"The Light of the world": an exhibition of contemporary painters from Taiwan

Since yesterday until April 2020, 23 works by 21 artists have been exhibited.  The exhibition has already touched New York and that after Rome and Vatican City, it will go to various capitals of Asia, including Tokyo.  Ambassador Matthew Lee: "The Culture of Ecounter "strongly promoted by Pope Francis was one of the major sources of inspiration in organizing this exhibition".  Card. Ravasi: The light of God and the interior light of the artist.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Large canvases in which the color is laid on with spatulas, as in the abstract expressionists;  paintings with still lifes - Chinese foods and exotic fruits - accurate and sharp as ancient Flemish paintings;  colorful inlays and drawings on wood that recall the art of the ancient tribes of the island, showing a possible reconciliation with nature.  This is the display presented in an exhibition by 21 contemporary Taiwanese painters that opened yesterday at the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan), in via della Conciliazione 4 / D in Rome and which will remain open until April 2020.

The 23 works exhibited are part of a traveling exhibition that has already touched New York, Rome and the Vatican City, ans which will go to various capitals of Asia, including Tokyo.

They were collected and selected thanks to the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture, along with the National Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan and the Bank of Art in Taiwan, whose director, Lin Chi-ming, explained the themes and techniques  of the artists present: the wonder and love of nature, the religious dimension (many painters are Protestant or Catholic Christians), the coexistence between past and modernity in Taiwanese life.  Many of them have lived in other countries (Australia, United States, Israel, Europe) and are affected by this dialogue between different cultures.

The ambassador of the Republic of China, Matthew Lee, in his introduction, highlighted this element: "Culture and, particularly the “Culture of Encounter” strenuously promoted by Pope Francis has been a major source of inspiration in the organization of this exhibition. His Holiness has said: “Faith is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do what Jesus does: encounter others.” With this exhibition, we wish to show the encounter relation between faith and culture under a different light: of art, of colour, of creativity, of people-to-people contacts, of love, of passion, and of the essence of life".

At the inauguration, as a special guest, Card. Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture.  Commenting on the theme of "light", present in the title with a quotation from the Gospel of John (8:12), spoke of light as the source of life and symbol of God: "light is external to us, it dominates us. Therefore, it transcends us like the Mystery of Life. Light takes us over. It is the mystery of God. But it also recognizes us, it warms up us, it surrounds us - this is another aspect of the Light of God, his closeness. It is so the Word of God is visible.”

Speaking of the inspiration of the artists, from which the work of art is generated, he cited a phrase of the painter El Greco: "“You cannot imagine what a great light I have within me.” This light is within every artist. All artists, even those apparently simple aborigines artists, are illuminated by this light".

To visit the exhibition, please send a request to: vat@mofa.gov.tw.  For organizational reasons, reservations must arrive two weeks in advance of the date set for the visit.  (B.C.)