Hsien-Tung Chen

Hsien-Tung Chen

Born

• 1930, Chengmai County, Hainan Province, China

• 1949, Relocated to Taipei, Taiwan

Education

• 1954, Graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Fu Hsing Kang College, Taipei

Professional Experience

• 1958 Co-founded the Sihai Painting Association with Sun Ying, Hu Chi-Chung, Chu Ben-Yue, Feng Zhong-Rui, and Yang Zhi-Fang

• 1961 Participated in the São Paulo Biennale, Brazil

• 1962 Group exhibition with Chang Feng Painting Association at the Taiwan Provincial Museum

• 1963 Withdrew from public exhibitions and devoted 20 years to exploring materials, colors, and forms

• 1997 Invited to exhibit at the China Oil Painting Exhibition at Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, PRC

• 2000

  • Invited to participate in the Asia Art Exchange Exhibition in Tokyo Ueno Museum (Japan) and Nanjing Museum (China)

  • Solo exhibition at the Federation of Literary and Art Circles Gallery, Haikou, Hainan

• 2003

  • Represented Taiwan at the 1st Beijing International Art Biennale

  • Appointed Visiting Professor at Xu Beihong Art Academy, Beijing

  • Appointed Visiting Professor at the Department of Fine Arts, Hainan University

  • Appointed Consultant to Hainan Fine Arts Association

  • Painting "Spring Message in Midwinter" featured on the cover of Fine Arts Magazine (March issue, China)

• 2004 Invited juror for Visual Arts, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Macao SAR Government

• 2005 Invited to the 2nd Beijing International Art Biennale

• 2006 Visiting Professor at Hainan Normal University, Department of Art

• 2008 Invited to the 3rd Beijing International Art Biennale

• 2010

  • Artwork acquired by the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) for permanent collection

  • Participated in exchange exhibition at Penang State Art Gallery, Malaysia

• 2011 Touring exhibition at Fudan University

• 2013 Participated in Asia Contemporary Art Show Shanghai (Shanghai Exhibition Center)

• 2013–2017 Invited five times to participate in the Beijing International Art Biennale

• 2017 Participated in the Museum Collection Exhibition and a joint exhibition on Japanese Bizen ware at Sophia C. Art Space

• 2019 "Tradition & Form" Duo Exhibition with He En-Yi at Black Forest Art Space

• 2023 ART TAIPEI 2023, 99° Art Center

Solo Exhibitions

• 1985 Return to art scene with a solo exhibition at the American Cultural Center, Taipei

• 1991–1992 Two solo exhibitions at Yuxiong Art Center, Taipei

• 1997 Solo exhibition at the National Central Library, Taipei

• 1998–2000 Three solo exhibitions at Nature Aesthetic Art Center, Taipei

• 2004 Solo exhibition at the National Central Library Art Gallery, Taipei

• 2005–2007 Solo exhibitions at 99° Art Center, Taipei

• 2008

  • Participated in Beijing International Art Biennale

  • Solo exhibitions at the National Art Museum of China (Beijing) and Shanghai Art Museum

  • “Poetic Imagery” solo exhibition at 99° Art Center, Shanghai

• 2009–2012 Parallel solo exhibitions in Shanghai and Taipei by 99° Art Center

• 2009 Solo exhibition at Lunghwa University of Science and Technology Art Center

• 2011 Solo exhibition at the Gallery of Chinese Culture University

  • “Return to Truth”, Parallel Solo Exhibition in Taipei and Shanghai, 99° Art Center

• 2012 Solo exhibition at Jinbaolong Gallery, Taipei

  • Solo exhibitions at 99° Art Center, Shanghai and Taipei

• 2013

  • Solo exhibition at 99° Art Center, Taipei

  • Solo exhibition at Ying Chuan Gallery, Taipei

  • Solo exhibition at ART TAIPEI

• 2014

  • Solo exhibition at Black Forest Gallery

  • Solo exhibition at ART TAIPEI

• 2015

  • Participated in the Silk Road World Tour Exhibition, Beijing

  • “Sleepless Night”, solo exhibition at Black Forest Art Space

• 2017 Three Artists Porcelain Painting Exhibition at Sanbao Art Center, Jingdezhen

• 2018 Solo exhibition at Black Forest Gallery, Taipei

• 2020

  • 90-Year Retrospective Exhibition at 99° Art Center, Taipei

  • Spring Vibes, Ying Chuan Gallery Collection Exhibition

• 2022

  • "Without Boundaries" Poetic Imagery Painting Tour Exhibition (Taipei & Tainan), 99° Art Center

• 2024 Selected Works of Chen Hsien-Tung, 99° Art Center

Awards

• 1999 Invited to participate in the 9th National Fine Arts Exhibition (Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Division), awarded Excellence Prize

• 2004 Selected for 10th National Fine Arts Exhibition, Beijing, PRC, recognized for Outstanding Work

Publications

• 1990 Chen Hsien-Tung Painting Collection

• 1997 Chen Hsien-Tung: The Abstract Language of Nature

• 2003 Chen Hsien-Tung Painting Collection

• 2013 100 Years of Taiwanese Masters in Oil Painting: Chen Hsien-Tung

• 2018 The Poetic Imagery of Chen Hsien-Tung: Transcending Solitude

Artistic Statement

Chen Hsien-Tung is a spiritual interpreter of nature. His works are pure and refined, filled with reverence for the natural world and the mysteries of the cosmos. Continuously exploring new media and innovative techniques, he pays meticulous attention to the materials of oil painting and expresses rich, nuanced visual language.

His dreamlike compositions exhibit dynamic movement and vibrant contrasts of color. Lines, shapes, and color blocks are applied with clarity and precision, conveying the inner energy of nature. Through a sharp sensitivity and poetic technique, Chen creates works that are lively and spiritually resonant.

Rooted in modern Eastern aesthetics, his multi-layered atmospheres evoke a mystical ambiance that deeply touches the viewer. His philosophy is that each painting must withstand the test of time. Every piece is the result of prolonged introspection and rigorous artistic discipline, ensuring exceptional quality and depth.

Chen’s unique artistic vision has gradually gained deserved recognition. Notably, he is the only Taiwanese artist invited twice to exhibit in the Beijing International Art Biennale, establishing a significant place in the history of contemporary abstract painting.

Artistic Features

1. Nature as Core Inspiration
   Nature serves as Chen's central theme. He reconstructs it through his unique abstract language, using delicate, layered textures to form elegant and refined compositions.

2. Epic Praise of the Natural World
   His works are meditative yet monumental, transforming the sounds of nature into vast, otherworldly realms through abstract thought.

3. International Recognition

   • Represented Taiwan three times at the Beijing International Art Biennale.

   • Featured in a 12-page special in Art World magazine (Shanghai)

   • Asian Art News (2006) cover and six-page feature

   • Fine Arts magazine (China’s leading art publication) featured his work on the cover.

4. Milestone Retrospective
   In 2008, major retrospective exhibitions were held at the National Art Museum of China (Beijing) and Shanghai Art Museum, earning critical acclaim from both the academic community and the public. His work opened new horizons in abstract painting.

5. "Poetic Imagery" – A Unique Style
   Chen effortlessly blends Western abstraction with Chinese ideographic painting. His works were redefined by former Fine Arts magazine editor Wang Zhong as “Poetic Imagery”, a style conveying warmth and intimacy through abstraction—a distinctive contribution to global art history.