Page 213 - 第19屆大墩美展專輯電子書

Juror’s Statement, Calligraphy Category CHANG Tzu-Chiang

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Ibn Khaldum, a prominent Arab Muslim historiographer and historian of the 14 century once stated that calligraphy is a precious
skill that not only documents human history but also differentiates mankind from other animals. Muslim families might not share the same
aesthetics when decorating their homes but calligraphic ornaments are a mutual cultural element of every household. From pure scripts to
artistic creation, calligraphy is held above painting, one of the fundamental characteristics of Islam artistic culture.
Although Steve Job didn't possess a bachelor's degree, he noted that he benefitted the most from calligraphy class, and once boasted

that Apple was equipped with the most beautiful fonts by comparison to what other computer brands could offer. Yet, writing calligraphy
with a brush on a piece of Xuan rice paper is another story. The curves, strength, heaviness and lightness of the strokes, not to mention the

vibrancy of the brush flow, are absent in calligraphy accomplished with a pen.
A total of 126 calligraphy artworks were submitted this year, of which two were from mainland China, one was from Canada and
another from Thailand. On May 18 during the preliminary review, 19 pieces were chosen for the final review, held on June 24 when the

jurors agreed on the top three prizes, three awards of merit and the remaining short-listed works.
The First Prize was granted to YU Tung-Sheng for his outstanding work "A Couplet of WANG Wei's Poem". He successfully captured

and presented the vastness of the earth and magnificence of the universe expressed by the poems with his masterly skills in seal and clerical
scripts. This acclaimed couplet is often associated with the similar works of DU Fu and LI Bai. Perhaps, their poems can be his next
challenge.
KE Rong-Jong's "Couplet Describing the Landscape around a Temple" won the Second Prize in this category for his solid traditional
brush skills-steady without being rigid, powerful with a flow of lightness. The postscript complements the couplet as it resembles a Chinese

landscape painting.
XU Rong-Hua's "HUANG Yuan-Jie's Poem" was awarded the Third Prize for his innovative adaption of the cursive script of all
schools without being confined to the understandings of prominent calligraphers, such as WANG Duo, FU Shan, ZHANG Rui-Tu or
ZHANG Xu. The seemingly erratic ink spreading and the swift rotation of the angles and styles of cursive strokes vividly reflect his strong

and dramatic personality with lively and powerful lines.
The awards of merit went to TENG Chun-Hao, CHENG Li-Hsun and LU Tsung-Cheng. Mr. TENG's cursive-script 10 words were
delivered with vibrant flow, revealing his confidence. The fascinating alteration between the seal and running scripts fully demonstrates his

ease and expertise in utilizing the brushes. Mr. LU chose to showcase his work via the lyrics of a popular song by JIN Zhi-Juan. Presented
as if on a music sheet, the creative arrangement of white space between the lines, the wording, and the strength of the strokes in this piece
completely deliver the rhythms and tempos of the song.

The award winners introduced above are all Taiwanese males residing all over Taiwan-Kaohsiung, Nantou, Changhua, Hsinchu and
Taoyuan. Half of them are civil servants. Among all of them, one has a doctorate degree, three have master's degrees and one holds a college
degree. It is indeed extremely difficult to be noticed and recognized within a pool of 126 excellent artworks. The jury was composed of five

jurors of various ages and professional criteria, which ensured a fair outcome as the traditional and contemporary concepts were covered
from different backgrounds. I personally believe this prevents bias and prejudice in the judging process. Don't you agree?

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