Author:Idas Losin(1976-)
Category：Oil Painting
Media:Oil on canvas
Year：2023
Size description：130.5×110cm
Introduction：In the “Tribute to Gauguin?” series, Idas Losin employs a technique of bold, layered brushstrokes to emulate the style of Paul Gauguin (1848–1903). She created four portraits featuring young male subjects from Taiwan’s Tao (Yami), Paiwan, and Amis Indigenous groups. Deliberately omitting the island landscape that could serve as a geographical cue, Idas Losin amplifies the expression of her subject, hinting at a tropical environment solely through the flora in the background. Wearing a flower or accessories, the men in the paintings show their naturally tanned skin and raw, captivating physique, echoing the compositional style of Gauguin’s portrayal of Tahitian women. Unlike Gauguin’s exoticized Western gaze, Idas Losin reinterprets the painting paradigm from a personal perspective, blending it with the cultural context of Taiwan’s Austronesian tribes. This fusion transforms her work into a nuanced reflection and dialogue on the historical and societal narrative.
Author Introduction：「Idas Losin」-Idas is from the Atayal Indigenous group in Wulai, New Taipei City and the Truku Indigenous group in Hualien, Taiwan. She graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at National Taipei University of the Arts. In 2013, she initiated a long-term project “Island Hopping,” visiting seven locations, including Hawaii and Tahiti, to explore the identity of Austronesian peoples. She received the first prize at the 2012 Pulima Art Award, and participated in the 24th Biennale of Sydney in 2024.
Accession number:20240020