Page 145 - 第29屆大墩美展專輯電子書

Watercolor
Painting
水彩類

HSIEH Ming-Chang

"Ideas are the soul of creation." Looking at the award-winning works from this year's exhibition, it is clear that this concept
is increasingly being established in the world of watercolor. An idea is essentially an innovative thought, which can encompass
thematic ideas, conceptual ideas, technical ideas, formal ideas, and any other kinds of ideas that cannot be easily defined. In
summary, a good artwork must contain the artist's unique thoughts; a work without ideas is merely an exercise of techniques, and
it will never resonate with anyone regardless of how brilliant the techniques are.
This year’s Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition received lots of exciting works and it was very competitive. The jury included HUANG
Ming-Chu, HUANG Chin-Lung, LIN Wei-Min, TSAI Hsien-Yiu, and myself, and it was gratifying that we all reached strong consensus
on the results.
First Prize went to “Rest” by HUANG Chun-Chieh. The message he tries to convey through the painting is quite obvious, as
viewers can instantly get it the second they see the painting. The dog lying on the floor and the person sleeping in the bed have
the same posture. An electric fan is placed in a corner, and the Rembrandt on the paper bag watches quietly, as if he was trying to
tell us something. The person sleeping, especially, covers his head with the blanket in such a hot humid day…The painting’s theme
and content are rather intriguing, let alone the artist’s stunning realist techniques. The texture of the tiles, the patterns and wrinkles
of the sheets, the artist is now trying to show off his technical prowess, but the patience it required and the difficulty it represented
are both quite impressive.
Second Prize-winning “Suo-Na” by CHEN Ming-Ying impressed the jury with his impeccable control of water. The mastery of
skin tones, dynamic movement, atmosphere, drawing ability, and the powerful shifts between realism and abstraction are truly
breathtaking.
Third Prize-winning “Self” by SHIEH Show-Fei thoroughly expresses her idea. In other words, the artist not only conveys the
idea through content but also emphasizes it through brushstrokes, colors, and even the manner of application. After all, flowing
brushstrokes significantly enhance the sense of people coming and going. In what should be a bustling environment, the image of
a person and a cat sitting beside an open suitcase undoubtedly symbolizes solitude and introspection.
“The Unexplained Palpitations” by LEE Ling-Yuan displays a style of richly moist colors, obviously relying heavily on the technique
of ink wash painting. Amidst a sea of shadows, a sudden light of hope appears as the drive grows impatient at the traffic light,
can it be a beautiful encounter? “Haven” by SHIU Chen-Wei depicts his inner emotions using a structure of his own invention.
The entangled balls continue to duplicate and spread, a ray of light and a gently sleeping cat suddenly become his emotional
redemption.
Think about it, how different are these works purely based on ideas to drawings of landscapes?
“Ban-Qiao Ma-Zu’s Birthday Wishes” by CHUNG Chin-Pei deviates from traditional composition by using numerous tiny painting
elements to create a piece symbolizing a lively parade. The all-inclusive painting does not have a strong subject matter, yet the
artist avoids a messy painting by her masterful use of “low-saturation depiction” to subdue the vibrant high-saturation colors.
The most successful expressive element in “Love in the Rain – Leaning” by HUAN Yu-Shin is the artist’s perfect rendering
technique, presenting the unique charm of watercolor through his matured brushworks and use of colors; the vague light, dancing
raindrops, and reflections on the wet and slippery ground, all highlight the unique features of watercolor painting.

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