For most people in Taiwan, the war-torn stories of Syria are a world away. But for Taiwanese ceramics artist Lien Pao-tsai, they offer inspiration for art.
The National Museum of History in downtown Taipei is hosting a new exhibition called “The Saha World: Lien Pao-tsai’s Journey of Ceramic Art Creation.”
The pieces on display include three-dimensional figures, animals, Buddha heads and Buddhist statutes.
With her skillful use of clay, Lien creates pieces with a perspective that is both cynical and amusing. They touch on things like fame, fortune and interpersonal relationships.
Lien’s deep concern about international affairs is also apparent in her works. For example, one of her pieces centers on the raging violence in Syria. The sculpture features an orphan whose family members were all killed in the war. Lien says the reason that the innocent child is crying can be seen in the fragments of clay which lie at her feet… you can see symbols of the mother’s body: the chest, the nose, and an ear. And the distraught child is in tears. Only one of the eyes of the mother remains, and she is crying as well.
Museum director Liao Hsin-tien said looking at Lien’s works is like engaging in an interesting conversation. That’s because there is a sense of humor in them, a quality that Liao says is seldom seen in Taiwan’s art community.
A devout Buddhist, Lien said her works were deeply influenced by the late Master Sheng-yen. She says the Buddhist master’s emphasis on the importance of love inspired her to continue working on the subject.
Lien says she used to be a quick-tempered person with a firm belief in what’s right and wrong. But she says her personality changed a lot after carving statues of the Bodhisattva and Buddha. Although she has already made hundreds of Buddhist statues, she says she will continue creating new pieces, probably for the rest of her life as it’s her way of helping the public. Lien Pao-tsai’s exhibit will run through April 22nd.
