J. C. Kuo (Kuo Jen-chang)

J. C. Kuo (1949-) is a Taiwanese artist and one of the iconic figures of contemporary art in Taiwan. His early style was mainly based on abstract depictions of the human body, featuring distorted body lines and organs. After the 1980s, the artist incorporated a linear outline of writing into his works, in the 1990s, his works focused more on critical thinking and social observation; after 2000, he used illusory reality to satirize and imply as a metaphor for hypocrisy in society. He specializes in using linear language to interpret, praise and criticize social phenomena, and to expose and challenge social and political disturbances and cultural phenomena. More than 140 solo and joint exhibitions were held in Japan, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan,
etc.
==Art studying history==
J. C. Kuo was born in 1949 in Lukang, Changhua, Taiwan. During his studies, he insisted on learning to paint despite the family's opposition, and joined Chun-shan Li’s studio in his first year of high school. After graduation,he studied in the Fine Arts Department of College of Chinese Culture (now Chinese Culture University), and held his first solo exhibition in his freshman year. However, due to the overall poor economic conditions in Taiwan in the 1970s, and the high cost of leaning painting that his family could not afford, he did not become an artist immediately after graduating from university. In the early 1980s, J. C. Kuo worked for Choice Lithograph, Inc. during a period of rapid development in Taiwan's media printing and publishing industry, in response to the popular American pop art concept at the time. After leaving Choice Lithograph, Inc. in 1989, J. C. Kuo began working as a full-time artist. As one of the first generation of post-war artists, he grew up with a background that blends local Taiwanese, traditional Chinese, Japanese, and
modern western cultures whose works have been collected by National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, and Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan.
==Career==
===1970s===
Influenced by Chun-shan Li's artistic viewpoint and the psychoanalytic theory, abstract depictions of the human figure, distorted lines and organs are the characteristics of this period. Between 1976 and 1977, J. C. Kuo applied for and received a grant from the Asia Foundation to conduct field research in Taiwan, gaining an in-depth understanding of Taiwanese culture, society, aesthetics and folk art. He also applied and transformed what he had acquired during this experience into his works.
===1980s===
Inspired by the influence of the paintings of Han Dynasty, his works developed a black line drawing style and created an "oriental" artistic aesthetics. In terms of the creative techniques, he incorporated the collage
technique of Cubist artist Picasso, and showed visual effeffects such as contrast, contradiction and abandonment of harmony.
===1990s===
During this period, his painting style embraced oriental lines, western abstraction, tradition and modernity, which were shown in his new works exhibited in the solo exhibitions one after another, and he added Taiwanese cultural icons and religious symbols, such as the facial makeup of "Ba-Jia-Jiang", combining contemporary social and cultural issues in Taiwan. The works of this period were critical in nature, satirizing political, social, religious and cultural phenomena in Taiwan. In terms of visual representation, he
attempted to create aesthetic conflicts on canvas and frames. A unique visual language was also formed in this period through the use of threedimensional collage and the systematization of existing objects .
===2000s===
He further utilized the illusory reality to satirize and imply as a metaphor for the phenomenon of hypocrisy in society. For example, in the exhibition "Happenstance" in 2003, he reversed and reinterpreted the commonplace fine arts, and its direct and simple meanings to form a personal iconography and semantic system. 
===2010s===
In addition to the continuation of the previous images and styles, he increased the depth of space in the composition, and imitated ink-wash landscape paintings by using acrylics and western painting techniques to present different landscapes .
==Exhibitions==
===Solo exhibitions===
2021 "Since When-Initiation", Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan
2020 "Before. After", Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2016 "Totem Taiwan", National Changhua Living Art Center, Changhua,Taiwan
2015 April, May, June, July, August "Salute to young people", Galerie Elegance Taipei, ARTCO, Taipei, Taiwan
2010 "Submersed Motion and Shadows", Galerie Elegance Taipei, Taipei,Taiwan
2009 "Before & After 2008 – Floating", Asia Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
2008 "J.C. Kuo Taiwan Contemporary Creation History", William gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
"Totem and Taboo", Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
"Am I a Beauty? I Am a Beauty!", Main Trend Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2005 "18 LOHANS", Main Trend Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2003 "HAPPENSTANCE", Main Trend Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2001 "Totem and Taboo", ART TAIPEI, GALERIE PIERRE, Taipei,Taiwan
2000 "St. TAIWAN 1996~2000", ESLITE GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan "J.C.Kuo's About Faces", LIN & LIN GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan (ART EMPEROR)
1999 "St. TAIWAN:J.C.Kuo's A Hundred Diary", GALERIE PIERRE,Taichung, Taiwan
1998 "St. TAIWAN:J.C.Kuo's", Galerie Elegance Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
1997 "J. C. Kuo: '87~'97 Chronology", GALERIE PIERRE, Taichung, Taiwan
1996 "J. C. Kuo's '95~'96 Chronicles", LIN & LIN GALLERY, Taipei, Taiwan
1995 "Mixed Impression", Up Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Joint exhibitions
2019 "Pioneers of the Avant-Garde Movement in Taiwan: From Li Chun-Shan to His Disciples, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
2015 "The Idea of Art Education: Li Chun-Shan 's Creation and Teaching",Exhibition hall in the General Association of Chinese Culture, Taipei, Taiwan
"Dances with the Times—40 Years of Artist and Contemporary Art in Taiwan", Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
"What Is & What Will Be", Show Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2014 " Revitalizing the Splendidness: 30 Years of Yilan Museum of Art Exhibition", Yilan, Taiwan
The 28th Asian International Art Exhibition, Kinmen, Taiwan
2013 " Gargo east project-gazing into freedom: Taiwan contemporary art exhibition ", held by National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
"From Subverting Reality to Creating Reality: Contemporary Taiwanese Art After the Lifting of Martial Law", Asia University Museum of ModernArt, Taichung, Taiwan
The third exhibition of "Taipei Modern Art Exhibition", ARKI GALÉRIA,Taipei, Taiwan
"The Pioneers of Taiwanese Artists, 1941-1950", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung
"Rolling! Visual Art in Taiwan", Curated by National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
"Majestic Island- The Development of Modern Art in Taiwan", National Art Museum of China, Beijing
2012 "Unique Vision II: Highlights from the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts Collection", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung,
Taiwan
" Time Games: Contemporary Appropriations of the Past ", Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2010 " Ventriloquized Voices – Contemporary Art from Taiwan ", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan; Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, South Korea
2009 "Art Thinks: Selections of Modern and Contemporary Art from the Hong-Gah Museum Collection", Hong-gah Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
" Speak describe: 2009 cross-strait contemporary art ", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan；National Art Museum of China,Beijing, China
"A New Interpretation of the World-Popular Culture and Contemporary Art in Taiwan: Exhibition at ACAFNY 2008, The 2nd Annual Asian Contemporary Art Fair New York", held by National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, New York,U.S.A.
"HOME – 2008 Taiwan Art Biennale ", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
ART TAIPEI, Asia Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
"ACCUMULATIONS-The Spirit of the East", Asia Art Center, Beijing, China
"Intimate Trend, Painting from Sichuan and Taiwan", Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei, Taiwan
Bridge Art Fair, Asia Art Center, New York, U.S.A. "Float", Hong-gah Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
"Bubble Tea: Art of Taiwan and its Contemporary Mutations", The Moravian Gallery in Brno, Czech
2007 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China
Beijing Contemporary Art Expo, National Agricultural Exhibition Center, Beijing, China
Asian Art Biennial, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung,Taiwan
"Artistic Development and Social Transition in Taiwan II, FORMOSA MAMBO", Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2006 "Macro Vision, Micro Analysis, Multiple Reflections-Contemporary Art in Taiwan since 1987", National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
"The Odyssey of Art in Taiwan, 1950~2000", National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2005 "Figurative Painting in Taiwan", Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
"The 15th Anniversary of Galerie Pierre: Action in Time", Galerie Pierre,Taichung, Taiwan
"Field Guide to the Mythical Penglai Island: Imagery of the Historical Taiwan at the End of the Century", Main Trend Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
"The Multiform Nineties: Taiwan's Art Branches Out", Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2004 " The Transitional Eighties: Taiwan’s Art Breaks New Ground ",Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
"Contemporary Taiwanese Art in the Era of Contention", held by Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, New York, U.S.A.
ART TAIPEI, Main Trend Gallery, Huashan Art District, Taipei, Taiwan
2003 "The 13th Anniversary of Galerie Pierre Pass ≧ Existence", Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
2002 The First Triennial of Chinese Art, Guangzhou Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
2001 "Sailing to A New Era: Opening Exhibition of Main Trend Gallery", Taipei, Taiwan
"From Iconoclasm to Neo-Iconolatry: Taiwan's Contemporary Art in the Post-Martial Law Era", Eslite Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan; Taipei gallery of Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Council for Cultural Affairs,
New York,U.S.A.
"Taipei Modern Art Exhibition", Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, China
2000 "Cultivation - A Review of Independent Art-Plowmen", Hong-gah Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
" Passing through ≧ Presence. Manuscript and Creation Exhibition ", Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
1999 "Social Transition and Artistic Development in Taiwan 1900~1999", Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
"Visions of Pluralism: Contemporary Art in Taiwan, 1988~1999", Mountain Art Museum, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; China Art Museum, Beijing, China
"Partial Injection− Cultural Formulation in Cold and Hot Replacement", held by Dimension Endowment of Art, Mountain Art Museum, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
"The Brave New World ", Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
1998 "Portrait de l'ile - Art contemporain de Taiwan", Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
"New Voices : Contemporary Art Dialogue Among Taipei", National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
1997 "Taipei Modern Art Exhibition", National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
"Consistency & Continuation", Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
"Portrait de l'ile - Art contemporain de Taiwan", held by Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, In Flanders Fields Museum, Ostende, Belgium
1996 "Taipei Modern Art Exhibition", Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, China
"A Contemporary View of Taiwanese Arts—Hanart’s Choice", Hanart TZ Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
" Discovering the New Power of Taiwanese Art ", Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
"ART TAIWAN-The Contemporary Art of Taiwan", Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
1995 " Contemporary Painting in Taiwan", Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
"ART TAIWAN - The Contemporary Art of Taiwan", held by Taipei Fine Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, Australia
"Cultural Great Exhibition 1995 ", InSian Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
1994 "Taipei Modern Art Exhibition", National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
"Art and Popular Culture", Dimensions Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
"The 8th Asian International Art Exhibition", National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
" Dimension Endowment of Art Collection Exhibition ", Dimensions Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
Art Galleries Fair R.O.C. ", Taipei, Taiwan
"1994 Culture Exhibition", Impressions Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
1993 "Human．Humanity ", Up Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
International Art Gallery Fair, Hong Kong
1993 "Taiwan Art 1945~1993", Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
"Art Galleries Fair R.O.C", Taichung, Taiwan
"Taiwan 90 New Concept Group", Hanart TZ Gallery,Taipei, Taiwan
" Contemporary Exploration - A Selection of Ten Great Works of Art for the Future ", Galerie Elegance Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
"Yokohama International Contemporary Art Fair (NICAF)", Yokohama, Japan
" Third Generation Elite: Style Exhibition", Asia Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
" New Year Special Exhibition", Up Gallery, Kaohsiung、Taipei, Taiwan
1992 ART TAIPEI, Taipei, Taiwan
Galerie Elegance Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan
Opening Exhibition of Up Gallery in Taipei, Up Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
Contemporary Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
International Art Gallery Fair, Hong Kong
New Phase Art Space, Tainan, Taiwan
"The 7th Asian International Art Exhibition", Merdeka 118, Bandung, Indonesia
"To Encounter Others", Exhibition Hall K-18, Kassel, Germany
"The 6th Asian International Art Exhibition", Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
1991 Opening Exhibition of Gate Gallery, Gate Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
"91 Taiwan Contemporary Paintings", Leisure Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
"The Joint Exhibition of Wu Hao, Kuo Jen-chang and Ku Chung-kuang",Crown Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
"The International Public Collection Asia Modern Art Exhibition", Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan
"The 5th Asian International Art Exhibition", National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Crown Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
"From Tradition to Innovation", Yung Han Gallery Innovation Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
"Message from Taipei", Hara Museum ARC, Tokyo, Japan.
Los Angeles Art Centre, Los Angeles, U.S.A.
"The Exhibition of the First Seminar of the Development of Contemporary Art", National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
"The 4th Asian International Art Exhibition", Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
"The 3rd Asian International Art Exhibition", National Museum Art Gallery, Fukuoka, Japan
"Chinese Contemporary Paintings", National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
"The 2nd Asian International Art Exhibition", National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
1986 "The Second Sino-Korea Modern Painting Exchange Exhibition", Taipei County Cultural Centre, Taipei, Taiwan
"The New Look of Chinese Modern Art 1987", National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
"Joint Exhibition of Taipei Modern Art", the Asia World Art Center Taipei, Taiwan
"Taipei Modern Art 1986 Exhibition", Hong Kong Art Centre, Hong Kong
"Sino-Korean Modern Painting Exchange Exhibition", Kuan Thing Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
1985 "Sino-Philippine Modern Art Exhibition", Asia World Art Centre, Taipei, Taiwan
1977 "Joint Exhibition of Chen Ting-Sh and Kuo Jen-chang", U.S.I.S.Lincoln Centre, Taipei, Taiwan
1974 Joint Exhibition in Chu Pao Pot Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
1973 Graphic Artists' Gallery in Hung Ling Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
==Awards==
J. C. Kuo obtained a grant from The Asia Foundation in the United States,which he used to conduct field research on traditional handicrafts in various parts of Taiwan's local communities.
Category:1949 births
Category:People from Changhua County
Category:Taiwanese people
Category:Artists