Sharing with the Kaohsiung Fine Arts Association

Photo / Chen Chi-Hsiang After returning to Taiwan from Hong Kong, I traveled north and south in a loop. Then, over a weekend, I was warmly invited by Wu Zhenhui, President of the Kaohsiung Fine Arts Association, to visit the Gangshan Cultural Center in southern Kaohsiung. There, I shared my views on art and creative possibilities with a group of association members who love art. In this southern island city, I discovered many amateur artists. They are full of passion for creation, often working harder than professional painters. However, their discussions tend to be narrow, confined within past academic systems—though naturally, painting for joy is fine. This is understandable; painting is the happiest thing. Being immersed in the process and savoring the experience is more rewarding than the result. Painting is perception of the world and human affairs. If you can see it, you can paint it; if you can paint it, you can imagine it. Painting is not just depiction but expression of the present, projecting emotion and consciousness. Does likeness matter? Is being "like" important? Do not obsess over likeness; perhaps focusing on feeling yields greater expressiveness.

Facing these passionate painter-members, enthusiasm is the greatest driving force. Be true to yourself, create value through art, and prove your existence. How well you paint becomes secondary. Transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary through art is life's greatest happiness. There is no need to worrylessly engage in debates between traditional, modern, and contemporary art. In today's diverse world, respecting each other's values is globalization's grandest gift. It was an honor to converse with you. I deeply appreciated your passion, listening, and dialogue. Continue cultivating what you love; that is the most beautiful thing in the world. Photos taken by Wu Peng, member of the Kaohsiung Fine Arts Association. Thank you.