The Opening Ceremony of Wen-Chun Tang Indigo Dyeing Exhibition - ‘Taiwan Indigo Blue’ Blossoms in the Southern Hemisphere
On the 29th of October 2022, Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery 1 New Zealand organised the Opening Ceremony of The Language of Flowers – Wen-Chun Tang Indigo Dyeing Exhibition. The Curator, Abbess Manshin; Director of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Auckland, Ms Kendra Chen; Howick District Councillor, Ms Adele White and New Zealand Police Senior Sergeant Anson Lin were present in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to signify the commencement of this exhibition. It was witnessed by the Temple volunteers, over 100 Friends of Art Gallery and art enthusiasts.
The Art Gallery has collaborated with many outstanding Taiwanese craft artists numerous times and introduced the beauty of exquisite Taiwan’s craftsmanship to the international arena. This year, the Art Gallery specifically recommends indigo blue dyeing artist Ms. Wen-Chun Tang, to organise a solo exhibition in New Zealand. Tang has been involved in indigo blue dyeing crafts for over 20 years. She has devoted herself to indigo dyeing and practical work, presenting multiple techniques that she has learned in this exhibition. Tang said, "Promoting Taiwan’s indigo blue dyeing is my biggest duty. I have been executing various steps by myself from planting the indigo dyeing plants to extracting the dye, in order to learn the essence of different skills with the aim of enhancing the speciality of Taiwan’s indigo blue, she added.”
Abbess Manshin addressed that Tang is a respectable artist who presents her appreciation of nature and her respect towards conserving the environment via her unique temperament and dexterous craftsmanship. Abbess Manshin introduced the artworks to the public on the spot – the longest artwork is 20 metres, and the most attractive craftsmanship includes but is not limited to 3D indigo blue dyeing. The in-depth layering of dyes reflects supreme craftsmanship, whereas the same level of focus can be observed from the different sizes and spans in her artworks. “There are some local tie-dying artists joining us here today, I hope these artworks can inspire creativity and spark ideas for everyone. Through communication and interaction, the mind can be expanded, and this is the value of art,” Abbess added.
Ms Kendra Chen said that she was honoured to be invited to participate in the exhibition during the cherry blossom season in New Zealand. A stunning indigo blue colour is evident in the artworks, which is a result of the outstanding nature in Taiwan stemming from the long accumulation of craftsmanship. “Tang is the pioneer of indigo dyeing in Taiwan, and she is the pride of Taiwan. Thanks to the support of Fo Guang Shan for providing a platform to showcase excellent Taiwan’s local arts to the World,” Kendra said.
Adele also delivered a speech at the Opening Ceremony, thanking the Art Gallery for providing great support to the community once again. She urges the visitors to spread the word of this exhibition around to their close ones, which helps the ‘Taiwanese Indigo Blue’ to bloom with the Cherry Blossom in spring. Senior Sergeant Anson Lin said, "Blue is also the colour of the New Zealand Police’s uniform. Only with the support of the public, we will be able to safeguard the community.” Anson expressed his gratitude to Abbess and venerables for leading the volunteers to service diligently and implant kindness, beauty and solid nutrients not only in Art Gallery, but also in the volunteers’ hearts.
Venerable Master Hsing Yun once said, "Life is inseparable from aesthetics. We can only have an artistic life if we feel and appreciate the beauty around us.” Under the leadership of Abbess Manshin, the Art Gallery team was committed to offer high-quality service to bring over the beauty of Taiwan’s Indigo Blue to enrich the values of NZ community via careful planning, preparation, invitation and setting up the exhibition. This exhibition will go on until 4th of December, and everyone is welcome to share the artistic joy.