In the modern art history of Taiwan, the name Chen Chih-chi (1906–1931) shines like the first gleam of dawn, fleeting yet intensely brilliant. While Chen lived for only 26 years, he left behind profound and vivid artistic imprints. Beyond landscapes and still lifes, he also painted the cultural dreams of a zeitgeist and an island.

While reminiscing, art historian Shaih Li-Fa said, “This is Chih-chi’s song.” In the 1980s, painter Li Shih-chiao also recalled that “Āu-piah-kau” was Chen’s favorite song, and friends associated the song with his persona. The song’s composer is unknown, yet the melody is familiar to every artist who shared time with Chen. Hung Jue-lin had sung it, and Shaih Li-Fa had also sung it in dedication to Hung. This song has become where Chen Chih-chi resides in their collective memory.

The year 2026 marks the 120th anniversary of Chen Chih-chi’s birth. The exhibition, A Fleeting yet Vibrant Voice: Chen Chih-chi Solo Exhibition, seeks to revive a melody that once resonated in Taiwan’s art history. It is also a call for all to see once again this artist, who passed away too soon yet remains unforgotten, and for us to acknowledge the seeds he sowed in Taiwan’s art development.

The exhibition is divided into four sections, opening with Chen’s formative learning under modern education, tracing his educational journey at the Taihoku Normal School and the Tokyo Fine Arts School to examine how he gradually developed his personal style and worldview. The following section examines how, as an artist, he stood at the forefront of his time, highlighting his active involvement in social issues and national movements. Chen founded the Seven Star Painting Society, the Red Island Painting Society, and the Taiwan Painting Institute, which demonstrated his sense of social responsibility and proactive initiative as an artist. The focus then shifts back to art, examining his aspiration to establish a unique Taiwanese painting style. His depictions of Tamsui, Xizhi, and urban landscapes documented the era with local scenery. To him, painting is not a “representation of landscapes,” but rather a “self-presentation of the island.”

Chen summed up his own life as “fleeting but vibrant.” Today, the statement may seem humble, but it, nevertheless, shows a sense of artistic conviction. Despite life’s brevity, it can still possess profound and lasting meaning. Although Chen left a limited oeuvre, his spirit endures and continues to shine. This is not just a retrospective of the artist, but a recollection and a reconstruction of Taiwan’s art memory.

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A Fleeting yet Vibrant Voice: Chen Chih-chi Solo Exhibition

Exhibition Date: 2026/3/21-2026/6/21

Exhibition Venue: National Taiwan Museum of Arts, Gallery 102

Curator: Lin Cheng-Chin