臺南美術史

Liao Chi-Chun, Early Summer, 1929, the 3rd Taiten
Source: Catalogue of the 3rd Taiten

Early Summer by Liao Chi-Chun (1902-1976) was selected into the 3rd Taiten (Taiwan Art Exhibition) in 1929. The painting portrays the Taisho Park (大正公園, now Tang Te-Chang Memorial Park) in Tainan, which was previously named the Kodama Park (known for the statute of Kodama Gentaro, the former Governor-General of Taiwan,). In 1911, the Office of Taiwan Governor-General referenced the city planning of Paris to configure the city planning of Tainan, making the park as the city center with roads surrounding and radiating from the park. The painting delineates the beauty of summer. Although it is now impossible to reproduce the painting in color, a vivid contrast is visible between the lighter left part of the image and the darker right part which suggests the tree shade under an intense summer sun. Liao painted the work in a semi-figurative style. The overall brushwork is rather unrestrained, highlighting the brightness of the summer sun. The figures having a relaxing time in the park also adds a leisurely feeling to the work.

References
Lee, Shu-Pei. “A Study of Landscapes of Tainan in the Catalogues of the Taiten and the Futen during the Period of Japanese Rule.” The 2022 NCAF Visual Arts Grant for Study and Research – 2nd Phase, 2023.
Liu, Chi-Yu. “Early Summer.” Missing Pieces – Taifuten Historical Archives. https://taifuten.com/oblect/初夏-4/#squelch-taas-toggle-shortcode-content-2 (viewed on 2024.1.22)

Liao Chi-Chun
Liao Chi-Chun (1902-1976) was born in Fengyuan, Taichung. In 1923, he was accepted into the Department of Normal Education at Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Tokyo University of the Arts), where he was mentored by Tanabe Itaru (田邊至, 1887-1968) and received solid foundational training in sketch drawing. At that time, Fauvism and Cubism had already become increasingly well-known due to the advocacy of private art groups, such as the “Nika Association” (二科會) and “Sanka” (三科), through which Liao learned about these avant-garde art trends. In 1925, he co-founded the “Chi-Yang (Red Sun) Western-style Painting Society” (赤陽洋畫會) with Chen Cheng-Po (陳澄波, 1895-1947) and Yen Sui-Long (顏水龍, 1903-1997), which later merged with the “Chi-Hsing (Seven Stars) Painting Group” (七星畫壇) in northern Taiwan and became the “Chi-Dao (Red Island) Society” (赤島社). After graduating, Liao settled down and began teaching in Tainan from 1927 to 1936. He was deeply influenced by Tainan’s social milieu and ambiance, and eventually became the artist selected for the Taiten and the Futen with the most landscapes featuring Tainan’s scenery. During Umehara Ryuzaburo’s (梅原龍三郎, 1888-1986) several visits to Taiwan after 1933 for tourism and serving as a juror, Liao was the one who received Umehara and accompanied him on painting trips to Tainan, during which he created a few works featuring the Confucius Temple with similar composition. In 1934, Liao again co-founded the “Tai-Yang Art Association” (臺陽美術協會) with Chen Cheng-Po and Yen Shui-Long. Later, Liao moved to Taipei in 1947 to teach at Taiwan Provincial Teachers College (now National Taiwan Normal University). It was during this period that he established the Yunhe Studio (雲和畫室) on Yunhe Street near his residence. The founding members of the “Fifth Moon Art Group” (五月畫會), which was founded in 1957 with Liao’s encouragement, had studied painting with Liao at this very art studio.

Reference
Lin, Mun-Lee (ed.). The Everlasting Bloom: Rediscovering Taiwanese Modern Art. Taipei City: Museum of National Taipei University of Education, 2021.