21 Jan Boundless – Lin Chin-Tao Solo Exhibition
Lin Chin-Chung
Once being the Head of Department of the Department of Painting and Calligraphy Arts in the National Taiwan University of Arts, Professor Lin Chin-Tao obtained his PhD from Daito Bunka University in Japan. As an artist and scholar with a perfect balance between artistic creativity and academic studies, Lin’s paintings and writings are highly regarded. Lin is an avid art historian who has published widely in the field of Chinese art, as well as a keen artist whose creations are immensely praised.
Art is life. Professor Lin Chin-Tao’s paintings are reflective of creative living, including objectives and mental imagery, which he pours his emotions into. The pictures indicate the world where Lin lives in, the environment, the background and what he sees and thinks. Lin Chin-Tao takes inspiration from landscapes, plants and insects and animals. The subjects of his paintings reflect directly of what he sees, hears and experiences in life and what he learns from history, they are true depictions of the artist’s passion for life.
The exchange between men and nature would always find its spiritual belonging in the traditional Chinese ideology of ‘the integration of men and nature’. Professor Chin-Tao’s creative life is so poetic that the landscape paintings are the medium to deliver his ideas and to express his emotions, where his mind liberates itself. Verdant mountains and magnificent landscapes nourish one’s mind. One can see the wondrous and splendid nature in A View from Cross-Island Highway, Wufongci Waterfall, The Earth Forest, Rocks of Heping Island. The opulent mountains and streams are like friends who share a tête-à-tête, and within the intimate setting, one may converse with the nature and express one’s sentiments though the rich colours.
Traditional eastern paintings aim to achieve the integration of men and nature, to amalgamate men, the nature, and the spirit. With the concepts of the unity of men and nature and the participation of others and self, the consciousness of one’s existence is the fountainhead of all emotions. Even though similarities and differences co-exist in the past and present, the construction of the emotions remain the true traditional belief. Professor Chin-Tao’s paintings originate from the warmth for nature, the objects and the self are combined on paper. Fierce Waves Against Verdant Cliffs, The Waterfall, Danxia Landform and The Dance are all works that bring together emotions within and outside of the images. They indicate the fact that paintings are creations of human emotions, especially the feelings of the artists, which are still the centre of Chinese paintings.
My brother Chin-Tao understands the true definition of ‘transformation in imagination bring unexpected acquisition’, that the emotions are shown by the transformation of the objects. From the chicken in The Family Portrait, the ducks in Dilly-dally, the wild Leaping Tiger, to the scenic Jiulong Waterfalls, Lin’s paintings combine nature with one in the manner of ‘there’s no difference between plants, insects and oneself, and one intergrades with the bamboo’ and ‘the mountains and rivers become solidified with their encounter with the divine’. Lin approaches art with discernment and sensibility, during the process of painting, the artist is fulfilled with mental satisfaction, which is the centre of eastern philosophy for art. The so called ‘the most important factor in a painting is its artistic conception, with the artistic conception, comes exceptional vitality’ means that the artistic conception originates from the artist’s creativity, and when the mind and the ink are combined, one would be able to create an outstanding piece of art. A painting would come to life only when the ink and colours are applied with sentiments, whilst the techniques could be achieved by tireless practice. Artistic conception is valued for its deep meaning, whist the insight perception is cherished for its complexity. When viewing Professor Chin-Tao’s works one could feel the artist’s sensibility, understand the meaning of the subjects, and appreciate the artist’s scholarly achievements. To read widely and sketch in large quantity are the foundations to a refined painting, when one masters the art of observation and depiction, one’s works may be appreciated.
Professor Chin-Tao’s Ferocious Waves Against Rocks, Locus and Birds Chirping at Dawn may appear to be faithful records of nature, but they are in fact picturesque images that indicate the fact that art has integrated with nature in the manner of ‘follow one’s heart’s desire’, for one must listen to one’s heart and let it wonder though the world of art in order to appreciate it fully, just like the joy of seeing an old friend. The picturesqueness of Professor Chin-Tao’s Fishing by the Cliff, Waterfall in Abundant Rain and A View of Longkeng, is the soul of artistic conception, it is also the founding of the nature and sentiment, in which the artist based his poetic creations upon. From learning from the nature and creating a picturesque image, the objects and mind are complexly reflected within the creation. What leads the creation of the picturesque is that possibility of keeping the artist’s concept with the depiction of the objects. Hence, the integration of nature and self-ness is an important factor in Professor Lin’s creational process.
The connotation of creational painting includes concepts and ideas. It is said that ‘the colours should be the priority and the shape should come second’ and ‘the wonders lie in the character whilst the techniques can be seen from the form’, hence we understand that even though techniques are the basis of a painting, the sentiments are what truly define a work. The ideology of painting is to create an opportunity for the amalgamation of the mind and the form, and bringing it to life with the technical ability of the artist. The idea ‘creating an artistic conception with one’s heart, and steering the heart with one’s techniques’ reflects that an ideal work of art requires mastery techniques. Professor Chin-Tao’s Rocks in Clear Waters, Songlong Waterfall and The Stone Forest all consist complex details that cannot be created with a single brushstroke. The brush works and colours are the main elements to a visual image, but a painting is only a successful art work when emotions are applied. When a flawless balance between sensation and method is achieved, it is when a painting could touch its viewers