Lian+Decheng+(Lien+Te-+cheng)

﻿ ﻿Lian Decheng (Lien Te-cheng)

**Artist:** Lien Te-cheng **Title:** Particular Tao **Date:** 1995 **Media:** Mixed Media **Size:** 320 x 188 cm.

Lien Te-cheng received his B.A. degree form the Fine Arts Department of National Normal University in Taipei. He also studied in the U.S. and got his M.F.A. from North Carolina State University at Greensboro. His first solo show was held at Nan Gallery, Taipei in 1986 just before the lifting of martial law. This work consisted of mainly two-dimensional oil paintings which showed very “modern and contemporary techniques of Western art” Wen p.90. When we look at Lien’s work as a whole many crucial questions are raised about topics such as politics, cross-cultural and influences of Western contemporary ideals. Lien’s personal development as an artist matures with “the changing social and political context in Taiwan” p.90. Which plays a prevalent role in his artwork. Lien’s work often utilizes three major elements which are figurative, abstract and textual. His later works also incorporate found objects that add a fourth element which also adds a three-dimensional aspect to the work.
 * Introduction:**

Lien’s work uses the juxtaposition of four different elements to create an overall unified work of art as seen here to the right. Particular Tao is one of Lien‘ most known pieces and is revered as being provocative and disturbing. His work was extremely affected by the political and social change in the 1990’s in Taiwan. Lien belonged to two groups of liked minded artists even thought the artists themselves did not see it that way. The first of the two groups is known as Space II and the second group is known as Taiwan Documentary Room. Both of these groups were short-lived. Space II ideas were based around the avant-garde art forms and to create conversation about pure aesthetics. Lien’s work entitled Liduo Gallery was exhibited with the Space II group. This piece “carries a sarcastic sneer on contemporary culture” Wen p. 92. In 1990 and 91 the Taiwan Documentary Room has two significant exhibitions “with a clearly subversive strategy, to attack or ridicule political event” Wen p. 93. Under this group Lien’a artwork comments on politics and took aim at things like the flag, national anthem, national symbols and political slogans.
 * Formal and Contextual Analysis:**

In terms of the paintings context the charters to the far right have many different meanings. For example, the classical Chinese philosophical mean of “eternal tao” or truth of knowledge. The second meaning or an everyday meaning could be seen as meaning a road, a course or a way. The center section of this piece has a clear influence from two twentieth century art movements. First being, the idea of a read-made being considered a work of art that was first stated by [|Marcel Duchamp]. This is represented in Lien’s read-made motorcycle wheel positioned at the top center of the piece. The second major movement that influenced Lien’s piece is known as color-field paintings which takes a closer look at the relationship between colors and was popularized by [|Barnett Newman]. The fourth and final element the Japanese yamato-e painting takes a page right from erotic art from Japan also known as [|shunga]. This style is often described as being provocative and reprehensive of human desire.

Each of the four elements are all related to each other and the scale of each elements is different from one another. Each of the three panels were done in oil painting technique. In this piece the main focus is on the [|yamato-e] style painting which is the largest section of the piece and located to the far left. Yamato-e refers to a Japanese style painting that tells a narrative. This panel shows a court lady and a courtier in the typical aristocratic setting. The scene illustrates sexual desire through the body language of the two figures as well as in the loosely clothed women. In the center of the piece or the “in between” Wen p. 97 there is an abstract panel that consists of a solid blue canvas with a yellow vertical line through the piece. Placed above the abstract panel is a read-made motorcycle wheel. This wheel is placed higher than any other element in the piece giving in some dominance over the smaller panels. Incorporating a piece such as a wheel comments upon the transportation in Taiwan or the mundane quality a wheel obtains. The panel to the right that portrays Chinese charters is also done in oil on canvas. The charters are large and bold and very well know to the educated even though the second charter is cropped. This text is “from Chinese antiquity, Laozi's[| Daodejing]. It begins with the two words "Tao" [道] and "ke" [可], which, put together [道可], offer a pictorial as well as a textual context for the work” Wen p. 97-98. This comes from the opening words of the //Daode Jing// (”道可道，非常道” meaning something like "The Dao that can be trodden is not the unchanging Dao")
 * Descriptive Analysis:**

The overall image has a somewhat contrasting set of ideals or a clashing of ideas. The yamato-e painting seems to suggest not only human desire but the male gaze as well. Exposing the female genital in such a way while leaving the male figure completely covered, makes it seem as if the woman is an object to be controlled. The bold charters to the right can be seen as the philosophical idea of ethical “way” or “Tao.” The read-made wheel can be seen as the vehicle that carries the man back a fourth between these two realms of life. And finally the abstract blue painting with the yellow line can be seen as the literal “road” or “Tao.”
 * Personal analysis:**

This is an online gallery called Itprtk that shows much of Lien's work. __[|http://www.itpark.com.tw/artist/index/137]__

Wen, Yang. [|“Negotiating Traditions Taiwanese Art since The 1080’s.”] Ruperto-Carola University of Heidelberg, Germany. May 3rd 2002