YEN Yu-Ting, born in Taipei in 1989, earned her MFA in Artistic Creation at the Taipei National University of the Arts. She predominantly uses ink wash to explore and reinterpret contemporary life experiences. In the face of information explosion in today’s society, signs of sensory overload and psychological disorders are becoming increasingly evident. The 5 artworks on display draw inspiration from Internet media, repurposing the narrative elements of news dissemination, such as text and images. The intertwining of writing and painting builds a dense, layered inner space in ink wash that exudes oppression and speaks to the pervasive anxiety and restlessness nowadays. In addition to painting, YEN also practices pottery sculpture, broadening her exploration into various facets of creative expression.

HU Ching Wen, the youngest artist in this exhibition, was born in 1999 in Kaohsiung. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Chinese Ink Painting at the Taipei National University of the Arts and is also proficient in Asian gouache techniques. The six works featured explore the dance of light and shadow. HU closely observes the variations in light and shadow cast across various surfaces as part of her daily routine. Yet, traditional Chinese ink paintings seldom delve into the nuances of light and shadow. To capture the texture of light, HU incorporates silver foil, a material used in ink wash, utilizing its metallic quality to represent light’s presence. She also interacts with the silver foil using sulfur water to achieve effects akin to lines and brushstrokes. Moreover, the propensity of silver foil to oxidize allows it to evolve subtly over time, marking the passage of time within her pieces.

HUANG Chih Cheng, born in Miaoli in 1988 and raised in Kaohsiung, earned his master’s in Artistic Creation from the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University. Influenced by his training in Asian gouache and ink painting at Tunghai, he often uses metal foil as the base material, combining it with a mix of ink, cotton thread, and images to express diversity in his works. The themes he focuses on include family history, life and death, and the display of desires. This exhibition includes seven pieces from his Nest, Reed Flute, and Cradle series. He constructs twig nests as a symbol of the intimacy and delicacy of family ties. The visuals for the latter two series blend reality with AI-generated imagery, blurring the line between reality and the virtual. Layering ink on silver foil and undergoing a process of moistening, painting, and wiping, even a “virtual” image becomes a scene of the real world.

TAN Jui Wen, a Malaysian Chinese, was born in Malacca in 1989. He moved to Taiwan to study, where he graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University. The exhibition showcases seven artworks that resemble oil paintings, but are actually crafted with Asian gouache techniques. TAN first uses photography to capture the buildings he encounters in his daily life, particularly drawn to the ephemeral beauty of the fading light and glowing street lamps during dusk. Afterward, he replicates the building’s outline on paper and subtly layers it with metal foil and mineral pigments, creating a blurred, transient, and unpredictable sensory and visual experience. The external scenery seems like a mirage imprinted on the retina, yet elusive and beyond reach.

These four young artists push the boundaries of ink wash and Asian gouache—their rich and delicate imagination unveils the limitless possibilities of contemporary Eastern traditional materials.