Mindscapes and Appearances: International Contemporary Painting Special Exhibition (心象外相：國際當代繪畫特展)

The birth of oil painting techniques can be traced back to Europe before the 13th century: Belgian artist Jan Van Eyck (1390–1441) of the Northern Renaissance is hailed as one of the inventors of oil painting and was dedicated to perfecting and refining the technique. Since then, oil has become one of the most important artistic vocabularies for Western painters; however, because mastering oil painting techniques is quite difficult and production costs are high, acrylic paint gradually became a more popular alternative medium starting from the 20th century.

Contemporary traditional painting techniques, regardless of the medium being oil, acrylic, or watercolor, face challenges from photography and mixed media, and are further threatened and impacted by computer design programs and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Can photography surpass painting's realistic depiction of objects? Can AI completely replace painting techniques and human creativity? This exhibition does not provide answers but seeks to open a dialogue about art and technology, humanity and medium. We invite viewers to stop and stare, savoring the techniques and content contained in the works of this exhibition.

"Mindscapes and Appearances" is jointly curated by the Juming Museum (朱銘美術館) and Asia Art Center, inviting 16 artists from the United States, United Kingdom, Israel, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan to participate. Artists use oil, acrylic, or mixed media to delicately depict concrete objects and abstract emotions through the vocabulary of painting, demonstrating the diverse styles and abundant energy of contemporary painting expression. The curatorial team has divided the diverse themed works into four exhibition areas: "Sensory Life," "Cultural/Social Reflection," "Memory Swirl," and "Blurred Dreams." Some artists' creations have multiple layers and metaphors; the classification is only to help viewers enter the context of the works rather than limiting the possibilities of artistic expression. Through artists from different cultures, races, genders, and ages, "Mindscapes and Appearances" hopes to convey the universality of human emotions and open a new understanding of art and humanity.