Development Institute for a glimpse of the creative output made possible by 56 Taiwanese and international stone sculptors. The 94 sculptures stand testament to how age-old techniques can be applied to create sleek, contemporary works of art.
'New Aspect in Contemporary Stone Sculpture'
Taiwan Sculptors