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Encounters—A Dual Solo Exhibition by Chen Shih-Chiang & Chang Ping-Cheng

2025-04-08 08:05:59
藝術中心
Unit藝術中心
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     The Art Center of National Chung Hsing University will host the exhibition “Encounters—A Dual Solo Exhibition by Chen Shih-Chiang & Chang Ping-Cheng” from April 10 to May 16, 2025. Showcasing works from different stages of the two artists’ lives, the exhibition captures the movement of their brushstrokes and the underlying inspirations behind their imagery—both serve as records of personal experience and cultural memory. Here, art is not merely an aesthetic display but a practice of self-exploration—emphasizing why they paint, rather than simply how they paint.

    Chen Shih-Chiang (b. 1967, Yilan) is a professor in the Department of Fine Arts at National Changhua University of Education. He holds a BFA from National Taiwan Normal University and an MFA from New York University. Professor Chen’s works span a wide range of media, often incorporating pop art and comic style aesthetics to reflect social issues and personal experience. He is also an accomplished curator, having led major exhibitions such as Memory River at the Yilan Story House, Yilan, the Water Town—Yilan Cultural Exhibition at the Presidential Office, and Years of War—Taiwan Under Wartime Rule at the Taiwan Historica. He has also created several well-known public art installations and exhibited at institutions worldwide, including the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art (Japan), Queens Museum (USA), Gwangju Museum of Art (Korea), and Yilan Museum of Art (Taiwan). Throughout his career, Professor Chen has received many awards, including the Art Award from New York University and First Prize in the Oil Painting Category at the Taipei Fine Arts Exhibition. From his experience, it can be seen that he excels in both artistic creation and teaching.

    Chang Ping-Cheng (b. 1965, Xizhou, Changhua) is now an art teacher at Guangxi High School. He holds a BFA from National Taiwan Normal University and an MFA from the Graduate Institute of Plastic Arts at Tainan National University of the Arts. Teacher Chang’s ink painting style was initially shaped by Professor Zheng Shan-Shi’s brush techniques of wrinkling and dyeing. Later, he was influenced by Master Liu Kuo-Sung’s innovative approach to modern painting, which led him to develop his own artistic voice beyond academic conventions. His early works experimented with expressive and abstract forms. Over time, his artistic journey and life experiences allowed him to express his emotions and reflect on society through his art. His compositions may appear solemn and melancholic, yet they subtly conceal personal symbolism, infused with a sense of humor and absurdity. Through this interplay, his works convey deep emotions and introspective reflections. Teacher Chang has exhibited at numerous venues, including the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the American Cultural Center in Taipei, Queens Museum in New York, Huashan Creative Park, Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau, and the Yilan Story House, receiving widespread acclaim. In addition to his dedication to artistic creation, he is deeply committed to arts education.

    Although the two artists work in different mediums—one in Western painting and the other in ink art—each with their own unique approach, their creative perspectives unexpectedly intersect. Though they both come from strong academic backgrounds, their artistic paths have taken them in distinctly different directions. Chen Shih-Chiang’s artistic evolution spans from early Expressionism to a later Pop-inspired style, characterized by a sense of movement and speed. This dynamism stems from his shifting identity between Taiwan’s eastern and central regions. Works such as Taipei’s Sky from his early period, Defiant Youth from his mid-career, and Wandering Chronicles from later years transform elements of time and space into his compositions. Meanwhile, Chang Ping-Cheng draws on the brushwork of traditional literati painting and an allegorical style of expression to convey his internal perceptions of the external world. His works depict landscapes stirred by the turbulence of desire, as seen in Leisurely Mountain (1995) and There Is a Tiger in the Mountains (2019).

    Artists with different life stories come together in this shared space, where their works resonate like a dance set to the same melody. Through continuous creation, they document the passing of time, reflecting on their experiences and perspectives while observing the changes and broader issues. This exhibition aims to bring together audiences from diverse identities and cultural backgrounds, fostering the exchange of ideas. In turn, these conversations become a source of inspiration for the artists, encouraging them to reflect on the essence of their practice. After all, it is through unexpected encounters that one is reminded to stay true to his original intention.

►Exhibition Information
Admission Free
Opening reception: at 11:00 a.m., April 10, 2025
Date: April 10 ~ May 16, 2025
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 from Mon. to Fri., 10:00-16:00 from Sat. to Sun. (closed on public holidays)
Venue: Art Center, NCHU (The 7th floor in Library building)
 
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