“What does art mean to you?” Fumio Nanjo asked.
“To me, art is the pursuit of light in despair, illuminating darkness with pure beauty, and seeking truth and goodness in life,” said Paul Chiang.
Ten years ago, internationally renowned curator Fumio Nanjo visited Paul Chiang’s studio. At the time, the Paul Chiang Art Center was still in its planning stages. Through their conversations, a friendship gradually took shape. Now, a decade later, the art center is set to officially open on March 15, 2025.
For its inaugural exhibition, Nanjo has been invited to serve as curator, with artist Jason Chi as co-curator. Nanjo is currently a Special Adviser at the Mori Art Museum in Japan and has been a long-standing figure in the international art world, playing a key role in promoting contemporary art in Asia and globally.
Drawing from his understanding of Chiang and his work, Nanjo distilled three essential themes – light, beauty and purification, which became the inaugural exhibition’s title. The exhibition itself is structured around three themes, “Pursuit of Freedom,” “Music and Nature,” and “Spirituality and Hope.” For him, this exhibition is not only a curatorial venture but also a shared witnessing with art lovers worldwide – a witness to how Chiang’s artistic practice has expanded beyond personal expression into an open and inclusive art center.
Pursuit of Freedom
Chiang’s artistic style has evolved alongside his life journey, from Paris to New York, then back to Taiwan, where he eventually settled in Taitung. Each stage reflects a distinctly different artistic expression. In the first part of the Light, Beauty and Purification exhibition, Nanjo opens the narrative with the theme Pursuit of Freedom, setting the stage for visitors. Located in the innermost part of the art center, the first gallery showcases Chiang’s works from as early as 1975, when he was in New York, alongside his latest creations from 2025.
“He mixed objects with painting, exploring the transition from a two-dimensional work to a three-dimensional one – it exists somewhere between sculpture and painting,” Nanjo explains. During an era dominated by minimalism, conceptual art, and land art, Chiang sought to break free from the constraints of the canvas, redefining the boundaries of painting. His recent large-scale works immerse viewers in vibrant colour, enveloping them in an almost rhythmic visual experience. “He is changing – his works are becoming larger, more colourful, more vibrant, and sometimes even rhythmically musical, like an abstraction. But I think the spirit of his work has not changed; it has always remained the same. From as early as 1975 to now, his artistic research and direction have been very consistent, following a clear path. Through his work, you can see how his art has developed, how he has reached a greater variety of expressions, and ultimately, how he has discovered the value of life through art.”
Music and Nature
The second part of the exhibition, Nanjo observes how music and nature inspire Chiang’s work, capturing fleeting yet deeply moving creative moments.
Since settling in Taitung, nature has become a source of creative energy for Chiang. At times, a family of monkeys from the mountains will visit and keep him company, or swallows will soar by the Serenity Pond, performing a graceful dance as they peck at the water. In this part of the exhibition, Nanjo seeks to present those transient yet inspiring moments of creation, inspired by the harmony between music and nature.
The works exhibited in the second gallery (Chenbro Gallery), when presented together in one space through the interwoven combination of abstract images and physical and virtual objects, the gallery creates a rhythmic sense of flow between the heavens, earth, and sea.
On Wings of Song 13-10, inspired by Mendelssohn’s music, is built on a foundation of bright yellow, layered like sunlight shining over the earth. The primary visual theme of this exhibition is derived from this work. “I really like this room. It has a certain rhythm – you can almost hear music. The many small elements feel scattered yet dancing, and the colours are so rich,” Nanjo said.
Moving deeper into the second gallery, visitors encounter Sound of Ocean, Pisilian, and Afternoon of the Faun series. Chiang draws inspiration from the daylight, sea, and air of Taitung, with his colours reflecting the essence of the ocean, the temperature of the air, and the soft halo of light when the sea and sky meet before a typhoon approaches.
Art Can Purify the Soul
The third gallery (Cheng-Han Gallery) draws its architectural inspiration from one of Chiang’s sculptural works, Farm House, and is affectionately referred to as the chapel. Nanjo describes, “When you enter, you immediately feel that it’s a strange space – unlike anything you usually experience. Then you notice the light – it’s very complex. Sunlight from outside enters from different corners and through windows of varying shapes. It makes you feel as if you are in a very special place – or perhaps the universe.”
The interplay of triangular and square windows, along with walls set at varying angles, allows light and shadow to shift dynamically throughout the day. The third gallery features works such as Hundred Year Temple, Notre-Dame de Paris, Meditation on Eternity, and Perish series – pieces that reflect both contemplation on the past and aspirations for the future, as well as interpretations of life’s resilience. As visitors pause within this space, the tension of the architecture, the depth of the paintings, and the rhythm of light and shadow intertwine, creating a meditative and profound atmosphere.
On the exterior walls of the third gallery, stainless steel engravings of words like Love, Humanity, and Peace stand as more than artistic expressions. They embody Chiang’s beliefs and hopes for the world.
Why does art have the power to purify the soul? When Chiang held his first solo exhibition in New York, he wrote the words ‘art can purify the soul’ on the catalogue. Reflecting on this now, he smiles and says, “Perhaps at the time, I was thinking about how art could purify my soul.”
Years later, he believes that kindness also brings an inner sense of purity and peace. Purification is a capability everyone possesses. His conviction that art can purify the soul underlies his lifelong exploration of humanity, life, and spirituality.
Nanjo has observed that many people first connect with Chiang’s art through its symbolic light, representing hope and the future. However, he notes, “Light and darkness coexist – they influence each other.” Thus, the final section of the exhibition is a retrospective of Chiang’s spiritually profound works from various periods.
Light, Beauty and Purification unfolds from vibrant colours into quiet serenity, culminating in this deeply spiritual space. It concludes not with an abrupt ending, but with an enduring resonance; a lingering note that extends beyond the exhibition itself.
Happy Hour
Nanjo recalls his first visit to Chiang’s studio. That evening, Chiang invited him to sit on the terrace, sipping red wine as they watched the sky gradually shift – hues of red, purple, and pale blue dissolving into a deep, serene indigo with the arrival of night. Their conversation drifted between art and life, sometimes light-hearted, sometimes in comfortable silence.
“It was only later that I learned Paul enjoys sitting on his terrace at this hour, slowly savouring his wine as a way to reward himself for a day of creation. He calls this time his happy hour.”
In his curatorial statement, Nanjo writes, “For Paul, this is more than relaxation. It is a form of meditation… In such an environment, doing nothing becomes a rare and valuable experience.”
How many hours of quiet contemplation have followed the countless days and nights of relentless artistic creation? Now in his eighties, Chiang has remained devoted to his artistic path since the age of 15 – nearly 70 years. Art has become his entire world.
Amidst the vast expanse of mountains and sea, he continues to connect with the world and with friends in the purest way – through his art, through his presence, and through these moments of stillness.
The power dynamic between artists and curators has long been a topic of discussion in curatorial practice – who holds the authority in an exhibition? How does one strike a balance between artistic creation and curatorial direction?
“Although Nanjo is an internationally renowned curator, he has always shown great respect for my opinions and Chiang’s vision during our discussions on the exhibition’s direction,” says Chi, co-curator of the exhibition. “What left the deepest impression on me was how he would always take his time to think things through, often saying to me, ‘Let’s reflect on this a little more.’ This pace made the curatorial process more thoughtful, allowing us to spend more time considering the relationships between the artworks and their alignment with the exhibition’s themes. For me, this was an invaluable learning experience.” Despite the limited time they had for in-person discussions at the art center, they chose to slow down, prioritizing mutual understanding over unilateral decisions or compromises.
In August 2024, when the exhibition halls were still under construction, Nanjo and Chiang used models and scaled-down versions of paintings to determine the relationships between artworks, their placement, and the flow of the exhibition. By January 2025, Nanjo returned to the site, this time immersing himself in the experience from a visitor’s perspective. “I was observing how the view changes, and with it, how the impression of the work shifts. I kept thinking about whether to place the work more to the right or to the left, how it relates to the other pieces, and what kind of experience it creates for the viewer.” Through continuous refinements, they aimed for the exhibition to be more than just a collection of works. It was to be a layered, cohesive narrative.
In his curatorial statement, Nanjo conveys these stories with a light yet profound touch. His writing reflects the essence of who he is – warm and deeply passionate about art, much like the impression both Chiang and the art center itself leave on visitors – simple, serene, yet deeply moving.
Silently, What Do We Take Away?
In this art center, the hope is for every visitor to truly experience the presence of beauty. But after walking through the exhibition, what do they take with them?
“The art center’s remote location may make it difficult to reach, but that’s precisely what gives it an irreplaceable charm,” says Nanjo.
Here, the noise of the city fades, social distractions dissolve, and time itself seems to slow down. Strolling through the grounds, Nanjo often stretches his arms, exuding a sense of ease and relaxation. It’s clear he cherishes this serene space. “Standing in front of a painting, each person’s experience is different, but as long as they feel something, that is enough. I believe art is not about transmitting a fixed meaning from one person to another, it is about providing an experience. Meaning is not the question; experience is. What you personally feel from a painting is what truly matters.”
Art exhibitions shouldn’t be mere channels of information, but rather deeply personal dialogues. Chi observes, “Chiang sees the entire art center as a work of art. He’s hands-on in every corner, arriving first in the morning and leaving last at night. For Taiwan, the art center serves as a bridge – through our exhibitions, people gradually will come to understand Chiang as a person and as an artist.”
From broad philosophical inquiries to deeply personal reflections, Chiang hopes each visitor can find a sense of healing within this space. He once said, “I hope people who come here can open their hearts – don’t rush to chat with others. Try walking alone, seeing what you feel. Maybe on the bus ride home, new thoughts will emerge.”
Perhaps this is the true charm of the exhibition – art as more than just images, but as an open-ended dialogue. Light, Beauty, and Purification guides visitors through moments of stillness and contemplation, encouraging them to discover emotions uniquely their own.
Notes:
The Paul Chiang Art Center was made possible through the lifelong dedication of Paul Chiang and his wife, Claire Fan, along with the support of The Alliance Cultural Foundation Chair Stanley Yen and several business entrepreneurs. Together, they created a space where nature, art, and architecture converge.
The Meditation Space in the second exhibition hall is a permanent feature of the art center, curated by Paul Chiang himself. These smaller works, created alongside his large-scale pieces, serve as a visual journal of his creative journey since the 1980s. Visitors who appreciate Chiang’s work should not miss this intimate experience!
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