TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Eslite Gallery is showcasing a co-exhibition featuring 56 works by contemporary artists Cheng Po-tsung (鄭帛囪) and Liu Wen-hao (劉文豪), which is set to run until July 30.
Cheng, 40, shows a series of small-scale abstract paintings made with stationery, such as ballpoint pens, water brushes, and markers, on Post-it Notes. The works, made from 2013 to 2022, feature natural landscapes and human portraits.
The artist's doodling habit began in middle school. When studying at the National Taipei University of the Arts, Cheng preferred drawing in a coffee shop, while other fellow students worked in a quiet studio, according to the gallery.
Instead of sketching beforehand, the artist often follows his heart. “I do not have a specific goal when making art. Sometimes the works end up differently from what I pictured,” Cheng said.
Cheng Po-tsung feels free when drawing in a cafe. (Eslite Gallery)
Cheng's painting on a post-it note. (Eslite Gallery)
Liu, meanwhile, is a student in the master's program at National Taipei University of the Arts. He presents his 2022 series titled “Penjing” at the gallery.
He said that plants and humans are alike. “In order to make a plant look perfect, people tend to use wire, tape, or other external objects to change its shape. It is similar to the social frameworks that are imposed on us.”
The art student suffers from Tourette syndrome and atopic dermatitis, meaning shaky hands and itchy skin since childhood. Drawing is his way of breaking free from the pain and rules, according to the gallery.
Visit the online gallery or Facebook for further information.
Liu Wen-hao's "Penjing" works. (Eslite Gallery)
(Eslite Gallery)
