Venue｜Ueno Royal Museum│1-2 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-0007, Japan
Organizer｜Ueno Royal Museum
Co-organizers｜Solar Mirror, Asia Art Center, J.P. Art Centre
Supervision｜Ministry of Culture of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Duration｜15th Oct. – 1st Nov., 2015
The Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo, Japan, is proud to present “Eternal Present – Recent Paintings by Yang Chihung” from 15th October through 1st November. This solo exhibition features Yang’s 42 selected paintings from his “Eastern Poetics” (2011 – present) series.
Masakaru Mizun, Director of Ueno Royal Museum, points out how Yang Chihung’s “Eastern Poetics” is significant in offering painting a breakthrough on the level of mutual integration of two different cultures: “From his figurative style seen in his early ‘Representation of Self’ works, to that of discussions with nature and inspired by the plant world, leading to the Eastern philosophy and culture that inhibit his works seen today, Yang Chihung’s expressive style has continued develop, evolve, and break new ground. He utilizes the unique characteristics of acrylic paint to its full extent, and has perfected his magnificent brush strokes and original use of color. His pure abstract paintings, reminiscent of Chinese ink paintings, search for the answer to the “meaning of human existence.”
During the opening reception, Mr. Kunihiro Kenmotsu, Deputy Director General of Ueno Royal Museum, welcomed Yang Chihung to have his first solo exhibition at the museum in Japan. Followed by Chu Wen-ching, director of the Taiwan Cultural Center in Tokyo, who pointed out that Yang participated in an important part of Taiwanese art history development, and that the artistic advantageous location of Ueno Royal Museum can surely bring significant amount of art lovers to appreciate Yang’s painting. Hiroshi Kumagai, ex-Representative of the Government of Japan referred to the cooperative relationship between Taiwan and Japan, and it was great pleasure to see a cultural exchange be delivered through a comprehensive solo exhibition. Artist Yang Chihung recalled nostalgically his group exhibitions during the 70s at the same museum: the present brings forward the past, times revolve and return, resonating with theme of the exhibition “Eternal Present”.
A forum between Toyomi Hoshina, director of Tokyo University of the Arts’ College of Fine Arts, and the artist was held in the afternoon. The forum began with Yang Chihung talking about his artistic career, followed by a conversation between Hoshina and Yang concerning the artist’s mastery in color and composition. Yang said his original name (was changed later due to its ominous sign) contains reference to fire and perhaps the lyrical yet destructive violent qualities of it have imprinted on him and carried through his life.
“Eternal Present – Recent Paintings by Yang Chihung” is on display at the Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan, until 1st November, 2015.