√K Contemporary

Statement

To photograph is to frame what is already unfolding before me — capturing phenomena as they are, through my own perspective, along with their time and weight. There is always a clear angle of consciousness involved, and each slight shift in that angle becomes a distinct work. As I continue to take photographs, these fragments of awareness accumulate like layers of sediment. Over time, they begin to form a shape. And when those layers grow vast and deep, my own figure begins to emerge from within them.

A single point becomes a line, the line becomes a surface, and the surface eventually rises up to reveal a presence. I follow this process intuitively, as though tracing a single thread of light, embedding every step into each photograph—one image at a time, in a continuous act of introspection.

What I aim to express in each photo is not only the image itself, but the immense, layered consciousness that lies beneath it.

The work is never fully visible from the beginning. In fact, I always hope it will surpass my limited imagination. This is why I value continuity: to keep making, and never stop. Sometimes, in the midst of this ongoing process, a work begins to take on its own energy—surpassing me, reaching others. Watching it find its way into the hands of someone else feels, perhaps, a bit like raising a child and sending them out into the world.

I believe that every photograph I take reflects myself at a particular moment in life. Everything that appears in the image is, in essence, a part of me.

To photograph is to lay myself bare. Living and creating are inseparably linked. Through the act of creation, the once-separated layers of my awareness and my physical body come together—I feel the certainty of my existence. To question what kind of work I want to create is same as asking what kind of person I want to become.

I believe that what I create will inevitably resonate with a point within someone else—somewhere deep inside. That point of connection gives me strength. It becomes the next thread of light I follow.

——

COMPOSITION =混成 (Konsei / Blending)
To me, composition signifies the blending of time and gaze—of the one who sees, and the one who is seen. In that moment of convergence, “you” and “I” become one. Through photography, I search for a way of being, a way of existing in this world.

The “rawness” I continuously capture in my daily life accumulates slowly, layer by layer, like sediment. And when those layers become vast enough, the mass that emerges is—inevitably, undeniably—feminine, and animalistic.

CV

Currently based in Tokyo, Ruriko Taguchi was born on December 8, 1978 and grew up in Nagoya City of Aichi Prefecture.
She took up photography in 2003 through self-study. After winning the Fuji Photo Salon New Face Prize in the same year, she began working as a photographer.
While working as a photographer in the music and magazine industries, she has consistently produced themed works with women as her subject, regularly showing these with photography exhibitions and publications.
Her key works include: “Keigai Doboku (bare forms)” (2010–), which is a portrait collection of women’s backs; “SCAPE” (2016–), depicting nudes as scenery; “KIYOKO” (2017–),a series of portraits documenting her grandmother; and “CUT OFF” (2020), nude portraits of herself for the first time.
She is a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society and the Japan Stage Photographers Society.

Solo Exhibitions
2024 – OPEN YOUR EYES, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2023 – OUT OF NOISE, COCO-PHOTO SALON (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – SHOW CASE / OUT OF NOISE, Dohjidai Gallery (Kyoto, Japan)
2022 – CUT OFF, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2020 – CUT OFF, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #5, The Conran Shop Shinjuku (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #4, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Nagoya (Aichi, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – MONO SCAPE, EIZO Galleria Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)

Group Exhibitions
2025 – Art Port Takamatsu (Takamatsu, Japan)
2025 – DAWN, AMS Photo Studio (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2024 – 9 colors, 9 stories, Paper Pool (Tokyo, Japan)
2023 – Being, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTO EXHIBITION II, AXIS GALLERY (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – Spring of COVID, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – SELF-PORTRAIT, Jam Photo Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – Womania, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre (Paris, France)
2017 – Fad Fair, The Artcomplex Center (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – 8 Portrait Photographers Exhibition, Olympus Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)

Statement

To photograph is to frame what is already unfolding before me — capturing phenomena as they are, through my own perspective, along with their time and weight. There is always a clear angle of consciousness involved, and each slight shift in that angle becomes a distinct work. As I continue to take photographs, these fragments of awareness accumulate like layers of sediment. Over time, they begin to form a shape. And when those layers grow vast and deep, my own figure begins to emerge from within them.

A single point becomes a line, the line becomes a surface, and the surface eventually rises up to reveal a presence. I follow this process intuitively, as though tracing a single thread of light, embedding every step into each photograph—one image at a time, in a continuous act of introspection.

What I aim to express in each photo is not only the image itself, but the immense, layered consciousness that lies beneath it.

The work is never fully visible from the beginning. In fact, I always hope it will surpass my limited imagination. This is why I value continuity: to keep making, and never stop. Sometimes, in the midst of this ongoing process, a work begins to take on its own energy—surpassing me, reaching others. Watching it find its way into the hands of someone else feels, perhaps, a bit like raising a child and sending them out into the world.

I believe that every photograph I take reflects myself at a particular moment in life. Everything that appears in the image is, in essence, a part of me.

To photograph is to lay myself bare. Living and creating are inseparably linked. Through the act of creation, the once-separated layers of my awareness and my physical body come together—I feel the certainty of my existence. To question what kind of work I want to create is same as asking what kind of person I want to become.

I believe that what I create will inevitably resonate with a point within someone else—somewhere deep inside. That point of connection gives me strength. It becomes the next thread of light I follow.

——

COMPOSITION =混成 (Konsei / Blending)
To me, composition signifies the blending of time and gaze—of the one who sees, and the one who is seen. In that moment of convergence, “you” and “I” become one. Through photography, I search for a way of being, a way of existing in this world.

The “rawness” I continuously capture in my daily life accumulates slowly, layer by layer, like sediment. And when those layers become vast enough, the mass that emerges is—inevitably, undeniably—feminine, and animalistic.

CV

Currently based in Tokyo, Ruriko Taguchi was born on December 8, 1978 and grew up in Nagoya City of Aichi Prefecture.
She took up photography in 2003 through self-study. After winning the Fuji Photo Salon New Face Prize in the same year, she began working as a photographer.
While working as a photographer in the music and magazine industries, she has consistently produced themed works with women as her subject, regularly showing these with photography exhibitions and publications.
Her key works include: “Keigai Doboku (bare forms)” (2010–), which is a portrait collection of women’s backs; “SCAPE” (2016–), depicting nudes as scenery; “KIYOKO” (2017–),a series of portraits documenting her grandmother; and “CUT OFF” (2020), nude portraits of herself for the first time.
She is a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society and the Japan Stage Photographers Society.

Solo Exhibitions
2024 – OPEN YOUR EYES, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2023 – OUT OF NOISE, COCO-PHOTO SALON (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – SHOW CASE / OUT OF NOISE, Dohjidai Gallery (Kyoto, Japan)
2022 – CUT OFF, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2020 – CUT OFF, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #5, The Conran Shop Shinjuku (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #4, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Nagoya (Aichi, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – MONO SCAPE, EIZO Galleria Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)

Group Exhibitions
2025 – Art Port Takamatsu (Takamatsu, Japan)
2025 – DAWN, AMS Photo Studio (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2024 – 9 colors, 9 stories, Paper Pool (Tokyo, Japan)
2023 – Being, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTO EXHIBITION II, AXIS GALLERY (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – Spring of COVID, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – SELF-PORTRAIT, Jam Photo Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – Womania, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre (Paris, France)
2017 – Fad Fair, The Artcomplex Center (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – 8 Portrait Photographers Exhibition, Olympus Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)

Statement

To photograph is to frame what is already unfolding before me — capturing phenomena as they are, through my own perspective, along with their time and weight. There is always a clear angle of consciousness involved, and each slight shift in that angle becomes a distinct work. As I continue to take photographs, these fragments of awareness accumulate like layers of sediment. Over time, they begin to form a shape. And when those layers grow vast and deep, my own figure begins to emerge from within them.

A single point becomes a line, the line becomes a surface, and the surface eventually rises up to reveal a presence. I follow this process intuitively, as though tracing a single thread of light, embedding every step into each photograph—one image at a time, in a continuous act of introspection.

What I aim to express in each photo is not only the image itself, but the immense, layered consciousness that lies beneath it.

The work is never fully visible from the beginning. In fact, I always hope it will surpass my limited imagination. This is why I value continuity: to keep making, and never stop. Sometimes, in the midst of this ongoing process, a work begins to take on its own energy—surpassing me, reaching others. Watching it find its way into the hands of someone else feels, perhaps, a bit like raising a child and sending them out into the world.

I believe that every photograph I take reflects myself at a particular moment in life. Everything that appears in the image is, in essence, a part of me.

To photograph is to lay myself bare. Living and creating are inseparably linked. Through the act of creation, the once-separated layers of my awareness and my physical body come together—I feel the certainty of my existence. To question what kind of work I want to create is same as asking what kind of person I want to become.

I believe that what I create will inevitably resonate with a point within someone else—somewhere deep inside. That point of connection gives me strength. It becomes the next thread of light I follow.

——

COMPOSITION =混成 (Konsei / Blending)
To me, composition signifies the blending of time and gaze—of the one who sees, and the one who is seen. In that moment of convergence, “you” and “I” become one. Through photography, I search for a way of being, a way of existing in this world.

The “rawness” I continuously capture in my daily life accumulates slowly, layer by layer, like sediment. And when those layers become vast enough, the mass that emerges is—inevitably, undeniably—feminine, and animalistic.

CV

Currently based in Tokyo, Ruriko Taguchi was born on December 8, 1978 and grew up in Nagoya City of Aichi Prefecture.
She took up photography in 2003 through self-study. After winning the Fuji Photo Salon New Face Prize in the same year, she began working as a photographer.
While working as a photographer in the music and magazine industries, she has consistently produced themed works with women as her subject, regularly showing these with photography exhibitions and publications.
Her key works include: “Keigai Doboku (bare forms)” (2010–), which is a portrait collection of women’s backs; “SCAPE” (2016–), depicting nudes as scenery; “KIYOKO” (2017–),a series of portraits documenting her grandmother; and “CUT OFF” (2020), nude portraits of herself for the first time.
She is a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society and the Japan Stage Photographers Society.

Solo Exhibitions
2024 – OPEN YOUR EYES, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2023 – OUT OF NOISE, COCO-PHOTO SALON (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – SHOW CASE / OUT OF NOISE, Dohjidai Gallery (Kyoto, Japan)
2022 – CUT OFF, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2020 – CUT OFF, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #5, The Conran Shop Shinjuku (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #4, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Nagoya (Aichi, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – MONO SCAPE, EIZO Galleria Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)

Group Exhibitions
2025 – Art Port Takamatsu (Takamatsu, Japan)
2025 – DAWN, AMS Photo Studio (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2024 – 9 colors, 9 stories, Paper Pool (Tokyo, Japan)
2023 – Being, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTO EXHIBITION II, AXIS GALLERY (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – Spring of COVID, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – SELF-PORTRAIT, Jam Photo Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – Womania, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre (Paris, France)
2017 – Fad Fair, The Artcomplex Center (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – 8 Portrait Photographers Exhibition, Olympus Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)

Born 1992, in Thailand. Sareena Sattapon is a visual artist who is currently completing a PhD in Global Art Practice, at Tokyo University of the Arts.
Sattapon works with various mediums such as performance, installation and
photography. She gets her artistic inspiration from her experiences and ordinary life. Sattapon’s
currently interest in performative spatial dynamics, related to human’s connection and dis-location.
She has had exhibitions internationally: in Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, China,
Indonesia, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, Norway, Sweden and Japan.

Solo Exhibitions
2025 Presented by SAC Gallery at Art Ono 2025, Seoul, Korea
2024 In the realm beyond spectrum, at Contemporary art foundation, Tokyo
Solo exhibition presented by SAC Gallery at Tokyo Gendai 2024, Yokohama, Japan

2021 Until we meet again solo exhibition at Shinokubo UGO, Tokyo
Home sweet home solo exhibition in Open studio
2021 Autumn at Super Studio Kitakagaya, Osaka
2018 Performance Art and solo exhibition at Kvitbrakkra, Berlevag, Norway
It’s not love or lust but loneliness solo exhibition at BUoY, Tokyo, Japan
Where are my japanese husbands? solo exhibition at Yuga gallery, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
Where are my japanese husbands? solo exhibition at Yuga gallery, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan2024
2016 Performance Art at Undisclosed Territory10 in Solo, Indonesia
2014 Performance Art at solo Exhibition at People Gallery BACC

Group Exhibitions
2025 Collaboration presented with Supermade at Art Ono 2025, Seoul, Korea
Yukite Pyu—- Group exhibition at Sonoaida, Tokyo, Japan

2024 Tokyo University of the Arts Doctoral Program Final Exhibition 2024,Tokyo, Japan
Matsudo international science art festival 2024, Chiba, Japan
Meet your are festival 2024, Tokyo, Japan
Kizu slash create at Paichu, Tokyo, Japan
Go for Kogei 2024, Toyama, Japan
Tokyo midtown award 2024 finalists exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
Tsubomi Flower bud at Tokyo Gendai 2024, Yokohama, Japan
Geidai Art plaza Art Award 2024, Platform13, Tokyo, Japan
Baan Noorg Biennial 2024, Ratchaburi, Thailand
Re:Factory_2 Wall alternative, Tokyo, Japan
2023 2023 Acquisitions Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, National art gallery, Bangkok
P.O.N.D. 2023 Group exhibition, Shibuya Parco, Tokyo
Multi-Cross-Impact Group exhibition, Treasure hill artist village, Taipei
Not everything is abstract Group exhibition, Numthong art space, Bangkok
Durational space II exhibition, Lilith Performance Studio, Malmö, Sweden
Inter-Universities student exhibition SDGs X Geidai, Ueno art gallery, Tokyo
2022 Contemporary Art Foundation Award 2022 exhibition, Tokyo
Shibuya Art awards 2022 exhibition, Tokyo
Geisai 2022 online exhibition by Tokyo University of the Arts
2021 Mokyontüser Toaster group exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts
Color Atami by Atami art grant at Shinkadoya, Atami
UGO Summer exhibition at Shinokubo UGO, Tokyo
2020 EARLY YEARS PROJECT #5 20/20 Fluidity of change Group exhibition at BACC, Thailand
ART FUTURE art fair by Formosa Art Fair 2020 Co., Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan
2019 Performance Art in Design Nation 2019 at BACC, MBK Center and One Siam group department stores
Field Trip Project Asia – Thailand group exhibition at BACC, Thailand
2018 Mai pen rai Dai jyuo bu Mei guan xi Group exhibition at PSG Art Gallery, Silpakorn University
Performance Art in It’s personal part III at HardingarT in Utne, Kunsthall 3.14,Kunstgarasjen in Bergen, Norway
Quid Pro Quo pavilion by LIV_ID Collective at Bangrak Bazaar in Bangkok Biennial 2018, Thailand
Performance art in Performance Art Khonkaen 2018, Khonkaen, Thailand
Performance art in Blurborders International performance Art exchange 2018, Thailand
2017 How Thai Group exhibition at PSG art gallery, Nakhonprathom, Thailand
2015 Group exhibition ‘AFFA 2’ at Museum of Contemporary Art, Bangkok
67 richter’ at Art center Silpakorn university
of artists residencies program at Mite-ugro art space Gwangju, Korea
2014 State Of Being : New Videoart From Thailand Exhibition By Opalnest and XXX Gallery Hongkong
2013 Experimental Video Art Exhibition Thai – European By Bundesministeriums für Unterricht, Kunst und Kultur (BMUKK)
Metro-Sapiens : dialogue in the cave Exhibition By Office Of Contemporary Art And Culture, Ministry Of Culture

［Performance］
2018 Collaborative improvisation performance in PAB open session at Festplassen, Bergen,Norway
Performance art in The House of Flowing Reflections by Moom Mong Collective at Eah Seng in Bangkok Biennial 2018, Thailand
2017 Performance Art in It’s personal II: Nothing personal at LongvaandJugendstilsenteret og KUBE Ålesund, Norway
Performance Art in PAErsche Sharing 567h at Gallery Koppelmann, Cologne, Germany
Performance Art in Precise: fine setting°2 at Kunstpavillon, Burgbrohl, Germany
Performance Art at Galeria Labirynt, Lublin, Poland
Performance Art in Days of performance in Lviv 2017, Ukraine
Performance Art in Transart communication 2017 at 4D Gallery, Galanta, Slovakia
Collaborate improvisation performance at Nove zamky, Slovakia
Performance Art in Cooking performance event at Monor, Hungary
Performance Art in Fei xu Action at Tainan, Taiwan
Performance Art in Artist in residency program at Extantation, Chiangmai
Performance Art at Silpakorn University, Sanamchandra Palace campus
Performance Art in Timemaker photo exhibition by Zuzanna Kowalska at Thonglor
Art Space, Bangkok
2016 Performance Art in It’s Personal project at Chiangrai, Chiangmai and Bangkok
Performance Art at Undisclosed Territory10 in Solo, Indonesia
Performance Art at Asiatopia Performance conference S.E. Asia 2016, Thailand
Jai Phan Din Phan Din Jai Group Exhibition at BACC
Performance Art at Party Artist 11 at BACC, Bangkok
Group Performance Art (Un-balance) in Equinox – Same Difference at BACC
Art For All: 1+8=9 Group Exhibition at Ton Tann Art Space and Gallery, Khonkaen
Performance Art at Xi’an International Performance art festival 3, China
Performance Art in Anniversary of Prof.Puey Ungphakorn at BACC, Bangkok
2015 Performance Art at Grand closing party, Speedy Grandchild Bangkok
Performance Art at Future Of Imagination 10 in Singapore
Performance Art at Low fat Art Fest at Pridi Institute, Bangkok
Performance Art at ‘Pray for Nepal’ at The Emquartier, Bangkok
Performance Art at Nan art festival 2015
2014 Performance Art at Asiatopia International Performance Art Festival 2014 BACC
Performance Art at Rattanakosin in Memory Festival By The Treasury Department
Performance at the opening day of Exotika 2013 at Silpakorn University
Performance Art at Rattanakosin in Memory Festival 1th By The Treasury Department
Performance Art in Silpa Bhirasri Day 2013 at Silpakorn University
Awards
2024 Nomura Prize 2024 by Nomura Foundation and Tokyo University of the Arts
Selected for Tokyo Midtown award x Sonoaida artist in residency
program, Japan
Runner up prize and Audience award, Tokyo Midtown Award 2024
2023 Excellence award, Tokyo Geidai Art Fes 2023
Selected by Taipei art village for artist in residency program at Treasure hill, Taipei
Selected prize, Art Gallery Home 21 by Charm Care Corporation
2022 Special prize, Shibuya Art awards 2022
Grand prize, Contemporary Art Foundation Award 2022
Outstanding prize and guest jury prize, Geisai 2022 by Tokyo University of the Arts
2021 Atami Art Grant
Selected artist in residency program by Tra-Travel and Chishima foundation, Osaka
2020 Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho: MEXT) Scholarships
Finalist of EARLY YEARS PROJECT #5 by Millcon
Special prize of 2020 ART FUTURE PRIZE by Formosa Art Fair Co., Ltd
2018 Selected by Kvitbrakkra for artist in residency program in Berlevag, Norway
Selected by Silpakorn university and Tokyo University of The Arts for exchange
program in Tokyo, Japan
2016 Award Winner, Art Forward Found Award 2nd
2014 Scholarship from General Prem Tinnasulanonda Statesman Foundation
Selected by Silpakorn university and Mite-Ugro art space for artist in residency program in Gwangju, Korea
2013 Selected by SPOT ART for Exhibition in Singapore biennale 2013
2009 Special Award, Yuvabadhana Foundation Award 16th
Special Award, Aniversary of Faculty of Fine and Aplied Arts Mahasarakham University
2008 Second Best, Glorify the King Award by Thaicom Foundation
Special Award, Imagination come to Thai literature Award 2nd By Shin Corporation
Selected by Bundit Pattanasilp Institute for Young Art Award 3th
2007 The Best Price, PTT Art award (the Northeast section) 2nd
Education
2025 : Global Art Practice, Tokyo University of the Arts (Ph.D)
2022 : Global Art Practice, Tokyo University of the Arts (Research program)
2018 : Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University (MFA)
2015 : Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University (BFA)

Shiori Horie was born in France in 1992. Following graduation from Tokyo GakugeiUniversity Senior High School in 2010, Horie entered Tama Art University specializing in Nihonga painting, and graduated in 2014. In the same year, she held her inaugural solo exhibition at Kashima Arts and exhibited her works at ART FAIR TOKYO 2015 in a solo presentation by the gallery. In 2015, Horie was awarded the Gotoh Cultural Award, Fine Arts Division, and was nominated for the 6th Kaii Higashiyama Memorial Award for the Nikkei Nihonga Grand Prize. With a grant from the Gotoh Cultural Award, Horie spent one year in Paris in 2016.

Statement

To photograph is to frame what is already unfolding before me — capturing phenomena as they are, through my own perspective, along with their time and weight. There is always a clear angle of consciousness involved, and each slight shift in that angle becomes a distinct work. As I continue to take photographs, these fragments of awareness accumulate like layers of sediment. Over time, they begin to form a shape. And when those layers grow vast and deep, my own figure begins to emerge from within them.

A single point becomes a line, the line becomes a surface, and the surface eventually rises up to reveal a presence. I follow this process intuitively, as though tracing a single thread of light, embedding every step into each photograph—one image at a time, in a continuous act of introspection.

What I aim to express in each photo is not only the image itself, but the immense, layered consciousness that lies beneath it.

The work is never fully visible from the beginning. In fact, I always hope it will surpass my limited imagination. This is why I value continuity: to keep making, and never stop. Sometimes, in the midst of this ongoing process, a work begins to take on its own energy—surpassing me, reaching others. Watching it find its way into the hands of someone else feels, perhaps, a bit like raising a child and sending them out into the world.

I believe that every photograph I take reflects myself at a particular moment in life. Everything that appears in the image is, in essence, a part of me.

To photograph is to lay myself bare. Living and creating are inseparably linked. Through the act of creation, the once-separated layers of my awareness and my physical body come together—I feel the certainty of my existence. To question what kind of work I want to create is same as asking what kind of person I want to become.

I believe that what I create will inevitably resonate with a point within someone else—somewhere deep inside. That point of connection gives me strength. It becomes the next thread of light I follow.

——

COMPOSITION =混成 (Konsei / Blending)
To me, composition signifies the blending of time and gaze—of the one who sees, and the one who is seen. In that moment of convergence, “you” and “I” become one. Through photography, I search for a way of being, a way of existing in this world.

The “rawness” I continuously capture in my daily life accumulates slowly, layer by layer, like sediment. And when those layers become vast enough, the mass that emerges is—inevitably, undeniably—feminine, and animalistic.

CV

Currently based in Tokyo, Ruriko Taguchi was born on December 8, 1978 and grew up in Nagoya City of Aichi Prefecture.
She took up photography in 2003 through self-study. After winning the Fuji Photo Salon New Face Prize in the same year, she began working as a photographer.
While working as a photographer in the music and magazine industries, she has consistently produced themed works with women as her subject, regularly showing these with photography exhibitions and publications.
Her key works include: “Keigai Doboku (bare forms)” (2010–), which is a portrait collection of women’s backs; “SCAPE” (2016–), depicting nudes as scenery; “KIYOKO” (2017–),a series of portraits documenting her grandmother; and “CUT OFF” (2020), nude portraits of herself for the first time.
She is a member of the Japan Professional Photographers Society and the Japan Stage Photographers Society.

Solo Exhibitions
2024 – OPEN YOUR EYES, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2023 – OUT OF NOISE, COCO-PHOTO SALON (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – SHOW CASE / OUT OF NOISE, Dohjidai Gallery (Kyoto, Japan)
2022 – CUT OFF, GALLERY GARAGE (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2020 – CUT OFF, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #5, The Conran Shop Shinjuku (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – SCAPE #4, Imperial Hotel Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Nagoya (Aichi, Japan)
2017 – rhythm, Nikon Plaza Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – MONO SCAPE, EIZO Galleria Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)

Group Exhibitions
2025 – Art Port Takamatsu (Takamatsu, Japan)
2025 – DAWN, AMS Photo Studio (KG＋, Kyoto, Japan)
2024 – 9 colors, 9 stories, Paper Pool (Tokyo, Japan)
2023 – Being, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022 – icon CONTEMPORARY PHOTO EXHIBITION II, AXIS GALLERY (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – Spring of COVID, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2020 – SELF-PORTRAIT, Jam Photo Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 – Womania, FUGENSHA (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – fotofever, Carrousel du Louvre (Paris, France)
2017 – Fad Fair, The Artcomplex Center (Tokyo, Japan)
2017 – 8 Portrait Photographers Exhibition, Olympus Plaza Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)

Working primarily with iron, I create abstract sculptures that evoke drawings in space through original techniques based on gas welding and cutting. By melting iron at temperatures of around 1500°C, I engage with the material’s transformation process, seeking what I call its “formless beauty”—a beauty that emerges not from defined contours, but from the raw, shifting essence of the metal itself.
Since 2015, alongside my sculptural practice, I have also been producing two-dimensional works using Mino washi, a traditional handmade paper from Gifu Prefecture, as a support. These pieces incorporate materials such as iron powder, rust, and pure gold leaf—elements that, like iron, are subject to change over time.
Through my work, I aim to create a space of quiet transience—a realm where opposing qualities such as brilliance and decay, elegance and austerity, coexist and gently dissolve into one another. I am drawn to the subtle beauty of impermanence, and to the poetic tension between what is seen and what is left unseen.

◾️ Solo Exhibitions
2021　 yo ha ku, GALLERY IRIYA (Tokyo, Japan)
2021　 Iron Memory, Lexus Nagara (Gifu, Japan)
2021　 The Iron Drawing, Lights Gallery (Aichi, Japan)
2019　 Toki no Katachi, Tama Art University (Tokyo, Japan)
2018　 Tetsu wo Tokasu, GALLERY IRIYA (Tokyo, Japan)

◾️ Group Exhibitions
2025　「Art Port Takamatsu」Takamatsu Symbol Tower (Kagawa)
2024　「Student Salons 2024」Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York（New York, U.S.A.）
2024　「ART OSAKA 2024」MARUEIDO JAPAN（Osaka）
2024 「Inori no Katachi – Yoshio Ogawa, Yasuko Hirano, Nobuaki Maeda, Mai Kato」Antique Nagano (Tokyo)
2023　 Being – Mom is a Woman -, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022　 KAI Design Exhibition, FOAM CONTEMPORARY, Ginza Tsutaya Books (Tokyo, Japan)
2022　 Amabiki Village and Sculpture 2022, Hachimangu Shrine (Ibaraki, Japan)
2020　 Spring Art Exhibtion, GINZA ATRIUM, Ginza Tsutaya Books (Tokyo, Japan)
2019　 HAIKU-Sculpture 2019, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts (Okinawa, Japan)
2018　 JAA New Members Exhibition, JAA Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 　 The 9th Shoes Box Sculpture Exhibition, National Taiwan University of Arts (Taiwan, Taipei)

◾️ Commission Work
2019　 Lexus Nagara, L.Lounge (Gifu, Japan)

◾️ Commissions
AICHI METAL Co. (Aichi, Japan) / Kai Corporation (Gifu, Japan)/ Lexus Nagara (Gifu, Japan）

◾️Others
2017　Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, Next-Generation Culture Up-and-Coming Artist Development, “Up-and-Coming Artist Development Project in Support of the Artistic Pursuits of People with Disabilities”

Working primarily with iron, I create abstract sculptures that evoke drawings in space through original techniques based on gas welding and cutting. By melting iron at temperatures of around 1500°C, I engage with the material’s transformation process, seeking what I call its “formless beauty”—a beauty that emerges not from defined contours, but from the raw, shifting essence of the metal itself.
Since 2015, alongside my sculptural practice, I have also been producing two-dimensional works using Mino washi, a traditional handmade paper from Gifu Prefecture, as a support. These pieces incorporate materials such as iron powder, rust, and pure gold leaf—elements that, like iron, are subject to change over time.
Through my work, I aim to create a space of quiet transience—a realm where opposing qualities such as brilliance and decay, elegance and austerity, coexist and gently dissolve into one another. I am drawn to the subtle beauty of impermanence, and to the poetic tension between what is seen and what is left unseen.

◾️ Solo Exhibitions
2021　 yo ha ku, GALLERY IRIYA (Tokyo, Japan)
2021　 Iron Memory, Lexus Nagara (Gifu, Japan)
2021　 The Iron Drawing, Lights Gallery (Aichi, Japan)
2019　 Toki no Katachi, Tama Art University (Tokyo, Japan)
2018　 Tetsu wo Tokasu, GALLERY IRIYA (Tokyo, Japan)

◾️ Group Exhibitions
2025　「Art Port Takamatsu」Takamatsu Symbol Tower (Kagawa)
2024　「Student Salons 2024」Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York（New York, U.S.A.）
2024　「ART OSAKA 2024」MARUEIDO JAPAN（Osaka）
2024 「Inori no Katachi – Yoshio Ogawa, Yasuko Hirano, Nobuaki Maeda, Mai Kato」Antique Nagano (Tokyo)
2023　 Being – Mom is a Woman -, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022　 KAI Design Exhibition, FOAM CONTEMPORARY, Ginza Tsutaya Books (Tokyo, Japan)
2022　 Amabiki Village and Sculpture 2022, Hachimangu Shrine (Ibaraki, Japan)
2020　 Spring Art Exhibtion, GINZA ATRIUM, Ginza Tsutaya Books (Tokyo, Japan)
2019　 HAIKU-Sculpture 2019, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts (Okinawa, Japan)
2018　 JAA New Members Exhibition, JAA Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 　 The 9th Shoes Box Sculpture Exhibition, National Taiwan University of Arts (Taiwan, Taipei)

◾️ Commission Work
2019　 Lexus Nagara, L.Lounge (Gifu, Japan)

◾️ Commissions
AICHI METAL Co. (Aichi, Japan) / Kai Corporation (Gifu, Japan)/ Lexus Nagara (Gifu, Japan）

◾️Others
2017　Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, Next-Generation Culture Up-and-Coming Artist Development, “Up-and-Coming Artist Development Project in Support of the Artistic Pursuits of People with Disabilities”

Working primarily with iron, I create abstract sculptures that evoke drawings in space through original techniques based on gas welding and cutting. By melting iron at temperatures of around 1500°C, I engage with the material’s transformation process, seeking what I call its “formless beauty”—a beauty that emerges not from defined contours, but from the raw, shifting essence of the metal itself.
Since 2015, alongside my sculptural practice, I have also been producing two-dimensional works using Mino washi, a traditional handmade paper from Gifu Prefecture, as a support. These pieces incorporate materials such as iron powder, rust, and pure gold leaf—elements that, like iron, are subject to change over time.
Through my work, I aim to create a space of quiet transience—a realm where opposing qualities such as brilliance and decay, elegance and austerity, coexist and gently dissolve into one another. I am drawn to the subtle beauty of impermanence, and to the poetic tension between what is seen and what is left unseen.

◾️ Solo Exhibitions
2021　 yo ha ku, GALLERY IRIYA (Tokyo, Japan)
2021　 Iron Memory, Lexus Nagara (Gifu, Japan)
2021　 The Iron Drawing, Lights Gallery (Aichi, Japan)
2019　 Toki no Katachi, Tama Art University (Tokyo, Japan)
2018　 Tetsu wo Tokasu, GALLERY IRIYA (Tokyo, Japan)

◾️ Group Exhibitions
2025　「Art Port Takamatsu」Takamatsu Symbol Tower (Kagawa)
2024　「Student Salons 2024」Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery, The Art Students League of New York（New York, U.S.A.）
2024　「ART OSAKA 2024」MARUEIDO JAPAN（Osaka）
2024 「Inori no Katachi – Yoshio Ogawa, Yasuko Hirano, Nobuaki Maeda, Mai Kato」Antique Nagano (Tokyo)
2023　 Being – Mom is a Woman -, √K Contemporary (Tokyo, Japan)
2022　 KAI Design Exhibition, FOAM CONTEMPORARY, Ginza Tsutaya Books (Tokyo, Japan)
2022　 Amabiki Village and Sculpture 2022, Hachimangu Shrine (Ibaraki, Japan)
2020　 Spring Art Exhibtion, GINZA ATRIUM, Ginza Tsutaya Books (Tokyo, Japan)
2019　 HAIKU-Sculpture 2019, Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts (Okinawa, Japan)
2018　 JAA New Members Exhibition, JAA Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
2018 　 The 9th Shoes Box Sculpture Exhibition, National Taiwan University of Arts (Taiwan, Taipei)

◾️ Commission Work
2019　 Lexus Nagara, L.Lounge (Gifu, Japan)

◾️ Commissions
AICHI METAL Co. (Aichi, Japan) / Kai Corporation (Gifu, Japan)/ Lexus Nagara (Gifu, Japan）

◾️Others
2017　Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, Next-Generation Culture Up-and-Coming Artist Development, “Up-and-Coming Artist Development Project in Support of the Artistic Pursuits of People with Disabilities”

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Rao Wen-Zhen

In the Mountain・Mother series, I take traditional Eastern landscape painting as a point of departure, integrating the meticulous delicacy of fine-line (Gong-Bi) techniques to reinterpret the imagery of mountains. Through this process, I infuse the work with a feminine perspective and maternal energy. To me, mountains are not merely natural forms or aesthetic subjects—they are spiritual symbols: silent, Serenity, ever-present. They embody the qualities of feminine wisdom and nurturing power.

The capacity of women to embody the maternal is not solely derived from biological sex, but from an inner strength and resilience. This power is not rigid or aggressive, it is soft yet firm, just like water; steady and unshakable, just like mountains. Women often bear burdens in silence, offering care and support from behind the scenes. In doing so, they become a shield for families, communities, and life itself.

I see the mountain as a symbol of the maternal body because of its profound and embracing nature. In my work, the mountain at times resembles a breast, at times a protective chest. It is no longer just a magnificent landscape—it becomes an intimate, nurturing spiritual presence. These mountains carry the tenderness and strength of motherhood, echoing the deep, primordial bond between human beings and the Earth.

The red threads that float like drifting silk through my paintings symbolize umbilical cords, bloodlines, Infinite life cycle connections, and the extension of intention. These delicate lines weave slowly, outlining like a loom’s gentle rhythm—accumulating, structuring, and unfolding with quiet persistence. They steadily build relationships, subtly stitching together the energies of body, emotion, and cosmos. These lines are not merely formal elements, but a kind of ritualistic writing, anchoring the memory of the soul onto silk.

What I seek is a path of transformation through feminine energy—not against, but tolerance, not conquest, but steady receptivity. In a modern society dominated by masculine logic, the rhythms and wisdom of the feminine are often overlooked. Yet I believe it is this gentle and profound force—like the mountain: silent yet present, unshaken yet grounded—that truly nurtures life and nourishes the soul.

Through the Mountain・Mother series, I attempt to return to the connection with the maternal, the Earth, and the inner source. Though this connection may have been forgotten, it has never truly vanished. It quietly persists, waiting for us to once again feel, see, and remember.

________________________________________

Education
● 2000 — M.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — B.F.A., Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
· Bachelorof Fine Arts at Tunghai University

Solo Exhibitions
● 2018 — She — Sculpture & Gouache Exhibition by Peng Kuang-Chun × Rao Wen-Chen, Yinuo Art, Hsinchu, Taiwan
● 2017 — Fragrance of Earth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, National Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — 䊹.纖 — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Le Le Bookstore, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2013 — Colorful Play — Solo Exhibition of Gouache by Rao Wen-Chen, Media Sculpture Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2003 — Mountain‧Mother — Gouache Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Creative Art Gallery, Nei-Li Senior High School, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Dajia Zhongzheng Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Solo Exhibition by Rao Wen-Chen, Art Center, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions (Selected)
● 2024 — The Clamor of Solitude, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2023 — Surging Ink — An International Journey of Quasi-Ink Painting, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2022 — Thousands of Ink Forms — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2022 — Taoyuan Fine Arts Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan City Government, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2021 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2021 — Pan — Post-Trend International Exchange Exhibition, Korea Trust Association, Seoul, Korea
● 2021 — The 3rd International Art and Design Collaborative Exhibition (IADCE), Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
● 2020 — Thousands of Ink Forms — 2020 Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition, Taiwan Arts Education Center, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2020 — Dawn — NEAD Northeast Asia International Exchange Exhibition, W Art Museum, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
● 2020 — Surging Ink — Asia Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2020 — Surging Ink — 2020 Taiwan-Korea Contemporary Ink International Exchange Exhibition, New Taipei Arts Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
● 2017 — Impermanence and the Ineffable — Taiwanese Contemporary Ink Exhibition, No.6 East Street Museum, Hangzhou, China
● 2017 — Gathering — Jing’an Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Shanghai Maritime Culture Center, Shanghai, China
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Art Space Cheng, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2016 — Mist Kingdom — Feminine Context in Contemporary Ink, Global Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2016 — Humanity and Literati — Fusion of Ink and Gouache at Tunghai University, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
● 2012 — 2nd Cross-Strait Nihonga and Gouache Academic Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, Xiamen, China
● 2012 — Splendor of Colors — Cross-Strait Gouache & Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Feminine Language, Essence of Life — Contemporary Gouache Artists of Taiwan, Online Digital Exhibition, Chinyi University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2012 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2010 — Taoyuan Artists Invitational Exhibition, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taoyuan County, Taiwan
● 2009 — 1st Cross-Strait Gouache and Nihonga Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Alumni Exhibition – Gouache Group, Tunghai University Graduate Institute of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Trajectory, Genealogy, Star Map — 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Department of Fine Arts, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2004 — Elite Gouache Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2002 — Between Revival and Innovation — New Horizons in Taiwanese Gouache, Taipei County Cultural Affairs Bureau & Taichung Cultural Center, Taiwan
● 2001 — Flowing Gouache — New Directions in Gouache, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — 10+10=21 Taipei–Taichung Joint Exhibition, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Surface — Tunghai Aesthetic Movement, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Joint Exhibition of NTNU & Tunghai University MFA Students, Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Gouache on Dadu Mountain, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Masculine Voice, Feminine Art — Emerging Artists Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Origins of Gouache in Taichung, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Contemporary Erotic Art Exhibition, Wen-Ying Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1999 — Images of Birth — Joint Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan

Awards
● 2010 — Selected, Kaohsiung Award, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2005 — Selected, New Visions in Taiwanese Art, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2001 — Selected, 18th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 2000 — Grand Prize, Taipei County Art Exhibition (Gouache category), Taipei, Taiwan
● 2000 — Selected, 27th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Artist Grant, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Taiwan
● 1998 — Selected, 16th Kaohsiung Art Exhibition, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
● 1998 — First Prize (Taipei Award), 25th Taipei City Art Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
● 1998 — Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Literary and Artistic Creation Award (Gouache), New Taipei, Taiwan
● 1997 — Chang Ku-Nien Painting Scholarship, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1997 — 1st Prize in Gouache Category, Department of Fine Arts Student Exhibition, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan

Collections
● 2019 — First Light, Great Joy, Red Around the Finger, Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts, Taoyuan, Taiwan
● 2017 — Peach Mountain, National Taiwan Art Bank, Taichung, Taiwan
● 2008 — Swinging Pregnancy, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
● 1988 — Image of Birth, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan