Gesichtslandschaften 臉孔風景 x Chih-Hung KUO郭志宏 by Aki Gallery 也趣藝廊

臉孔風景 Gesichtslandschaften

郭志宏 Chih-Hung KUO

創作自述 Artist Statement

這幾年留學德國作品不斷檢視攝影與繪畫的關係，研究影像與繪畫的真實性，透過畫布與顏料直接嶄露心底深處的質疑，作品表面上看起來是對於過往照相寫實的跟從，擁有照片般精準外形和構圖，但是畫面上掩飾不了對於傳統繪畫的熱情。作品取材於日常生活照，透過照片重製自己思考過的影像，賦予從相機擷取的直接表象所少的契合的情感，尋求繪畫的本質。 2011 年的作品以生活照為主題，畫面像似因閃光燈凝聚的瞬間，人物僵直而不自然，一方面重新檢視攝影對繪畫的重要性，呈現攝影刺激藝術家視覺經驗的改變，另一方面隱晦的敘事內容，抹去細節的影像，意旨在尋找大師們追求的繪畫的永恆性，了解那源自歷史與真實中可表現和不可表現的事物。

Studying fine arts in Germany for the past few years, my artwork reflects observation of the relationship between photography and painting. Explore the reality of image and painting, and express directly my inner suspicion through canvas and pigment . On the surface, my artwork appears to follow the authenticity of photography and possess precision and composition just like photographs; however, the artwork doesn't conceal my passion for traditional painting. Inspired by photos of day to day life, I reproduced images from photos and adding personal feelings to my painting in an effort to pursue the essence of painting. Theme of my 2011 works mainly focused on objects of daily life. Paintings captured the snapshot of character's stiffness and awkwardness as if the camera flash went off unexpectedly. On one hand, my paintings re-evaluate the importance of photography to painting, and present changes from artist's visual experiences as stimulated by photography. On the other, telling stories in an obscured manner, erasing images detail, focusing on eternity of painting which has been sought after by great masters, and understanding expressible and non-expressible objects originating from history and reality. 郭志宏 Chih-Hung KUO

郭志宏 | Chih-Hung KUO

1982 出生於台北 2001-2006 國立台北藝術大學 2009-2011 明斯特藝術學院 2011-2014 慕尼黑藝術學院（師於 Professor Karin Kneffel）

個展 2013 臉孔風景 - 郭志宏 & 吳逸寒雙個展，也趣藝廊，台北，台灣

聯展 2014 Young Art Taipei 2014 台北國際當代藝術博覽會，台北晶華酒店，台北，台灣 2014 ART TAINAN 2014 台南藝術博覽會，台南大億麗緻酒店，台南，台灣 2013 ART TAIPEI 2013 台北國際藝術博覽會，世貿一館，台北，台灣 2013 Versenkt , 慕尼黑藝術學院，慕尼黑，德國 2013 Young Art Taipei 2013 台北國際當代藝術博覽會，台北喜來登大飯店，台北，台灣 2013 ART TAINAN 2013 台南藝術博覽會，台南大億麗緻酒店，台南，台灣 2012 ART TAIPEI 2012 台北國際藝術博覽會，世貿一館，台北，台灣 2012 夏豔 2012 第二屆未來大明星，罐子茶書館，台北，台灣 2012 Young Art Taipei 2012 台北國際當代藝術博覽會，台北喜來登大飯店，台北，台灣 2012 Y.E.S. Taiwan IV-- Young Emerging Stars, Taiwan IV，也趣藝廊，台北，台灣 2012 Mancy's Tokyo Art Nights 東京，日本

獲獎 2005 張心龍美術創作獎

1982 Born in Taipei 2001-2006 Taipei National University of the Arts 2009-2011 Academy of Fine Arts M端nster 2011-2014 Akademie der Bildenden K端nste M端nchen bei Karin Kneffel Solo Exhibitions 2013 Gesichtslandschaften-Duo exhibition by Chiuh-Hung KUO & Yih-Han WU Aki Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan Group Exhibitions 2014 Young Art Taipei 2014 Taipei Contemporary Hotel Art Fair, Regent Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan 2014 ART TAINAN 2014, Tayih Landis Hotel Tainan, Tainan, Taiwan 2013 ART TAIPEI 2013, Taipei World Trade Center I, Taipei, Taiwan 2013 Versenkt, AdbK M端nchen, Germany 2013 Young Art Taipei 2013 Taipei Contemporary Hotel Art Fair, Sheraton Taipei Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan 2013 ART TAINAN 2013, Tainan, Taiwan 2012 ART TAIPEI 2012, Taipei World Trade Center I, Taipei, Taiwan 2012 Next Super Star II, CANSART, Taipei, Taiwan 2012 Young Art Taipei 2012, Sheraton-taipei, Taipei, Taiwan 2012 Y.E.S.Taiwan IV -- Young Emerging Stars Taiwan IV, AKI Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan 2012 Mancy's Tokyo Art Nights, Tokyo, Japan Awards 2005 Zhang Xin-long Fine Arts Award

Magnificent melancholy stealing over Emerson Wang

Within every scene, the story of life unfolds in either abstract or figurative form. Artists infuse their own desires and imaginations into various layers filled with metaphors, symbols, and messages. It is through this way that ideas are formed. Within every image, “people" can serve as either objects or protagonists. “People” exist within a story, event, or fragment of memory. A novelist depicts the mischievous eyes or trembling lips of a protagonist, as if this character’s distinguishing features can be conveyed through text. But, can the personalities of these characters described achieve true manifestation? Or are they merely self-resolved projections of the novelist? Can a sitting or standing position exhibit the personality or inner world of a person? Looking at history, images of people appeared much earlier than the first written words. Words are like sprinting wild horses that continue to extend the imaginations of people. Without political or religious implications, common people became the protagonists of portraiture (portraiture includes portrait paintings, portrait photography, and self-portraits) and humanism. Yet, the West had to wait until the Renaissance in the fourteenth century and the pinnacle of the sixteenth century to truly begin flourishing. China had to wait until the Ming and Qing Dynasties before hitting its peak. It look a longer period for the portrayal of spirit in figure paintings to reach a state of maturity than written language. Despite the differences in expression between text and images, readers will still explain the inner images of their souls through their own eyes, casting a light upon themselves through their experiences. Francis Bacon (1561-1626) once said, “Knowledge is but a memory” and that all “Novelty is but oblivion”. All images are reproduced, as are the thoughts of our souls. While pursuing art in Germany for eight years, Yih-Han Wu and Chih-Hung Kuo not only faced creative challenges, but also encroachments upon their persistence for ideals due to the culture shock of living in a different country. The inner and outer, visible and invisible seesaw is like a walk across a high altitude rope. A lack of persistence or excessive levels of doubt will likely cause a descent into the abyss. The French poet/ philosopher, Jean-Marie Guyau, once raised the concept of “anomie”. “Anomie” is the disintegration of value and standards, and where belief has not yet established a system of self-regulation system. In this way, various forms of anguish becomes a kind of stranglehold. Yet, it is also an inevitable fate and necessary path for the construction of concepts by an artist. Guyau also deliberated from another perspective: “Anomie is novelty with creativity. It is a challenge to the concept of despair… Anomie is not an evil thing, nor is it an illness of contemporary society. Anomie is essentially an exceptional element.” It is through this process that artists are able to obtain a new life of liberation.

The present stage of art creation is most certainly a reconstruction of feelings of doubt after deconstruction for Wu and Kuo. Although different from the indifference to his surroundings by Meursault, the protagonist of Albert Camus’s 1942 novel, L’Étranger, the inner sense of panic and confusion is strikingly similar. Even if two people rationally convince themselves that they are in a much institutionalized country (the novel is set amidst a chaotic period during World War II), a culmination of this mentality can only be consoled slightly through rumination. Perhaps, the rigorous character of Germans might lead to a psychological state of solitude and indifference. The people in the paintings by Wu and Kuo also reveal an air of indifference regardless of their time or space. In fact, they rely on the characters of their paintings to reflect their view on repression by others and the world. Each portrait can be viewed as a self-portrait of the artist. The figures in the portraits are themselves as well as their doppelgangers. The canvas provides the multiple reflections of a mirror, displacing the subjective and objective roles of the characters on both sides. In the first few years of going from Taiwan to Germany in pursuit of education, their values were faced with a psychological destruction, impairment, sabotage, and even disintegration. Because the long-term faith supporting perseverance was placed in doubt, it was reluctantly abandoned in the face of loss before a restructuring. In addition to the mutual comfort and support shared between the two, the concern and support from surrounding friends and family must have been the most intimate emotional connection they had for many years. So, in returning to the original intent and faith of artistic creation, they have made “characters” as the theme to their series of works. The figures portrayed in their paintings were drawn from the people around them. Wu chose to paint friends from Germany, while Chih-Hung Kuo remanufactured images of the photos of his friends and relatives from Taiwan. Regardless of the subjects, “true transfiguration” was like a ruler that spurred them onwards. Life the mirror-like canvas that must see the double meaning of humanity and divinity, the body and soul between brushstrokes exhibited the illusion of beauty and the truth of prudence. Whether the viewer of the painting chooses a single viewing angle or a double-sided intention, the process still lies in finding themselves or the once familiar shadow of themselves. It is only natural that painters create with intention. All images are used to compensate for the lack of perception, combing through a conscious intention while avoiding the vague and pale. Even the expressionless face embodies a copious amount of knowledge or implicit intentions hidden in the picture, manifesting itself through a

comprehensible echo. Even the faintest of expressions can inspire a series of images. Yih-Han Wu states in her artistic statement, “I was utterly stunned by the Northern Renaissance as well as the exquisite surface texture of the bizarre and chilly Flemish style of painting. I studied and learned from masters, such as Lucas Cranach, Hans Holbein the younger, and Rogier van der Weyden.” She explores the reappearance of history in a contemporary era, depicting figures of the twenty-first century through the styles of seventeenth-century Northern European painters. On the other hand, the portraits of Chih-Hung Kuo originate from his notion of “My work attempts to examine the relationship between photography and painting. I research the authenticity of the images and paintings, directly revealing their innermost questionings through canvas and paint… My works are based on photos of everyday life. By reproducing thought-out images of photographs, I obtained the compatible emotions devoid from the direct representation captured by cameras. In this way, I sought the essence of painting.” Paintings may obtain spiritual inspiration through photo reproduction, destroying the spirit of reflection that truly exists to expose a pure form of thought. Differing from many of the other international students that searched for a new direction in painting through modern society, Kuo and Wu instead sought suitable elements from classics. From this, one can see the relatively detached attitude maintained between artists and society. The artist and the characters depicted in the paintings relinquish a primary-secondary relationship. The painting solely consists of a non-communicative link between two primary bodies, thereby producing many ambiguous characteristics. The frosty style of Wu seemingly lets the artist retreat to the third corner as a bystander. Kuo reproduces photos, in which the main objects of viewing are the “photos” and not the characters within the pictures. Their visual views are both empirical and perceptual, thus characters in the pictures are not confined to the understanding of viewers. Viewers pay attention to what they perceive through the eyes of the artist. French art historian, Pierre Francastel, mentions in Études de sociologie de l'art that, “People who seek to become artists are not inspired to do so due to childhood dreams, rather from the influence of mature foreign artists; not from their unstructured world, but from their resistance to the forms deeply rooted in the art world…. The works of (artists) are not derived from their childhood fantasies or callings, but from the dreams and calling of other artists.” Francastel’s intent did not lie in negating the importance

of childhood experiences or personal talents and interests. Instead, his objective was to convey the inevitable socialization process that comes with entering the mature artistic world. In this exhibition, we will not see any works that Kuo and Wu created before they left Taiwan for Germany. But, an education provided by a German art institution paired with their art gallery experiences has undoubtedly led them to doubt their dreams and education in Taiwan. “At first, we felt the shock of a lively and exuberant sense of a German art environment, but then we gradually began to feel more and more confused. How can we position ourselves in a world devoid of established values and standards? Why do we push ourselves to find a new appearance for art, yet trap ourselves in a corner in the process? Meanwhile, amidst the turmoil of our thoughts, we experienced an unprecedented sense of loneliness. And, so after this constant process of self-analysis and displacement, we finally returned to our original intention. We just wanted to explore the essence of painting. The uproar has finally ceased. In this silent world, we face ourselves with honesty through painting, while researching basic technology and media to support the ineffable part of our discourse.” This is the process of self-analysis they conducted for this exhibition. Northern Renaissance paintings differ from those of the Italian Renaissance. Despite sharing similar religious themes, the Northern Renaissance focused on authenticity. The beautiful tragedy of life was to be displayed even under petty and appalling circumstances. Originating from the climate and soil, calm characteristics avoid flamboyant aesthetic passions and remove personal preferences to accurately portray the lives of commoners. For Cyna, Marscha and Requel, Wu presents human heads and faces that seem to occupy most of the canvasses. The background is intentionally minimized to only a single or a few colors. The eyes of the people portrayed are not in direct contact with the artist, and the expressions are quite devoid of any feelings or emotions. The artist also depicts characters with an air of detachment, yet the lines are replaced delicately and realistically with colors. The quiet ambiance is like the sacred halls of prayer, but we are unable to find any sort of confusion, expectancy, rejoice, or misery from the expressions of Cyna, Marscha, or Requel. Artists are like masters that control the overall image. However, the characters in the paintings are calm to a point that they can seemingly reverse the situation to dominate the atmospheres of these portraitures. And so, the artist and people in the paintings are inter-subjected. The father-son portraits of German Renaissance painters, Lucas Cranach der Älter (1472-1553) and Lucas Cranach der Jünger (1515-1586), also have deliberately simplified backgrounds that highlight the faces of the figures. Lucas Cranach der Älter painted many portraits of Martin 49

Luther. Amongst them, the painting from 1543 was considered a classic. In 1550, Lucas Cranach der Älter painted a self-portrait at age seventy-seven. The person in the selfportrait faces the screen, as if the artist was facing himself in the mirror. It was then that he revealed a sliver of inner sentiments. Along her own long path of art, Wu also needs some time to perceive herself clearly. Perhaps, in addition to facing the camera (photos of everyday life), she can also confidently manifest her expressions through painting. In Kuo’s Emily & Rick and Chang-Yu & A-Chao, the protagonists are also facing someone who is far away from the lens. The invention of the camera and emergence of photos allow fleeting moments to pause. Time passes in the real world while visual experiences become common. Photographic images capture reality and restructured images make an appearance through painting. Here, possible conversions of meaning may appear or perhaps deliberate manufactured moments in front of the camera, becoming eternal in reproduced paintings. Even though they all reproduce images via cameras, Armour of God, Boss and Peggy, and Three Sisters are vastly different from the two works previously mentioned. The canvas becomes another possibility for the camera. Figures in photographs do not need to sit up straight or strike intentional poses while the artist paints, yet a special atmosphere can be manifested nevertheless. German photographer, August Sander (1876-1964), once said “I never let a person look bad. They express themselves in their own way. Photos are your mirror. They are you.” Thus, people in his photos are always striking a pose and intentionally dressed up. Whether with heads held up high or in a state of leisurely relaxation, all exhibit the serious personalities of a German. Sander once used Westeerwald, a rural town in Germany, as a subject for research. In that land, he recorded people with the same language, customs, and beliefs. The common collective memory there turned out to be the prototype for the German spirit. Kuo also attempts to connect his own sentiments through familiar people living in Taiwan. With photography as a medium, time, pictures, and even space are compressed onto a canvas. Figures that appear here are no longer Kuo’s friends or family. Instead, more intent is directed at a stranger's yearnings for home. Other works by Wu can be categorized differently, such as Analia (II), Hannelore, Ana, Jerry, Marscha (II), and Lolita. They are all portraits featuring expressionless faces. But, what seems to attract viewers are the poses of each protagonist. The near oblivious and indifferent mannerisms generate intense dramatic effects within the pictures. Interestingly, the lack of emotional countenance enables the different personalities and

temperaments of each person to be further manifested. Body language becomes the discourse conducted by the protagonists. Artists that depict expressionless figures in their portraits actually and objectively prompt reality to leap onto the canvas. Wu applies “smooth plaster bottoms and a transparent technique, mixing multi-layered dyes to produce a bright, smooth, and delicate texture”, which generates a divine effect for the background picture. The paintings display stories devoid of scenes and sceneries. The figures in the pictures seem to be introducing themselves, predominantly asking viewers “Who am I?” However, the name is merely a code. Significance is instead attached to the people in the portraits who request viewers to make an intimate connection. For Kuo’s Yih-Han & Cui-Rong and Mikiko & Karo, the titles contradict with the pictures. Each portrait actually contains three people, yet the title only lists two names. The artist places himself in the painting, yet he expects to be invisible and unidentifiable. The artist seems to mandate viewers to pay attention to the two defined yet expected main characters aside from himself. In 1656, Spanish painter, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660), painted Las Meninas, a masterpiece that attempts to manipulate the viewer. The artist concentrates on depicting the image of a king and queen, yet viewers are only able to view them through a mirror. Instead, the artist himself appears in the painting. Las Meninas (Spanish for “maids of honor”) features unknown visitors waiting at the door as well as sudden additions of dwarves and dogs. It seems the viewers are invited to participate in the conversation behind the painting - an ambiguous and blurry line between active and passive. In Mikiko & Karo, the painter holds a cameras, evidently telling viewers “I am the ‘photographer!’” And yet, when you stand in front of the picture, you actually think “So, he is that ‘painter!’” The artist reproduces memories through cameras and paintings, while viewers perceive the past and present within the painting. Two independent solo exhibitions are placed together to form a “dual” solo exhibition. The connection between them does not only pertain to their daily life. A line of dialogue and support are manifested through an exchange between both artists’ paintings. In this way, a spool of thread from Taiwan and Germany, and the past and present is pulled out. And, it just so happens that they are about to take a step toward the future.

臉孔風景

Gesichtslandschaften 吳逸寒│ Yih-Han WU 郭志宏│ Chih-Hung KUO

Publisher: Rick WANG Designed by Pei-Chun CHEN Execution Team : Anna HOU, Yue-Zhi LI , Nina LIN & Valerie LO Published by AKI Gallery Managing Director: Rick WANG Director: Emily YEN 141, Min Tsu W. Rd., Taipei 103, Taiwan Tel +886 2 2599 1171 Fax +886 2 2599 1061 www.galleryaki.com info@galleryaki.com / akigallery@gmail.com 也趣藝廊 AKI Galler y 粉絲專頁