Opening of Professor Kuo Yen-Chiao’s Traditional Chinese Painting Exhibition at FGY Art Gallery Christchurch
On 8th August 2020, Fo Guang Yuan (FGY) Art Gallery Christchurch hosted an opening ceremony for Professor Kuo Yen-Chiao’s Traditional Chinese Painting Exhibition. It was attended by 80 people including FGY Art Gallery New Zealand Curator Venerable Abbess Manshin, Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island Minister-in-charge Venerable Jue Xi, Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Oceania Fellowship Committee Director Dolly Tsai, BLIA South Island President Bernie, the late Professor Kuo’s daughter Louisa Kuo and her family, Dr. Alex Fu from the Taiwanese Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee Christchurch, artists Keith Morant, Leonore Ashby and Rob White, friends of FGY and members of BLIA South Island.
The day’s opening coincided with Professor Kuo’s 100 years old birthday, and his daughter Louisa specially organised the event to commemorate her father’s birthday. In her speech, Louisa thanked FGY Art Gallery Christchurch for having this Exhibition so that her father’s paintings can once again appear in front of the public. Mr. and Mrs. Kuo Yen-Chiao migrated to New Zealand in 1999, and both joined BLIA South Island as its members. During their stay in Christchurch, they have been showered with love and care by FGS Venerables and BLIA members. At his previous 2008 Exhibition at FGY Art Gallery Christchurch, Professor Kuo announced his pride and joy to have his paintings exhibited at FGY Art Gallery and he looked forward to sharing this joy of his with the Christchurch public. The Exhibition this time will fulfill Professor’s wishes one more time.
New Zealand artists Keith Morant and Rob White were invited to speak at the opening ceremony. They expressed the view that they were pleased to have such a high-standard cross-cultural Art Exhibition in Christchurch, and personally, they were able to find inner peace and tranquillity in Professor’s masterpieces.
In her speech, Curator Venerable Abbess Manshin pointed out that Christchurch has suffered a string of tragic events such as the Earthquake, the mosque shootings, and the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which have caused the people to feel unsafe and depressed. FGS plans to add colours and hopes to the people by holding art exhibitions at its FGY Art Gallery. For this Exhibition, the quiet simple tones depicted in Professor Kuo’s paintings, coupled with the Chan’ ambience from the floral arrangements, would surely bring peace and tranquillity to the visiting public.
Later in her guided tour, using Professor’s painting Rustling of the pine tree, Louisa explained to the guests the artistic conception portrayed by the painting. Afterwards, the guests expressed their admiration for the exquisite manner in which Professor Kuo went about his work, and they claimed to have felt the peace and tranquillity of Mother Nature and the beauty of traditional Chinese art from the painting. The Exhibition became perfect when the tranquil atmosphere created by the paintings was further enhanced by Abbess Manshin’s Chan’ floral arrangements.
Professor Kuo Yen-Chiao’s Traditional Chinese Painting Exhibition will be held from 8th August to 13th December 2020. This is the third time Professor’s Exhibition has been held in FGY Art Gallery Christchurch, and it will receive warm response from the public, elevating the standard of arts in Christchurch to a higher level.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUpWBOJJQEU