Description/
This painting became Chen Cheng-po's second entry into the Imperial Art Exhibition (Teiten) when it was selected for its 8th edition in 1927. The composition comprises three circular plant beds arranged in a deliberate fashion. The dense foliage of the fenced trees radiates with intense vigor. The artist makes a bold attempt by erecting an electric pole in the dead center of the painting. It exceeds the trees in height and extends to the top of the painting, disrupting the stable and rhythmic composition. A mother holding a parasol and her child lead the viewer's sightline toward the building in the back, which is Chiayi Public Hall. Besides fulfilling the function of an arts and cultural center as a venue for frequent exhibitions on paintings and calligraphy, the hall was also an important public space for daily activities and entertainment. It was chronicled that Chen held an exhibition here in July and December of 1927 (the former a solo between 1927.7.8-7.10 and the latter a joint exhibition with Lin Yu-shan). Thus, it may be said that Chen had a fairly close connection with the place, which also became the subject of his work. In this piece, the flat color application of the ocher ground gleams in sharp contrast with the cool shade under the overgrown foliage of the three trees. The artist successfully conveys a hot and quiet afternoon under Southern Taiwan's searing sun with his brushwork and color palette.
Bibliography/
- Chuanying Yen, The Complete Collection of Taiwanese Art 1: Chen Cheng-Po (Taipei City: Artist Publishing, 1992), 230.
- Huiyuan Lin, “Historical Observation of the Development of Arts and Culture in Chiayi” (Master's thesis, Department of Architecture, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, 2003), 35-53.
- Yuchun Lin, "The Real Scenes and Images Utopia in Chen Cheng-Po's Journey of Life," in Journey through Jiangnan: A Pivotal Moment in Chen Cheng-Po's Artistic Quest, ed. Yuchun Lin et al. (Taipei City: Taipei Fine Arts Museum, 2012), 6-14.
- Hanni Chiu, "Homeland Consciousness and Identity Politics in Chen Cheng-Po’s Paintings: A Study of his Three works, Outside of a Chiayi Street (1926), Street Scene on a Summer Day (1927), Chiayi Park (1937)," Taida Journal of Art History 33 (2012.09): 271-342.
Street Scene on a Summer Day
1927
Materials & Techniques：Oil on canvas
Dimension：79x98 cm
Collection of Taipei Fine Arts Museum
Location:Near the Chiaiy Public Hall (now located near Guohua St. and Chungshan Rd. intersection, Chiayi City, Taiwan)
