An Exclusive Interview With
Chi-Yu Lin
By Paula Soito
“When the night is quiet, I bow to the canvas. In the process of painting, my heart is quiet. Thanks to my life experience, I can create sincere originality and to express the aesthetics of life through art.”
-CHI – YU LIN
“The western arts of painting trained my skills, and I became more refined. I use western oil paint composites, try to escape the traditional oil painting stacked skill, reflect the original creation of a painting, present the coexistence and glory of humanity with light shadow. Calmly observing the animals and plants, both having harmonious coexistence with nature. My art and inspiration come from Chinese philosophy, which is also my real soul and deep in my heart”.
– Chi- Yu Lin
Taiwanese artist Chi-Yu Lin (Five Trillion) Has a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the Taiwan Normal University; he is the Chairman of Taiwan-Japan Art Association and the Director of Taiwan Art Association. He is also the Founder and Director of Jinyee Art International Company.
Chi- Yu Lin (b. 1965) creates unique Art to highlight environmental issues. Lin has developed the Chopped Weave Method for his painting, using brushes, scrapers, and knives. In his work, he is trying to pass his essential message: Render the consumption of ‘Deduction’ and the regeneration of ‘Increase’ by accumulating piles of paint and scraping off and erasing. Express the importance of cherishing nature, delivering the message with artistic creation. The object will be simplified to break up by deconstruction; re-combined the scattered objects by taking structuralism. Just like weaving, express the texture of the concept.
Chi-Yu Lin (Five Trillion) will take part in the next edition of the Florence Biennale, held from 23 to 31 October 2021 at Fortezza da Basso. His work has been featured in international art magazines, including in Art Market Magazine past editions #57 and #58, 2021.
“I create my own “copping and weaving” drawing technique as the 21 Century is innovative.
Using 2D image synthesis, 3D scene simulation, and 4D virtual reality have been on track.
Digital arts can be seen everywhere in our life nowadays. The flat print, the different material printing, and 3D printing are making printing quality much better than before.
Traditional painting is easily imitated by computer AI. Real art will face big changes and influence.
Thinking about how to keep the value of hand-painted drawing? The original creation is the answer.
Thus, I make painting, weaving, sculpture in one fusion. Using a knife instead of brushes, like the sculpture on the canvas, presenting a new art style. The result is warm, with oriental restraint and Western freedom, just like Yin and Yang of Tai Chi, Including restrained emotions in freedom”.
Art Market Magazine: Thank you, Chi -Yu Lin, for this exciting interview.
Can we start from your artistic background? When and how did you begin your journey in the art world? Did you grow up in a creative environment?
Chi-Yu Lin: I was born in an era before Taiwan’s economic growth, I lived in the country when I was a child, and we were not rich. My parents worked very hard to raise us. Looking back, I think my creativity came from a lonely feeling. I used a pen to draw what I see, in some natural expression. I found myself attached to the nature surrounding me through hours of observation, and I fell in love with the trees and animals. This is how my painting journey has started.
Art Market Magazine: Your Art is awe-inspiring, fascinating with its many details, expressing so much dynamic and an emotional sensation. Can you tell us about this unique ‘Chopping and weaving’ technique?
Chi-Yu Lin: No doubt that the 21-century-computer era is an innovative century. 2D, 3D images, and 4D virtual reality are developed constantly. Digital arts can be seen everywhere; traditional painting is easily being imitated by computer programs. As a result, the art field is facing a big challenge. Thinking about how to keep the value of hand painting, the original creation is the answer. Thus, I make oil painting, sculpture, and weaving in one fusion. The knives replace the brushes, like the sculpture on the canvas. Engraved on layers of oil paint just like chopping; made lines and deepness like weaving, combined to become my unique oil painting technique.
Art Market Magazine: There is an expression of oriental restraint and Western freedom’s combination in your artworks; was it your intention? What is the philosophical idea behind your Art?
Chi-Yu Lin: My Art philosophy comes from the deep meaning of “subtraction and addition,” just like Yin and Yang in Tai Chi. We must reduce our desires before we can see natural beauty.
“Subtraction” expresses the oriental restraint; “Addition” expresses the western free and unrestrained.
Art Market Magazine: As a very active, established artist in both Asian and European countries. Do you think there is a difference in attitude between the countries’ art market fields?
Chi-Yu Lin: There were indeed differences in attitudes until the beginning of the 21 century, but there are almost no differences in the last years, thanks to the internet, global communication, and the art market globalization.
Looking at the global art market, I think we can use the original local culture as the fundamental artistic element, combined with the creator’s imagination for inventing new styles and unusual creative approaches. Therefore, it is most important to keep an open mind, get in touch with artists worldwide, and break the old frameworks.
Art Market Magazine: As an artist, and from a personal point of view, what are the main challenges in Asian countries compared to European countries in the art market?
Chi-Yu Lin: Because of the differences in nationality, therefore, also in the mentality, the Asians like Art from a popularity point of view, they will admire the artists as celebrities which will affect the sales. But most European collectors have their own personal artistic taste; they do not follow the public’s preferences, mainly because Art has been integrated into European life more intensely.
Therefore, the challenge for artists in Asian countries is to make their works visible and awarded in countries outside of Asia, especially in Europe. The recognition in Europe and the US will help their works arouse discussion in their home country.
Art Market Magazine: Your paintings are so alive, usually focused on environmental subjects, like the sea life with creators underwater or plants with impressive roots on the ground; where did the need to focus on these subjects came from?
Chi-Yu Lin: Nature is the mother of human, and animals are friends, but human continues to destroy the natural environment, forcing animals to lose their habitats. My creation is quoted from “Love.” Loving nature, loving animals, loving the things around you, forming a circle that is Tai Chi’s concept in oriental thought. All the opposites, brightness, darkness, positivity, and negativity are included in the circle; accept them, change them, and coexist harmoniously.
Art Market Magazine: You have gained a lot of success in the past years, with a significant exhibition in Taiwan, several articles in international art magazines, and in past publications of Art Market Magazine. Your Art will be featured at the upcoming prestigious Florence Biennale event in October 2021, and now you are being awarded as a GOLD LIST artist. How does all of this exposure and respectable recognition make you feel? What are your goals for the future?
Chi-Yu Lin: I feel very honored that my creations received exposure from International renowned professional magazines such as Art Market Magazine. This year is magnificent, with my Art being exhibited in Florence Biennale 2021 in October, among other exhibitions around the world. The exposure and recognition made me feel grateful, and I cherish this gratitude feeling; it’s a great honor, primarily being awarded as a GOLD LIST artist.
My goals for the future are to have my work exhibited in quality museums worldwide and to continue featuring my work at exhibitions. Furthermore, I want my Art to be regularly exposed and reported by the International media, and I hope that more art lovers will enjoy and appreciate my works of Art. That’s the great satisfaction every artist wishes for. The creative process is lonely, but being appreciated and that your Art will be in personal and public collections worldwide is the best affirmation for the artist, just like finding someone who understands you.
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