Reality Through The Paintbrush 鈥� Art Exhibition In Commemoration Of Li Mei-shu's 120th Posthumous Birthday
Li Mei-Shu (1902-1983), who upheld his beliefs and principles throughout his life and insisted on capturing the native land and people of Taiwan through the Realist style, was born in Sanxia (then known as Sann-kak-铆ng, renamed to Sanxia in 1920). In 1910, he entered Sankakuyu Public School and received Western education. He was admitted to the Teacher Training Department at Taiwan Governor-General's National Language School in 1918, and then went to study abroad in Japan in 1928. The next year, he was admitted to the Western Painting Program, Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Department of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts), where he was instructed by Pleinairist painters like Nagahara Kotaro, Kobayashi Mango, and Okada Saburosuke, laying a solid foundation for his later Realist style. Since being selected to the First "Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition" (Taiten) in 1927, Li proactively participated in official art exhibitions in both Taiwan and Japan, and earned 16 selections to Taiten and Futen, and won honors like the "Special Selection Award" or "Governor-General's Award;" he was also selected to the Third 鈥淢inistry of Education Art Exhibition鈥� (Shin Bunten) in Japan in 1939 and the "Art Exhibition Celebrating 2600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan" in 1940. Moreover, Li was an active figure in various painting societies, including the Kofukai Art Association in Japan and Chidao (Red Island) Painting Society and Tai-Yang Art Association in Taiwan. After the war, Li also served as juror of the Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition, displaying his passion for artistic creation and participation in art activities.
Li Mei-Shu was a hard-working and prolific artist. From the copies of works by renowned Western artists in his youth, to works during his school years, Zushi Temple related paintings, and his later nativist paintings, Li amassed thousands of paintings, including drawings, oil paintings, watercolor paintings, ink paintings, and drafts, as well as documents. This year (2022) marks the 120th posthumous birthday of Li Mei-Shu, and this exhibition is organized to comb through his life鈥檚 work of art and revisit the paintings he created through his paintbrush that depict the native land and document the authentic style of Taiwan with great sincerity. This exhibition has selected the best of his creative works, as well as corresponding draft drawings, photographs, and documents, and grouped the exhibits into six subthemes to present and explore Li Mei-Shu鈥檚 creative context, themes, and stylistic characteristics, weaving in between his artistic practices and journey of social engagement.
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Li Mei-Shu (1902-1983), who upheld his beliefs and principles throughout his life and insisted on capturing the native land and people of Taiwan through the Realist style, was born in Sanxia (then known as Sann-kak-铆ng, renamed to Sanxia in 1920). In 1910, he entered Sankakuyu Public School and received Western education. He was admitted to the Teacher Training Department at Taiwan Governor-General's National Language School in 1918, and then went to study abroad in Japan in 1928. The next year, he was admitted to the Western Painting Program, Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Department of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts), where he was instructed by Pleinairist painters like Nagahara Kotaro, Kobayashi Mango, and Okada Saburosuke, laying a solid foundation for his later Realist style. Since being selected to the First "Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition" (Taiten) in 1927, Li proactively participated in official art exhibitions in both Taiwan and Japan, and earned 16 selections to Taiten and Futen, and won honors like the "Special Selection Award" or "Governor-General's Award;" he was also selected to the Third 鈥淢inistry of Education Art Exhibition鈥� (Shin Bunten) in Japan in 1939 and the "Art Exhibition Celebrating 2600th Anniversary of the Founding of Japan" in 1940. Moreover, Li was an active figure in various painting societies, including the Kofukai Art Association in Japan and Chidao (Red Island) Painting Society and Tai-Yang Art Association in Taiwan. After the war, Li also served as juror of the Provincial Fine Arts Exhibition, displaying his passion for artistic creation and participation in art activities.
Li Mei-Shu was a hard-working and prolific artist. From the copies of works by renowned Western artists in his youth, to works during his school years, Zushi Temple related paintings, and his later nativist paintings, Li amassed thousands of paintings, including drawings, oil paintings, watercolor paintings, ink paintings, and drafts, as well as documents. This year (2022) marks the 120th posthumous birthday of Li Mei-Shu, and this exhibition is organized to comb through his life鈥檚 work of art and revisit the paintings he created through his paintbrush that depict the native land and document the authentic style of Taiwan with great sincerity. This exhibition has selected the best of his creative works, as well as corresponding draft drawings, photographs, and documents, and grouped the exhibits into six subthemes to present and explore Li Mei-Shu鈥檚 creative context, themes, and stylistic characteristics, weaving in between his artistic practices and journey of social engagement.
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