Shao-Yen CHEN

Shao-Yen CHEN (b.1987) is a contemporary artist whose practice centers on painting, with a long-term focus on the theme of “landscape.” The landscapes in his work are not mere representations of nature, but reconstructions shaped by bodily perception, memory, and the passage of time. Through layers of black-and-white brushstrokes and subtle tremors, he creates an ambiguous sense of blur that allows his paintings to shift between abstraction and realism, opening a space for viewers to enter, engage, and reflect.

His practice has been deeply influenced by his early experiences with imagery and animation. He translates the logic of “rendering” into his way of seeing landscapes: just as virtual constructions gradually take shape in the rendering process, he observes nature as though deconstructing its surfaces layer by layer, revealing its underlying structures and truths. This approach also informs his choice of black and white over color—whereas color, in his view, often obscures deeper connections, black and white exposes the essential structures more directly. At times, Chen brings his canvases into natural settings, allowing weather, light, and environmental conditions to intervene in the act of painting. For him, this process is not simply about representation but about confronting the “wild” state of being—a condition defined not by outward ferocity, but by the genuine psychological experiences that arise when facing uncertainty: doubt, fear, frustration, and challenge. It is within this state of wildness that he seeks to encounter the most honest self.

In recent years, Chen has continued to expand his Gravity Landscape series, exhibiting in several significant contexts, including his 2024 solo exhibition “Yellow” at 102 Art Space in Tainan; the 2023 group exhibition “Creating Light” at In River Gallery in Taipei; and the group show “Similarities: Co-exhibition of 6 Artists” at San Gallery in Tainan. He has also presented work as an artist-in-residence at the Taitung Art Museum. Chen’s work has received notable recognition, including the First Prize at the 2017 Kaohsiung Awardand the 2019 Grand View Emerging Artist Award. As one of the representative voices of Taiwan’s younger generation of artists, he continues to explore the gaps between landscape, reality, and virtuality through the language of black-and-white painting, articulating a distinct and resonant artistic vision within the contemporary context.