“Universe．Microcosm—Hou Tsui-hsing Retrospective Exhibition,” organized by National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall of Ministry of Culture, will be held at Chungshan National Gallery from today to August 7. The opening ceremony was held today (July 2). The exhibition selects the most representative series works in Prof. Hou’s career, including 150 works from 97 sets, elevating the spiritual level from concreteness to abstractness with the mental microcosm and sharing the results of the artist’s fifty-year cultivation in the painting world with the viewers.
Many distinguished guests attended today’s opening ceremony, including Political Deputy Minister of Culture, Hsiao Tsung-huang, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, former President of National Taiwan University of Arts, Prof. Huang Kuang-nan, former Director of National Palace Museum, Chou Kung-shin, former Chairman of Tainan Art Museum, Chen Huei-tung, and Chairman of Honggah Museum, Andrew Chew. Many political and business people and art and literary seniors attended the ceremony. In his speech, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said attending the opening ceremony of the exhibition is a way to relax mind and enjoy the paintings. He hoped that Taipei would become a more beautiful city through aesthetic education.
On behalf of Minister Lee Yung-te, Political Deputy Minister of Culture, Hsiao Tsung-huang, paid tribute to Prof. Hou and said Ministry of Culture has been promoting the policy of “reconstructing the history of Taiwan.” In recent years, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall has presented the artists’ creative process throughout their lives by inviting the important domestic artists to hold the retrospective exhibitions. He was glad to have the opportunity to see the complete exhibition of Prof. Hou. Deputy Minister Hsiao quoted from Laozi’s Daodejing, “The great sound seems soundless, the great image seems formless.” The elevated and great artistic level is not limited to the image. Prof. Hou dedicates her energy to her works, whether they are concrete or abstract, presented with the geometric style or free flow. The artist’s dedication that can be seen in every piece of work touches the viewers’ hearts.
Director-general Wang Lan-sheng of National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall said Prof. Hou’s exhibition has the three “first” in his two-year term of office: the first female artist holding an exhibition at Chungshan National Gallery, the largest number of distinguished guests attending the opening ceremony, the first opening ceremony at Chungshan National Gallery attended by Mayor Ko. Prof. Hou is an amiable person. She is not only an artist but also a philanthropist and educator, dedicated to promoting the beauty of art through exhibitions. Director-general Wang said abstract painting depends on personal perception. The microcosm of the universe is presented in the exhibition. Welcome to seize the opportunity to appreciate the works.
In her appreciation speech, Prof. Hou described her excitement and gratitude as “receiving the Golden Horse Award” and said it was very great encouragement and support for her that Ministry of Culture and National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall invited her to hold the fifty-year retrospective exhibition. Prof. Hou also expressed her gratitude to many family members and friends who gave assistance and support during the preparation of the exhibition, including the volunteers of National Palace Museum who are scheduled to provide guided tours every day and her husband as well as the exhibition curator, Dr. Chang Ke-ming. Besides, Prof. Hou especially mentioned her parents, who had expected her to take over the family business. She finally embarked on the path of creation, but she believed they would feel pleased to see the exhibition because she has contributed to art and created the beautiful artworks to share with the public.
Prof. Hou Tsui-hsing was born in Chiayi, Taiwan, in 1949. Her father was the entrepreneur and philanthropist, Hou Tseng-ting. She followed the senior Taiwanese painters in the early years, learning sketching from Lee Shih-chiao, watercolor and outdoor painting from Lu Chi-cheng, ink painting from Fu Chuan-fu, glue color painting from Hsu Shen-chou, and seal carving from Fu Zong-yao. Afterwards, she followed the pioneer of abstract art and interior design in Taiwan, Yen Yun-lian, and learned oil painting, tempera, pastel, and glue color for as long as eight years. She moved to the United States in 1973, entered the MA program of environmental art at University of Oklahoma, and went for further studies at the PhD program of art at Stanford University in 1979. After living in the United States for years, she returned to Taiwan in 1981, working at Department and Graduate Institute of Home Economics of Chinese Culture University and teaching art appreciation at National Taiwan University. Never stopping creating works in the past half century, she plays a significant part in the history of abstract art in Taiwan.
Prof. Hou’s composition is first to see with eyes and then use the microcosm of the mind to elevate the spiritual level from concreteness to abstractness and convey it on the canvas with the abstract brushwork. Like the washed mind, her works are pure and innocent and inadvertently reveals a touch of extravagance coupled with her background and rich life experience. This time the solo exhibition invited by National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall includes five subjects: “Love for Landscape,” “Lyrical Abstraction,” “Spiritual Sublimation,” “Space and Time in the Universe,” and “Life Notes,” sharing with the viewers her results of fifty-year cultivation in the painting world and recoding her mental journey in the career of art. Welcome all art lovers to visit the exhibition and enjoy the works.
Universe．Microcosm—Hou Tsui-hsing Retrospective Exhibition
Time: From today to August 7, 9:00-18:00 every day
Place: Chungshan National Gallery, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Official Website: www.yatsen.gov.tw
Tel: (02)27588008, ext. 545, 546