Spring 1985    The Chinese Pen

CHEN TUNG-YUAN AND HIS CELERBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE OX *

The year of 1985 is the year of the ox. It seems appropriate that one of the first exhibitions shown in January at the Lung Men Art Gallery, Taipei, should be a series of paintings by a young and upcoming artist, Chen Tung-Yuan depicting this lowly animal that has been the farmer’s traditional helpmate throughout the centuries. Since farming has become more and more mechanized within the past ten to fifteen years,this exhibition seems to be a nostalgic commemoration of the water buffalo’s importance in the farmers’ life,not only as a working tool, but slso because of the deep emotional bonds that develop between man and beast.

Chen Tung-Yuan was born in Yilan, the farming area of eastern Taiwan. He began painting at an early age and, while attending the Fine Arts Department of the National Normal College, he won many first prizes in various art contests. In 1983 after receiving a special art grant from the Japan Asian Cultural Society, he spent some time in Japan to broaden his horizons. Since then he has had several exhibitions of his works, the major theme of which are rural scenes, farmers, women and children in rustic settings.

In the artist’s own comments on his present exhibition. He says,“I remember when I was a child, my elders would often praise the water buffalo, saying that it would toil silently all day long, never seeking any reward……Irespect the buffalo, even regarding him as a mentor, as we can learn much from his industriousness and solid, firm character. I paint the buffalo in memory of my childhood in the countryside, also to affirm my own efforts at self-improvement. Living in the city these past few years, not only have I become aware of the uncertainties of worldly affairs, I have also experienced life’s vicissitudes, but what I long for the most is still the vast rich fields of greenness, the distant white clouds. When the vain g;ories of the world have all fallen away, we will see the purity of truth. Let us always listen to the low music of the the flute and once again enjoy the beauty and emotions of the open fields that has long been ignored and forgotten by man.”