Yuyu Yang, also known as Yang Ying-feng, was born in Yilan, Taiwan, in 1926 and passed away in Hsinchu, Taiwan, in 1997. He studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in Japan, the Fine Arts Department of Fu Jen University in Beijing, and the Art Department of National Taiwan Normal University. In the 1960s, he pursued further studies in sculpture at the National University of Rome and the Roman Mint School in Italy. Apart from teaching at universities in Taiwan, Yang exhibited both domestically and internationally, including his renowned landscape sculpture Advent of the Phoenix at Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan. Over his lifetime, Yang created more than 2,500 pieces, encompassing comics, prints, sculptures, laser art, landscape sculptures, and architectural planning, earning numerous accolades. He is one of the most representative and influential post-war Taiwanese artists and published a thirty-volume corpus, including art collections and historical documentation.
Yang’s love for nature stemmed from his childhood in the beautiful landscapes of Yilan, where he was immersed in natural surroundings from a young age, fostering a deep passion for art in clay sculpture and paper cutting. His educational journey in architecture at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and his three-year stay in Italy provided him with experiences that led to a realization of the differences between Eastern and Western cultures, aesthetics, and philosophies. He gradually moved away from the excessive use and development of Western technology and materialism, embracing the Chinese philosophical concept of “unity of heaven and humanity,” which advocates for harmonious coexistence between humans (microcosm) and the natural environment (macrocosm).
A devout Buddhist since childhood, Yang was deeply moved by the serene, simple, and robust statues of Buddhas from the Northern Wei period in ancient China (386-535 AD). This influence led him to abandon the intricate decorations of traditional Buddhist statues and transform ethereal concepts into abstract forms. His “Buddhist Series” is considered the pinnacle of Buddhist art in Taiwan. Through a fortunate opportunity, Yang immersed himself in the rural areas of Taiwan, applying his observations to his “Rural Series” of prints and sculptures. These works vividly depict the simplicity and resilience of farmers, providing a detailed testament to the early rural life and people of Taiwan.
Following this, the “Taroko Landscape Series” captured Yang’s impressions of the majestic scenery of Taroko Gorge, distilling its grandeur and spirit into his artworks as a tribute to the awe-inspiring natural beauty. In his later years, the stainless-steel series marked the maturity of his artistic career, embedding Chinese ecological aesthetics and Buddhist philosophy into modern materials and simple abstract forms. The clean, reflective surfaces of stainless steel mirrored the surroundings and viewers, softening the environment’s atmosphere with curves and arcs, achieving harmony between the artwork, the environment, and the observer—an embodiment of the “unity of heaven and humanity.”
Throughout his life, Yang drew inspiration from the natural and simple aesthetic principles of the Six Dynasties in ancient China (220-589 AD), which formed the core spirit of his landscape sculptures. Yang mastered both Eastern and Western artistic techniques, using his solid realism skills not merely to replicate Western human proportions but to observe and present his Eastern world through Western art methods. His creations were guided by the principles of learning from nature, respecting nature, beautifying nature, and protecting nature, seamlessly integrating art into everyday life. The name “Yuyu,” which Yang adopted, is derived from “The Book of Odes and Hymns” (11th century BC – 6th century BC), depicting deer finding a sweet spring and calling out to invite their companions to share the clear stream. In the same way, Yang, with a spirit of dedication and praise, aimed to create timeless cultural symbols that transcend space and time.