Chin Hsiao

Drawing artistic nourishment from his study of traditional Chinese culture and Eastern philosophies, Hsiao Chin was capable of understanding and capturing the complex dialects between the void and the solid, strength and weakness.

Medium	Mixed Media
Location	Taiwan
Date of birth	1935

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蕭勤 Hsiao-Chin (China, 1935-2023)

“One should always try to explore the limited physical space to the maximum and to generate maximum energy in the confines of space, to learn in a material world that transcends the boundaries of time, and in so doing to grasp the deeper meanings of life. And it is through my awkward brush work and the bright primary colours that I achieve such goals.”
— Hsiao Chin, 2015

In the 1950s, Hsiao Chin started to explore abstract art which was based on his core concept of 'Eastern Spirit”: the quest for Eastern spirituality and modern artistic expression. Hsiao established his artistic approach as well as a unique vision of how art should be created. Like his senior masters Lin Fengmian and Zao Wou-ki who traveled to France, Hsiao Chin was greatly motivated by Western art during his stay in Spain and subsequently moved to Italy, but developed an interest in Zen and Taoism – in particular, the ideas of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu – around the 1960s. Drawing artistic nourishment from his study of traditional Chinese culture and Eastern philosophies, he was capable of understanding and capturing the complex dialects between the void and the solid, strength and weakness. Freely transforming them into his abstract visual language, Hsiao showed great ambition to develop his style of abstract painting that emphasized the dichotomous nature of the world, which would be at once distinguishable from, yet reflective of, Western abstract art at that time.

Having lived and worked abroad for 60 years, Hsiao has successfully integrated his extensive studies of Western aesthetics and Eastern philosophies, as well as his interest in space science, into his artistic creation. With the efforts of self-discovery and a spiritual quest for transcendence, Hsiao’s creative process is rooted in his perpetual exploration of the deepest meanings in man’s spiritual world. With the endless adventure of abstract art and self-reflection, throughout his lifetime Hsiao has been pursuing the ideal realm of 'Nature and Man in One' greatly beyond the boundaries of life and death.
In 1955, with a group of artists who shared his aesthetic vision, Hsiao Chin co-founded the Ton Fan Art Group, the first post-war Chinese modern art group, which blended techniques from traditional Eastern art with Western modernism, while promoting Chinese modern art overseas. In 1956, Hsiao embarked on a series of travels in America and Europe, moving first to Madrid and finally settling in Milan, where he has lived for over half a century. In 1961, Hsiao Chin co-founded the Punto International Art Movement, the first ever international avant-garde art movement initiated by an Asian artist to promote the Eastern philosophy of 'contemplation'.
In recent years, Hsiao Chin has held various major solo exhibitions in Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre (Daugavpils), Musée national des arts asiatiques Guimet (Paris), Song Art Museum (Beijing), China Art Museum (Shanghai), to name a few. His works can be found in major collections around the world, ranging from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), and M+ Museum (Hong Kong) to MGM Chairman’s Collection (Macau).

源 The Origin
Acrylic on canvas
75 x 90 cm
2008

弧
Acrylic on canvas
38 x 58 cm
1998

永久的花園 Everlasting Garden - 67
Acrylic on canvas
70 x 90 cm
1997

Curriculum vitae

1946　Attended Chinling University Middle School, Nanjing, China
1949　Accompanied uncle Wang Hsueh-Ting to Taiwan, transferred from Taichung No.2 High School to Taipei's Chengkung High School, Taipei, Taiwan
1951　Studied sketching briefly under Chu Teh-Chun, Taipei, Taiwan
1952　Joined Lee Chun-Shan’s Antung St. studio, Taipei, Taiwan
1954　Graduated from Provincial Taipei Normal College (now National TaipeiUniversity of Education), Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Began teaching at Jingmei Elementary School, Taipei, Taiwan
1956　Co-founded the “Ton Fan Group”, Taipei, Taiwan
1957　Participated in the “French Academic Association” and the “Royal Art
　　　　Association”, Barcelona, Spain
　　　　Solo exhibition, Mataro Fine Arts Museum, Barcelona, Spain
　　　　“Barcelona Jazz Salon”, Barcelona, Spain
　　　　“The 1st May Salon”, Barcelona, Spain
1958　“The 2nd May Salon”, Barcelona, Spain
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Fernando Fé, Madrid, Spain
1959　Solo exhibition, Galleria Numero, Florence, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria del Cavallino, Venice, Italy
　　　　“The 3rd May Salon”, Barcelona, Spain
1960　Solo Exhibition, Galerie Senatore, Stuttgart, Germany
1961　Created “Punto Art Movement” together with Italian artist A. Calderara, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Salone Annunciata, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Trastevere, Rome, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria San Matteo, Genova, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Hilt, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Salone Annunciata, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Dorekens, Antwerp, Belgium
　　　　“Pittsburgh International Art Exhibition”, Pittsburgh, USA
1962　Solo exhibition, Galleria San Luca, Rome, Italy
1963　“Grand Prix de Peinture et Sculpture”, Monte Carlo, Monaco
　　　　“Chinesische Künstler der Gegenwart”, Museum Leverkusen, Leverkusen, Germany
1964　“Art Contemporain”, Grand Palais, Paris, France
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Internationale d'Art Contemporain, Paris, Frence
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria dell'Ariete, Milan, Italy
1965　“VII Biennale di São Paulo”, São Paulo, Brazil
　　　　Solo exhibition, Museum of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
1966　Solo exhibition, Galleria II Canale, Venice, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Falazik, Bochum, Germany
　　　　“Musische Geometrie”, Kunstverein Hannover, Hannover, Germany
1967　Solo exhibition, Rose Fried Gallery, New York, USA
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Brechbuhl, Grenchen, Switzerland
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Wirth, Berlin, Germany
　　　　Solo exhibition, Studio Marconi, Milan, Italy
1968　Solo exhibition, Pollock Gallery, Toronto, Canada
　　　　Solo exhibition, Lawrence Stevens Gallery, Detroit, USA
1969　Solo exhibition, Studio Marconi, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Senatore, Stuttgart, Germany
　　　　Taught painting and sketching at Southampton College of Long Island University,
　　　　met Willem De Kooning, Southampton, USA
1970　Painting Award, Capo d’Orlando, Italy
　　　　“The 17th National Print Exhibition”, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
1971　“III Salon International de Galeries Pilotes”, Lausanne, Paris, France
　　　　“The 1st International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　Taught visual theory at Milan’s Istituto Europeo di Design, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria d'Arte Mederna, Rome, Italy
1972　“Italian Painting Exhibition”, Dublin, Belfast, Ireland
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Brechbuhl, Grenchen, Switzerland
1973　“The 2nd International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Schubert, Milan, Italy
1974　Taught painting and sketching at University of Louisiana, Louisiana, USA
　　　　“IKI International Art Fair”, Dusseldorf, Germany
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galerie Beaubourg, Paris, France
1975　“Asia Oggi: Rassegna di Grafica Contemporanea”, Milan, Italy
　　　　Province of Milan, Award, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Museo Civico d’Arte Moderna, Modena, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Palazzo del Diamanti, Ferrara, Italy
　　　　“Momenti e tendenze del Construttivismo”, Milan, Italy
1976　“The 3rd International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　Medal “Maestri della Pittura Italiana”, Marsala, Italy
　　　　“The 4th International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　“Bologna Art Fair”, Bologna, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Punto, Valencia, Spain
1977　2 Premio Internazionale d’Arte, Filottrano, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibitions, Palazzo del Turismo, Studio Marconi and Galleria Zarathustra, Milan, Italy
1978　“The 5th International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　“Bologna Art Fair”, Bologna, Italy
　　　　Launched the “International Surya Art Movement” together with J. Tilson, G. Robusti, and
　　　　Kengiro Azuma, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Solo exhibition, Lung Men Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　“Ancient Heritage, New Directions”, New York, USA
1979　“Surya”, Milan, Italy
　　　　“The 6th International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　Solo exhibition, Pinacoteca Comunale, Macerata, Italy
1980　“The 7th International Art Fair”, Basel, Switzerland
　　　　Solo exhibition, Printmakers Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Ideogramma, Turin, Italy
1981　“Contemporary International Original Prints Exhibition”, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Solo exhibition, Apollo Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Pancheri, Rovereto, Italy
1982　“Ton Fan and Fifth Moon 25th Anniversary Joint Exhibition”, Taiwan Provincial
　　　　Museum (now National Taiwan Museum), Taipei, Taiwan
1983　“Homage to Matteo Ricci by Chinese Artists”, Macerata, Italy
　　　　“The Chinese Response – Paintings by Leading Overseas Artists”, Hong Kong
　　　　Museum of Art, Hong Kong, China
　　　　Taught art dissection and picture analysis at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Urbino, Urbino, Italy
1984　“The 3rd Biennial of European Graphic Art”, Baden-Baden, Germany
　　　　“Rigori astratti della ragione e fantasia del concreto”, Ganna, Italy
1985　Taught at the Accademia di Belle Arti Albertina di Torino, Turin, Italy
　　　　Norwegian International Print Biennial, Gold Medal, Norway
　　　　Taught printmaking at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo Exhibition, Museum Waterland, Purmerend, Netherlands
　　　　Exhibition (with Walasse Ting), Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
1986　Solo exhibition, "Nikolaj" Comune di Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria Mercato del Sale, Milan, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria AM Niemeyer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1987　“The 2nd International Biennial Print Exhibition”, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Premio Acquisto al XIII Premio Nazionale Citta’ di Gallarate, Award, Gallarate, Italy
　　　　Solo exhibition, Alisan Fine Arts Ltd., Hong Kong, China
1988　“The 30st Biennale Nazionale of Milan”, Milan, Italy
　　　　“The 3rd International Biennial Print Exhibition”, Taipei, Taiwan
1989　“30-year Retrospective Exhibition: 1958-1988”, Studio Marconi, Milan, Italy
　　　　“Contemporary Italian Artists”, Art Palace, Moscow, Russia
1990　“Shakti 1”, Copenhagen, Denmark
1991　Awarded Arts Achievement of Lee Chun-Shan Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　“Italian Contemporary Art”, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
　　　　Solo exhibition, Galleria La Crocetta, Gallarate, Italy
　　　　“Ton Fan and Fifth Moon 35th Anniversary Joint Exhibition”, New Age Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
1992　“Hsiao Chin Retrospective Exhibition”, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
1994　Retrospective exhibitions at Beijing Central Art Academy and Hangzhou Chinese
　　　　Art Academy (Hsiao’s first exhibitions in China), Beijing, Hangzhou, China
　　　　Awarded First Prize al XXI Premio Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea, Italy
1995　“Hsiao Chin: the Odyssey 1953-1994”, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
1996　“Hsiao Chin Retrospective Exhibition”, Dimensions Endowment of Art, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Taught painting at Graduate Institute of Plastic Art in Tainan National College of the Arts, Tainan, Taiwan
1997　“Gathering Force”, Dimensions Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
1998　“Retrospective 1958-1998”, Institut Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt, Germany
　　　　“The 15th National Art Exhibition of the Republic of China”, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　“Shanghai Biennial”, Shanghai, China
　　　　“The 1st Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennial”, Shenzhen, China
2000　“The 7th Venice International Biennial of Architecture”, Venice, Italy
2002　“Retrospective Exhibit of Paintings on Canvas From 1958 to 2002”, Gio Marconi Gallery, Milan, Italy
　　　　“Recent Large Size Paintings”, Mudima Foundation, Milan, Italy
　　　　“Retrospective Exhibit of Works on Paper From 1958 to 2000”, LattuadaGallery, Milan, Italy
　　　　National Cultural and Arts Foundation, National Award for Arts, Taiwan
2003　March to the New World: 2003 Hsiao Chin Touring Exhibition, Touring Campus Exhibition, Taiwan
2004　“The Journey of Hsiao Chin’s Painting 1958-2004”, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2005　“Hsiao Chin 1954-2004. A Journey Back to the Source”, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong, China
　　　　“Hsiao Chin 1954-2004. A Journey Back to the Source”, Zhongshan Museum of Art, Guangdong, China
　　　　Nominato il 7 gennaio dal Presidente C. A. Ciampi Cavaliere della “Stella di Solidarieta Italiana”, Award, Rome, Italy
2006　“Glory to the Source. A Retrospective Exhibition of Hsiao Chin 1955-2005”,
　　　　National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
　　　　“Hsiao Chin Solo Exhibition”, Lin & Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2007　“Exhibition of Heart Theme Paintings”, Spazio Mazzotta, Milan, Italy
　　　　“The 5th Premio Internazionale Biennale d’Incisione”, Monsummano Terme, Italy
2008　“Hsiao Chin's Retrospective Exhibition”, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
2009　“Viaggio in-finito 1995-2008 on die occasion of Triennale di Milano”, Milan, Italy
2010　“Infinity of Chi: Retrospective of Hsiao Chin”, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2012　“Abstract Art in Taiwan”, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2013　“Great All”, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014　“Eternal Energy”, Lotus Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
　　　　“Hsiao Chin – Infinite Energy“, Kuo Mu Sheng Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　“Abstract / Symbol / Oriental – Exhibition of Taiwan's Masters of Modern Art", Liang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2015　“60 Years of Abstraction, Harmony and Form”, De Sarthe Gallery, Hong Kong, China
　　　　“Eighty Years of Energy, Hsiao Chins’s Retrospect & Prospect”, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
2016　“Endless Energy 2016”, 3812 Gallery, Hong Kong, China
　　　　“Novel Energy: The End is the Beginning”, Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2017　“1960‘S, An Important era: Hsiao Chin Salon Show”, 3812 Gallery, Hong Kong, China
　　　　“Eternity Preface, Hsiao Chin’s Solo Exhibition at Central Gallery”, Taiwan Kaohsiung International Airport, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2018　“Zen. Art: Bright Light-Homage to Ascendence, Hsiao Chin’s Solo Exhibition”, Tsz Shan Monastery, Hong Kong, Taiwan
　　　　“Infinity, Hsiao Chin’s Solo Exhibition”, 3812 Gallery, Hong Kong, China
　　　　“Home Coming, Hsiao Chin’s Solo Exhibition”, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
　　　　“Spiritual Energy, Hsiao Chin’s Solo Exhibition”, Lotus Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2019　“The Colours of Ch’an: Tribute to Hsiao Chin, Hsiao Chin Solo Exhibition”, Paris Musee Guimet, Paris, France, same time exhibition at Hsiao Chin International Art Foundation, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
　　　　“The Colours of Ch’an: Tribute to Hsiao Chin”, Alien Art Centre, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
　　　　“Hsiao Chin—Infinite Universe”, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, Hong Kong, China
　　　　“New Energy: Reunification”, Tainan National University of the Arts, Tainan Taiwan.
2020　“Hsiao Chin: The Combination of New Energy Solo Exhibition”, Hsiao Chin Art Foundation, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
　　　　“Print Exhibition: HSIAO CHIN”, Lotus Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
　　　　“In My Beginning is My End : The Art of Hsiao Chin” Retrospective Exhibition, Mark Rothko Art Centre, Daugavpils, Latvia
　　　　“In My Beginning is My End : The Art of Hsiao Chin” Parallel Exhibition, 3812 Gallery, London, England
　　　　“Hsiao Chin at 85: An Exhibition of Transcendent Art”, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2021　“Hsiao Chin Solo Exhibition—Harmony of the Grand Chi”, Liang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　“Eternal Symbols of the Orient: Post-War Chinese Art”, Art Basel Hong Kong | Galleries, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, China
　　　　“The Serenity of Restraint”, Liang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
　　　　Hsiao Chin, From Beijing to Paris: Works Exhibited in Major Museums, 3812 Gallery, Hong Kong
　　　　The Artist As Astronaut: Hsiao Chin, Song Art Museum, Beijing
2022　Hsiao Chin and Punto, 3812 Gallery, London