Celebrating the designation of a minor planet as “Chenchengpo” in honor of the late Taiwanese artist Chen Cheng-po (陳澄波), the National Taiwan Museum (NTM) launched the mini-exhibition “666166 Chenchengpo (陳澄波小行星微型展)” at its Railway Department Park, along with the online exhibition “Rediscovering Taiwan: Chen Cheng-po’s 130th Birthday Anniversary Exhibition (走揣・咱的所在：陳澄波百三特展)” on Apr. 21.
Chen Cheng-po (1895-1947) is one of the most iconic figures in the history of Taiwanese fine art. He was the first Taiwanese artist selected for the Imperial Art Exhibition during the Japanese colonial era. Chen’s paintings mostly portrayed natural and city landscapes that expressed a sense of simplicity and purity in its serious composition. His unique brushwork, which was influenced by concepts derived from traditional Chinese ink paintings, coupled with the use of bold colors, developed into a distinctive style that made him a pioneer of modern art in Taiwan.
In recognition of his remarkable contributions to Taiwanese art and culture, National Central University (國立中央大學) named minor planet no. 666166 “Chenchengpo.”
At the ceremony, Minister of Culture Li Yuan remarked that both the naming of the planet and the online exhibition exemplify the integration of art and science. He expressed gratitude to Chen for his pioneering role in the development of fine arts in Taiwan.
Both “666166 Chenchengpo” and “Rediscovering Taiwan: Chen Cheng-po’s 130th Birthday Anniversary Exhibition” run through May 11. For more information, visit the NTM official website.