Yachi Shian-Yuan Yang
Vimeo
2019.5 /Oslo
About Artist
Yachi Shian-Yuan (1983-) graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts, who has continuously worked and researched as an oriental-calligraphic ink painter for more than 10 years. Taiwan Art Bank, an institute sponsored by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts and several private institutes, has collected her works. As a professional artist, she had works participated in AArt-Citizen Art Shanghai, Asia Contemporary Art Show, Singapore Contemporary Art Show, Chinese Contemporary Ink- Hong Kong Christie’s and some other different exhibitions among East Asia during the years. She was also a contemporary art reporter in Taiwan. Now she works and lives in Oslo.
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Sisyphusiaslism
a new word from the artist, Yachi Shian-yuan Yang, as Sisyphusia
I graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts in 2007, one of the leading art schools in East-Asia with international program. In 2011, I had my master thesis along with graduate-exhibition about female position in tradition context and contemporary development of Chinese Literati Painting. Since 2009, I worked as a full time painter, par-time art educator for students from 3 years old to bachelor level, art magazine journalist and culture salon director.
Painting on rice paper with ink has its tradition which can be traced back to the 10th century in China. This discipline has spread among East Asia in unity with naturalism, Buddism, Confucianism and Taoism. Therefore, my work had been highly connected to these classic metaphors and symbols. After I came to Oslo, more concepts of the modern humanity and colors of the surroundings inspired my days. I cared about the beauty that shows passion of living more than ever.
My painting is about the energy of living through different subjects, the subjects are highly connect to my life visually. Usually I find the contrast to express such as contraction and expansion, peace and chaos, embracing and parting, female force/ Ying and male force/ Yang. It is like two directions when where Sisyphus stone moves－daytime it raises and nighttime it falls. As Buddhism’s teaching, color is emptiness, emptiness is color. We can understand it as “dream is reality and reality is dream” in modern psychology. In my understanding, it is to show the contradictions in harmony. Meanwhile, Literati tradition honors very much about how to make a noble “man” become nobler through the repetition of painting with very strict authentic ideal and subject, so the painting itself is not the goal, it can only see as an continuous journey toward greatness.
I really like this idea therefore I don’t feel I am making painting, I live a noble and spiritual life so the paintings and along with other creative idea just have to come out. However that greatness in its definition is very much the same as the concept God is a He. So even though I know very clear how to go into that direction and what kind of exercise should I do, there is no place for me. Then I started doing the opposite, I will define my own greatness for my life.
I am like Sisyphus, repeating the procedures of construction and destruction, however on this road of rolling stone which never been expected by anyone except myself, I have seen the unbelievable changes and new experiences that have occurred to me on the very same route, enlighten both my life and art-life to be a better human being. Therefor being “Sisyphusia” is full of suffering yes but unexpected bless indeed.
Especially when I think about how to create “herstory” to balance “vistory” instead of “history”. As a philosophical girl almost throughout my whole life, I am not even able to picture a philosophical painter as a female figure even today, especially in the relevant classical fields. Lacking of awareness and the models, hidden glass ceiling, many discouragement from society still to drag a female person away from being extraordinary by your discipline and creativity. Women still get much credit by trading sex and related image more than asserting hard-core theory and innovation. Even feminist and feminism can’t avoid to feel the same. But we also have to think that as woman today we can join the trip of rolling stone rather than being stoned, weather it is physically or spiritually.
I am happy to share Sisyphusialism and its visual manifestation with our friends and art lovers. Looking forward to receive all kinds of feedbacks and dialogs as part of the living art.
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CV
Education
MFA. Tunghai University, Taiwan
BFA. Taipei National University of the Arts, Taiwan
Experience
Her og Der new immigrant artist supporting program(2019-)
Member of Oslo International Forum (2018-)
Lecturer of Tainan National University of the Arts, Taiwan (2015-2017)
Editor of ARTCO Art today Magazine, Taipei (2016-2017)
Member of ACTU-Art Creator Taipei Union (2014-)
Exhibition
Recent
2021 / Jeg kaller det kunst / National Museum / Oslo / Norway
2020/ Ny I Norge/ Hå gamle prestegard / Nærbø / Norway
2020 / Vaginale 2020 / Vienna / Austria
Solo & Dual
2020 / Sisyphusialism / Vienna / Austria (unfulfilled due to Corona)
2019 / Hybrid Scenery / 182 Gallery / Tainan / Taiwan
2019 / Peace is in front of your eyes / TM51 Gallery / Oslo / Norway
2018 / My Garden / MiA-Akerhus Museums / Årnes / Norway
2017 / Flower Myth-Peony as a Will / Yiri Art Gallery / Taipei / Taiwan
2015 / Clear & Stuffy – Bai Yu x Shian Yuan / Red Gold Fine Art Gallery / Taipei / Taiwan
2014 / Laido-Bai Yu x Shian Yuan / A Gallery / Taipei / Taiwan
2013 / Do-Fun in a small square – Bai Yu x Shian Yuan / 107 Gallery / Taichung / Taiwan
2012 / Eskort-different awareness between calligraphy and painting / No. 43 space / Taichung / Taiwan
2011 / A tree in front of the house II / Little Banana Art / Kaohsiung / Taiwan
2010 / A tree in front of the house I / Caffè5160 / Taichung / Taiwan
2008 / Dream Era / Butchart Art Gallery / Taipei / Taiwan
2007 / People in front of you / Taichung Culture Center / Taichung / Taiwan
Auction
2016 / Chinese Contemporary Ink / Christie’s / Hong Kong / China
Art fair (selected)
2018 / Harbor Art Fair 2018 / Marco Polo Hotel / Hong Kong / China
2017 / Art SanyaBeach / St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort / Sanya / China
2016 / Singapore Contemporary Art Show / Suntec Exhibition Center Halls / Singapore / Singapore
2015 / AArt-Citizen Art Shanghai / Literati’s Secret Life curated by Yun Art Space / Shanghai / China
2015 / Young Art Taipei (YAT) 2015 / Sheraton Grande Hotel / Taipei / Taiwan
2014 / Asia Contemporary Art Show / Conrad Hotels & Resorts / Hong Kong / China
2014 / Art Kaohsiung / Chateau de Chine Hotel / Kaohsiung / Taiwan
Group (selected)
2019 / Journey of Light / Prithvi Fine Art and Cultural Center / New Delhi / India
2018 / Faint in subtleties / Share Art gallery / Kaohsiung / Taiwan
2018 / Lighting in an Alley / Da Xin Art Museum / Tainan / Taiwan
2017 / Living with Ink / Borderless Space / Kaohsiung / Taiwan
2017 / Wittingly and Unknowingly / Share Art Gallery / Kaohsiung / Taiwan
2016 / Dreamland of Diaspora Exhibition of Modern and Modern Taiwanese Ink Paintings / Yilan Art Museum / Yilan / Taiwan
2016 / Liberal Arts and Literati – Ink Painting and Gold Painting at Tunghai University / National History Museum / Taipei / Taiwan
2016 / Garden as a hundred landscapes / 182 art gallery & Asir Art Museum / Tainan
2015 / Art Contemporaneity Taiwan / Ginza Kosin Gallery / Tokyo / Japan
2014 / Early Spring-select young artist / Shijie Gallery / Taichung / Taiwan
2011 / Seclusion in a humid room / Z Space / Taichung / Taiwan
2009 / A place-an oriental linguistic environment and circumstances / Taichung No. 43 / Taichung / Taiwan
2008 / Clearing Minds with Tea and Ink / Chuan Tuo Art Gallery / Taichung / Taiwan
2007 / Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition of Taichung City / Taichung Culture Center / Taichung / Taiwan
Collections (selected)
2016 <Walk in our garden> (2015), <Late Autumn> (2014), <<Weeds in the summer series >> (2013) / Taiwan Art Bank / Taichung / Taiwan
2014 <<Weeds series >> (2012) / Silks Place Hotel / Tainan / Taiwan
Awards and Grants (selected)
2008 / 2th Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial / New Artist Award / Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial Committee / Taipei / Taiwan
2007 / 2 years Artist Grants in Visual Art / Taiwan National Culture and Arts Foundation / Taipei / Taiwan
2006 / 20th Exhibition of Fine Art department
/ First ranking in ink painting / Taipei National University of the Arts / Taiwan
Publications
2017 / Imago Mundi: Cold Current- Contemporary artists from Norway / Catalog / Antiga Edizioni / Treviso/ Italy / ISBN 889965746
2016 / Dreamland of Diaspora- Exhibition of Modern and Modern Taiwanese Ink Paintings / Catalog / Yilan / Taiwan / ISBN 9789868239333
2016 / Liberal Arts and Literati- Ink Painting and Gouache Painting at Tunghai University / Catalog / Taipei / Taiwan / ISBN 9789860488104
2014 / 4th Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial / Catalog / Taipei / Taiwan / ISBN 9789860158564
2008 / 2th Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial / Catalog / Taipei / Taiwan / ISBN 9789860158564
2006 / 1th Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial / Catalog / Taipei / Taiwan / ISBN 9860071985
