Hsu Yu-Jen (1951 - )

 

Hsu was born in Taiwan in 1951, graduating from the National Academy of Arts in 1975. In a creative career almost 30 years long, Hsu has broken through the existing boundaries of ink painting and is adept at using geometric patterns for the basic composition of his paintings. From old brush technique he developed a new way of expressing and thinking, with a minimalist but uninhibited and powerful visual sense. He conveys his personal thoughts and reflections on the environment in which he exists. Hsu Yu-Jen's Thin-brush Ink Painting Series adopts fine dots and short, fragmented lines painted with thin brush and dry ink, which are reminiscent of drawings and sketches. His Rough-brush Ink Painting Series, on the other hand, adopts the method of freehand ink painting, and replaces the traditional ink painting structure by employing a rarely seen composition of long, vertical form to demonstrate a contemporary quality unseen in that traditional ink painting. Hsu’s works have been shown on many occasions in places including Cologne, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei and are in permanent collections of many art museums, including in the US, Hong Kong and Taiwan.