Yim Maukun

Yim Maukun (冉茂芹, b. 1942, also known as "Ran Mao-qin" in Mandarin) is a Chinese artist, educator, and author, best known for his portraiture, nudes, historical/narrative works, and plein air landscapes. He works with a range of media, including oil painting, charcoal, ink, watercolor, and pastels. As part of his exhibits, Yim's work has been shown at two of the most important and prestigious museums in Taiwan, the Kaoshiung Chiang Kai-shek Cultural Center and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei (where he is also part of the permanent collection); he has been featured in dozens of publications, including Rachel Robin Wolf's recent Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing series published by North Light Books) and several of the more prominent art magazines and daily newspapers in China and Taiwan. Yim's instructional painting series has appeared on the Taiwanese networks China TV and Beautiful Life Television.

Early life through the Cultural Revolution

Yim was born during World War II in Changde, Xiangxi, in Hunan province in south central China. Hunan had been invaded by the Japanese during the war, first in 1939 but only successfully in 1945 near the end of the conflict. As Mao Zedong's native province, Hunan had long been an active Communist area, including the site of a short-lived soviet in the early 1930s, but both sides of Yim's family consisted of members of the educated, property-owning (if not wealthy) class. Beyond that, Yim's father (Ran Peng 冉鵬) was a prominent official in the Nationalist government, as head of finance and transportation.

Upon Mao's revolutionary victory at the end of 1949/early 1950, Ran Peng left the country to join the exile government of Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi) in Taiwan, leaving his wife and children behind in Hunan. According to the accounts, he did so still hoping to provide for them or to even soon bring them to the island, but this proved impossible (although for many years he was able to send letters and money to his wife through go-betweens in Hong Kong). Ran became head of the Department of Commerce under Chiang and was later general manager of the Hsinchu Glass Corporation and legal counsel to the government's Ministry of Economic Affairs. Yim would not see his father again.

Yim attended the Affiliated High School of the Guangzhou (Canton) Academy of Fine Arts and then the Academy itself, graduating in 1963. Because of his background as a member of one of the so-called "black classes", he had only been barely accepted as a student in the Affiliated School following the intervention of the Dean, Hu Yichuan; in fact, one of the "crimes" Hu would later be charged with during the Cultural Revolution was admitting Yim into the school. [For more on Hu Yichuan, see Julia F. Andrews, Painters and Politics in the People's Republic of China, 1949-1979 (University of California Press, 1995). ]

While at the Arts academy, Yim was compelled to focus on "craft art", in his case specifically theater design. a subject he would return to in later works. which generated positive attention from the city's newspapers and television stations. Lee Teng-hui, then Vice-President of Taiwan (and who would become President in 1988) saw the event on TV, was impressed and attended the exhibition that followed. All in all the demonstration proved to be a major boost to Yim's career, leading to a number of published works, including covers for Crown Magazine and the Far Eastern Economic Review that same year, and further portrait commissions of other prominent individuals from Taiwanese society. Yim's partnership with the Apollo gallery would continue into the 1990s, and Lee Teng-hui would remain one of his avid collectors and patrons. The Apollo demonstration was clearly a turning point in Yim's life as a professional artist.

The major works from these Taiwan years—all oil paintings—include Evening Spring Rain in Taipei (1990); Reaching Shore (Taiwan Forefather Series) (1995); Crossing the Stormy Strait (Taiwan Forefather Series) (1996); Mackay Practicing Medicine (1996); Autumn Harvest on the Plateau (1997); The Death of Concubine Yang (1999); Lady in Shimmering Light (2002); Alishan Forest (2002); Lady in Green (2003); Sakura (2005); Tanya (2006); Westside Evening (2010); Xuan Zang (2011); and Emperor Guangxu and Consort Zhen (2015).

Travel

By 1988 Yim had moved to Taiwan permanently and his family would join him the following year. It was a prosperous time both for the island and for Yim as an artist, and this enabled travel to become a major element of his work and his lifestyle. The ensuing years would feature painting trips not only to Europe but throughout mainland China, New Zealand, the United States, and Japan, with remarkable output (sixty paintings during his 1990 trip to Western Europe alone) and exhibitions resulting from that work. He led a successful tour of twenty Taiwan art students to Russia in 2001. A 2009 workshop tour in the U.S. included the Scottsdale Artists' School (Arizona), Studio 2nd Street in Encinitas, CA, and the Steve Carpenter Art Center of Rochester, New York. One of his more recent overseas workshops was in Shenzhen, China, in 2014.

Educator

Since his move to Taiwan, Yim's popularity as a teacher has grown and drawn him into more formal settings, along with continued studio instruction. From 1993-1996 he taught classes at the National Studio for the advanced art major students from the National Taiwan Normal University and Cultural University, and would also serve as Visiting Professor at Hunan Normal University of Arts and Science in 1997, Overseas Artist for the Guangdong Academy of Fine Arts,

When Yim conducted two demonstrations and workshops at Fu Hsing Kang College on drawing and oil painting portraits in 2010, these sessions were recorded as instructional videos for students. His instruction and step-by-step details about his process as an artist can also be found in the 13-DVD set, Oil Painting with Mau-Kun Yim (2011) Yim is also known for his portraits of average people, be they indigenous Taiwanese or Tibetans, rural boatmen in Xiangxi, young art students, or random European hostelers traveling through Taiwan or Hong Kong.

Historical and narrative works of note

Crossing the Stormy Strait (1996) and Reaching Shore (1995) portray dramatic scenes from the history of the Chinese settlement of Taiwan. In Crossing, it is the struggle of immigrants from Fujian to defy an imperial decree by the Qing government and brave the fierce waters of the Taiwan strait; Reaching Shore is then the weary relief and hopeful excitement of first stepping foot on the island, something Yim himself related to as a native mainlander who moved to Taiwan in his forties. The paintings show the heroism of these otherwise ordinary individuals who would become the founding fathers and mothers of Taiwan.

The Death of Concubine Yang (1999), which took ten years to complete, The episode is a famous (or infamous) one in the history of China and has been frequently dramatized in Chinese literature, opera, television, and film. Yim's painting was published in International Artist Magazine in its August/September 2004 issue.

Mackay and the Children of Tamshui (1994) and Mackay Practicing Medicine (1995) feature George Leslie Mackay (1844-1901), an important Canadian missionary—and licensed dentist—in Taiwan. Apart from his proselytizing and teeth-pulling, Mackay also opened hospitals and schools, mastered the language, married a Chinese woman, and was ultimately buried in Taiwan. In Mackay Practicing Medicine, the dentist is seen plying his trade (presumably without anesthetic for the patient) while lamplight illuminates the concerned faces of the local Taiwanese onlookers. Li Ao later wrote an essay in tribute of the piece, calling it "tremendous . . . a fitting painting for a great man." For Yim, the relationship of the colors takes precedence over the form, with results that transcend realism but, importantly, never lose their grounding in reality. Yim does not speak in terms of "rules" for oil painting but instead the guiding principles that can be followed in many different ways. and watercolor painting (along with a smattering of sculpture), but as an oil painter he is effectively self-taught. ) instead of the obsessive attempt to communicate every last detail.

Critical reception and reviews

The United Daily newspaper referred to the Taiwan crossing paintings as "a joy to view." In the January 2006 issue of The Artist's Magazine, which featured Yim's Lady in Shimmering Light as its cover, Yim's painting is described as a "stunning work" which has a "classic quality that crosses geographic and cultural boundaries." Liang Jiang—former Deputy Director of the National Art Museum of China and former Director of the Art Institute of China Army Academy—in the essay "True to Himself" for Taiwan's Arts and Literature Daily celebrates at length Yim's still lifes, landscapes, as well as Crossing the Stormy Strait and Reaching Shore. In the words of Canadian painter and sculptor Paul Brunelle, Yim's approaches are "masterful, refined, insightful...his is the degree of mastery that I strive for." American painter Damian Goidoch describes Yim's style as "masterful, subtle, knowledgeable, personal, expressive, beautiful", further stating that "Perhaps the most striking element to Master Yim's painting and drawing is the use of light, which infuses his art with a sense of hopefulness; a feeling of lightness and emotional connection with the subject. This connection is magnified when color is present, and Master Yim's understanding of color in its tactile use and symbolic relationship embody his subjects with a welcoming aura that allows the viewer to approach his work without inhibition. . . . Mau-Kun Yim is one of the finest figure drawing and painting artists working today. Every drawing is a complete lesson in itself and one can learn all there is about drawing."

Publications

By Yim Mau-kun: Paintings by Mau-Kun Yim (Catalog), Hong Kong, 1985 Landscape Paintings of Southern Taiwan (Catalog), Taiwan, 1988 Landscape Paintings of Hunan (Central China) (Catalog), Taiwan, 1989 The Splendor of Taiwan (Catalog), Taiwan, 1990 Landscape Paintings of France (Catalog), Taiwan, 1991 Dreams from Afar, Crown Publishing, Taiwan, 1991 Landscape Paintings of New Zealand (Catalog), Taiwan, 1994 In Retrospect: A Review of Paintings from 1991-1993 (Catalog), Taiwan, 1994 Drawings by Mau-Kun Yim (Self-publish), Taiwan, 1994 "History's Promise", United Daily, Taiwan, 1995 Taiwan Forefathers Series I: Arriving at the Shore (Catalog), Taiwan, 1995 Taiwan Forefathers Series II: Crossing the Taiwan Strait (Catalog), Taiwan, 1996 "Crossing Taiwan Strait", United Daily, Taiwan, 1996 A Journey to Northwest China (Painting diary, Self-published), Taiwan, 1998 Drawings by Mau-Kun Yim, 2nd Edition (Self-published), Taiwan, 2000 "Realism and Foundation Training", Art Magazine, China, 2001 Drawings by Mau-Kun Yim, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2003 Memories of Europe, Hunan Fine Art Publishing, China, 2003 "A Language of Color", International Artist 38, August/September 2004 How to Draw the Head, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2005 Drawing with Mau-Kun Yim, DVD Series, Haosheng Fine Arts, Taiwan, 2006 A New Language of Drawing, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2007 The Pastel Journal, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2007 Strokes of Genius, pp. 30–31, North Light/IMPACT Books, U.S., 2007 A Tale of Small Paintings, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2008 The Process of Drawing, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2009 Mini-landscape Paintings, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2010 Mau-Kun Yim, 100 Years of Taiwan Artists, Cedar Life Ltd., 2010 Oil Painting with Yim Mau-Kun, Ever Ode Arts Communication, Taipei, 2011 "Chen Yifei and me", Changde Evening Daily, China, 2011 Drawing Handbook, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2012 "The Ideal of Drawing", Language of Art Magazine, Hong Kong, 2012 Sketching Handbook, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2013 Landscape Handbook, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2014 Strokes of Genius, North Light/IMPACT Books, U.S., 2015 Drawings by Contemporary Masters, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2015 A Retrospective – The Art of Mau-Kun Yim, Guangxi Fine Art Publishing, China, 2016 A Classical Guide to How to Draw the Head, North Light, U.S., 2016 Lessons in Masterful Portrait Drawing: A Classical Approach to Drawing the Head, North Light, U.S., 2017 About Yim Mau-kun: Hao Hejun 郝鶴君, "Nuwa Mending the Sky [女媧補天]" Art Gallery (Journal of the Guangdong Artists' Association) 廣東美術家協會刊物「畫廊」創刊期, China, 1979 Hong Wen-ching 洪文慶, "Yim Mau-kun - The Touching Recreation of Historical Scenes [冉茂芹 － 再現歷史現場的動感]", in 100 Years, Taiwan Artists 台灣名家美術, 2010 Huang Pu Zhi-hua, "The Singer of Life: a Poet of Nature", August 2009, reprinted in the booklet for Oil Painting with Yim Mau-Kun, Ever Ode Arts Communication, Taipei, 2011 Li Ao 李敖, "From Mackay Practicing Medicine to Andrew T. Huang [從馬偕行醫圖到黃達夫]", Yancheng Evening News [supplement] 羊城晚報, April 29, 2010 Liang Jiang 梁江, "True to Himself [恪守真誠]", Arts and Literature Daily 文藝報, China, March 6, 1997 Li Mei-ling 李梅齡, "Portraits of Lee Tung-hui and Lee Huan by Hong Kong Artist Yim Mau-kun [主標：香港畫家冉茂芹筆下的雙李神態， 副標：李總統高大健康不怒而威、李揆笑容可掬精神矍鑠]", China Times 中國時報, Taiwan, January 5, 1990 Liu Yue-si 劉悅姒, "Yim Mau-Kun's Art and Paintings [冉茂芹的繪畫藝術]", Sun Yet-Sen Memorial Journal 台北「國父紀念館」館刊第 Taiwan, Vol. 9, May 2002 Lin Wen, "Yim Maukun: Teacher of Realist Painting and Beyond." Qian Hai-yuan 錢海源, "Interpreting Yim Mau-Kun and His Art [解讀冉茂芹和他的油畫藝術", Art in China 藝術中國, China, Vol. 7, 2009 Shen Meihua 沈美華, "Yim Mau-kun - Pure Art through Drawing [冉茂芹 － 用素描表達藝術的純度]" Youth Daily 青年日報, China, 2014 Steve Smith, "Language Without Words", The Artist's Magazine, January 2006 Coverage on "Taiwan Forefathers" series and research and painting process by Guangzhou Evening Daily, 1995 Teoh Yi Chie, Book Review of Contemporary Drawing Series: Drawing Handbook, September 2012 Xie Minchang 謝明錩, "A Joy to View Arriving Shore of Taiwan Forefather Series [喜見先民渡海 – 抵岸]", United Daily' 聯合報,' Taiwan, 1995 Xu Xing 許行, "Portrait Artist Yim Mau-Kun [肖像畫家冉茂芹]", The Young Companion of Hong Kong' 良友雜誌,' May 1985 Coverage of Yim Mau-Kun's award in the International Salon, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, in Guangzhou Evening Daily, China, July 30, 2005 "Yim Mau-Kun's Homecoming Painting Trip [冉茂芹畫游故鄉]", Hunan Art Newspaper 湖南畫報, China, 1989 (2:141) Yi Xing 益行, "Yim Mau-Kun's Realism and Romanticism [寫實浪漫冉茂芹]", Xin Bao Daily 香港《信報》副刊《讀畫》, Hong Kong, 2014

Published artwork Featured Artwork, Ming Pao Monthly, Hong Kong, 1979 "Nu Wa" published in Hong Kong's Ming Pao Monthly, 1980 "Quiet Girl", Yangcheng Evening News, China "Sunset", "Jufen", "Night Life", and "Confident" published in Hong Kong City Monthly, 1984 "Lady in Red" published on Guangdong Arts and Literature magazine cover, China, 1986 "Warrior Song" published in Guangdong Arts and Literature magazine and Guangzhou Art Academics, China, 1987 "University Student" and "Girl in White", cover of Crown Magazine, November 1987 "Orchid Valley" published on the cover of Crown Monthly, Taiwan, May, 1990 "Pamila Peck Wan Kam" published in Independent Daily, Taiwan, 1991 "Portrait of Zhao Ziyang", published on the cover of Far Eastern Economic Review, 1987 "Art Student" published in Open Magazine, Hong Kong, 1994 "Herds in the Moonlight" published in Artist Magazine, Taiwan, 1994 "Crossing the Stormy Strait" published in the Art Magazine in Beijing, China, 1997 "Deep Autumn" and "Tonight" published in Guangzhou Evening Daily, China, 1997 "Sakura" published in Independent Daily, Taiwan, 2004 "Lady in Green" and "Death of Concubine Yang", International Artist Magazine, August/September, 2004. "Bronze Bracelet" published in International Artist magazine, U.S., 2005 "Lady in Shimmering Light" published in Guangzhou Art Academics, China, 2005 "Lady in Shimmering Light" and coverage of The Artist's Magazine cover award published in United Daily, Taiwan, 2006 "Crossing the Stormy Strait" published in Overseas Chinese Weekly, U.S., 2006 Art work featured in Xijiang Moon Journal of Zhaoqing Artists' Association of Guangdong, China, 2011 Art work published in Zhaoqing Culture Bimonthly, China, 2014 Portrait of Taiwan's former president Ma Ying Jiu's parents published in United Evening Daily, Taiwan, 2014 "Honeydew and Plum" published in Art Magazine of Beijing, China, 2015 Television appearances and YouTube clips: "Drawing DVD on Air", Art Live program, China TV, January 27-February 2007 [series]. Oil Painting, Beautiful Life Television, Taiwan, December 6-December 27, 2013 [series]. Demo How to Paint Still Life in oil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNKQVEB9W_s Demo How to Paint Still Life in oil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWaAMd4mrDU Demo How to Paint Plein Air Landscapes in oil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8qfoW15aQk Portrait Painting with Mau-Kun Yim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnGYZ8h_oTw