Chen Huei-kuhn (; 25 June 1907 – 11 February 2011) was a Taiwanese artist, notable for being an

activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...

in merching

Chinese painting Chinese painting () is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Painting in the traditional style is known today in Chinese as , meaning "national painting" or "native painting", as opposed to Western styles of art which b ...

styles and techniques in

art of Europe The art of Europe, also known as Western art, encompasses the history of visual art in Europe. European prehistoric art started as mobile Upper Paleolithic rock and cave painting and petroglyph art and was characteristic of the period betw ...

. Some of his work are considered as a fusion of Eastern

Gouache Gouache (; ), body color, or opaque watercolor is a water-medium paint consisting of natural pigment, water, a binding agent (usually gum arabic or dextrin), and sometimes additional inert material. Gouache is designed to be opaque. Gouach ...

oil paintings Oil painting is a painting method involving the procedure of painting with pigments combined with a drying oil as the binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on canvas, wood panel, or copper for several centuries. ...

and

ink wash painting Ink wash painting ( zh, t=水墨畫, s=水墨画, p=shuǐmòhuà) is a type of Chinese ink brush painting which uses Wash (visual arts), washes of black ink, such as that used in East Asian calligraphy, in different concentrations. It emerged duri ...

skills. Born in Lungching Hsiang,

Taichung Taichung (, Wade–Giles: '), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in central Taiwan. Taichung is Taiwan's second-largest city, with more than 2.85 million residents, making it the largest city in Ce ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, and trained in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Chen worked as a teacher in secondary school, as an art professor in universities for more than 45 years and a

contemporary artist Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art i ...

. He has a long history of involvement and contribution in

contemporary art Contemporary art is a term used to describe the art of today, generally referring to art produced from the 1970s onwards. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a ...

and education. His painting style integrate both eastern and western styles. Besides, he served as preparations for the provincial

exhibition An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...

, faculty development, student exhibition of the committee, evaluation committee, council members. He also organised two dozens solo

since 1962 and had won many prestigious awards like "Ten Outstanding Senior Artist Award", " Golden Harvest Award" and " National Literary Award". He is a well known artist and educationist.

Early life

Chen was born in Lungching, a town in

, Taiwan on 25 June 1907. In 1915, he went to Ta-too Township Public Schools and his father died in the same year. His mother died in 1920 and then he moved to his aunt's home and changed to study at Woo-tsih public school. After five months, he moved back to his hometown and lived with his grandmother. In 1928, he went to Japan for

tertiary education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

Tokyo School of Fine Arts or is a school of art and music in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Kitasenju and Adachi, Tokyo. The university has trained artists in the fields of painting, sculpture, crafts, inter- ...

. In 1929, he displayed his work in a museum in the name of “ Nakajima Ltd.” with 13 other artists. In the same year, he married with his first wife. He graduated in March 1930, but he was unemployed for three years, but was selected twice for the Taiwan Art Exhibition. He was an art teacher at Taichung Business School between 1934 and 1945. His wife died in 1935. In 1939, he married with Hsieh Pee-lien but she died due to miscarriage. in 1946, he was employed for the student admission of Junior college of Taichung. Also, two of his art works were displayed in Taichung Art Exhibition.He was an art teacher at Taichung Business School between 1934 and 1945. His wife died in 1935. In 1939, he married with Hsieh Pee-lien but she died due to miscarriage. in 1946, he was employed for the student admission of Junior college of Taichung. Also, two of his art works were displayed in Taichung Art Exhibition. He was hired as a

lecturer Lecturer is an academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. They may also conduct re ...

in National Taiwan Normal University. The next year, he was promoted to associate

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

Career and education

After graduating from

Tokyo University of the Arts or is a school of art and music in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Kitasenju and Adachi, Tokyo. The university has trained artists in the fields of painting, sculpture, crafts, inter ...

in 1931, Chen Huei-Kuhn was employed as a part-time teacher at Taichung Commercial School (now the National Taichung Institute of Technology) to demonstrate commercial art in 1934. After three years, his wife suffered a serious illness and died; he transferred to Hsin-kung Public school and served as a full-time substitute teacher with stable income. He married with his colleague Miss Hsieh Pee-lien, but after 2 years, he had lost two children and his second wife. However, he immersed himself in his artwork and concentrated on his Eastern

works. Thus, his works such as “ Stroll in Freedom”, “Autumn Harvest”, “Scene of Lakefront” and “Mountain Hiking” were selected for the annual exhibition which inspired him a lot. In 1945, Chen Huei-Kuhn left Hsin-kao Public School after losing his second wife and two children. He moved to

First Girls High School and assigned to be the head of academic affairs at Taichuang City High School. After one year, Chen's “Appreciation” was on display at the First Provincial Art Exhibition and won the Academic and Industrial Award. After that, Chen was assigned as a lecture in the Department of Fine Arts at Provincial Normal College in 1947. Also, his Eastern Gouache work “Aboriginals in Taiwan” won the Chairman Award in the second year of the Provincial Art Exhibition. His artworks became more famous and Chen was promoted to an associate professor in 1948. At the same year, Chen had three paintings on display in the third year of Provincial Art Exhibition such as “Tam-shuei Scenery”, “Research Room for Ancient Art History” and “Stroll in Freedom”. After this exhibition, he became one of the member of the juror committee at the Art Exhibition for after years. Whiling he was teaching at Provincial Normal College, he worked with the famous painter Pu Hsin-yue. This offer them a great opportunity to learn from each other. Since Chen was keen on exploring “how” and “why” and with good relationship with Pu xinyu, he was able to acquire new techniques and procedures. Chen Huei-Kuhn's desire is to improve the art form and he emphasised artistic, imaginative sketching instead of copying nature. Therefore, he created an innovative painting style which combined Eastern and Western art

ideology An ideology is a set of beliefs or values attributed to a person or group of persons, especially those held for reasons that are not purely about belief in certain knowledge, in which "practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones". Form ...

and techniques. In order to study Eastern and Western art

and techniques, Chen made two research trips to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

in the 1950s which were mainly for the purpose of studying art. In the 1960s, he studied in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

for one year and he visited many art museums, putting his ideas into notes. Besides, he visited

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

sketching the places that he had traveled. Starting in 1969, he spent seven summer vacations in travel around the

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to study and visit the great museums and buildings there. Chen produced a huge amount of

artworks A work of art, artwork, art piece, piece of art or art object is an artistic creation of aesthetic value. Except for "work of art", which may be used of any work regarded as art in its widest sense, including works from literatur ...

in the

travelling. After that, he held the “Tour in Europe Exhibitions” and there are total of 10 exhibitions were held. These exhibitions are the result of his studying in Eastern and Western art. For instance, in 1973 in

, he put oil paint on rice paper and adopting the painting skills and methods that used in showing the rocks and mountains in Chinese landscape painting to create “

Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (, ) is a mountain in the Alps, rising above sea level, located right at the Franco-Italian border. It is the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains, the second-most prominent mountain in Europe (after Mount E ...

”. Furthermore, he used western perspective techniques in eastern painting to create “The Gate of Temple Tosho” in 1982. It is the most well-known piece which took him more than one year to finish. The painting “Medici Fountain” also famous as it combinated of Eastern and Western techniques. With great contribution in artworks, Chen Huei-Kuhn's painting were regarded as the “Painting Symphony of Taiwan”. From 1946, his art pieces was continually demonstrated in different

and received numerous awards. He received the Academic and Industrial Award from

The Province First Art Exhibition ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The' ...

in 1946 and received Chairman Award from The Provincial Second Art Exhibition in 1967. In 1976, he devoting to education for 4 decades, and the Ministry of Education awarded him the Excellent Teacher Award. In 1989,

County awarded Chen Houei-Kuen the Golden Tassel Award as one of the top 10 senior remarkable

artists An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...

. In addition, he also received the Culture Award of Executive Yuan (1997), The Art & Business Awards of the Council for Cultural Affairs (1999), the president

Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui (; pinyin: ''Lǐ Dēnghuī''; 15 January 192330 July 2020) was a Taiwanese politician and agricultural scientist who served as the fourth president of the Republic of China, president of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan) unde ...

awarded

Order of Brilliant Star Order of Brilliant Star () is a civilian order of the Republic of China (Taiwan) recognizing outstanding contributions to the development of the nation. The order is instituted in 1941 and can be awarded to both domestic and foreign nationals. ...

with Grand Cordon (2000) and the seventh National Award for Arts (2003) from the National Culture and Arts Foundation. Chen died on 11 February 2011 at

National Taiwan University Hospital The National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH; ) is a medical facility located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei, Taiwan. It started operations under Japanese rule in Daitōtei (today's Dadaocheng) on 18 June 1895, and moved to its present ...

in Taipei. Chen's daughter is .

Notable works

Exhibitions

1.1952 on 4–12 May, Taiyang exhibition of painting "Woo-lai valley", "Smile", "can be high waterfall." 2.1956 on 10–20 August, Taiyang exhibition of painting "sister. 3.1957 on days 7 to 16 December, le province's art exhibition, painting exhibition "A level." 4.1957 on 21–27 August, Taiyang exhibition of painting "Tamkang afar." 5.1960 on days 25 to 29 May, Taiyang exhibition of painting "downhill." 6.1965 on 2–9 May, Chen Huei, double exhibition Lin Chang-tao, Taipei International Gallery. 7.1972 on 30 November to 5 December, a long stream of Painting, an exhibition of plastic colour "Yushan first peak." 8.1973 on 3–8 October, a long stream Painting, plastic color display "on the outskirts of Paris," "other house." 9.1974 on 3–8 December, a long stream Painting, plastic color display "Mt. Plateau." 10.1976, Professor exhibition - to commemorate the birthday of President Chiang Kai-shek Chiou-chih, painting exhibition "Blanque first peak." 11.1976, the Fine Arts Department of Normal - to celebrate the 30th anniversary, featuring painting "Riverside Belgium belfries." 12.1980, the annual literary sixty-nine of activities, painting exhibition "Wuen-woo Court reflection." 13.1982 year's Art Exhibition - Senior Artists Works Review, painting exhibition "hometown Lungching" painting "freshwater landscape" painting "Himeji Castle." 14.1983, the first session of the Kaohsiung Exhibition, an exhibition of Chinese painting "pull off the temple shrine." 15.1984, the second session of the Kaohsiung Exhibition, featuring paintings, "the San Francisco Bay." 16.1985 on 1 –15 October days, Lin Yuan-shoo really, Chen-Huei - three exhibition galleries Howard. 17.1985, the Fine Arts Department of Normal exhibition featuring paintings "hometown Lungching Chu-hang." 18.1985, le province's 40th anniversary retrospective art exhibition, painting exhibition "Ancient Art Research" painting "Do not desert Ha Palace of Versailles," painting "pine plains," painting "shows a lone pine alone." 19.1985 year to celebrate the recovery of Taiwan 40 Professor Chou-Nien exhibition featuring paintings "hometown Lungching Chu-hang." 20.1986, the third Kaohsiung art exhibition featuring paintings, "violinist." 21.1986, the Republic of the 11th National Art Exhibition, featuring paintings "hometown Lungching Chu-hang." 22.1986 year, to commemorate the centenary of Chiang Kai-shek and celebrate Veterans Day eighteenth exhibition, painting exhibition "Youth Park." 23.1987 on 11–20 October, Normal University professor Lin Yuan-shu really, Chen-Huei three exhibition galleries Howard. 24.1987, the contemporary character art exhibition of paintings "open." 25.1987, the ROC college professor art exhibition, painting exhibition "Mino sights." 26.1988, the Republic of contemporary art exhibitions, painting exhibition "Paris streets." 27.1988 years, Taichung County Artists Exhibition, an exhibition of traditional Chinese painting, "Chung-Cheng Kung-yuan Park Hon pool." 28.1988, Professor Normal exhibition, painting exhibition "Hanyee-nungsuhn" painting "Taiwan vulgar room." 29.1988, ROC art development exhibition of painting "Buddha Mountain view." 30.1989 on 4 –17 days of June, Chen-Chin, Lin Chen-Huei three plastic painting exhibition, (individual exhibition twenty), the National History Museum. 31.1989 years, high mountains Painting Exhibition - Commemorating the death of Chiang Ching-kuo system so Kung anniversary painting exhibition "Verde." 32.1990 on 28 September - 14 October, Lin Yuan-shu really, Chen-Huei - three exhibition, Howard Gallery. 33.1991 years, Professor Normal sixth exhibition, painting exhibition "Hon Chung-cheng Kung-yuan Yung-chih Park pool." 34.1991 on 27 April, the first session will be green water painting, painting exhibition "freshwater paiyang museum." 35.1992, the Republic of the 13th National Art Exhibition, featuring paintings "Yeh-liou harbour." 36.1992, the second session of the green water Painting, painting exhibition "Miles waves" 8F. 37.1992 years earlier art movement document Taiwan exhibition, painting exhibition "poolside" "Lungching home," painting "Untitled." 38.1993 years, contemporary Chinese painting masters painting exhibition, painting exhibition "Summer Palace Marble Boat." 39.1993, the artist in the eyes of freshwater, painting exhibition "freshwater paiyang Hall." 40.1993 on 1 to 16 May, the 3rd green water Painting, painting exhibition "Yeh-liou fishing port" 10 F, Taipei Gothic galleries. 41.1993 years, Taiwan senior artists work special exhibition of painting "lone pine alone show a" painting "Pinehill Plains" painting "Where Dough Huh Erh-sai desert palace." 42.1994, Taiwan artist's Who participated painting "Blanque first peak." 43.1994 years, the development of Taiwan painting retrospective painting exhibition "Geneva." 44.1994 on 18 to 31 May, the fourth green water tempera painting will be exhibited glue "on the outskirts of Tachih" 10F. 45.1994, the senior painter plastic colour exhibition, painting exhibition glue "Thom Dayton poolside Spring" glue tempera "Verde" glue tempera "mansion farmhouse" glue painting "on the outskirts of Matsuyama." 46.1994 years, Taipei - senior artists in France Paris exhibition of painting "Seine River"; Paris, France exhibited painting "Himeji Castle" painting "freshwater downhill" original "freshwater downhill study" painting " Freshwater street. " 47.1994 years, the image of the era of Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts: Painting Taiwan Development Review, painting exhibition "Geneva." 48.1995 on 1 to 28 July, the Republic of the 14th session of the National Art Exhibition, featuring paintings "Nanfang-ao." 49.1995 years, Taiwan predecessors Artists Works Exhibition (c), painting exhibition "Yeh-liou seaside" painting "Napoli bird's-eye view." 50.1995 year 80 senior beauty Artists exhibited painting "Geneva" painting "freshwater paiyang Pavilion", painting "Niagara Falls." 51.1995, Professor Normal exhibition, painting exhibition "Garden and the Maiden," painting "St. Louis suburbs," painting "Hangchou Jade Belt Bridge" painting "Niagara Falls." 52.1995 on 3 –15 days of June, the 5th green water Painting, painting exhibition "on the outskirts of le Paris." 53.1995, the 3rd long stream exhibition featuring "Mt. Original Plateaux." 54.1996 on 21 September - 3 October, will be the 6th green water painting, painting exhibition "Mu-lan afternoon" 4 F, painting "Phalaenopsis" 4 F. 55.1996 years, the Chinese contemporary masters painting hundred exhibition, painting exhibition "towering clouds" 20 F. 56.1997, the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts held - French Impressionist masterpieces D'Orsaye Museum exhibition "Impressionism Lake east of Taiwan," painting exhibition by "hometown Lungching." 57.1997, the 7th green water Painting, painting exhibition "Bellflower" 10 F. 58.1998, the 8th green water Painting, painting exhibition "Orchids"; Kuo wood raw art exhibition centre "on the outskirts of Matsuyama," "City of the music", "pull off the temple shrine", "civil and military Taying Court." 59.1998, the National Art 15th, painting exhibition "Chialing." 60.1999, the art department NORMAL 50th anniversary, glue painting exhibition "Kikyo." 61.1999 16–24 October to May, will be the ninth green water painting, painting exhibition glue "on the outskirts of le Paris." 62.1999 In April–December, Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum launched the "expansion and the establishment of the East Asian painting" (1850 ~ 1950), Shizuoka, Japan, Hyogo Prefecture, Tokushima Prefecture, Utsunomiya City, Fukuoka City travelling exhibition painting exhibition "hometown Lungching" painting "since like painting." 63.1999, 1999, famous paintings exhibition, painting exhibition, "St. Louis four towns. Lake scenery." 64.2000 September - 2001 February, the New York Cultural Centre organised the "Taiwan Spirit - Modern style and cultural heritage of the dialogue", the exhibition "Mei Ti-hsi fountain." 65. 23 September 2000, Chen Shuei-pien to move America into the house of God, the exhibition "Woolai Waterfall." 66.2001, the 11th green water Painting, an exhibition "on the outskirts of Matsuyama." 67.2002 on 3–19 May, Asia Art Centre and the National Taiwan Normal University, organised by "Taipei scenery: the beauty of monuments," exhibit "Taipei outskirts of the old house," "fresh white mansions." 68. 7 May 2002 –12 days, "Ink New Era - Exhibition of Contemporary Ink cross-strait exchanges," display "can be high waterfall." 69.2002 on 17–22 September, green water Painting, an exhibition, "Kenneth burdock blue." 70.2002 on 22 November - 1 December, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts hosted "French Autumn Salon Exhibition: Focus temporal paintings - Taiwan" exhibition "Kazakhstan desert Versailles Palace do not." 71.2002 on 7 –18 days of December, exhibitors Taiwan Art Association "65 Taiyang 6 decades elegance." 72.2002 on 22 November - 1 December, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts hosted the exhibition "French Autumn Salon." 73.2003 on 21 March - 25 May, drawing a long stream flow galleries president hosted "Time scale: 5 years of post-war Taiwan Art" exhibition, on display "Verde" 74.2003 on 19 April - 15 June, Taipei Fine Arts Museum hosted "50s Taiwan Art Exhibition" featuring "A level."

Awards

1.1946, le province's First Art Exhibition, won the school production award, painting exhibition "Shang-hwa." 2.1947, le province's second session of the Art Exhibition, won the Chairman's Award, the exhibition "Taiwan vulgar room." 3.1976, the Ministry of Education issued "an excellent sampling of teachers' service 4 years. 4.1989 years, was the 1st artist in Taichung County Golden Harvest 10 Outstanding Senior Award. 5.1997 on 29 December, issued by the Executive Yuan, Executive Yuan Culture Award. 6.1999 on 26 April, issued by the Council for Cultural Affairs Wuen-hsin Award. 7.1999 on 29 December, by the Taipei City Government Honorary Citizen Award. 8.2000 on 5/5, President Lee Teng-huei presented the 2nd Order of Brilliant Star award. 9.2002 on 5/5, by the China Arts Association Literary Award honours. 10.2003 on 8 October, National Culture and Arts Foundation 7th National Literary Award.

Books (reference)

1. 家庭美術館美術家傳記: 陳慧坤 2.蒼松映長春－陳慧坤九五回顧展專輯

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Houei-kuen 1907 births 2011 deaths People from Taichung 20th-century Taiwanese painters Taiwanese men centenarians Landscape painters Tokyo University of the Arts alumni