Born in Sichuan in 1923, Shiy De-jinn came to Taiwan in 1948 and, served as the advocate for the Modernist Movement in post-war Taiwan art, in the middle of the 1950s and the Nativistic Movement in the 1960s. The evolution of his painting is an integral part of the art history of Taiwan.
"I Paint, I Think, I Say" is the title of a series of articles Shiy wrote from 1976. The subjects of these articles include his thoughts about art and his ideals of artistic creation. These articles show the artist's self reflection and his expectations for the art field. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Shiy De-jinn's death. We borrow this title for the use of this memorial exhibition to make several points. It was acknowledged by the painter himself that the title echoes the many quotations displayed in the gallery to create a conversation between Shiy’s paintings and words. Most of all, through this title, we wish to remind the Taiwan art field of its deep memory of Shiy De-jinn.
This exhibition presents 45 works by Shiy De-jinn, consisting primarily of drawings during his travels in Europe and watercolors painted after his return to Taiwan. For Shiy, who placed an emphasis on sketching, these drawings are not only drafts or records but also individual works showing the flowing of the painter's thoughts and inspirations. Watercolor painting, on the other hand, was the focal point of artistic creation for Shiy in his later years. The audience can see the shifts in style from brilliant colors to humble and symbolic simplicity. He successfully used Western tools to express the depth and spirituality particular to the traditional Chinese painting.
Throughout the life of Shiy De-jinn, different travel experiences brought about different understandings and feelings. This exhibition will therefore divide the exhibits according to the three most important transitions of his life. The three sections include Trial (1955-1962), Travel (1962-1966), and Return (1966-1981). With these paintings and quotations by Shiy De-jinn, we hope the audience will see the painter's true and persistent artistic pursuit and personality and at the same time appreciate his particularly styled pictorial language.
