Shen Chao-Liang (沈昭良)

Taiwanese photographer  

Shen Chao-Liang(沈昭良)
to present photo exhibition in New York

March 29, 2011 – February 29, 2012

Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM, Sat. 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Opening and artist presentation: Mar. 29, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in NY, 1 East 42nd St. 1st and 2nd floors, New York, NY 10017

New York, New York - In celebration of the hundred-year anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China , the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York will present a photo exhibition by the noted Taiwanese photographer Shen Chao-Liang(沈昭良), entitled” Stage”(舞台).

The exhibition, which opens on March 29 and will remain open until February of next year, is part of TECO’s program “Window on Taiwan: Arts and Culture,” an effort to raise awareness of Taiwanese cultural arts overseas. It consists of 20 works to be displayed on the first and second floors of the TECO offices. The exhibition aims to give international artists and art-lovers an opportunity to appreciate this outstanding work of contemporary Taiwanese photography, say representatives of the Taipei Cultural Center of TECO, which is responsible for the  programming.
Shen will be present at the opening to discuss the inspiration for his work and his personal experiences. He has long been interested in Taiwanese folkways and the lives of the lower class, and these works focuses on the unique Taiwanese tradition of traveling “truck theaters.”

Since the 1970s, itinerant cabaret troupes have traveled throughout the Taiwanese countryside, setting up their hydraulic folding stage sets in village squares, in narrow alleyways, on country roads and fishing piers. A quick and convenient method for delivering local entertainment, these temporary stages can be seen all over Taiwan. Their decoration is also uniquely Taiwanese: troupes adorn their stages with bright and imaginative patterns, creating riotously-colored collages of symbols both local and global.

Shen uses special techniques to photograph these stages, giving them a novel look. Using large cameras and long exposures, he captures the beauty of rural Taiwanese skies and ocean views, and of the stages’ dazzling neon colors. Visitors can admire tangerine sunsets, chilling ocean blues, and views of the unique Taiwanese landscape. Shen’s knack for capturing changes in light lets him create fantastic, surreal atmospheres that convey a feeling of true locality.

Stage has been featured at the 2008 Deagu Photo Biennial in Korea; the 2009 GetXoPhoto Festival in Bilbao, Spain; and PHOTO TAIPEI 2009. In 2010 the exhibition toured Tokyo, Osaka and Taipei; it was awarded honorable mention in the 2010 Taipei Art Awards and won Shen invitations to the 2010 Dali International Photography Exhibition in China, the 2010 Taiwan Biennale, and the National Art Museum of China’s 2011 Cross-Strait Contemporary Art Exhibition.

Shen Chao-Liang was born in 1968 in Tainan, Taiwan. He obtained a master’s degree from the National Taiwan University of the Arts’ Graduate School of Applied Media Arts, then worked as a photojournalist, a vice-convener at the Liberty Times, and artist-in-residence at National Central University. Since 1993 he has dedicated himself to feature photography, producing numerous photo series including Reflections of Nan-Fang-Ao (2001), YULAN Magnolia Flower (2008), and Tsukiji Fish Market (2010).

Noted for his meticulous documentary style and his finely-made photo collections, Shen is widely recognized as a master of his field. His honors and awards include the Taiwanese Executive Yuan’s Golden Tripod Award for Best Photography (2000, 2002); the Asia Prize in the General Photography Festival at Photo City Sagamihara, Japan (2004); the Dong-gang Photography Award at the Dong-gang Photo Festival in Korea (2006); and Honorable Mention in the Taipei Art Awards (2010).

“Window on Taiwan: Arts and Culture” is a program sponsored both by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China(Taiwan) and Council for Cultural Affairs, Executive Yuan of the  Republic of China (Taiwan) designed to utilize the public spaces of Taiwan’s embassies and representative offices as a cultural window, providing a glimpse into the vitality and originality of Taiwanese arts and culture. The plan is carried out in New York by TECO and the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.

Spring Break 2011

Sunset March 11, 2011

The second I got back to Miami, it was straight to Lexing's Tuesday Tea event, but I was only able to stay a moment because Yuri picked me to up to go to the Jipsy's "Just As You Were" at Butter Gallery.  Jipsy is a cool NYer and photographer here in Miami.  Images are all very iconic to the Miami night scene.  The show was jam packed, Jipsy is definitely one popular gal.  Gallery Diet also had an interesting show that opened last week, Samantha Salzinger's photographs of miniature table top post-apocolyptic landscapes.  Very cute.



Saturday night, Karelle asked me to the Gusman Center to see the Miami International Film Festival screening of Incendies, very powerful film by Denis Villeneuve about two Arab-Canadian brother and sister in search of their mother's incredible past.  Anyway, the 2.5 hours went by so quickly and we left the theater wide eyed and speechless.  Don't want to give it away, but if you get a chance, see it.

Enrico Iuliano, Composition for glass objects on Vespa, 2005

On Sunday, Lexing and I decided to get in touch with our roots.  We drove out to Kon Chau for Dimsum (which i think maybe the best dimsum in S. Florida, must get the green tea mushroom dumplings) and Lucky Oriental Mart.  It turns out that the owner of Lucky and Lexing are from the same city in Xinjiang, China but 20 plus years apart.  It was quite interesting listening to them describe the details of each street and landmark in their hometown.  Lucky Oriental Mart has the most comprehensive selection and of Asian food and goods that I've seen in Miami.  Next, we visited the Frost Art Museum, which I think is one of the better museum facilities in S. Florida.  The Gran Torino:  Italian Contemporary Art is definitely worth checking out before it comes down in April (it's free).  Then, we stopped at the Ceramics League of Miami to check out the studio.  Turns out, I met some really nice people and signed up to attend a class. 

I spent a day at Jillian Mayer's studio. She's working on one project or another and has rotating interns just happy to be painting!  I sat in the mix of the large painted panels and cans of half open paint and assisted to the best of my ability.  I can't wait to see her show in April at David Castillo Gallery!

Bowling Team: R-man, Robert, Yuri, Me and Annie

March 17 is my birthday.  I started the day at the Ceramics League in a class with Lee, a member and teacher there.  She got me back on the wheel and it was quite invigorating.  After 3 hours, 8 cylinders and 3 bowls later, I wedged it all back into a giant lump of clay and was on my way to start my birthday!  We started the evening at MOCA for an opening and what I think was the most clausterphobic museum show I've ever attended.  Large sculptures loomed above and all around.  I felt like I was 6 years old with my grandma in a department store.  Walking around trying to not knock anything over.  Then we headed over to Lucky Strike for my bowling birthday party!  It was great to see everybody.  We bowled 2 games and amazingly, I actually won the 2nd one at a whopping 138!!  (thanks guys for letting me win...) WOOHOO for the Bday Girl!


Friday was DeLa Cruz Collection lecture with Dominic Molon, chief curator of Contemporary Art Museums St. Louis.  Dominic used to be the curator of MCA in Chicago which I frequent when I'm in Chicago.  He seemed like a very down to earth midwesterner who spoke very frankly about his explemplary exhibition history and the challenge of exposing contemporary to the meat and potato people of the greater Chicagoland area.  A pit stop in Cafeina and then off to the Townhouse hotel for a party hosted by The Quorum for the "most not pretentious" party with the "coolest crowd in Miami".  After a drink and accosting the event photographer, Yuri kidnapped me to Bar and then Vagabond.  One thing I got to say about Vagabond...the fish sandwich and the curry truffle cheese fries...mmmmm....

Yuri and Lexing at KRELwear/944 Fashion event at Mondrian

Saturday was off to a slow slow start.  It didn't really start until lunch at Egyptian Pizza, a new restaurant in town with Caroline, Robert and Yuri.  The four of us ordered 4 pizzas and we ate all of it. It was ok, not the best pizza in the world, but better than most here in MIA.  Then back to bed for a nap and then off to Mangos with the Director General of Taiwan, Raymond Mou with his friend Alan from Chicago.  To my great relief when they saw the South Beach Spring Break crowd, they called saying they didn't want to go to Mangos and that seeing it was enough of a Miami experience.  I suggested that we go to Asia de Cuba inside the Mondrian where we were planning to attend a later event for the 944 Fashion Issue Release party where they were featuring KRELwear fashion show.  It was a ton of fun, everybody showed up.  They served a pink raspberry vodka drink that tasted like Japanese strawberry candy!  It was a beautiful night with the Super Moon!

SUPER MOON!!

Sunday was so lazy, it's almost not worth mentioning except Yuri and I attempted to go to the beach for a lazy day but ended up at the Raleigh Hotel and spending an enormous amount of money on parking, a couple bloody marys and some lunch.  It goes to show how numerous late nights and the full moon can impair your judgment.  This coming week will hopefully be more calm and productive.

Armory week in NYC

I flew up to NYC last week with Yuri Tuma for Armory Art week.  Yuri's a featured artist along with one of my represented artist,  Zheng Tianming at the Butter Gallery booth at Scope Art Fair in New York.

Zheng Tianming, Nurse Series at Scope NYC

Yuri Tuma, Garden Series at Scope NYC

We landed Wednesday morning and Gregory DeLaHaba was generous to pick us up at JFK airport and take us out to lunch at a cute restaurant at Lorimer and Bedford (still can't figure out the name of the restaurant, but it was so yummy!)  Gregory also invited me to the Armory Art Show on his VIP pass, but I had to regretfully decline, b/c Yuri and I bolted directly for Scope where we met Paco at the Butter booth for a bit of an art emergency.  (Never fear!  Tape Princess is here! - sorry, inside joke - just know that i'm crafty with tape)  After the sticky situation, we went to Ear Inn for a bit of beer and mussels and then back to Scope for Press preview/Opening.  As always, Scope is best at throwing parties. Phyllis Chen, toy pianist, paid me a visit and showed me her CD's (UnCaged Toy Piano and Mesmers).  Met up with Arianna and Daisy and went out to a lovely meal at Cafe Mogador in the LES (still dreaming about that leg of lamb)  What happened after consisted of going to a barber shop with a secret bar.  At that point, I was so over it.   I was glad when we left for my beautiful friend Miss Chichi's house, who happens to be in Paris and generous enough to lend me her apartment....with a gym...not that I ever went, but it seems so fancy!

Thursday started at 830 with breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien with Karen.  Though painfully early and then only thing I REALLY wanted to talk to her about was her recent engagement to my college friend, Kyle Olmon - pop-up book extrodinaire.  I was good and Karen was patient.  She shared her wonderful insight on nonprofit and board formation.  Then at 1030, I went to my 2nd breakfast with 2 graduate students (Angie and Tam) at the Milano, the New School for Urban Policy and their (and my) professor, Scott Gassman. We talked about ICFAC and how we can make it a bigger and better nonprofit.  Scott and I met up with Yuri at the Pulse Art Fair.  In contrast to Scope, it was a much more clean and professional fair (both literally and figuratively)  But, like I said, Scope throws the better party, so after a quick lunch, Yuri and I ended back at Scope.  Chin Chih Yang, multi-displinary-media artist who recently showed 123SolutionPolution at Butter Gallery, stopped in for a visit.  Poor Paco, NYC cold has gotten the better of him, we dragged him out for a bowl of Ramen at Menkui Tei and called it an early night.

Repent, Rent, Repeat                        

View from of Hudson from the West Side across the street from Scope Art Fair NY.

Yuri Tuma and Bruce StiglichTara Donovan installation - The PACE Gallery

After a long commute Friday morning, I had lunch with Philip Liu of the Taipie Cultural Center in New York.  He brought along 2 lovey artist from Taiwan who currently work in Brooklyn, Wan Jin Tsai and Lin MinChu.  After my belly was full of noodles from a tasty popular Japanese spot around the corner for the TECO office in Time Square, I met up with Yuri and Bruce Stiglich, my dear friend and mentor for a our own little Gallery Walk in Chelsea.  Some things worth noting in Chelsea includes the Independent Art Fair, an amazing installation by Tara Donovan at the Pace Gallery and also the beloved Jerry Mischak at Jim Kempner Fine Art whose art this Tape Princess approves!  ;)  After a romp in Chelsea, we ended up again, you guessed it!  At Scope where I revealed to Mr. Stiglich of his recent acquisition of a drawing of the balloon boy from Tawnie Silva.  We half shopped our way from the West Side through soho to the east side, where we had a delicious meal at Cafe Gitane.  Then we made our way to the Bowery Hotel for the "Celebration for Globaal Ukulele".  From there, we were exhausted, said good bye to Bruce and the night fizzled out, had a nightcap with Yuri at Niagara in the E. Village.

Love: Ari & Tahir

Saturday started at the Verge Art Fair in Brooklyn and a nice visit to Chin Chih's booth.  Like everything else in Dumbo, it's geared towards Brooklynites who love to get lost in Dumbo.  The fair was very spread out and most people wandered around aimlessly.  We walked around Dumbo and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and headed to LES to meet with Arianna.  Met Karelle at the Wine Bar, mani and pedi at Top A and then off to Indian food at New Calcutta.  It's so nice to catch up with friends.

Sunday rained and rained.  Still after a delicious breakfast of eggs and sweet potato home fries (Ari's Kitchen), we trekked with half broken umbrellas to some galleries in the LES (it's what friends are for).  Tried to visit Isaac at White Box, but he was not there but did get to meet Lesley at Lesley Heller Workspace.  Then off to Trader Joe's for wine (miss that place) and tea and snacks at cute Japanese place upstairs in the E. Village.  Finally met up with Yuri again at Scope and packed it all up!  We then retreated to an undisclosed friend's place where he made us dinner and we were able to finally get some real R&R after a long full week.

Monday, I met my new friend Kazuko for lunch at yet another cute Japanese spot, Sakagura in Tudor City.  We had the best time chatting it up and went to her apt where we had tea and yummy red bean/sticky rice dessert.  Kazuko's the one who inspired me to blog again.  I find the whole blogging process exhausting, then she told me that she only blogs once a week and at a certain time.  Somehow, this made me over come my blog block...and here I am!  Then off to Edie Nadelhaft's studio where I saw her new flesh painting.  And wait till she comes out with her new series...  We trotted over to Bread where I had the most amazing potato leek soup and then some galleries on the way back to her studio.  I have to say, there are SO MANY new little galleries in the LES that I had a hard time telling them apart.  One in particular stood out, Tellybeck Contemporary who partnered up with Island 6 art collective based in Shanghai.  The show is called Plugged In - LED Artwork.

It felt so good to be back in a place where I know what's what and where's what and who's who.  It's my first time back since officially moving away to Miami last August.  I realized that my trips up to NYC must be more frequent and longer.

January 3, 2011 - “纸 (zhǐ) – Paper” - 123PolutionSolution 2010

Zheng Tianming 2010

“纸 (zhǐ) – Paper” - Group exhibition of work on paper debuting 4 emerging artists from Hangzhou, China for their first US exhibition.

China’s art market, which has spread the idea of art as a strong social force within Chinese culture, has cultivated vast exposure for younger Chinese visual artists in the east through curators based outside the country. Fresh out of the China Academy of Art, these Western-influenced artists who have also trained within the Eastern Chinese tradition have given the Chinese art market – the world’s third-largest after overtaking France last year – a modern sensibility and expression primed for the international stage. “纸 zhǐ – Paper” – named for a primary media of this new art and in honor of the essential Chinese invention – pries open the minds of four of these young Chinese artists (Guo Tiantian, Qi Yuan, Su Xianpan and Zheng Tianming). These are artists who grew up in the new China, the post Tiananmen Square government that slowly recognized that stagnation equaled death. Appearing for the first time in the United States, these artists’ works reflect the evolving sense of individuality and personal identity formulated because of, or in spite of, a culture that still remains quintessentially Chinese.

123PolutionSolution 2010 - Selection from NYFA artist, Chin Chih Yang’s large scale found objects installation.

Chin Chih Yang sees that pollution has become a pervasive part of our lives. His large-scale 123PollutionSolution 2010 project transforms thousands of used aluminum cans into a colorful landscape with its varied topography. Yang collected discarded cans found in New York City trash cans left by students and parents from a local School. Ubiquitous concavities and hills, slopes and peaks, the installation features cans that are bunched into various abstract and geometric shapes. The structure represents an otherworldly utopia constructed out of salvaged waste.

Curated by Inez Suen, sponsored by ICFAC (International Chinese Fine Arts Council)

Butter Gallery

2303 NW 2^nd Ave. Miami, Fl 33137

Press Preview: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 4-7pm

VIP Reception: Thursday, January 6, 2011, 6-9pm

Please RSVP to suen@buttergallery.com

Opening to public – Saturday, January 8, 2011 and will be on view until February 26, 2011

December 4, 2010 - Get to know Yii: 象 Taiwanese Chess and Hsiao-ying Lin

December 4, 2010

Get to know Yii: 象 Taiwanese Chess and Hsiao-ying Lin

Xiangqi. Though it emerged  as chess in the 15th century in the West,  remains one of the most popular board games in Taiwan. It certainty has distinctive features from the game of royalty, including the unique movement of the pao (“cannon”) piece, which prohibits its generals, similar to chess kings, from facing each other directly.

As chess pieces across the wold, Xiangqi has its own unique look — and beauty — on feature  at Yii in the design district of Miami. Played differently, it follows its own aesthetic. “Ch River Han Border” — a Taiwanese chess set carefully  transported from Taiwan — is handcrafted in gold and silver. It represents different kingdoms and different weaponry. Designed by Hsiao-ying Lin and executed by Meng-chen- Lin, “Ch River Han Border” sits among the dozens of incredible artifacts at Yii, at Art Basel. See it. 180 NE 38th Street.

 

November 27, 2010 - Get to know 夏愛華 Aihua Hsia: ICFAC Artist at Art Basel

November 27, 2010

Get to know 夏愛華 Aihua Hsia: ICFAC Artist at Art Basel

In the fall of 2009, Aihua Hsia took up  residence in the forests of Northern California, a perfect place to explore natural spirits and the lifeblood of her work: lacquer. And just a few months later, she moved to New York, which has its own set of deities and demons. A juxtaposition of work emerged from her experience in both locales, as Hsia continued to sculpt the Datsukanshitu figurines for which she is highly regarded. In California, they emerged ethereal – light and playful – while in New York, the city’s cultural and societal weight bore down on her icons. Datsukanshitu, a Buddhist tradition, employs a technique that builds sculptural form through the application of organic lacquer paint, which heavily relies on temperature and humidity for the drying of each unique layer. In a process that requires a lengthy meditation on form, function and beauty, thirty layers and several months often coalesce before a single figurine is complete. In New York,  the lacquer came out duskier and weightier: weather or the spirit’s natural path?
Sculptural deities and natural spirits – these have become an integral part of the mysticism relayed in the emerging design and craft coming out of Taiwanese artists steeped in tradition, yet confronted by the modern world. No other artisan coming out of Taiwan embodies its alchemy better than Aihua Hsia, whose work not only challenges the notions of boundaries and containment within the human psyche, but also explores the collective unconscious of shared human essence. “In China and Japan, people collect lacquer from trees – they believe the sap is just like human blood; they believe statues made from lacquer contain special spirit or power,” Hsia said. “I use this technique to not only evoke something that is lost in people’s mind, but to also find things in common between the ancient and present day.”
Exhibited in conjunction with Yii, the major Taiwanese art and design show taking place December 2-5, 2010 during Miami’s Art Basel, Hsia will uncover in “Aihua Hsia: In Between the Dormant and Subliminal.” Hsia’s work has been nationally and internationally exhibited at Gifu Municipal Culture Center, Japan; Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei, Taiwan; the White Box Gallery, New York. Hsia was born in Taipei Taiwan in 1973, and received a BFA in Sculpture at National Taiwan University of Arts and an MFA in Sculpture at Okinawa Prefecture University of Arts.
Opening Reception: Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 7pm – 10pm Buena Vista Building, 180 NE 38 Street, Space 120, Miami Design District

November 24, 2010 - Construction on Yii Enters Final Stage

 November 24, 2010

Construction on Yii Enters Final Stage

Yi Space at Design District Miami, pre-construction

We are currently finishing up constructing the space for Yii in the Design District of Miami, a prime exhibition space for the show taking place during next week’s Art Basel, the event we’ve all been waiting for. The Yii crafts are in customs, coming straight from France, where they have been on exhibit since September. Before that, Milan, Italy, one of the places they began their global trip demonstrating the cultural prowess of Taiwanese artists.
On that note, the ICFAC show  will also feature craft artist Aihua Hsia: http://aihua-hsia.com/artworks2008_engish, whose amazing lacquer pieces done in the ancient Buddhist sculpture technique, ” Datsukanshitu “, are coming straight from a show in New York.

In other words, everything is going well and we’ll be ready for you beginning on Dec. 2! Below are two pics of the spaces pre- and post-consturction. What a difference some hard-working contractors make!

Yii space in Design District Miami, post-construction

November 24, 2010 - ICFAC Brings Taiwan to Art Basel

November 24, 2010

ICFAC Brings Taiwan to Art Basel

It is said that today’s Taiwan art scene offers a hypermodern skin, an ancient Chinese skeleton and an aboriginal soul, found in its prominent woodcrafts, paper works, sculpting and ceramics. Yii, a Taiwanese art and design exhibit encompassing all these elements, is taking place December 2-5, 2010 during Miami’s Art Basel, sister to Art Basel Switzerland, the most prestigious art show in the world.

Conceived by the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute to stimulate creative dialogue between Taiwanese designers and craftsmen, Yii showcases the Taiwanese art and artifacts from 11 distinct genres, stemming from 11 indigenous tribes influenced by Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese cultures. Founded in 2009, Yii, under the direction of Gijs Bakker, the organization’s creative director, forged a collaboration in which professional, Western-educated designers developed blueprints for any object, as long as it was functional, and passed them on to local craftspeople to create in any manner they chose. In total, the collaborators developed more than forty different objects, some as affordable everyday items and some to remain in limited edition – each made with attention to detail, technique and material and every single one with a unique story behind it.

We’re well on our way to opening the exhibit. Mark your calendars for the 2nd and be ready to see some of Asia’s most beautiful contemporary artifacts!

A traditional Taiwanese cup featuring traditional decorative details, such as the climbing beetle and flower pattern.