Preface from Art Center

In the past, the ancient Chinese ancestors used the “Five Elements” theory to explain the formation and relationship between all things in the world. The “Five Elements” can also be said to be one of the main ways of understanding the world in ancient China. The concept of “Five Elements” first originated from “Shang Shu” (the most venerable book), which simply refers to the five common natural materials of water, fire, wood, metal and earth. The initial meaning of the “Five Elements” is the metal, wood, water, fire, and earth respectively correspond to metal, plants, liquids, heat energy, and earth. This time, the Art Center in National Chin-Yi University of Technology specially invited Lin Shan-Ying, Liao Ying His, and Chen Yung-Sing to jointly exhibit the exquisite works they refined after using materials of different five elements based on the concept of “Five Elements” to open a new page for the Art Center in 2024.

      The ceramic works from Professor Lin Shan-Ying break away from the formal constraints of traditional utensils. She not only turns a chaotic mess of soil into a thousand fingers of tenderness; while realizing life, she also transforms the fleeting thoughts into beautiful flowers and tenderness. The grace and elegance of each of her works makes people think again and again. Liao Ying His, whose works can be found in many hotel lobbies and outdoor public art in Taiwan and abroad, is good at using hard and shiny metal materials to create three-dimensional sculptures that display her unique and graceful temperament. In her works with full of contemporary styling, she gives profound and incisive explanations of ancient classic themes. Chen Yung-Sing is one of the lacquer artists in the middle-aged generation in Taiwan with a unique style. The thinking of his works seems to contain the open-mindedness of Lao and Zhuang, but it also exudes the splendor of the aurora. It can be said that he is a perfect interpretation of the soul of lacquer art and his simple character.

        Thanks to three outstanding contemporary artists, Lin Shan-Ying, Liao Ying His, and Chen Yung-Sing, for accepting the exhibition invitation from the Art Center in National Chin-Yi University of Technology. At the same time, we also hope that this exquisite composite art exhibition can provide another high-level art appreciation and aesthetic cultivation event for the teachers, students and the public at large.

 Director of the Art Center of National Chin-Yi University of Technology

Xian-Lian Chen