Department of Cultural Affairs

Too Loud a Solitude: A Century of Pathfinding for Eastern Gouache Painting in Taiwan

Too Loud a Solitude: A Century of Pathfinding for Eastern Gouache Painting in Taiwan is being exhibited at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum from October 12, 2024, to February 2, 2025. This exhibition showcases 146 works by 51 Eastern gouache painters, from masterpieces of the Japanese colonial period to contemporary creations. 

The exhibition is organized into thematic sections reflecting the historical progression of government-sponsored art exhibitions and educational systems: First Encounters: Learning, Facing Conflicts: Exploring Roots, Defending the Art Domain: Naming, Systematizing Education: Rethinking, and Continuing Development: Diverse Forms. These sections illustrate the localization and evolution of Eastern gouache painting in Taiwan, celebrating its adaptability and creative inclusivity.

The title “Too Loud a Solitude” captures the development trajectory of Eastern gouache painting in Taiwan—a narrative of both trial and triumph. The terminology for this art form has undergone significant shifts: during the Japanese colonial era, it was referred to as “Eastern Painting” or “Nihonga” (i.e. Japanese painting.) Post-1946, it became categorized as “Chinese Painting” in exhibition frameworks, sparking debates over traditionalist interpretations. Artist Chih-chu Lin introduced the neutral term “Eastern Gouache” to bridge the gap between artistic expression and political context, reflecting the passage of time and shifting cultural influences. Despite these challenges, artists have remained steadfast, dedicated to preserving and advancing their craft.

 Eastern Gouache Work 1

Eastern gouache paintings are distinguished by their refined elegance and vibrant richness. Typically painted on paper or silk, the pigments are made from minerals and other natural materials—such as dry pigments, earthen pigments, gold and silver powder, shell white, and alum—mixed with animal glue. Metallic leaf is occasionally incorporated for decorative effect. 

The painting process follows a systematic sequence: from conceptualization and sketching, to outlining the design and transferring it to the surface, before finishing with color application. The glue’s drying time gives the creative process a unique temporal quality.

The Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition and the Government-General of Taiwan Fine Arts Exhibition, which began in 1927 and continued for a total of 16 sessions, encouraged artists to depict local themes. At this time, Eastern paintings incorporated both the ink-based Southern style and the color-focused Japanese painting style. Many Taiwanese also traveled abroad to study these avant-garde, fashionable, and distinctly Japanese painting techniques.

The post-war shift in governance brought about a new cultural context, where Eastern gouache paintings, which were traditionally wood framed, and vertical scrolls of traditional ink paintings were both placed in the “Chinese Painting” category, even though the two styles differed visually in terms of subject matter, color, and brushwork, which in the 1950s sparked debate on the authenticity of Chinese Painting. 

This led to the Chinese Painting category being divided into two sections at the 1963 Provincial Exhibition. During this period, the political situation and a renewed focus on ink painting meant that many Eastern gouache works emerged that followed traditional Chinese landscape brushwork, revisiting the potential of ink and line expression. In addition, the rise of modernist abstraction encouraged artists to experiment with new compositional layouts, reflecting an inclination toward Western artistic styles.

The 1972 severing of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, followed by the sudden cancellation of the Chinese Painting Section II at the 1973 exhibition, made it increasingly difficult for the tradition of Eastern gouache painting to be sustained. To secure space for it to be presented at official exhibitions and to raise awareness, in 1977 Chih-chu Lin proposed the term “Eastern gouache”, with a view to redefining the art form within the scope of its material possibilities. Many works during this period featured thick layers, similar to oil painting, made possible by the unique properties of the gouache medium. The discourse around the material led to wider acceptance, and in 1983 the Provincial Exhibition established the Eastern Gouache category.

Eastern Gouache Work 2

In 1985, Chih-chu Lin began teaching Eastern gouache at the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University, marking the beginning of formal training in Eastern gouache in Taiwan’s higher education system. Three years later, Chien-yu Chan continued to develop the training system, expanding it across various academic curricula and promoting related creative practices and ideas at summer camps. Meanwhile, a renewed desire for knowledge sparked a new wave of study in Japan, where students explored the development of post-war Japanese painting and its diverse techniques, before bringing this knowledge back to Taiwan. The establishment of the training system enabled Eastern gouache painting to evolve beyond the mere transmission of material characteristics and technique, transforming into a significant professional branch of artistic practice.

Eastern Gouache Work 3

Today, Eastern gouache creators no longer adhere to fixed stylistic techniques; instead, they draw inspiration from the material properties of both ink painting and Western painting. As time passes and contexts change, Eastern gouache continues to navigate the interplay between tradition and innovation. serving as a medium through which artists explore emotions and respond to the environment. We hope this exhibition will help the future of Eastern gouache to remain open, expansive, and adaptable.

This exhibition’s outreach program features the “Eastern Gouache Self-Learning Room,” where scheduled painting experiences will be held on December 1st and 29th. Visitors will have the opportunity to experiment with the textures of gouache and pigment blending and apply color to their own works of art. The exhibition will also include roaming activities, where experts and scholars from various fields will use diverse perspectives to guide audiences in appreciation of Eastern gouache creations.