From now until September 24, the Taichung City Dadun Cultural Center is presenting “Encounter．Unintentional．Accidental—Liau Chi-Hsiung Retrospective at 85” at Dadun Gallery I. Spanning nearly 35 years of artistic creation, the exhibition showcases 51 selected works, inviting viewers to embark on a profound journey through the intersections of Liau’s art and life. At the opening ceremony, Deputy Director-General Tseng Neng-Ting of the Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau expressed deep admiration for Liau’s creative spirit and encouraged the artist—an “artistic warrior”—to continue his practice. For the first time, the exhibition also introduces a full-color electronic labeling system to replace traditional text cards. This system allows batch updates via dedicated software, saving manpower and paper, reducing the carbon footprint, and providing audiences with a clearer and more engaging viewing experience.
The Cultural Affairs Bureau noted that Liau, born in 1941 in Wufeng, Taichung, studied watercolor under master Yang Chi-Tung at an early age, sparking his lifelong passion for painting. In his youth, however, an accident caused the loss of his right hand, and life circumstances forced him to pause his artistic journey. Yet his love for art never faded. At age fifty, he taught himself to paint with his left hand, viewing the loss of his right hand as a challenge rather than a limitation. Even moving a canvas posed difficulties, but with optimism he remarked: “When things come, you just learn them naturally—hands and feet together will find a way.” This resilience and open-hearted spirit shaped his expansive artistic vision. At eighty, he even completed his graduate studies in fine arts at Tunghai University, embodying the belief that “everything is possible” and earning respect as a one-handed painter. Liau’s early works were realist oil paintings depicting travel landscapes. Since 2002, he has experimented with acrylics, coarse linen, and diverse media, developing a style that is both minimal and deeply resonant.
This exhibition, Themed “Encounter, Unintentional, Accidental,” the exhibition unfolds chronologically into seven major series, tracing his evolution from realism to abstraction and from external landscapes to inner visions. Highlights include: realist oil paintings inspired by travels in Europe; Intuitive Scale, reflecting on the rise and decline of Taichung’s central district and its spiritual imprints; Pisces vs. Virgo, exploring the balance of sensibility and rationality; Ode to Subtlety, capturing tender emotions in daily life with minimalist strokes; Splendor, drawing from the natural scenery of Tunghai University; and Imprint, inspired by British artist Tony Bevan, contemplating the passage of time and memory. The centerpiece, Chai Boay Soup, is infused with the artist’s memories of his father and the flavors of home. Liau recalls: “After every banquet, my father would always make soup from the leftovers—its taste was unforgettable. This time, I drew inspiration from that memory, giving new life to an unfinished canvas. Like simmering soup over a gentle flame, I let the warmth and emotions of home slowly emerge.”
This exhibition not only presents the artist’s moving journey of inscribing life through art but also integrates technology and sustainability to create an innovative viewing experience. In parallel, Liau’s works are also on view at the Taichung City Tun District Art Center in Encountering a Master at the Corner: Liau Chi-Hsiung Exhibition through January 4, 2026. For more details, please visit the Dadun Cultural Center website (www.dadun.culture.taichung.gov.tw).