Author:Ho Chau-chu(1931-2023)
Category：Oil Painting
Media:Oil on canvas
Year：1986
Size description：91×117cm
Introduction：This oil landscape by Ho Chau-chu portrays the scenery of the town of Tamsui. The building with redbrick walls and a spike tower on the right of the image is the Tamsui Church, and the redbrick building with a flying flag, located on the mountain top in the distant view is the Fort Santo Domingo. In the 1980s, Ho consistently painted the views of Guanyin Mountain and the town of Tamsui from the balcony or window of his rented studio in Tamsui. Around the same time, the government was planning the construction of the Danhai New Town (previously known as the Tamhai New Town). Consequently, ancient redbrick walls were rapidly replaced by gray-white modern high-rises, constituting a new skyline of Tamsui. Ho’s landscape strongly captures the transitioning urban topography. The close-packed high-rises composed of white and blue color blocks in the painting express imagery of dense urban buildings, forming a vivid contrast to the redbrick color of Fort Santo Domingo and the church.
Author Introduction：「Ho Chau-chu」-Born in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Ho graduated from the Art Department of Taiwan Provincial Taipei Normal School. From 1958, he won the Tai-Yang Award three times and became the youngest member of the Tai-Yang Art Society, recommended by Li Mei-shu. Primarily working with oil paints, Ho focused on natural landscapes, blending Cubism, Fauvism, Abstract Expressionism, and Impressionism. His style, characterized by vibrant color blocks and lines, skillfully navigated between abstraction and representation, creating clear, dynamic compositions.
Accession number:20210038