grand opening

Director of the Museum & Foundation Lucia Hou Chen New Book－Hand in Hand for Art, March to Embrace the World

In her new book Hand in Hand for Art, March to Embrace the World, Lucia mentions that “The greatest accomplishment of our humanity in the 20th century, besides the accelerated super progress of science and technology, is the empowering promotion of feminism, that men and women are equal, allowing women to maintain half of the world,” and also to protect “family values” and encourage “husband-wife partnership” in building a shared enterprise. So in the book Lucia depicts in detail how she met Dr. T.F. Chen in Paris, how they fell in love, married, and together engaged in art creation and management in Europe, America and Asia, full of tears and joys, hardship and excitement. She shared their precious experience and real achievement, depicting an example of an overseas Taiwanese couple who reached out to make their own mark in the wider world and to contribute to international society. Lucia also thanks all of her friends around the world, who also encouraged and inspired them to publish their marvelous life story. She says, ”We sincerely express our thanks to them, for their help, teaching, support and encouragement, including art collection.” NOTABLE REMARKS: 1. This book Hand in Hand for Art, March to Embrace the World may be one of the few in the art circle, which records a unique and personal “husband and wife partnership in art” during their exciting journeys in Europe, America and Asia for more than half a century. It is a heart-touching account of 40 years of art management, coming from the “cultural desert” of Taiwan to cultural capitals such as New York, Paris and Beijing etc. In their personal human story, we see how they learn to manage themselves and their careers with intelligence, perseverance and wisdom, enabling Dr. T.F. Chen to match the tidalwave of Post-Modernism and launch the UN-related Art for Humanity World Tour. 2. This book shares the human story of a humble artist-painter from Taiwan, who earned a scholarship to study in Paris, arrived in 1963 with one small suitcase and a borrowed $100, and became the first Asian to earn a Ph.D in art history, from La Sorbonne and L’Ecole des Beaux-arts. In 1969, Dr. Chen initiated Neo-Iconography, which was considered an avant-garde to Post-Modernism, and an artistic expression of the upcoming Globalism movement. Thus, he earned a place in art history, and him and his works became featured in university textbooks and media worldwide. Later on, this artist also became renowned as a “reborn Van Gogh” due to his Post-Van Gogh Series. In 2001, the Friends of the United Nations honored Dr. T.F. Chen with the “Global Tolerance Award” and designated him a “Cultural Ambassador for Tolerance and Peace,” empowering him to launch the Art for Humanity World Tour – to advance a Global Culture of Peace through the Arts. 3. Besides sharing about art and academics, this book also touches upon Dr. Chen and wife Lucia’s precious experience and views on society, feminism, real estate and property management. This new book <<Hand in Hand for Art, March to Embrace the World >> can be a wonderful read for you, a gift for a friend, and a way to help support a worthy cause. The Chen Tsing-Fang Art & Culture Foundation is purely funded by the sale of this book and Dr. Chen’s donated artworks. (This is different from Foundations funded by big enterprises that use tax-reduced money for public service). Thank you for your support! The book is 19x26cm, 344 pages, Text in Chinese, with full color photos. Link to on line store for the book sale $20 for regular copy; $35 for signed-numbered copy (200 limited edition only) Please make check payable to TF Chen Cultural Center , and get tax deduction

PREFACE

By Dr. Terry W. Huang

Ph.D of Art History, Harvard University

Vice President of MOTIF Art Group

After I read the draft of this book, I was deeply touched and impressed by the greatness of Lucia Chen -- a woman, a mother, a wife, an art manager, the Director of Chen Tsing-fang Museum and CEO of many Foundations, including the Chen Tsing-fang Art & Culture Foundation. In supporting her husband, Dr. T.F. Chen, for about 40 years now, she has focused on this primary goal in her life, yet has accomplished the greatest enterprise in her life. Dr. T.F. Chen is a rare artist who is also an academic, having earned a Ph.D in Art History in 1969 and establishing his own theory of artistic creation. Past evidence shows us that in general, the beginning of a new art creative movement is usually proclaimed, written about and resounded by a network of many writers and artists, but Dr. Chen proclaimed his theory and manifested it in his paintings single-handedly and in full scale. In many ways, it can be said that he activated the Post-Modern phenomena. The dedicated expression of his Neo-Iconography -- taking historical and artistic Icons from past and present, East and West etc., deconstructing and reconstructing them, mixing Time and Space, in creative ways of Simulacrum, to produce new artworks with new meanings – is truly remarkable. To those who have some knowledge of world art history, they are surprised, amazed and applaud his creativeness; and even to those without, they can enjoy the striking beauty and unusual cultural juxtopositions that the artwork offers. For the past 40 years, Lucia devoted herself whole-heartedly to introduce and promote Dr. Chen’s art and ideas as her ultimate mission, from New York back to Asia, matching unpredictably my new position in enlarging the art market service in Asia. Due to our shared ideas and East-West activities, I was happy to become their intimate friend. Art creation is usually a solitary pursuit and the broadcasting of cultural ideals is always a mission for generations. On the eve of Dr. T.F. Chen’s 80th birthday, with the publication of this new book by Lucia, I hope that the young generations can come to understand and appreciate their admirable example, and join in and enrich their Art for Humanity efforts.