{"id":243,"date":"2020-04-21T12:22:49","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T12:22:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chan-ao.com\/?p=243"},"modified":"2026-09-06T08:11:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T00:11:58","slug":"art-criticism-from-hsiao","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chan-ao.com\/en\/art-criticism-from-hsiao\/","title":{"rendered":"Dramatic \u00b7 Solid \u00b7 Chan-Ao Chao"},"content":{"rendered":"
Professor Hsiao Ching-Jui \/ National Cheng Kung UniversityProfessor of History<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n


Zhao Zhan'ao is one of the most representative and important painters of the \"Modern Ink Movement\" that emerged in Taiwan in the 1960s; however, defining Zhao Zhan'ao merely as an \"ink painter\" is clearly an incomplete statement, as he has also constructed profound achievements in oil painting that blend Eastern and Western artistic characteristics, making him an important artist not to be overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modern ink movement in Taiwan, which began in the late 1950s and reached its peak in the 1960s, is a significant turning point in the history of post-war Taiwanese art development. It ended the previous emphasis on realistic representation and visual simulation in creative thinking. Against the backdrop of martial law at the time, it centered on \"abstraction\" and used \"ink\" as a medium, advocating for a revolutionary goal in art that was both \"modern\" and \"Chinese.\" This movement produced a wealth of talent and outstanding works, creating a vibrant scene with far-reaching influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rich and legendary life experiences of Zhao Zhan'ao have become an inexhaustible source of inspiration for his creations. In his ink works, he sometimes embodies the momentum of a sudden storm, sometimes the desolation of fallen leaves in the cold, and sometimes the resilience of a steadfast boulder or forest... Zhao Zhan'ao skillfully uses square dimensions to challenge the difficulty of creating a composition that is full yet not congested, square yet not monotonous, flowing yet not chaotic; and in the interplay of ink tones and colors, he showcases the steadfastness of life and the transcendence of the soul. In his early works, he primarily used ochre and blue, but after 2000, he raised the brightness of ochre and incorporated more red; in his later works, orange-red appeared, and the subjects included bright floral imagery, especially close to the expression of ink lotus. This transformation is naturally related to the political changes across the strait at that time, allowing him to return to his hometown in Shandong during the most beautiful nearly 30 years of spring and blooming across the strait, living and creating back and forth between Qingdao and Taiwan like a migratory bird, becoming the happiest, most stable, and creatively rich and mature period of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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