Courtyard and Still Life with Light: 2024 Dong Shaw-hwei Solo Exhibition
The exhibition “Courtyard and Still Life with Light: 2024 Dong Shaw-hwei Solo Exhibition” will be held at Asia Art Center (Beijing) from November 16, 2024, to January 19, 2025. This exhibition marks Dong Shaw-Hwei’s first solo exhibition since her 2017 show “In Courtyard, Recollecting Precious Moments of Life — Dong Shaw-hwei 2017 Solo Exhibition” at the main hall of Museum of History, Taiwan, and her first solo exhibition in Beijing since her 2013 show “Unfettered Heart — 2013 Dong Shaw-hwei New Works Solo Exhibition” at Asia Art Center (Taipei).
The exhibited works span from 2006 to the present, showcasing the painter’s most iconic series, ” Courtyard” and “Still Life.” This includes the “Black Table,” “White Table,” “Sketches,” “Abstract,” and “Watercolor” series, totaling over 20 pieces. These works not only merge classical and modern elements but also establish a fresh style within the new genre of still life.
Still life has always been a favorite subject of mine, even though it has often been seen as standard and uncreative. I contemplate in silence before starting to depict the subject and thus creating an artwork. As such, still life can been seen as a byproduct of my contemplations. Contemplating on the still life is also contemplating on oneself, on a certain kind of existence, the existence of the objects, of the table, of the background, of the connection between the viewer and the viewed. They are independent of each other, yet related. In Oriental still life, the “still” refers to the person. Completing a still life is like having gone through a period of solitude and being filled with serenity.
Dong Shaw-Hwei 2010, Spring, New Taipei City
In her early years, Dong Shaw-hwei focused on studying Western Impressionist painting styles. In the early 1990s, she traveled to Europe multiple times for artistic creation, and both still life and landscape painting became her enduring core themes. Her style evolved from the Impressionist emphasis on light, shadow, and vibrant colors, gradually transitioning into a unique form that embodies the aesthetics of Eastern contemplative beauty. Throughout her life in the old courtyard, Dong consistently depicted the grass, trees, and everyday scenery of the courtyard, as well as the ordinary corners of the house. This naturally reflected her inner state of mind, which in turn shaped her distinctive artistic language, conveying a quiet yet deeply moving force. The artist’s dedication to the subject matter of her home and courtyard transformed ordinary themes into poetic spaces, and through constant refinement, endowed them with profound cultural significance. Still life painting also became a reflection of the artist’s inner spiritual landscape.
The Western painting style can be said to have laid the foundation for Dong Shaw-Hwei’s mastery of the external forms of objects, while the aesthetic realm of Daoist thought forms the core spiritual essence of her creations. Before her artistic journeys in Europe, she devoted herself to studying the aesthetic significance of the philosophies of Laozi and Zhuangzi, even authoring a book titled The Philosophy of Zhuangzi and Its Aesthetic Significance. This experience became the central axis of her future artistic work and was key to her ability to assimilate the Impressionist style while expressing her own individuality in her creations. As a result, Dong Shaw-hwei’s paintings consistently maintain a tranquil and simple vitality of nature. The independently growing plants and flowers in her courtyard seem to insulate themselves from the chaos of the modern world, offering a sense of spiritual healing and stability. This also serves as a modern interpretation of the reclusive culture of Chinese Daoism.
The creation of the “Courtyard” series is deeply tied to the artist’s emotional attachment to the peaceful life of the past. Due to changes over time and urban renewal, the old courtyard now exists only in the impressions left in her memory. As a result, the artist sought to preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the beautiful images from her recollections. In the summer of 1995, she abandoned her previous experiences of painting outdoors and seeking inspiration overseas, and for the first time chose her own home as the subject, painting the large tree and sunlight in her courtyard one afternoon. From this point onward, the artist underwent significant changes in both her mindset and artistic style. She gradually moved away from the Western Impressionist emphasis on external visual effects of light, shadow, and color, and shifted toward the aesthetic realm of Eastern Daoist contemplative thought. These stylistic changes have been reflected in the “Courtyard” series over the past twenty-plus years, forming the foundation of the artist’s expansive body of work and style.
The “Courtyard” series not only represents the artist’s personal emotional memory and longing but also serves as a cultural record of a bygone era. Moreover, the artist achieves a remarkable level of integration between Eastern and Western aesthetics. This is because her shift from absorbing Western Impressionism to expressing Chinese aesthetic sensibilities was a natural progression, not a forced combination. The seamless blending comes across effortlessly, without appearing contrived. The flat, two-dimensional nature of the forms in her paintings, combined with the spontaneous dripping techniques, also reflect the influence of Western modern art styles. In this sense, the artist achieves a seamless integration of both Eastern and Western artistic traditions.
The still life works presented in this exhibition exemplify the artist’s most distinctive stylistic characteristics. The flatness of the forms contrasts with the conventional use of perspective to depict three-dimensionality, yet they still evoke a sense of spatial depth in the visual imagery. The contrast between the large tabletop and the floral arrangements further intensifies the tension in the composition, moving away from the descriptive style of Impressionism. This shift signifies the artist’s thoughtful evolution and growth in her creative process.
In the still life series, the tabletop serves as the central element of the composition, with the texture of wood grain vividly rendered using broad brushstrokes. The technique is simple yet powerful, maintaining a sense of realism. The black table evokes a sense of calm and classicism, while the white table feels bright and romantic. The depiction of objects such as flowers, cups, plates, and books exudes a lively realism, arranged with balance and harmony. The background, created through the spontaneous effects of Western abstract techniques, forms a simplified space with subtle transitions of light and shadow. This also reflects the serene and contemplative atmosphere of Daoist aesthetics, resulting in a unique style that is fresh, elegant, pure, and unadorned.
The four watercolor paintings on display fully capture the unique ability of watercolor to express instantaneous visual imagery, while also incorporating the brushwork aesthetics of Chinese ink painting. Rhododendron on a Sunny Day and Rose on a Peaceful Day are vivid and vibrant, whereas the two “Courtyard” pieces, It’s Going to Rain in Courtyard and Morning Flowerbed in Courtyard are rich and serene. Each work conveys a fresh and lively atmosphere, embodying the theme of “quiet contemplation.”
The 2010 work Lush Growth in Courtyard adopts a panoramic plein air approach to depict the authentic and original appearance of the courtyard. The plants grow naturally, with a slightly wild arrangement, and the brushstrokes resemble those of traditional Chinese painting rather than Impressionist techniques. This imparts a serene and rustic domestic atmosphere to the scene.
The 2014 works Riverside Walk –Breeze I-II capture the real-life imagery the artist encountered while walking along the riverbank. Using a semi-abstract style, the paintings depict the breeze, light, shadow, and the graceful movement of the scene. These works convey a sense of vibrant vitality, while also exuding a refreshing and subtle elegance.
This exhibition features two sets of diptych panels, a compositional format uniquely developed by the artist. Inspired by the common couplets and diptych scrolls in traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, the panels create a symmetrical aesthetic. The 2021 work The Old Courtyard-Happy Flowerbed I-II can be seen as a partial refinement of the panoramic plein air piece Lush Growth in Courtyard, simplifying and abstracting the plant forms for a more abstract effect. The freely growing flowers and trees in the courtyard exhibit a natural charm with a rustic simplicity, conveying a joyful atmosphere full of vibrant life.
The 2023 work The Golden Days in Courtyard is the largest diptych piece in this exhibition. For the artist, creating large-scale paintings presents one of the most challenging tasks. A large painting is not simply an enlarged version of a small one; it primarily involves structural concerns. Without sufficient creative skill and grand vision, large works can easily fall into being either empty and overly expansive or overly cluttered with trivial details. This makes the creation of large-scale paintings particularly difficult, and historically, few artists have mastered it, let alone female artists. Dong Shaw-hwei’s work stands out as an exception in the art world, as her creations exhibit both the lyrical sensitivity typical of female artists and a strong sense of visual impact. Moreover, she excels in the production of large-scale paintings, making her a rare figure in the art scene.
The work The Golden Days in Courtyard features a symmetrical diptych structure, inspired by the traditional Chinese moon gate, symbolizing the Chinese cosmological concept of a round heaven and square earth. The painting captures the vibrant growth of various flowers and plants in the courtyard, presenting a harmonious rhythm of nature that evokes a sense of musical continuity. This tranquil courtyard scene, rooted in the peaceful flow of daily life and the changing seasons, contrasts with the shifting world outside. Yet, the simple and innocent atmosphere of the courtyard makes the imagery of serene and idyllic life timeless, symbolizing the golden years of life that are most cherished.
For decades, Dong Shaw-hwei has remained true to her artistic vision, consistently focusing on capturing the essence of her inner life experience. This dedication has set her apart from the impassioned expressions of contemporary art trends, allowing her to maintain a pure, lyrical aesthetic that deeply resonates with the underlying essence of Chinese culture. The flowers and plants in her paintings seem to transcend time and space, becoming cultural vessels for an era’s memories. Her work seamlessly integrates seemingly opposing elements—figurative and abstract, flat and dimensional, modern and classical, as well as the aesthetic differences between East and West. These contrasts blend harmoniously, creating a unique artistic style that is distinctively hers. Dong Shaw-hwei never intentionally sought to merge Eastern and Western painting traditions; instead, everything she creates stems from her personal understanding, perception, and contemplation of life.
The artist’s journey to Europe to study Impressionist painting, her return to her homeland, and her experience of life’s changes, witnessing the disappearance of old things—all these emotions from fleeting moments of life converge in the imagery of the courtyard. The courtyard seems to be a sanctuary created by the artist, existing outside of the world’s chaos, transcending its symbolic meaning to become an embodiment of contemplative self-reflection. It constructs a realm of purity and poetic tranquility, representing the artist’s idealized spiritual homeland, a place her heart longs for.