The Solo Voyager of Wonders – The Colorful Ink World of Wu Deng-yi

Author: Tang Xiaolan (Director of the Arts and Culture Center, Chung Hua University)

In 2021, Chung Hua University appointed Mr. Wu Deng-yi as an honorary professor of the General Education Center. Seizing this opportunity, Chung Hua University’s Arts and Culture Center specially organized and invited Mr. Wu to hold a solo exhibition from September 15 to October 14, 2022. The exhibition aimed to enrich the artistic sensibility of our university and contribute to the promotion of art education.

The theme of this exhibition is “Wonders of Life: Contemporary Artworks by Wu Deng-yi,” curated by the “Wu Dengyi Art Museum” team. The “Wu Deng-yi Art Museum” was established in 2020 on the 32nd floor of Taipei’s iconic 101 building. I visited it last August and was impressed by its spacious, bright, and elegant venue. Most of the artworks on display are large-scale landscape creations, showcasing a diverse and exquisite range of techniques.

Mr. Wu Deng-yi was born in the scenic town of Puli in Nantou County, Taiwan, in 1951. He pursued his studies in the Department of Chinese Painting at Taiwan National University of Arts and later completed his graduate studies in the Department of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University. He has been dedicated to painting for nearly six decades. In 1973, he won first place at the “Taiwan Contemporary Masters Painting Exhibition” during the Luguang Art Exhibition. His first solo exhibition in Taipei took place in 1980…

Over the years, Mr. Wu has been invited to numerous exhibitions in Japan, South Korea, Austria, Mainland China, and Taiwan. He has gained significant recognition in the art world and has achieved remarkable results in art auctions. His artistic achievements have long been acknowledged by the art community and are highly favored by art collectors.

Mr. Wu Dengyi possesses a reserved and tranquil personality, and he is seldom social. He is known for his humility and a lack of proficiency in language and words. In response, I said, “By closing off verbal language, you are able to fully immerse yourself in the free-flowing strokes of your brush. Your brushwork not only substitutes for language but transcends it in communication.”

The theme of this exhibition, “Wonders of Life – Contemporary Artworks by Wu Dengyi,” is the result of his long-term accumulation and dedicated focus. Each painting represents his deep affection for the natural world, the universe, and all things in existence. It encapsulates the countless words he has gathered through solitary and immersive observations, explorations, and contemplations. It is the manifestation of his quest for the extraordinary, leading to a world that is fantastical, unique, marvelous, and mysterious—a world that is his own life’s wonderland.

Mr. Wu’s artistic achievements span a wide range of styles, including traditional landscapes such as “Eternal Beauty of Green Mountains,” “The Beauty of Mountains,” “Harmony of Clear Skies and Grand Mountains,” and “Mountains Reflecting Brightness.” His works also include extensive scrolls like “Scenic Beauty of Rivers and Mountains” and “The Beauty of Taiwan’s Landscape.” Moreover, he has created pieces like “Jade Cat by Moonlight” and “Abundant Blessings in the Garden,” along with semi-abstract works like “Greatness” and “Tai Chi.” His portfolio even features abstract expressionist pieces such as “Golden Blossoms” and “Realms of Life.” In all his works, the precision of his brushwork, application of colors, textural techniques, blending, dripping, printing, ink staining, composition, layout, and perspective all come together meticulously, creating a multi-layered and intricate interplay of forms. His artistic style seamlessly blends the traditional essence of Chinese art with modern Western qualities.

In Mr. Wu’s creations, apart from the grandeur of distant towering peaks, the dynamic interplay of wind and clouds, and the ever-thriving vitality of the natural world, there is also a charm in the finer details, such as the branches and needles of the summit’s pine trees, pavilions, boats by the water’s edge, sailing boats gradually receding into the distance, slopes and terraces, and the inclusion of feathered animals. His brushwork is delicate, nimble, and elegant, offering a delightful experience for those who take a closer look. I believe that in landscape painting, the quality of brushwork and ink is fundamental, much like the foundation of sketching in Western art. Without this deep foundation, regardless of the quality of ideas, media, or techniques from various schools and styles, the resulting artworks would lack strength and substance.

Regarding his techniques for creating textures, Mr. Wu replaces traditional brushwork with rubbing and ink staining to depict the textures of rocks in his paintings. He has also independently developed additional techniques, creating textures resembling rock surfaces that appear to be scaly, rough, or finely textured like sand, leaves, or fur. These textures are rich and diverse, and I would describe them as a “variation of textural techniques.” Additionally, he employs semi-automatic techniques such as blending, splattering, tapping, and dripping to build multiple layers, which are characteristic of Mr. Wu’s unique style and qualities.

Furthermore, his use of color is highly diverse. In addition to traditional greens and blacks, his palette includes purples, oranges, ochres, yellows, and he has a particular mastery of silver-gray and ink green. For instance, in “Mountains Reflecting Brightness,” the predominant hue is a silvery-blue. The moon, partially concealed by the night sky, casts a misty and tranquil glow over the undulating mountain ranges. In “Jade Cat by Moonlight” and “Abundant Blessings in the Garden,” the exquisite depiction of cats and oranges combines detailed workmanship with a unique layout resembling the cursive script variation of “吉” (auspicious) and “鶴” (crane). The silver-gray and blue background sets off the main subjects, making the entire artwork thought-provoking and intriguing.

His semi-abstract or abstract paintings are particularly stunning in terms of medium, technique, and style. Breaking free from tradition to reach a pure abstract style in ink painting is no easy task, requiring not only a departure from conventional forms but also a breakthrough in conceptual thinking. In works like “Golden Blossoms” and “Realms of Life,” the brushwork combines advanced techniques such as splattering ink, blending, and ink staining. Beyond their rich and vibrant colors, they exhibit the notion that “the grandest music is in silence, and the greatest presence is formless.” These paintings convey the unending vitality and grandeur of the universe and reveal the artist’s profound perspective on life and the cosmos, which is vast and boundless. Each artwork in “Wonders of Life” is exquisite, offering viewers the opportunity to appreciate its grandeur from a distance or examine its intricacies up close. Imaginative viewers who immerse themselves in the paintings can also revel in the joy of navigating the vast cosmos!

I once wrote a modern poem titled “Journey,” which reflects my actual dreams. Time is like an eternal voyage, and we board the ship of life to set sail on the boundless sea, embarking on a journey. Sometimes the journey is calm and peaceful, while at other times, it is engulfed by strong winds and torrential rain. In those moments, we can only steer the ship toward the next harbor. Then we board the ship again and continue to sail into the vast sea. Upon waking, I realized that the dream was not just a metaphor for life’s journey; it also encapsulates the process of various professions and artistic creations, from inception to exploration, research, and adventure. The final stanza reads:

“As I slowly journey… In the dim distance, a faint light appears At the end of the tunnel Like awakening from a dream at dawn!”

Only those with unwavering determination and perseverance have the intuitive wisdom to navigate to the next, even more extraordinary, destination. I firmly believe that at the age of seventy, Mr. Wu Dengyi will continue to embark on his wondrous journey to the next phase with unyielding determination!

Author: Tang Xiaolan

Bachelor’s Degree in Chinese Literature, National Chung Hua University

Master’s Degree in Art Studies, National Chung Hua University

Areas of Expertise: Chinese and Western Art History, Taiwanese Art History, Art Theory, Art Education, Arts Administration

1998-2012: Part-time Lecturer at the General Education Center, National Chiao Tung University

1994-July 2021: Full-time Lecturer at the General Education Center, Chung Hua University

2010-Present: Director of the Arts and Culture Center, Chung Hua University