Hsia Yan

Hsia Yang (Chinese: 夏陽, born 1932), born as Hsia Tsu-hsiang (夏祖湘), is a contemporary Taiwanese visual artist from Xiangxiang, Hunan. Renowned for his proficiency in "photorealism" painting, he is also known for the distinctive "Fuzzy People Series" (毛毛人系列) characterized by abstract expressionism.

Life

Early life Born in 1932 into a scholarly family in Xiangxiang, Hunan, Hsia Yang faced the loss of both parents during his early childhood and was raised by his grandmother. After the Second Sino-Japanese War, he attended various institutions, including the private Zhongying Middle School (私立鐘英中學) in Nanjing, the Wesleyan Church school (教會學校衛斯理堂), and the Nanjing Municipal Teachers College's abbreviated teaching program (南京市立師範學校簡師科). During his academic years, Hsia Yang discovered his passion for painting portraits, a preference that would significantly influence his later works, which predominantly depict human figures. After graduating from the Nanjing Municipal Teachers College (南京市立師範學校), he enlisted in the military to secure a stable livelihood. In 1949, following the retreat of the Nationalist government to Taiwan, he was assigned to institutions such as the Military Academy in Kaohsiung and the Air Force Headquarters in Taipei, serving until his discharge in 1959.

In the 1950s, with the assistance of his military comrade Shang Yongmao (尚永茂), Hsia Yang, along with Wu Hao and Ouyang Wenyuan (歐陽文苑), created artworks in an air-raid shelter on LongChiang Street (龍江街). This activity allowed them to interact with figures in the art scene, leading to the acquaintance of individuals such as Chang Yi-hsiung (張義雄), Xiao Qin (蕭勤), Yang Yuyu (楊英風), Shiy De-jinn (席德進), and Huo Gang (霍剛). During this period, Hsia Yang was influenced by abstract expressionism and monochromatism. His artistic style shifted from "Neoclassicism" to "Abstract Expressionism," with works such as "Painting 59" (1959) and "Painting 6136-AZ" (1961). Cai Wenting (蔡文婷) mentioned in the book "For Art, Wandering Through Life: Hsia Yang and His ' Furry People '" that the " Furry People " figures are depicted with trembling and chaotic lines, suggesting a sense of alienation in modern life and reflecting Hsia Yang's loneliness as a foreigner. The themes of the Furry People series in Paris were often inspired by Hsia Yang's life experience and observation, as seen in works like "Indoor" (室內, 1966) depicting indifferent interpersonal relationships, and the fantastical cityscape in "Beauty Pageant" (選美, 1968). Until the late 1980s, Hsia Yang created his only interior Photorealistic work, featuring Ivan Karp, the owner of the O.K. Harris Gallery, marking the conclusion of his Photorealistic period.

Art Market Hsia Yang's photorealistic works have been particularly well received in the art market. "Walking Man #1" (行走的人#1) was sold for 575,000 NTD at the 2003 Ching Shing Lou Autumn Auction. "City Bird" (都市之鳥) achieved a transaction of 1,770,000 NTD at the 2010 Ching Shing Lou Spring Auction, while "Edison Electric – New York" (愛迪生電工–紐約) reached a high price of 1,920,000 NTD at the 2019 Taipei Spring Auction hosted by Lofty. Additionally, Hsia Yang's "Mao Mao Ren" series has also performed well in the market. For instance, "Five Elements Eight Trigrams" (五行八卦) sold for 236,000 NTD at the 2008 Golden Times Taipei Spring Auction, and "Living Room," (客廳) created during his time in Paris, fetched 495,600 HKD at the 2019 Christie's Spring Auction.