On Taiwan’s quiet east coast, a new beacon of creativity is drawing art lovers from around the country. The Paul Chiang Art Center in Taitung showcases the life’s work of one of Taiwan’s most celebrated contemporary artists.
At 83, Paul Chiang has spent decades between New York, Paris and Taiwan, creating works that move between shadow and color, solitude and light. His latest exhibition, "In the Garden of Light," captures the vibrancy of Taitung’s air, colors and Indigenous culture — the elements that brought new energy to his art after decades of working in muted tones.
Inside the center, visitors wander through spaces that Chiang himself calls his “the most complete work of my lifetime,” where architecture, painting and nature merge into a single work of art. Also on display: "Sketches from Europe," an exhibition that includes new pieces inspired by Portugal; and a moving tribute to the victims of recent floods in Hualien.
For Chiang, every stroke represents light — and light, he says, means hope.
00:00An explosion of color blooms from the canvas.
00:08It's the work of Taiwanese artist Paul Zhang in a new exhibit called In the Garden of Light.
00:14At first glance, you might think these are flowers, but Zhang says that's not the case.
00:30The 83-year-old artist spent much of his creative life outside of Taiwan,
00:43more than 30 years in New York and Paris, before settling in the rural east coast of Taiwan in 2008.
00:52For years, Zhang painted in somber colors, layers of brown, gray, and black.
00:58But after he moved to Taitung, his creations sprang to life.
01:03He found inspiration in the vibrant local indigenous communities, leading to more colorful pieces like these.
01:10The Paul Zhang Art Center, which opened in March, contains his life's work,
01:15and the center itself is his biggest work to date.
01:28The center limits visitors to 700 a day, and they come from all over Taiwan to see Zhang's work.
01:51The current exhibit,
02:21also includes Sketches from Europe,
02:24a series of paintings completed during a recent trip to Portugal.
02:29Another highlight,
02:30a recent piece that's part of his series Meditation on Eternity.
02:35He painted it following the devastating floods in nearby Hualien in late September.
02:40We were preparing this exhibition at 9.23 a month before the Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien.
02:47The project in the historic Pieces of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien of Hualien is the biggest part of this exhibition.
03:03Paul Zhang's artwork reaches far beyond the gallery, even appearing on the uniforms
03:21worn by Taiwan's athletes at the Paris Olympics.
03:26He once envisioned himself as a missionary, but today he shares love and hope through
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