No matter what perspective is taken to look at 2010, it is a year defined by great shock. The environment is undergoing massive upheaval, with a changing global climate and constant natural disasters in the forms of earthquakes and floods. The fate of the world economy is in the hands of a powerful few and at anytime, ordinary people can easily find themselves in the situation of uncertainty and instability. In this type of era, feelings of hopelessness and frustration are commonplace in our daily survival. However, art is becoming increasingly pure. To me it is no longer a medium for self-cultivation or the extension of our culture development. The privilege of “just doing it” is enough to make me feel blessed.

The main direction of recent works is a continuation of a long-focused topic – how “Entirety” can open up even more possibilities in contemporary painting. In this exhibition, in addition to continuing the content of 2007’s description "Unconventional Strokes" (refer to http://www.itpark.com.tw/exhibition/data/36), I would also like to extend the discussion on the point, “The Brush Follows the Intentions ,” found within traditional painting. Because my composition starts to expand slowly from the first stroke, there were no images set in my mind, only that which started to continuously expand, change and integrate. The work’s size was not predetermined, only following the image’s “Overall” progress of the evolution of image. This is completely different from the “The Brush Follows the Intentions” and “View in Heart” approaches. To me, the important part is not to deny anything, but to open up more possibility. In relation to the various definite forms found within traditional painting’s “texture strokes," each has its unique merit and function, but all has to obey a set of rules. Even the attempt of Huang Bing Hong's "Strokes in fragment" and "Strokes in change" is still merely a strive towards the loosening of the rules of the "Stroke."

This time, in my latest work, "Verdant Gay"(蒼潤華滋), I use a large area to discuss "fragmentary Strokes, changing Strokes," but implement with collage of cut-out stroke pieces. Energy and tension reside within the different strokes, fluctuating with each change. "The different fragments are united by their energies," though not accomplished using traditional texture strokes, the same effects and results are achieved.

The above views were generated after the work was completed, in quiet contemplation while I distanced myself objectively from the piece. After organizing the analysis of the experience, I hope to share with all of you my progress over the past few years. (Emily Shih-Chih Yang 2010)