J. C. KUO

1949 Born in Lugang, Taiwan

1967–1973 Studied at the Lee Chun-shan Studio

1973 Graduated from the Fine Arts Department, College of Chinese Culture (today's Chinese Culture University)

Using a mixture of representational and abstract while compressing ancient and modern, Chinese and Western styles into the same picture, Kuo achieved a dramatic sense of conflict. And by juxtaposing classical or traditional images with modern human figures, he created an Oriental aesthetic all his own. Rather than plagiarizing or imitating tradition, he was altering it, even attempting to deconstruct or subvert it. He took the present era in which he lived as his standpoint, producing a sense of family with a very modern sensibility. At this stage, Kuo had established his own distinct painting vocabulary and style.

A reading of his paintings feels like viewing a series of stage dramas that travel through time and space. In fact, they all refer directly to Taiwan. They all express the feelings he has gained from his long-term observations of social phenomena and history. The compressed characters and scenes, the dazzling array of forms and symbols, and the dense collages of readymade objects often seem too much for the eyes to take in, even producing a leaping, confused psychological sensation.

For decades, J.C. Kuo has observed the lives and longings of common folk. Simulating or appropriating various forms of visual art from history, amalgamating images that seem incongruous at first glance, and juxtaposing heterogeneous symbols, he has crafted a unique narrative method and established a powerful style that can be compared to no one else.