Author:Richard LIN Show Yu(1933-2011)

Category：Oil Painting

Media:Oil on canvas

Year：1984

Introduction：The title “Without Beginning Without End” is inspired by Richard Lin’s perspective: “If it is both a starting point and an ending point, then there is no distinction between the two.” Meanwhile, “Infinite Mountains” was named during the making and photography of this work in the mountains, using mountains and peaks as a metaphor for the sense of overlapping presence between near and far. Building upon an array of blank canvases and inner frames, the artist juxtaposes frames of varying sizes mounted with canvases in white, red, green, and gray to form six components, which are aligned on the wall from small to large. As viewers shift their body and gaze, they experience a gradual ascent, revealing a transformation from the two-dimensional to the three-dimensional when seen from the side. This work employs a sequential approach that allows the composition of flat canvases to evolve into diverse spatial variations, expanding into new dimensions.

Author Introduction：「Richard LIN Show Yu」-Born into the Lin family of Wufeng, Taichung, Taiwan, Richard Lin (Lin Show-yu) studied architecture and art at London’s Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster) from 1954 to 1958. In 1964, he represented the U.K. at the 3rd Documenta in Kassel, garnering international attention for his nuanced, rigorous, and minimalist style, which incorporated black or white squares, and materials such as aluminum and glass onto blank canvases. In 1984, he joined a group of young artists in launching Alien—Play of Space, an exhibition that explored the existence and variation of matter and space, initiating a path of experimentation in contemporary art for an entire generation.

Accession number:20210138