Wan-Chuan CHANG
Chang Wan-Chuan was born in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1909. After graduation from the high school program at Shilin Public School (now Shilin Elementary School), he entered the Taiwanese Art Institute financed by Ni Chiang-Huai in 1929, where he met Chen Chih-Chi and acquaint some of senior Taiwanese artists like Hong Rui-Lin and Chen Te-Wang. For the next year, he ambitiously went to Japan for advanced studies at Kawabata Art School and Hongo Painting Research Institute. In addition to the solid training at Kawabata Art School, he also expanded his vision toward the world via frequently visiting exhibitions. Based on the influence like “Japanese avant-garde art group”, “Ecole de Paris”, “Les Fauves”, and “Expressionism”, Chang could finally cultivate his artistic uniqueness and freed himself from the conventions.
In March of 1938, two months before “Taiyang Art Exhibition,” Chang Wan-Chuan founded the Mouve Artist Society with fellow artists: Hong Rui-Lin, Chen Te-Wang, Lu Chi-Cheng, Chen Chun-Te, and Huang Ching-Cheng, and presented the debut exhibition of the Mouve. In October of the same year, Chang Wan-Chuan started to teach at the Xiamen Art Academy, and frequently commuted among Japan, Taiwan, and Xiamen. The landscape paintings featuring Xiamen, Gulangyu Island, and Tamsui were full of his unique style. In 1938, his painting Scenery at Gulangyu Island was selected for “The 1st Taiwan Governmental Fine Arts Exhibition.” After the end of World War II, his artistic theme expanded and included fish and female nudes. The artistic concept was more symbolic rather than figurative, while a great variety of expressions were freely integrated in an exquisite way.
After the retirement from the teaching position at Taipei Municipal Datong Junior-Senior High School, the 67-year-old artist traveled to Europe alone in 1975, where he reached another peak of his artistic career. The powerful and unrestrained strokes in his paintings silently reveal an elegant and delicate style. Under the rich and solid texture, it has a slight touch of melancholy and sorrow. These qualities echo the desire of wandering in his soul. The exquisite and elegant paintings of Chang truthfully reflect the inner spirit of the artist. Making the best use of the unique quality of oil paint and sketches, Chang indeed deserves his fame through his perfect artistic expression.