Everyday life is in need of high-speed, while the mind is in need of being slow. The two opposite paces keep mentally and physically pulling modern people, who are seeking to mentally walk forward steadily while living in an era that people are trapped in a whirlpool of constantly seeking a faster pace. What do sensitive artists think of this issue? French artist Janpol Portalis was an aeronautical engineer, deeply obsessed with pleasure brought by speed since the 20th century, using painting to interpret his love of speed. Hungarian artist Joseph Visy once worked on the restoration of major sculptural monuments in France, patiently listening to the personality and texture of the stones, slowly carving and inlaying, giving marble temperature and life. Fast and slow, artists showcase their mental and physical two-polar worlds with their individual familiar paces.
Janpol Portalis was born in Lyon, France in 1948. His ancestor was one of the codifications of the Civil Code during the French imperial regime; once served as an engineer, maths teacher; becoming a professional artist when 38 years old, and his works are presented in many countries. He thinks and works fast, and even his creations are fascinated with speed; it’s inevitable to be reminiscent of “futurism” in 1909 which paid tribute to modern life - capturing the machinery, power and speed of modern life. Portalis places continuous movements together and makes them harmonious, capturing split-second sentiments in addition to movements. Such a simple screen actually removes impurities and leaves the essence, it has already given richer meanings to futurism in addition to movement, so his works are called “post-futurism”. Joseph Visy was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1951, moved to France when 30 years old, to participate in a number of restorations of major monuments, and set up his personal studio. He is not satisfied with engraving a classical perfect shape, a re-interpretation of modern sculpture by means of the consummate skills. Stone is like clay that turns into different beings, like the capability of the Midas touch, combining different stones and mosaic in his hands, pulling out the inner temperature and nature of marble.
Although Portalis attempts to capture the coherence of speed, he expresses the sentiment and burst of energy in speed; Visy has a strong basis in slow and delicate traditional sculpture skills, while he reveals the vision of speed of the era with simple and smooth lines. There isn’t any determined proportion of fast and slow, the two artists respectively manage their own paces, faithfully rendering a bi-polar world, it is also a reflection of the theorem that haste makes waste.
About the exhibition
Open Reception & X’mas Concert: 15:30 pm, November 30, 2013 (Saturday)
Duration: November 20, 2013 – January 4, 2014 (10:00 am – 18:00 pm Monday - Saturday)
Venue: Moons Art Gallery
Address: No.363, Sec.2, Gongdao 5th Road, East District, Hsinchu City
Tel: 03 - 5751801 / 04-24633239
Website: www.powengallery.com
Guide: Wednesday, Saturday (14:00 pm)
Curator: Enya Hung
Courtesy of the artists and Powen Gallery, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO.
For further information please visit www.powengallery.com.
