The largest solo exhibition of young Taiwanese artist Zhu Chen-Wei, titled “The Madness Never Ends”, jointly organised by the multi-dimensional art space Artelli of the City of Dreams and “333 Gallery” from Taiwan, kicked off on December 8 and is on until next Friday at Artelli in Cotai, featuring over 50 of the artist’s latest creations including paintings and sculptures.
Born in Tainan in 2000, Zhu received his bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. He is considered one of the emerging artists reshaping the island’s contemporary art world. Using primarily acrylic paint as a medium and employing extensive flat brush techniques, Zhu ingeniously infuses his art pieces with elements of “pop culture and subtle humour to weave an engaging narrative”, according to the introduction by Artelli.
In a statement released on December 28 by Artelli, Zhu was invited to visit Macau last month and was present in the showroom on December 14 and 16 respectively to deliver a live painting performance to the public and guided tours of his exhibition.
One of the exhibition’s showcased works – “We Eat Art”, a painting of two dinosaurs biting into a sock – was crafted during his visit to Macau last month. According to information provided on-site by Artelli, the painting serves as a symbol of the partnership between Macau and Taiwan, with the sock symbolising the “unwavering commitment to promoting contemporary art”.
With a cheerful colour palette, almost all of his pieces being exhibited incorporate everyday narratives and ancient mythology. One example is the “It’s me! Dionysus” series that comprises seven paintings portraying “Dionysus” (the Hellenic God of Wine and Ecstasy) weaving through different eras and iconic artworks. By blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, the series of paintings creates a journey for viewers to experience the evolving role and significance of art in the kaleidoscopic world.
The “Tengu”* (“Heavenly Dog”) series of sculptures is another epitome to his unique visual storytelling, incorporating mythical tales and social narratives. Inspired by the ancient Chinese legend of “Tengu Eclipse” describing the astronomical phenomenon of a lunar eclipse, Zhu’s sculptures portray the “Tengu” biting into a sock that resembles the Moon, presenting the story in a cross-era and playful way.
The exhibition is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free.
*Spelt “Tiangou” (天狗) in Pinyin
This photo from the organiser Artelli’s website shows featured artist Zhu Chen-Wei posing with his works on December 14 in the showroom at the City of Dreams integrated resort in Cotai.
The exhibition’s “We Eat Art”.
The painting series of “It’s me! Dionysus”. – Photos: Gabriel Tam
The “Tengu” series of sculptures.
The exhibition’s work by Zhu Chen-Wei.
