Luminal Art

Jan 02, 2009-Mar 20, 2009

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Yuan Shun, Lin Jian-Rung, Yeh Yi-li, Li Hui, Lin Zin-Hong, Peng Chih-Ying, Peter Sarkisian, Anthony P. Luensman

 

Text/ Gallery100

“Light” has a long and intimate relationship with art. In the Middle-Ages it was widely believed that beauty was to be found in radiance, which explains why in countless religious works, Jesus, Mary, the angels and the prophets are presented with golden halos around their heads. This was the instantly recognizable symbol of purity and holiness. During the Renaissance, artists manipulated the contrast between light and shade to create texture and tension in their paintings an approach that developed until the Baroque period when the paintings of Carravagio, Georges De La Tour and Rembrandt began to use the light and shade created by candles, creating a dramatic tension that truly moved people. Beginning with seventeenth century Dutch painting, artists focused more on capturing natural light, a development that continued with Johannes Vermeer, William Turner, Jean-François Millet and the Barbizon school, resulting in the light revolution of the Impressionist School in the nineteenth century.

This presentation highlights the extent to which the relationship between “art and “light” has evolved over time as a result of technological advances and changes in life styles. Twentieth century Futurism paintings portrayed car headlights and neon lights, heralding modern industrial life whilst simultaneously noting how modern life is dependent on various sources of light. In fact, as society has become wealthier, designer lights and light fittings are now universally used in buildings and homes. After a busy day at work people demand a place to rest that has perfect light and a good atmosphere. Artists have also started to notice ways in which changes in light determine how individuals feel about space and environment. With the widespread availability of technology, artists have since experimented with the use of “light” as a creative material since the 1940’s. This in turn has led to the development of such new genres as light art, luminokinetic art, light environment art and laser art. As contemporary art increasingly focuses on combined forms, the combination of “light” and other materials has become a highly distinctive language in which to discuss the Zeitgeist of the moment. Moreover, ideas of life aesthetics also mean that it is now easier to make modern light art an integral part of life space.

The opening exhibition at Gallery 100 is designed to appeal to art lovers. We have selected some of the very best contemporary artists of the day, together with some new artists we firmly believe have a bright future ahead. These individuals come from different countries and have produced a very diverse body of work, including new Taiwanese artists Peter Lin and Yi-li Ye, Mainland Chinese avant-garde artists Yuan Shun and art superstar Li Hui. Also participating are renowned New York artists Peter Sarkisian who is showing works in Taiwan for the first time and Anthony P. Luensman. We very much hope our exhibition lays the groundwork for a successful 2009 in the arts for Taiwan.