Page 89 - 第29屆大墩美展專輯電子書

Seal Engraving
篆刻類

TSAI Jieh-Terng

“Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition” is one of a handful art competitions in Taiwan that are open to international participation, and
attracts many international artists with its substantial prize money. This year’s Seal Engraving category received a total of 34 entries,
with two from abroad, including one from China/Hong Kong, and one from Japan. The art of seal engraving has been booming in
East Asia, and Taiwan’s increasing number of seal engraving competitions has offered young artists interested in seal engraving
more competitive platforms, encouraging seal engraving creation and giving rise to more robust and creative expressions.
All entries in the preliminary review were impressive works, with many participating artists being frequent competition winners.
This year’s jury consisted of Mr. HSUEH Ping-Nan, Mr. JUAN Chang-Yao, Mr. LIU Kun-Fa, Mr. CHENG To-Keng, and myself; however,
complying with the rules and ratio of selection, we could only select eight entries to the final review. After several rounds of
evaluations, some quality works were eliminated. What a pity. All eight entries in the final review were works of high quality, and
it was difficult to pick any one over the others. After several rounds of voting, the jury finally selected three Selected Works, two
winners of Award of Merit, and finally ranked the top three prize winners. This year, the organizer used iPads to tally the votes for
enhanced precision.
The First Prize went to MO Hsuan-Lin’s “Practice Makes Perfect,” which is a rare 230x150cm large screen of chops. One main
reason was that the seals were relatively larger, and there were also more inscriptions at larger fonts, forming a larger compilation.
Mr. Mo used seal stones to manifest calligraphic expressions and fuse the quality of written strokes. Also, he extracted ancient texts
on bricks, shingles, clay seals, and ceramics, to present his interpretation of “seeking seal engravings beyond seals.” The texts of the
seals display rich variations, and the large seals offered greater creative freedom, whereas the inscriptions were particularly rich in
interpretation.
The Second Prize-winning “Night Whispers by the Bamboo Window in Gentle Rain” by LIAO Wei-Chieh showcases an expressive
style and features mature techniques. The inscriptions feature both positive and negative carvings to create different volumes,
displaying unique qualities of composition and arrangement and creating varied rhythms that enrich the overall liveliness of the
screen.
The Third Prize went to “A Strong Drink” by CHEN Chia-Cheng, for which he drew inspiration from the style of ancient seals
during the Warring States period, and adopted the natural and simple aesthetics to create natural carves, gradually reducing
embellishments. By using ancient forms to present new variations, Chen expressed a distinctive personal style.
The development of seal engraving is rooted in everyday practicality, as seals have always served the function of certification and
verification. Seal engraving reached an important status in calligraphy and painting because literati stamped and left inscriptions
on calligraphic works and paintings. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the development of literati seal engraving integrated
elements of calligraphy, literature, design, and carving techniques, transitioning from a practical craft into a rich artistic thinking.
With the endorsement of literati, seal engraving evolved into an art form. Stamping and inscribing calligraphic works and paintings
are also an artistic expression, and due to their practical quality, seals are often created to cater the needs of calligraphers and
painters.
The “seal engraving” category in today’s competitions most effectively highlights that seal engraving is a distinct art form in its
own right. From the prize-winning works, it is evident that the artists approach seal engraving with independent thinking, freely
showcasing the artistic forms of this medium. The arrangements of the seal screens reflect rich creativity, as the screens can be
regarded as complete works of graphic art. The works stand independently, fully expressing emotions and demonstrating formal
aesthetics, allowing viewers to further appreciate the layout and composition, carves and brushstrokes, as well as the mood
conveyed by the text. Through the process of seal engraving and the presentation of impressions, one experiences the artistry of
seal engraving through the pure appreciation and aesthetic exploration of the seal stones and impressions.

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