Earth Shattered, Heavens Fallen, A Great Star Extinguished
Author:Chen Ting-Shih
Size:Length:120 x Width:60 (cm)
Size description：含裝裱224×71
Introduction：Chen Ting-Shih (1913-2002), also known by his pen name “Erh Shih.” Born in Changle, Fujian Province, he hailed from a distinguished family; his grandmother was the daughter of Shen Baozhen, the Qing Dynasty Governor of Taiwan. Despite losing his hearing at a young age, Chen diligently pursued studies in traditional Chinese painting, seal carving, and poetry, establishing a profound foundation in Chinese cultural studies. He was active during the flourishing period of Taiwan’s modern abstract painting movement in the 1950s and 1960s, contributing to groups such as the Modern Print Association and the Fifth Moon Group.
Chen’s artistic repertoire was diverse, encompassing printmaking, ink painting, sculpture, and acrylic works, all characterized by an abstract style. He endeavored to transform traditional Eastern elements into modern symbols. Chen once remarked, “Art has no ultimate end; all creations are choices in the process,” reflecting his integration of Western artistic concepts with Chinese philosophical contexts to present a visual language where abstraction and figuration, tradition and modernity, are closely intertwined. Before his passing, Chen authorized Gallery Chuan and his close associates to establish the Chen Ting-Shih Modern Art Foundation, which now serves as the custodian of most of his existing works. Additionally, his works are part of the permanent collections of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Rockefeller Foundation.
His printmaking journey can be divided into two phases: the Realistic Woodcut Period (1937-1952) and the Abstract Expressionist Period (1957-1999). The work belongs to the latter phase, where Chen employed large color block collages. In this artwork, a black square, symbolizing the earth, exhibits a cracked texture, while two blue semicircles in the upper right likely represent a fragmented moon. This composition creates a chaotic yet abstract visual effect, imbued with profound expressive significance.
Accession number:PT06912702