Chinese Name: 郭清治
Born: 1939
Place of Birth: Taichung County (Central Taiwan)
Did You Know?
In 1994, Kuo Ching-chih was invited to Japan to participate in the Asian Modern Sculpture Outdoor Exhibition with his work "Gate of Saha (娑婆之門)." He received high praise from the Japanese newspaper "Asahi Shimbun (朝日新聞)," which commended his work for its unique and "otherworldly" style. His piece "Entrance of the Sun (太陽之門)" was also included in the book "Forjar el Espacio: La Escultura Forjada En El Siglo XX" alongside works by other international masters, showcasing his talent in creating large-scale sculptures.
Kuo Ching-chih was born in 1939 in Dajia (大甲), Taichung. Even during his high school years, he showed a natural talent for art. Although he initially had no intention of pursuing higher education, he decided to apply to the Taipei Normal School's art department upon the encouragement of his classmates. To his surprise, he was accepted. After graduating, Kuo became a teacher at the National Taichung Special Education School for the Visually Impaired (台中啟明學校). Two years later, he learned that the National Taiwan College of Arts had established a sculpture program (now the Department of Sculpture at the Taiwan National University of Arts) and decided to take the entrance exam, which he successfully passed.
Kuo Ching-chih's early works, characterized by a realistic style, won numerous awards in domestic art competitions, making a name for himself in the field of sculpture. Through studying art history and the history of sculpture, Kuo discovered that before the 19th century, stone carving was the predominant form of sculpture, while in the 20th century, bronze became the backbone of the art form. However, he noticed that there were very few sculptures in Taiwan that used stone as a material. Therefore, in the 1960s, he became one of the pioneers of modern stone sculpture in Taiwan. Throughout his career, he experimented with different materials and styles, transitioning from bronze and metal to composite media, making significant contributions to the development of modern sculpture in Taiwan.
At that time, in addition to the traditional realistic style, there was a group of artists in the Taiwanese sculpture scene who were influenced by Western modernism and were conducting an experimental revolution in sculpture. They broke free from realism and pondered the question, "What is modern sculpture?" Kuo was one of the diligent and relentless experimenters in this movement. In an era with limited information, everything relied on self-study and exploration. To create his own distinctive style, Kuo Ching-chih focused on studying form and materials in the early stages of his artistic career. Through trial and error, he explored the aesthetics of sculpture, eventually finding his own style and delving into the creation of composite media works. Composite media became characteristic of Kuo Ching-chih's works and the source of his greatest accomplishments, especially his combination of stone with stainless steel or bronze. Through the incorporation of symbols and forms, his works showcased the unique cultural characteristics of Taiwan, affirming its rich cultural heritage.
In an interview, Kuo stated that his artistic style is not a traditional or Western modern style from the Japanese colonial period, but rather an original, typically Taiwanese style of sculpture. He believed that only by establishing an original style could he connect with the international art scene and gain recognition. Kuo has mentioned that it wasn't until he turned 50 that he felt his artistic creations became more mature. He emphasized that although he created many works using composite media, the term "composite media" is not just about combining different materials. It requires an understanding of the essence of the materials and corresponding changes in techniques. At the same time, one must not overlook Taiwan’s own culture and the relationship between the artwork, the individual, and the environment.
Although classified as an abstract sculptor, Kuo Ching-chih's works often contain concrete elements or imagery. This is because the essence of his works revolves around people and humanity, with a particular emphasis on the meaning and dignity of life. Kuo has emphasized that the core theme of his sculptures is always "people." Each person has a "monumental" quality and their own story. He said, "When a person is alive, they are a living monument. When they die, they may have a tombstone." Life inherently has value, so every sculpture he creates, although abstract in nature, is fundamentally centered around "people."