EXHIBITED:

This painting is to be sold with a photo of the artist

Word-level artist representing Taiwan

Two artists, painter Liao Chi-chun and sculptor Ju Ming, made Taiwan to be understanding in the world artistic circle.

Currently, Liao Chi - chun' s works concentrated in the auction markets in Taipei and Hong Kong, are the object of the major bidders from Taiwan. In the previous years, collection market of Taiwan has been affected by various factors including political turbulence and sluggish economy, but the collectors in Taiwan, especially for Chi-chun's works, demonstrated an amazing power of collection. These collectors ever lived the land where the painter lived, having the same relative emotion and cognition. Moreover, Liao Chi-chun certified himself, long time ago, as one of the artistic predecessor indisputably, representing fine arts history of Taiwan with his artistic cultivation and achievements. His presence has not only written and created fine arts history of Taiwan, but taken an important position in the entire history of Taiwan.

Ordinary and splendid life

His life was ordinary, but his works extraordinarily splendid. His aloofness and seemingly slowness left behind an endless reminiscence. To himself, Liao Chi-chun just expressed in the most honest language: painting is my language.

On this date in 1902, Liao Chi-chun was born in Fengyuan of Taichung. In his childhood, his family was poor, his mother died early. After he had his stepmother, week Liao Chi-chun could only depend on his elder brother for living and schooling. In his childhood, besides the "drawing" class in the public school, he also contacted mother's carving arts like paintings and embroideries, calabash stand, etc. Additionally, large-scale drama in the temple of country and the unique atmosphere in festival enriched Liao Chichun's aesthetic experience also.

In 1918, Liao Chi-chun entered Taiwan Government Chinese School. During his study in school, due to common interest in fine arts with Li Meishu and other schoolmates, they jointly launched painting exhibition in the self-study room and caused stir in the school. In his teenage period, he developed interest in oil painting and really started his learning with more far-reaching significance. When Liao Chichun graduated from the normal school and engaged himself to Lin Qiongxian in the same hometown, Lin Qiongxian would not marry him until he promised to go to learn in Japan. It was just the condition for marriage that became a favorable turn for Liao Chi-chun to step into the artistic career. In 1924, Liao Chi-chun was enrolled into Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Supported by wife's monthly remittance, he smoothly completed the study.

Liao Chi-chun's oil painting creation is generally divided into three stages. In early years, his works got greatly influenced by Japanese impressionism, a r t de s ign exagge ra ted, color dim and the paint ing showed a kind of oppression, with a style closing to the post-impressionism that emphasizes individuality, combining with academic skill and country features. The works in his middle age tended to semi-abstract, color gradually getting bright, preferring a sharp contrast between pink hue and bluish or greenish, presenting the style of fauvism. In 1962, invited by American Government, he went to America for studying of painting and visited large art galleries in America. Thus his view was broadened and his style gradually changed. Under the influence from French post-impressionism, fauvism and abstract painting as well as impact of American abstract expressionism, his style changed gradually, turning to be self-independent and mature. Till his late years, his painting art reached up to an artistic summit. His works presents semiabstract and semi-concrete characteristics, representing the local features of Taiwan, color splendid and strokes uninhibited, and has attained a harmony between arts and life. His inherent splendid color is highly commended in fine arts circle in Taiwan. Till 1972, when he passed away, his works recovered to the concrete again.

Due to economic condition and inveterate asthma since childhood, it was hard for the painter to create large oil paining in his life and most of his paintings are small. From late 1960's to the beginning of 1970's, Liao Chi-chun developed his unique color philosophy and structure. Works in this period became the summit for retrospecting to Liao Chi-chun's artistic achievement in life. In 1972, 1974 and 1975, Liao Chi-chun painted landscapes of Yehliu for many times. Located in Wanli Town of Taipei County, Yehliu was a fishing village famous for beach and queer stones. His representative works in late age including Yehliu are crystal of the artist's consummate artistic skills, displaying a soul superrealist and returning to trueness after the experience of life vicissitude. Therefore, in every scenic spot, he eliminated difference in nationality and territory and went beyond cultural clash. What presents before the viewer is a heaven of peace and happiness in the mind of the painter.