Hsiao Chin (b. 1935)

Hsiao Chin was born in Shanghai on January 30, 1935. His father, Hsiao Yu-mei was famous in Shanghai for founding the first conservatory of music in the city in 1927.

Chin's father died in 1940 and then his mother in 1945. Chin went with his father's sister, Xue-zhenen and her husband to Taiwan in 1949.

In 1950, he attended Taipei Middle School, and enrolled at the School of Art, where he studied drawing under the tuition of Chu Teh-Chun (an artist who considered to be quite unconventional). He also joined Chun-Shan's studio. Then in 1956 Chin went to Spain as a student, he then traveled to Italy and New York to both create and teach for 40 years. Chin, along with others, and due to becoming a successful artist, he slowly began to set into motion the 'Movement of the Modernization of Chinese Art'.

Selected Teaching Positions:
1954 Ching-Mej Elementary School
c. 1968 Southampton College of Long Island University, New York
c. 1970 Bâton-Rouge University in Louisiana.
1981 The Art school in Urbino
1996 Tainan University of the Arts

Chin managed to receive a grant form the Spanish government to go to Spain from 1956 through 1957. He chose to go to Barcelona where he mixed with artists involved in work more representative of Spanish abstract art, Antoni Tapies and the founder members of the El Paso group.

Chin moved to Milan in 1959. While living in Milan, he quickly got involved with a group of avant-garde artists. Chin was friends with other artist such as, Lucio Fontana, Roberto Crippa, Enrico Castellani and Pierre Manzoni. Chin became friends with a gallery owner, Giorgio Marconi, and Chin regularly displayed his work in Marconi's gallery.

Unable to stay in one place for very long, he spent several months in Paris, in 1964. Here he put together an important exhibition at the Galerie Internationale d'art contemporain, 253 rue Saint-Honoré, which was run by Comte Maurice D'Arquain. He then went on to Bâle, Switzerland.

1966, Chin lived in London for six months. At the Signal Gallery he met Paul Keeler. Chin began to change is life and work by adopting the Taoist philosophy. This change in spirituality shows in his Yin and Yang geometric works.

From 1967 to 1973, Chin went to New York with the Italian artist, Giuseppa Pia Pizzo. They married in 1962. The couple had daughter who was born in New York.

In 1980, Chin travled to Mexico, after separating from his wife, where he studied Aztec and Maya art, which he felt were close to Chinese Culture. In 1981, Chin returned to Europe.

Chin exhibited his works all over the world including: Taichung, Peking, Taipei, Darmstadt, Milan, Paris, Taiwan, Beijing, Shanghai, Recanati, Guangdong, and Zhonshan.

Sources Include:
www.sicardgallery.com
www.linlingallery.com

Hsiao Chin was born in Shanghai, China in 1935. He graduated from National Taipei Normal University with Art major in 1954. He studied in Spain in 1956 and later immigrated to Italy. Furthermore, he was taught in many Art Academies in Europe and also America.

After the first solo exhibition in Barcelona Art Museum, he held many solo exhibitions in Italy, Spain, Holland, Russia, and Taipei. Later on, he established the Oriental Art Association that focused on abstract painting. His early work was influenced by post impressionism. Nevertheless, after immigrating to Italy, he abandoned the heavier tones and switched to tranquil color tone that was Chinese scholar’s favor. He interpreted the Oriental philosophy through Western color; furthermore, he allowed the line to bounce on canvas by creating the Zen’s theme with Chinese calligraphy’s cursive style.