DATE｜12th August, 2016 – 9th September, 2016 VENUE｜Taiwan Academy in New York OPENING｜6:30 pm, 12th August, 2016 ARTISTS｜ Chang Cheng-Jen, Chen Shiau-Peng, Chung You-Hui, Dawn Chen-Ping, Hsiao Chin, Huang Wan-Ling, Hwang Yue-Sheng, Lee Shi-Chi, Li Ping-Yi, Liao Shiou-Ping, Lin Hsueh-Ching, Liu Hsi-Chuan, Mei Dean-E, Shaih Lifa, Shen Chin-Yuan, Su Meng-Hung, Tsai I-Hsung, Wang Wu, Wu Hao, Wu Song- Ming, Yang Cheng-Yuan, Yang Chih-Hung, Yang Jeong-Dih, Yang Ming-Dye, Yow Chee Hoe, Linda Adato, William Behnken, Michael Di Cerbo, Robert Kipniss, Emily Trueblood 【INTRODUCTION】 In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Taipei Cultural Center in New York is pleased to present Dialogue on Printmaking: The Taiwan - US Exchange Exhibition, organized by Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts and in collaboration with the Taiwan Society of Printmaking and the Society of American Graphic Artists (SAGA). The exhibition will feature twenty-five Taiwanese artists including Wu Hao, Hsiao Chin, Liao Shiou-Ping, Shaih Lifa, and Lee Shi-Chi. Participating artists from SAGA are Michael Di Cerbo, Linda Adato, and three other well-known American printmakers. By virtue of its multiplicity and easy transferability, printmaking stands out among other art forms as one of the most common mediums in international art exchange. The International Biennial Print Exhibit, ROC, founded in 1983, is one of the oldest biennial print exhibitions in the world; and an important platform for artistic exchange. Modern printmaking in Taiwan began in 1940 with black-and-white woodcut prints embracing the local features and saturated with the ethos and affections towards the land and its people. From then on, the printmaking has proliferated into a wide range of forms, providing the artists a wider and freer space to fully express themselves. The exhibition collects the artworks from 1960s to the present, and demonstrates the development of the art medium and the spirit in different periods. Viewers will have a chance to take a closer look into the materials and techniques in different prints, and besides, to learn a whole new perspective from the world of printmaking. In this exhibition, viewers will also get to see the uniqueness of different print genres, and the aesthetics of each participating artist. Each artwork in this exhibition has its own voice and aesthetics. Some selected artworks are rich in color and oriental emblems. Some are delicate and sophisticated in color processing, depicting the tranquil and peaceful country life. And others are lyrical portraits of Taiwanese people and culture. Among others, there are also paintings of the urban landscape of New York, as well as metaphysical abstract artworks. Among them, Wu Hao’s Tulips displays a sharp contrast in colors—an artwork with blooming flowers depicted in black lines and a complex composition rich in solid colors. Inspired by the Taiwanese folk prints, Liao Shiou-Ping in Gates of Festivity employs images of doors, windows, and scissors, for instance, to represent the rhythm and simplicity of everyday life. Dawn Chen-Ping applies the techniques of lithography print and spot colors to create the hand-drawn effect in A Pit, whose composition is rather simple but rich in texture and its significance. In Grass Coat series, Yang Ming-Dye integrates sculptural concepts into printmaking and develops a two-dimensional print into a sculptural piece made of glass and paper. In 3 Minutes and 5 Minutes, Mei Dean-E attempts to subvert the concepts of printmaking by utilizing existing objects, the iron to create the burn marks, for instance, to elevate artistic quality. American artist, Michael Di Cerbo, in A Clear Night in Gotham applies geometrical images and the light-dark contrast to create a mysterious ambiance of the urban towering skyscrapers. The Taiwan Society of Printmaking was founded in 1970, whereas the establishment of the Society of American Graphic Artists dates back to 1915. Both organizations play a crucial role in promoting printmaking in their respective countries. Through the showcase of the thirty artworks, this exhibition aims to present to the viewers the artists’ cultural perception and interpretation toward their own roots, and meanwhile, to initiate a dialogue with the viewers. This exhibition is funded by the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. The Taipei Cultural Center and the Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts would like to express our special thanks to the co-organizers, Queens Museum, Society of American Graphic Artists, and Taiwan Society of Printmaking. We deeply hope this exhibition will mark a new era of cultural cooperation between Taiwan and the US in the field of printmaking. Advisor: Ministry of Culture (Taiwan) Organizers: Taipei Cultural Center in New York; Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts Co-organizers: Queens Museum, Society of American Graphic Artists, Taiwan Society of Printmaking