Public Reception for From Past to Present: Watercolor Paintings by Chemin Hsiao

“From Past to Present: Watercolor Paintings by Chemin Hsiao” is a series of new watercolor paintings made from observations of photos, printed materials, and still image from videos. The selection of those reference images were based on the artist’s personal connections with the images, whether its history relates to his culture background from Taiwan (or Asia/USA in general, reflecting where he resided), or directly links to memories to his family from the past and the present.

This new work series marks a major transition from different eras of Hsiao’s watercolor painting practice. Before 2020, his artwork mostly involved paintings from life, for instance, painting inspired by the nature within botanical gardens or residencies. As the world was affected by the pandemic, his practice slowly shifted toward creating within a confined space, such as his studio. He began to work more from photographs or references found online or taken by himself via camera.

Between 2020~2022, the painting series “New Phase” which involved the symbol of mask, marked as the first series he didn’t directly work from life. Some of those paintings are also displayed in this exhibition.

Chemin Hsiao was recognized with a New Work Grant for “From Past to Present”, which will bring his new watercolor paintings to the Flushing Town Hall and its community in Queens from 9/16~10/01. The public reception will be scheduled on Saturday, 9/23, 4:30~6:30pm with the artist walk-through of the exhibition at 5:30pm. Right before the public reception, the artist will host a drop-in painting workshop for the public to experience watercolor painting onsite at 2:30~4:30pm.