Ahura

(陳銀輝與林玉山，1986)

Curators/ LIAO Jen-I, LIU Pi-Hsu 

Introduction: A First-Generation Lyrical Abstract Painter in Post-War Taiwan 

As a first-generation lyrical abstract painter in post-war Taiwan, CHEN Yin-Hui has not only inherited his predecessors’ modern art tradition, but also blazed a trail in abstract painting for his successors.

Taiwanese modern art bloomed in the 1920s, and stood out with great aesthetic brilliance at the “Imperial Exhibition” in Japan as well as at the “Taiwan Exhibition” and “Governor Hall Exhibition” in Taiwan. It was not until 1938, namely the establishment of the “MOUVE Artist Society,” that Post-impressionist abstract paintings began to bud on this island. In the post-war era, the painters incubated in Taiwan under Japanese rule and those who migrated from China collectively broke new ground for Taiwanese modern art, nurtured a whole generation of artistic talents, and, in particular, fostered the development of multifaceted abstract painting. With their respective artistic thoughts, LIAO Chi-Chun (廖繼春), LI Shih-Chiao (李石樵), LI Chun-Shan (李仲生), and SHIY Der-Jinn (席德進) sparked the creative fire, the inspiration that keeps the torch of abstract painting aflame in post-war Taiwan. Regardless of the exciting contest among different trends of post-war abstract painting, CHEN Yin-Hui has maintained an unswerving, low-profile posture toward his exploratory journey as an artist without any intention of eloquence. Nonetheless, the genre of lyrical abstract painting to which he has dedicated his life is gradually thriving, as if it were a large waterway with graceful ripples and poetic undulations. Today, we witness the new-generation artists expanding and enriching this artistic waterway with their own creative vocabulary, hence a scene as splendid as eventful. 

As a man of modesty and humility, CHEN Yin-Hui regards himself as a mere artist. Yet, his remarkable artistic achievements indicate that, apart from being an artist, he is also an artistic thinker, an arts educator, and a practitioner who value art above all things. 

1. The Birth of the “Will-to-Form” 

Benefited from the “surrounding circumstances” and blessed by his personal “Will-To-Form,” CHEN Yin-Hui has become an art master of his generation. British art historian Herbert Read argued that the “surrounding circumstances” shaped the collective ethos of the time, and the “Will-To-Form” established an artist’s unique signature. The two concepts may contradict each other, whilst artists’ intuitive power can solve this paradox. We agree that CHEN indeed has the creativity capable of resolving the paradox. However, his creativity is not necessarily synonymous with the intuitive power proposed by Read, but 

instead a result of his lifelong endeavor in learning, creation, and thinking.

The “Will-To-Form” is an inherent ability of CHEN Yin-Hui. He was born in Lucao Township, Toseki District, Tainan Prefecture (now Lucao Township, Chiayi County) in the Japanese period (1931). His father came from a farmer's family and ran a grocery store after moving to Chiayi City. Leading a simple, ordinary life, CHEN was a born painter who tended to paint quietly while helping his father run the store. CHEN revealed his talent for painting and garnered his elders’ praise as early as his tender age. In 1944, he passed the entrance examination to the Junior Branch of the Prefectural Kagi Middle School of Tainan Prefecture. In 1945, Taiwan's status changed from a Japanese colony to a province of the Republic of China (R.O.C.). In 1948, two artists from China, viz. SHIY Der-Jinn and WU Hsueh-Jang (吳學讓), taught as short-term teachers at the Provincial Chiayi High School. SHIY was great at Western painting and taught in the junior branch, while WU was expert in ink wash painting and taught in the senior branch, which afforded CHEN a golden opportunity to be nurtured simultaneously by occidental and oriental arts. WU Hsuch-Jang, in particular, often instructed CHEN after school, who not only helped CHEN polish his creative techniques and philosophy, but also rendered him resolute in pursuing a career as an artist. Thenceforth, the “surrounding circumstances” and CHEN’s “Will- To-Form” made each shine more brilliantly in the other's company. In 1950, CHEN was concurrently admitted to the College of Engineering, National Taiwan University and the Department of Art, Taiwan Provincial Normal College (now the Department of Fine Arts, National Taiwan Normal University). At his insistence against the opinion of the majority, he boldly decided to enroll in the latter, which was then generally regarded as having poorer prospects. 

CHEN Yin-Hui enrolled at the Taiwan Provincial Normal College when its Division of Arts was undergoing active staffing expansion, which provided a right set of circumstances for him to sit at the feet of many art masters. Originally founded as the Taihoku College in 1922 during the Japanese period, this college was restructured as the Taiwan Provincial Normal College in 1946 after the end of the Second World War and the liberation of Taiwan from Japanese rule. In 1967, the college was restructured again as the National Taiwan Normal University. In 1949, the R.O.C. moved its capital to Taiwan, followed by painting with an unrivaled, star-studded lineup of faculty members at that time. On the faculty, Taiwanese artists of occidental many artists par excellence, and some of them started teaching at this college. Its Division of Arts ergo became a stronghold of painting included LIAO Chi-Chun, LI Shih-Chiao, CHEN Hui-Kun (陳慧坤), and CHANG Yi-Hsiung (張義雄), while those migrating from China included JU De-Chiun (朱德群), SUN Duo-Tsz (孫多慈), MA Pai-Sui (馬白水), MO Da-Yuan (莫大元), LIN Sheng-Yang (林聖揚), YUAN Shu-Jen (袁樞真), and CHAO Chun-Hsiang (趙春翔). Taiwanese ink wash painters included LIN Yu-Shan et alia, while those migrating from China included PU Xinyu (溥心畬) and HUANG Jiun-Pi (黃君璧). 

In 1950, driven by his studiousness, CHEN Yin-Hui dipped into both oriental and occidental arts and majored in occidental painting. He learned oil painting from LIAO Chi-Chun, watercolor from MA Pai-Sui, and drawing from LIN Sheng-Yang and CHEN Hui-Kun. In addition, he pondered on the quintessence of ink wash painting, through which he delved into the frame of spirit and the uncharted territory of life. After his graduation in 1954, CHEN Yin-Hui taught as a teacher at a high school in southern Taiwan. In 1957, he started to teach at his alma mater when MO Da-Yuan, the then department head, hired him as a teaching assistant. Channeling great hardships to breed confidence and poise, CHEN eventually becomes a vastly experienced professor, a renowned artist for his sui generis painting style, and an arts educator who guides his proteges in a patient and systematic manner. He was also invited to teach as an adjunct professor at the National College of the Arts and the College of Chinese Culture, where he cultivated many outstanding artists, such as SU Hsien-Fa (蘇憲法), LIN Wen-Chang (林文昌), HSU Tzu-Kuey (許自貴), Ava HSUEH (薛保瑕), GUO Bo-Jhou (郭博州), HUANG Chin-Lung (黃進龍), CHUANG Ming-Chung (莊明中), DONG Sin-Ru (董心如), and LIN Chin-Hsien (林欽賢). CHEN retired in 1995 due to health issue, and moved to Taichung in 1996. He has never ceased his pursuit of artistic creation, and even reached new heights. He has also encouraged the younger generation in central Taiwan. For example, NIE Chao-Long (倪朝龍), LIAU Ben-Sheng (廖本生), and the Art Association of Taichung City often seek instruction from him. They treat CHEN not only as their mentor but also their friend. In short, CHEN has made disciples around the country. 

CHEN Yin-Hui has staged more than 50 solo exhibitions to date, and used to hold innumerable professional and honorary positions. His artistic achievements and contributions have earned him countless prestigious awards, including, to mention some significant ones, the “Golden Goblet Award” from the Creative Oil Painting Society of R.O.C. (1980), the “SUN Yat-Sen Art and Literary Award” (1986), the “LIM Pen-Yuan Cultural and Educational Award” (1991), the “YANG San-Lan Award” of the 63rd Tai-Yang Art Exhibition (2000), the 26th “WU San-Lien Award” (2003), an emeritus professor of the Department of Fine Arts, National Taiwan Normal University (2007), and the “Chiayi City Arts Association Artistic Achievement Award” (2020). Besides, as a token of reverence, the Department of Fine Arts, National Taiwan Normal University established the “CHEN Yin-Hui Oil Painting Scholarship” (1995), and the National Oil Painting Exhibition founded the “CHEN Yin-Hui Award” (2001). 

It is true that these awards are highly prestigious and precious for CHEN Yin-Hui. Nonetheless, since his indomitable "Will-To-Form" is part of his innate talent, it's his undying devotion to painting that prompts us to make greatest genuflections to him. 

2. The Trails Taken by Forerunning Masters

In pursuit of the ultimate value of art, CHEN Yin-Hui always shows great humility towards art masters in history and forerunners who are still alive. Both the movers and shakers in the groves of academe and the mavericks outside system are within his artistic horizons. We can better understand the art he values and the creative posture he takes up from the four artists he admires the most, namely WU Hsueh-Jang. LIAO Chi-Chun, HONG Rui-Lin, and CHANG Yi-Hsiung. 

(a) WU Hsueh-Jang (1923-2013): It was initially WU's selfless mentorship that inspired CHEN's “Will-To-Form” in his early youth. At that time, CHEN also studied calligraphy, ink wash painting, and seal engraving. So far, he keeps the seals carved by himself in those years. Born in Sichuan Province, China, WU sat at the feet of Chinese ping master ZHENG Wu-Chang (鄭午昌) when he studied at the Hangzhou National Academy of Fine Arts. WU began to promote modern ink wash painting after he came to Taiwan. His ink wash works showed an eclectic mix of tradition and modernity, especially his ingenious use of lines and colors that gave his works an aesthetic delight of modern abstract painting.The seed of abstract painting was probably sown in CHEN's artistic mind during his high school days. In particular the pseudonym "Tuei-Bo" (lit. a hermitic man) despite his revolutionary spirit in modern ink wash painting. “Being introspective and diligent, he called himself a clumsy man by choice,” this was how CHANG Kuang-Bin (張光賓) praised WU. Standing aloof from worldly affairs, WU’s demeanor was believed to have enduring influence on CHEN.  

(b) LIAO Chi-Chun (1902-1976): CHEN enrolled at the Taiwan Provincial Normal College in 1950 when many art masters taught there. He studied in such congenial surroundings and immersed himself in the fantastic world of painting, regarding all the faculty members as his role models and trying to learn as much from them as possible. It's no wonder LIN Yu-Shan, MA Pai-Sui, and MO Da-Yuan took pride in him as their brilliant student. Since CHEN majored in LIAO was his primary mentor as a matter of course. Rising to fame during the Japanese period, LIAO had already been a grand art master in Taiwan in the 1950s. Being proficient in Realism and Impressionism, LIAO shifted his creative focus onto Post-impressionism in the post-war era, foremost the Fauvist color configuration that treats colors as formal elements rather than formal appearance. Accordingly, CHEN’s paintings set great store by "creating forms with colors” as Henri Matisse, André Derain, Maurice de Vlaminck, and even Wassily Kandinsky did. Colors thenceforth became the basic compositional elements of CHEN's works. 

(c) HUNG Rui-Lin (1912-1996): HUNG was a protege of Kinichiro Ishikawa (石川欽一郎) at the Taiwan Painting Research Institute of Daitōtei in the late 1920s when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. He graduated from the Imperial Art School in Tokyo in 1936. His works created during his study in Japan conspicuously followed the style of Fauvism and featured the subject of laborers. After returning to Taiwan, he got the chance to directly portray the sweat and toil of coal miners in Ruifang at the invitation of NI Chiang-Huai (倪蔣懷). HUNG was venerably called a “miner painter” even though he was not a miner at all CHEN not only respects HUNG's artistic achievements, but also admires his lofty sentiments. Just as NIE Chao-Long pointed out, “in CHEN’s opinion, the most heartwarming part of HUNG's oeuvre was its texture characterized by concise, flowing lines. Primarily realistic notwithstanding, HUNG’s works not only bore his distinct signature, but also manifested his inimitable painting style. Appearing guileless and rough in terms of form, his works surprisingly conveyed the most powerful and sincere touchingness.” It was probably in HUNG's oeuvre that CHEN saw his resilient willpower in difficult times. 

(d) CHANG Yi-Hsiung (1914-2016): Born in Chiayi City in 1914, CHANG studied at the Prefectural Chiayi Middle School as well. He went to Japan for learning painting because he admired CHEN Cheng-Po (陳澄波). Unfortunately, he failed to get the degree owing to his rebellious personality. Nonetheless, his brilliant talent had earned him positive recognition. He used to teach at the Taiwan Provincial Normal College and the National Institute of Arts. Eventually, his rebellious personality prompted him to leave for Japan and France. Against all odds, his creative posture and paintings based on his artistic willpower had remedied all his deficiencies. He has become a legend in the history of Taiwanese fine arts, and his paintings have been revered as Fauvist classics after LIAO Chi-Chun. With regard to CHEN's admiration for CHANG, the conspicuous display of CHANG’s painting Autumn at Wanhua (1957) in CHEN's living room spoke volumes. CHEN's works such as The Streetscape (1959) and The Old House in Sanxia (1960) also seem to bear testimony to the encounter of their views about colors. As modest as WU Hsueh-Jang, CHEN Yin-Hui knows to make trade-offs in terms of composition. As rigorous as LIAO Chi-Chun, CHEN makes different shades of colors dance to his tune. As undaunted as HUNG Rui-Lin, CHEN masters both firm and gentle brushstrokes. As emotion-laden as CHANG Yi-Hsiung, CHEN liberates his works from static perspective. Living in this ever-changing world, CHEN always orientates himself in a humble and nimble manner.