Tseng Chien-Ying: Artist Overview

Tseng Chien-Ying (b. 1987, Nantou; currently based in Taipei) is one of Taiwan's leading contemporary ink artists, renowned for his unique approach to abstract and figurative painting and sculpture. His art blends traditional Chinese ink techniques with modern interpretations, creating visually striking works that explore themes of individual and collective identity, transformation, and the reclamation of cultural narrative traditions. Tseng’s creations, from his serene figurative paintings to his sculptural pieces, offer a fresh take on the past, combining pseudo-classical elements with contemporary flair.

Tseng’s paintings often feature intricate figurative representations, created using traditional mineral pigments and ink, which highlight his mastery of classical Chinese painting techniques. These works depict characters and fables that fuse the old with the new, featuring symbolic figures like a Buddha’s hand, ethereal spirits, or totemic representations with dual faces, inspired by Janus. His abstract landscapes, composed of swirling colors, provide a dynamic backdrop to the expressive and introspective faces of these contemporary figures. Through his use of traditional Chinese materials and motifs, Tseng breathes new life into cultural aesthetics, rendering contemporary subjects within an ancient visual language.

In his sculpture, Tseng Chien-Ying divides his work into two categories: "Silhouette" and "Contour." The "Silhouette" series explores the transformation of two-dimensional linear elements into three-dimensional space, integrating painting concepts into his sculptural pieces. Meanwhile, "Contour" focuses on tactile visuality, with Tseng shaping the contours of clay through direct touch, encouraging viewers to engage with his works both visually and physically. These sculptures invite deeper interaction, transforming the viewer’s perception of form and texture.

Tseng Chien-Ying’s works have been showcased in a variety of solo and group exhibitions across leading galleries and museums. Notable solo exhibitions include 'Skin Depth' (2022) at Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan; 'Cacotopias' (2020) and 'The Daydream of Delusions' (2017) at Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan. Tseng has also participated in significant group exhibitions such as 'Too Loud a Solitude: A Century of Pathfinding for Eastern Gouache Painting' (2024) at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan; 'Vitalis Violentia' (2024) at Podium Gallery, Hong Kong; 'Here, Where, There?' (2024) at Almine Rech, Shanghai, China; 'IMAGRATION' (2023) at Gallery COMMON, Tokyo, Japan; 'Retrograde' (2020) at Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong; 'Subzoology' (2020) at the National Taichung Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan; and 'Spectrosynthesis II' (2019) at BACC, Bangkok, Thailand. In 2017, Tseng was awarded the prestigious Asian Cultural Council fellowship.

Biography
read or download

Tseng Chien-Ying - Biography

Born in 1987 in Nantou, Taiwan
Lives and works in Taipei, Taiwan

Education

2013
MFA, Department of Fine Art, Taipei National University of the Arts

2009
BFA, Department of Fine Art, National Taiwan Normal University

Solo Exhibitions

2025
'Regarding the Mediocrity of Others', Longlati Foundation, Shanghai, China (upcoming)

2022
'Skin Depth', Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan

2020
'Cacotopias', Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2017
'The Daydream of Delusions', Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2013
'The Sketch of Flesh – Tseng Chienying Solo Exhibition', Nanhai gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
'Colgate – Tseng Chienying Solo Exhibition', ME:LIU gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
'The Glory Hole – Tseng Chienying Solo Exhibition', 8and1/2 gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2011
'Iron Virgin – Solo Exhibition Tseng Chienying', Salt Peanut Factory gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2010
'The One Thousand Hand Project: The First One Hundred – Solo Exhibition Tseng Chienying', Arthis gallery, Taichung, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions

2024
'Too Loud a Solitude: A Century of Pathfinding for Eastern Gouache Painting', Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
'VITALIS VIOLENTIA', PODIUM, Hong Kong, China
'Here, Where, There?', Almine Rech, Shanghai, China
'FRAMING CULTURE', Sunway Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan

2023
'Bu Gan Feng Yue', Cans Space, Taipei, Taiwan
'IMAGRATION', Gallery COMMON, Tokyo, Japan
'What’s Old Becomes New Again: Lu Hao-Yuan, Christina Liu, Chang Huei-Ming, and Tseng ChienYing with Hu Bu Tang Collection', Taipei, Taiwan
'Human Desire: The Yang Arts Collection', Yang Arts, Taipei, Taiwan
'Cross', Mind Set Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan

2022
'2022 TDCC Contemporary Arts Award', Our Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
'Symbiosis: Seed 2.0 Art for a Sustainable Future', Haus Salmegg, Rheinfelden, Germany
'Retrograde', Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong, China
'Symbiosis: Seed 2.0 Art for a Sustainable Future', Koganei Art Spot, Tokyo, Japan
'Unruly Clay', Island, Taipei, Taiwan
'Calling Forth Devotion', Chishang Barn Art Museum, Taitung, Taiwan
'Symbiosis: Seed 2.0 Art for a Sustainable Future', Yiyun Art, Taipei, Taiwan
'Life in-betweens: Mongolia and Central Asia, A Contemporary Art Perspective', MTCG. MOC, Taipei, Taiwan
'Since the Prime Meridian Is Met', Moon Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan

2021
'Symbiosis: Seed 2.0 Art for a Sustainable Future', TA3 Gallery, Warsaw, Poland

2020
'2020 Subzoology', National Taichung Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
'New Relics I: Crossing Over', Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan

2019
West Bund Art & Design Fair, West Bund Art Center, Shanghai, China
'A Rebellious Learner – Margins and Collisions of Contemporary Ink Paintings', Art Taipei, Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan
'Spectrosynthesis II', BACC, Bangkok, Thailand
'Reciprocation: The Resonance of the Mind', Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2018
'Once‧Trajectory The special ten-year anniversary exhibition', Taipei World Trade Center, Taiwan

2017
'Memories Interwoven and Overlapped—Post-Martial Law Era Ink Painting', NTMoFA, Taichung, Taiwan

2016
'Inter vs. Trans When ink meet eastern gouache', Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2015
'Dreams Habitations – NTMoFA Young Artist Collection Exhibition', NTMoFA, Taichung, Taiwan
Duo Solo exhibition (Su Huangsheng, Zeng Jianying), H.T. gallery, Beijing, China
Art Taipei 2015, Taipei World Trade Center, Taipei, Taiwan
'Ink‧Color‧A Fine Boundary', Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2014
'Collection and Dialogue – Contemporary Ink Painting', Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
'New overview of Contemporary ink-painting', iP gallery, Hualien, Taiwan
'Very Hazy Ⅱ', VT Salon, Taipei, Taiwan
'A Database of Living Bodies: The Production of Image Variations with Color Ink', Aki Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
'Metamorphosis and Regeneration', Da Xiang Art Space, Taichung, Taiwan

2013
'Very Hazy', A Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
Tseng Chienying/Wang Hsindao Exhibition, Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
'Ink Painting Online – Next Generation Joint Exhibition', Red Gold Fine Art, Taipei, Taiwan

2012
'Mimicry,' Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan
'Young Art Taipei', Sheraton Grande Taipei Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan
'Ink Painting Today – Tseng Chienying/Hung Mingyu', Arthis Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan

2011
'Parallel Universe', Nanhai gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
'Ink Painting Gruel', TNUA South and North Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
'The Haunting Color – the New Face Gouache Painting', TONGHAI Art Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
2011 Kaohsiung Awards, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
'The Elder from Far Away – Tonight We Become Your Believer', TNUA Underground Museum of Arts, Taipei, Taiwan
'Young Art Taipei', Sunworld Dynasty Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan

2010
'The Corner of Life: Color Ink Painting of New Four Young Artists', Galerie Pierre, Taichung, Taiwan

2009
Kaohsiung Awards, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Awards

2020
Shopping Design Award 2020 Best 100
Golden Melody Awards

2017
Asian Cultural Council – Fellowship Recipients

2015
Art Taipei 2014 – Young Artist Discovery

2012
S-An Cultural Foundation, Visual Arts Sponsor Young Art Taipei, Young Art Award

2011
Kaohsiung Award Ink Painting Classes Excellent Work Awards

2010
Ink Painting Biennial, Excellent Work Awards

2009
Kaohsiung Award Ink Painting Selected Awards

Residencies

2020
Chishang Art Center, Taitung

Public Collections

National Taichung Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney, Australia
National Taichung Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
NTNU, Taipei, Taiwan

Selected artworks

Tseng Chien-Ying 面壁 The wallflower, 2024

Ink and colors on paper, mineral pigments
113 x 77.5 cm
44 x 30 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 斜阳 Twilight, 2022

Ink and colors on paper, mineral pigments, gold foil
137 x 95 cm
54 x 37 1/2 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 夢露 Dream a Little Dream, 2022

Ink and colors on paper, mineral pigments
108 x 78 cm
42 x 30 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 珍宝 Precious, 2022

Ink and colors on paper, mineral pigments, gold foil, silver foil, cooper foil, sulphide silver leaves
100 x 90 cm
39 1/4 x 35 1/2 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 胭脂 Blush, 2022

Ink and colors on paper, mineral pigments
125 x 125 cm
49 1/4 x 49 1/4 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 黑巧 Contour #2, 2024

Ceramics
7.5 x 15 x 33 cm
3 x 6 x 13 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 青豆 Silhouette #3, 2024

Ceramics
10 x 20 x 19 cm
4 x 8 x 7 in
Tseng Chien-Ying 悠閒 Couch Chocolate, 2022

Ink and colors on paper, mineral pigments
80 x 162 cm
31 1/2 x 64 in