Uong Paco (1972-)

Oil Painting

2015

Length:91 x Width:116.5 (cm)

This painting depicts the busy and crowded Jishan Street of Jiufen. On the left is a traditional fish cake stand. Opposite it, on the right side, is the Yonghe Chinese Medicine Apothecary which has been in business for generations. There is a resplendent brocade-like overlapping of colors, which creates a festival-like visual sense. Viewers can slowly search for the shop buildings and images of tourists among the chaotic abstract color blocks.
Uong grew up on Kinmen during a time of military conflict. He possesses an impulsive energy that comes from his desire to escape artillery fire and pursue freedom. After becoming an artist, he found that the paintbrush was not enough to effectively keep up with his explosive creative needs. Therefore, he developed a "palette knife visual language". He once said that, "It is something very unhappy to paint with brushes one stroke at a time. Using a palette knife, one's physical strength can be presented, and that energy can be given to the canvas." Uong also uses cement trowls to replace paint brushes. With judo-like movements, he layers abstract color blocks to create the contours of the subject. This artist provides viewers with a unique esthetic experience.

Accession number:A0257