Discovering Hung Yi’s Art
What started out with a glimpse of a picture online turned into an all-day art outing in Taichung on a beautiful day in February. Yes, I first caught a sneak peak of Hung Yi’s art accidentally online and the vast uniqueness of the piece made me inquire more and search for additional information regarding the art piece and his current collection.
The more I researched, the more interested and intrigued I became. And when I read on a local website that there was a two-month exhibition of his collection entitled ‘Happy Animal Party’ happening in Taichung, it sealed the deal. I had to go and check it out!
‘Happy Animal Party’ Exhibition Venue
The exhibition was held at the Taichung Cultural & Creative Industries Park, an old brewery factory converted into an indoor art showroom and outdoor display area.
Several larger pieces were displayed outside on the venue’s premises. However, the majority of the collection was housed in an indoor exhibition hall. And since the day we went was a very hot and sunny one, we couldn’t have been more pleased to have had the opportunity to enjoy the art in the comforts of an air-conditioned building!
Hung Yi – the Artist
Hung Yi is a Taiwanese artist from Taichung. He is known in the art world for his whimsical art pieces with close ties to Taiwanese aesthetics.
The exhibition I attended was his first major solo exhibition in Taiwan; however, the ‘Happy Animal Party’ collection first made its debut in Japan last year where it was on display for several months.
My Personal Thoughts on the Collection
Hung Yi’s art captured my attention because of its unique features and the special techniques the artist used to complete his design.
Art within Art:
His recent collection entitled ‘Happy Animal Party’ consists or several animal sculptures including elephants, pandas, cats, ducks, and snakes (just to name a few). However, if you look closely and admire the finer detail, you will find Chinese characters, geometric patterns, and smaller paintings woven into the design.
Car Painting Techniques used:
While admiring the several sculptures on display, I was immediately intrigued by the design method used by Hung Yi as it wasn’t your typical and usual clay sculpture. The artist used metal to bring his animal collection to life and the process used to finish and preserve his whimsical creations is the procedure associated with priming and painting a car. If you look closely, each piece looks as smooth as silk, just like a newly painted car.
Indirect Meanings and Hidden Messages:
Each piece is unique and tells a story. For example, the cat sculpture in the picture immediately below contains a fish on its head alluding to the fact that cats like to consume fish. Also, the body of the same cat sculpture contains two paintings of cats which are representative of luck and good fortune in Japanese culture.
Bright, Bold Colors:
If you expect to see sculptures of animals painted in their usual colors, then you will be sadly mistaken. Each piece contains one or two primary colors with several pops of bold, bright colors incorporated into the design. The colors are a huge part of the design which allows each piece to stand out and be unique.
Hung Yi created this collection with the intention of bringing joy into peope’s lives and I have to admit that it certainly brighten my day.
Now over to you! Do you ever attend exhibitions displaying the works of local artists?
~~10 months blogging today!!~~