Tradition Transformed: Chang Ku-Nien, Master Painter of the 20th Century March 23, 2010

This exhibition features the work of Chang Ku-nien, a versatile and proficient practitioner of the ancient tradition of Chinese painting, and explores his development as an artist over a lifetime. Trained in Shanghai, Chang resettled in Taiwan after the political upheaval of 1949. This experience compelled him to carry on the tradition of Chinese painting, which was considerably diminished in China during the Culture Revolution. A member of the fabled Seven Friends Painting Society in Taiwan, Chang responded dynamically to the vitality of his new environment and second homeland, where he freely experimented with new techniques to portray local nature and landscape themes. In his later years, he traveled between Taiwan and the United States and created a highly expressive, personal, and sensitive vision of the landscapes of North America.