Kuei-Hua Lin, Artist
Cloud Gallery

C：Ms. Lin, your studio is really professional. Can you tell us about it?

L：his is where I create my work every day. Whenever I’m not sure whether I’m satisfied with the work’s status or not, I’d stand in front of it and review it, looking for where I can still modify or just leave it. Until I’ve accumulated a number of works, I’ll start changing. So this space is where I think about my creation. There are two sections of bookshelves, one is for foreign data, and the other is for domestic data. Because I think there are many things different in concept between Chinese and Western, such as focusing different points on relative essays, different prospective, even the artists look differently when they are working. I also study colors, so there is a great amount of books about colors. There are also anatomy books which I studied for my figure drawing in the earlier time. My learning experience is from the teaching of painting teachers, study in art history and art theory as well as relevant books. Between these two sections of bookshelves is my office, where I compose and prepare before creation. I use computer to type up essays or just record my thoughts by typing them up. Usually people don’t come here to talk to me about my work because I like thinking alone.
In the back of the studio is easel wall which was designed by myself. There was one time I created a number 300 work. Because this easel can be assembled in different ways, I would adjust it myself according to the size of my work. I get excited every time I do this because I like making stuff by hand. The four sides of this studio are glass windows. The sunlight is wonderful in Yangming Mountain, so I usually leave the indoor lights off during creation. All the works are completed under sunlight. When I get tired during creation, I would look up to the sky and the back to my work again. That way, I can easily make delicate and precise adjustment in colors to my ideal.

C：Ms. Lin’s works are very contemporary. Please introduce your concepts on creation

L：Speaking of painting, it’s kind of interesting. I used to think painting is to beautifully paint the image. So I go to various exhibitions, art museums and galleries. Most works I saw were landscapes. I used to think that was what painting was all about. Not until I encountered some professional artists, I started to realize what painting was not only about beautiful images. Sometimes, my works were not simply based on vision. Because there are various style in art, and the viewers have different ways of understanding. I’m all ears. Anyone can give you many opinions, for example, some people would say painting should be like this or the object should be drawn on a certain spot in order to make the right and beautiful composition. I need to know these opinions, and because of those opinions I may create something different. I need breakthrough especially in contemporary art, it is very dynamic and experimental. That is what I pursue. But I’m still hoping….just like a person who is fishing, he or she always hopes for fish that has not been fished, the biggest fish, the best fish, the goal. This is why I am here every day. I believe if I keep creating, I would one day create a work that is more perfect. If one day I really do accomplish it, I would tell others it is just a process, and the process requires you to constantly change and try. Even when it’s the same object or same composition, I can still try, as long as it gets closer to what I think. This is what I believe and also what I yearn for.

C：Can you talk about your work, and the meaning and spirit behind it?

L：Actually, I can talk so much about every piece of my work. I would sketch first then look for materials. Next, I would put the images in my heart together,then paint on the canvas. In fact, in this phrase, many people would consider it as a complete work, but for me, this is where I begin to destroy it, planning how to change the image. There are many ways in destruction, such as painting layers of paints, colors, outside of frame. I usually leave out choices I already chose. However, destruction has two possibilities, one is unexpectedly good, and the other is messed up. The latter is more common. I often mess up just before I leave work. I would keep on thinking after going home, even during sleeping. After back to the studio, the next day, Thinking how I can change it. I keep on adjusting it. There’s a sense sporadic in creation. In this process, Often times I swing between to give it up and to keep changing. But still hoping this creation would welcome an unexpected status. Many people might ask, is it necessary to go this far? But for this kind of creation, the unexpected is what I am after! I go back to zero for every creation. As for what is created in the painting, why are there so many series, all these different forms, they all share the same spirit. Why do I do this? It is because after I finish one work, I think I can create another one that is even closer to what’s in my heart. Then I’ll do another even if it’s the same composition. I still try to change it and let it look different. If some day, someone thinks my work is good, then I can tell them, it is a process. This process is constantly trying to change, change and change. Basically, there are many representational elements in my paintings, but I am not exploring the relationship of representation and abstract. Painting itself is in fact sentimental. We all have our boxes. My inner power has this very important momentum to jump out of the box, not restrained by the past. If someone sees my works and is able to see the spirit behind it, or even gets touched by it, then I’ll be satisfied.

C：Can you tell us about this newest series? It’s very different from the previous works.

L：Besides landscape and still objects, I should try other things. That’s why I started to do figure painting. At the beginning, I draw figures in a modern way. But what is the connotation behind it? I thought about this very hard. I started to observe my surroundings and how the society changes. I found that electronic devices become a demand for many people. You can see a lot of people using them.
In my new series, there are many figures, they are all famous people in high rank in society. They are always thinking and talking about work. I respect these people how they always calm down to handle things no matter what and when. Because they all have mobile phones, so they can handle stuff right away. That’s why I painted them into my image. I really admired these successful people. Every day they are think what they can do that is beneficial to human kind. This series focuses on grown-ups. Some of them focus on children. I think children in this generation encounter electronic devices at such little age, that using mobile phones, tablets or computer is an instinct to them. Once they get mobile phone, they can see anything in the small screen, and they are usually very brave to click on anything to enter to their worlds. Through this little screen, they have great fun. When I gather with my friends, I usually find three groups of people. Husbands, looking at the mobile phones and talking about work. Children usually gather together to watch cartoons on mobile phones. And wives gather together to sing karaoke to relax. I would quietly take pictures of these three groups of people, observing them. I find it very interesting that I’m in this status.