The Picture of Bear Riding

作品賞析

HUANG Hsu-Chen’s The Picture of Bear Riding includes elements inspired by Zhao Mengfu’s Painting of a Rider set against a background of mountain ranges inspired by Kangxi’s Map of Taiwan. Some elements were replaced as well. For example, a panda shaped rocking horse atop a golden patch shaped like Taiwan replaced the original mount, while the rider became the Formosan Black Bear, depicted in a brave pose set against a traditional Chinese painting backdrop. This assemblage conveys cultural contradiction, harmonization, and reinvigoration that took place during Taiwan’s history. The empty speech bubble at the upper right of the painting conveys the lack of a unified voice after the colonial era. By using meaningful historical and cultural symbols, HUANG Hsu-Chen successfully recreated the imagination of Taiwan sovereignty.