Kun-Feng CHEN
Graduated from Taipei National University of the Arts with a degree in Fine Arts, Chen Kun-Feng furthered his studies in the United States and obtained master's degrees from New York University and Long Island University. In his early works, Chen often used collage and reassembly techniques to depict complex urban images or personal life experiences. By juxtaposing contrasting elements in his compositions, he evokes viewers' thoughts and memories. In his recent works, he integrates the visual style of robots into canvas paintings, presenting glimpses of childhood memories. His creative thinking is innovative and meticulous, capturing the essence of the era and personal memories. Chen is a calm and reflective artist.
In his early works, Chen often used collage and reassembly techniques to depict complex urban images or personal life experiences. By juxtaposing contrasting elements in his compositions, he evokes viewers' thoughts and memories. In his recent works, he integrates the visual style of robots into canvas
paintings, presenting glimpses of childhood memories. His creative thinking is innovative and meticulous, capturing the essence of the era and personal memories. Chen is a calm and reflective artist.
It all began with the four robot drawings by his son. Chen Kun-Feng started collecting these toys, which differed greatly from his previous painting series. The series depicting robots emerged through a process of exploration, intuition, and natural expression. These images are deeply rooted in childhood memories and artistic cultivation. "Loving to draw robots is one of the reasons why I liked drawing since I was young. My painting skills developed through practice." The toys Chen depicts were once part of his collection. In the 1980s and 1990s, his father and relatives would bring back the most cutting-edge robot characters from Japan. Each collection holds its own story, especially those associated with memories of interacting with his father.
Using the canvas as a medium, Chen Kun-Feng engages in an unfolding and interactive process with his son's memories and experiences. It can be seen as a speculative study of childhood reminiscence for the future when his son grows up, as well as an archaeology of his own childhood. The archaeology of childhood rekindles the memories of his father's childhood, tapping lightly on the surface, permeating as dust particles. It is about those dispersed, forgotten, realized, and rekindled silhouettes.
This series of works employs various color schemes and iconic compositions. It utilizes intense color blocks and delicate brushstrokes to manipulate the forms. The robot figures emerge in a recognizable yet blurred manner, appearing both visible and concealed. In these paintings, the concept of generations no longer follows a linear progression. Instead, it resembles flashes, replays, ongoing screenings, and high-definition restorations—different versions of overlapping and randomly streaming images. Within these artworks, Chen, his father, and his son—three generations—are reflected. They come together in a painting space filled with vivid and chaotic elements, forming a multidimensional reflection of life with images of different resolutions overlapping, covering, and complementing each other.