Virtual from the Window

we present “Re-Visiting Virtual Window” as the topic of Lin’s sole exhibition, expressing the paintings, the frames, and the topic. Exhibited works include two topics: before 2017, which is mainly using plants, flowers as themes, such as Kite, Flowing Light and “Commencement”, etc… These works use acrylic colors, templates and syringe, to let the paints naturally cumulate, duplicate and cover on canvas, producing rich layers of paints. Another topic is after 2017, mainly focusing on people. However, instead of portrait paintings, she locates the figures in particular scenery, especially the people who are using mobile phones and tablets, with extending techniques.

– Curator╱Gary Lee

Every morning, I feel a sense of anxiety and excitement, wanting to go to the studio, checking how the work I finished the day before turns out. Has the paint dried up yet? Are the colors accurate? The layers connect in the right way? What should I do afterwards? The anxiety repeatedly gives me the impulse, driving me to work.

My father is a low-ranked government employee, with an income barely keeping a family of six. After work, he always got together with neighbors from the Taiwan Power Company, complaining about work. Sometimes he practiced calligraphy, plants orchids or takes pictures everywhere, as if a lost artist. So I knew how to use a camera at the age of five. I discussed with my father about aperture, photographic angle, composition, …etc.; this might be why I started to love technical products.

In 1980, Taiwan’s economy is turning better, Lin started working in international trade, spending a great amount of time typing typewriter processing business papers. When personal computers come out, due to efficiency improvement and curiosity toward technology, she started learning computer and coding. She was passionately all the way. Since year 2000, internet and mobile phone develop in light speed. People’s lives are inseparable with electronic devices and mobile phones. This phenomenon intrigued me and inspired me to paint about this topic. I also paint my daily life routines. The main theme of this exhibition originates from my background, life and work experience. For me, life is art and art is life.

The figures, characters in the paintings are mostly my friends. The children in the paintings, although cannot speak and read, can quickly find pictures and animation in their parents’ mobile phones. It is common to see crying babies would quiet down once they get in contact with mobile phones or iPads. This really shocks me. As they grow, these technical products influence in an unexpected way. It is no exception for grown-ups. No matter when or where, everyone always has a phone in hand, staring at the screen like there are no others. Some of them are thinking, some of them are exchanging information, some contacting others, some replying emails…etc.. There is one huge company CEO, who concentrates on his mobile phone working even when guests surrounding him are singing karaoke. I like to paint figures, even when they are in parties, I’d still remember their professional side. As I paint, I keep thinking the connection of human and technology in the future.

The accomplishment of every work has to go through four turning points. At first, choose a topic, construct an image in my brain, and excitedly hope for it to come true. After fast drafting, coloring and polishing, a painting can be considered good. But the other me, who is less settled, would jump out and ask, how is this painting different from others? Is there anything special? Is it meaningful?

Then I would calm down and pack up my habitual casual logic and start to change. This change is either good or bad. Should I take the risk? Yes, there’s no other choice.

The unfortunate thing is that it usually goes bad; therefore pain is produced. There’s at least 10 days to half a month that I bear the endless anxiety. I cannot discard the painting because it goes bad, otherwise the next painting would face the same problem. In the unsettled and uncertain status, you have to keep trying to improve the image. In this process, sometimes I have to cogitate and sketch. Sometimes, I have to paint quickly without using my brain. It is surprising that inspiration always come in blindness and chaos. After these actions, I’d always encounter an amazingly good painting.

Finally, I would spend several days to sit in front of the finished work, think about what has happened, check every detail, and finish the last polish. Sometimes, I would paint another similar piece to make sure the technique used can be copied. That is why I usually have two similar pieces of work. I would paint more for fun.
When review, I need to consider many aspects, such as,
Is the topic strong enough? (Can I make adjustment in the next painting?) Should the flawed parts be improved? (Too perfect is might make people out of breath) How much should I keep to make it lively and interesting? Are the contrary elements enough? For example, straight and curved lines, fast and slow, color bocks, bright and dark, hue,…etc.. The more the contrary elements are, the livelier it becomes. There is no such thing as perfect in this world, only contradiction, conflict, and the co-existence of fortunate and unfortunate.

I like to go back to zero for the cognition of objects, and then restart, trying all the possibilities. When I paint a certain topic, I might go back to the traditional techniques. This repetition keeps my thoughts fresh, jumping out of the box to avoid self-duplication.

Art looks easy, but when you look at it closely, you get lost. I yearned to be a professional artist. Only when I am full time, putting all the effort it in, I can encounter professionals in the art industry and learning all aspects in art. I like to work, like to be with people who work hard. Only when you love your work, you can proceed when encountering obstacles and barriers.

“Don‘t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad. While they are deciding, make even more art。”

Through practice, I gradually understand the criteria to become a professional artist, and realize the challenge I might face. At the same time, this simulate more curiosity, what is truly art? As this phrase, I can only keep on creating. Just like the American Artist, Andy Warhol once said, ““Don‘t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad. While they are deciding, make even more art。”