Tien-Chien Chang

Tien-Chien Chang

Born in Taipei, 1984.

Graduated from the Department of Calligraphy and Painting, National Taiwan University of Arts. He later pursued graduate studies in Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University, where he was mentored by Professor Ho Huai-Shuo in ink painting. He has also traveled for plein air sketching under the guidance of artist Chiu Hsien-Te. Currently serves as the editor-in-chief of QIAN YIN, a quarterly journal on seal engraving.

Artist Statement

There is a kind of beauty that is both gentle to the eye and expansive in feeling.

Its forms are ever-changing—hence, rich; yet it resists control—hence, subtle. Often, one must wait patiently: wait for it to merge with pigment, to seep into paper, to feel its presence—then and only then can one capture that fleeting moment with the brush.

But not every attempt goes smoothly. Misjudging the timing can cost exponentially more time and effort to resolve. Its flow, diffusion, vapor, and unpredictability—these are what I both enjoy and struggle with most in painting: water.

Each stroke is layered upon another. Sometimes the water leaves no trace; other times, it spreads and bleeds, creating rich depths composed of countless droplets.

So too is the human heart.

At birth, it is as clear as water—pure and full of possibilities. As life flows on, some learn to blend themselves into ideal hues, while others are tainted by the mud of the world. But the wise learn to cleanse their feet—those who are muddied can become clear again.

My paintings, like water, remain gentle and light. Through each wash and layer, I hope they stir quiet sentiments of daily life and soothe the disturbances beneath the lights of ten thousand homes.

Selected Collections

• 2020 Spring Day – Acquired by the Taiwan Art Bank, part of the 2020 Art Bank Annual Acquisition Project, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts

Publications (Selected Works Featured)

• 2019 New Era, New Impressions – Contemporary Seal Masters and Emerging Artists – Shanghai Calligraphy and Seal Engraving Institute
• 2018 Chang Tian-Chien 2018 Seal Collection – Personal monograph, published by Wild Grass Studio
• 2016 Shen, Huai, Bin, Chien – Four Artists' Works in Calligraphy, Painting, and Seal Engraving – Wild Grass Studio
• 2015 The Dual Nature of Nature – Ink Painting Series, Landscape Exhibition, Zhejiang People’s Fine Arts Publishing House
• 2008 The Yellow Attic – Chang Tian-Chien Ink Works – Wild Grass Studio

Exhibition History (Selected)

2025

• Taichung Art Fair – Millennium Hotel, Taichung
• Tainan Art Fair – Silks Place, Tainan

2024

• Art Taipei – Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1
• Taichung Art Fair – Millennium Hotel, Taichung
• ONE ART Taipei – Hotel Metropolitan Premier Taipei

2023

• Art Taipei – Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1
• Taichung Art Fair – Millennium Hotel, Taichung
• Hsinchu Art Fair – Sheraton Hsinchu Hotel
• Tainan Art Fair – Silks Place, Tainan
• Art Future – Grand Hyatt Taipei

2022

• Kaohsiung Art Fair – Pier-2 Art Center, Kaohsiung
• Art Taipei – Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1
• Taichung Art Fair – The Lin Hotel
• Tainan Art Fair – Silks Place
• Art Future – Grand Hyatt Taipei

2021

• Step by Step – Solo Ink Exhibition, 99 Degrees Art Center, Taipei
• WHAAAAAT'S Contemporary Art Fair – Sheraton Grand Taipei
• In the Mist, We Meet the Path – Duo Exhibition with Po Chiao-Ling, Minguan Art Gallery, Hsinchu
• Taichung Art Fair – Millennium Hotel
• Tainan Art Fair – Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel
• Art Future – Grand Hyatt Taipei

2020

• Cross-Strait Chinese Character Culture and Art Festival – Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei
• ART TAICHUNG – Millennium Hotel, Taichung
• Sunrise and Moonlight – Cross-Strait Ink Masters Joint Exhibition – Taipei
• From Tradition to Innovation – National Young and Middle-Aged Seal Engraving Artists Exhibition, National Library of China, Beijing

2019

• Contemporary Seal Masters and Emerging Artists – Shanghai Calligraphy and Seal Institute
• Traditional and Experimental Calligraphy Biennale – Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts
• 2019 Cross-Strait Chinese Character Art Festival – Inner Mongolia Art Museum
• ART TAICHUNG

2018

• 6075 Macau Hotel Art Fair – Regency Art Hotel, Macau
• Then and Now – Duo Exhibition with Po Chiao-Ling, Minguan Art Gallery, Hsinchu
• Taiwan-Japan Young Seal Artist Exchange Exhibition – Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei

2017

• Taiwan Seal Society & Zhongnan Seal Society Joint Exhibition – Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
• Kaohsiung Art Fair – City Suites, Pier-2
• Asia Contemporary Art Show – Conrad Hong Kong
• Five-Artist Exhibition (Zhao Ming-Chiang, Chang Tian-Chien, Tang Guo-Liang, Du Peng-Hsuan, Gu Ben-Yang) – Howard Salon, Taipei
• Morning Breeze Society Special Project – Young Taiwanese Seal Artists – Ginza Seigetsudo Gallery, Tokyo

2016

• Shen, Huai, Bin, Chien – Group Exhibition (with Fu Shen, Ho Huai-Shuo, Li De-Bin) – Dequn Gallery, NTNU

2015

• The Dual Nature of Nature – Landscape Ink Painting Exhibition – Meiheyuan Art Center, Hangzhou

2014

• Shen, Huai, Bin, Chien – Calligraphy, Painting & Seal Group Exhibition – Dequn Gallery, NTNU
• Young Heroes – Seal Engraving Exhibition – Plum Garden, Beitou
• Tranquil Times – Seal Collection Exhibition – Jilin Gallery, Taipei

2013

• TIEN CHIEN 2013 – Solo Exhibition – Tamsui Art Center

Awards

• 2021 Kaohsiung Award – Ho Chuang Shih Special Collection Prize (Calligraphy & Seal Engraving)
• 2019 National Art Exhibition – First Prize, Seal Engraving Category (Gold Award)
• 2019 20th Ming-Zong National Calligraphy and Seal Engraving Competition – First Prize, Seal Engraving
• 2012 Huangxi Art Exhibition – First Prize, Calligraphy and Seal Engraving

Other Experience

• 2021

  • Lecture at National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology: The Social Significance of Seals and Contemporary Art

    (Speakers: Chang Tian-Chien, Huang Yao-De)

• 2019

  • July–September: Field sketching journey through Sichuan–Yunnan Tibetan border region with watercolor artist Chiu Hsien-Te

• 2017

  • Guest Column in China Times – Renjian Literary Supplement (TSMC Calligraphy Award special issue: “Beyond Cultivation”) – Nov 29

• 2016

  • Interview on traditional seal carving on TVBS News – Oct 26
  • Featured in Liberty Times – Sunday Special Section on QIAN YIN magazine – Sept 11
  • Invited speaker, 2016 TSMC Youth Calligraphy & Seal Engraving Award – Seal Engraving Lecture

• 2015

  • Appointed Editor-in-Chief of QIAN YIN Quarterly

• 2011

  • August–October: Sketching trip in Tibet with Chiu Hsien-Te

• 2008

  • August–September: Study tour in Paris