2013 Life in Color
Singapore ION Art Exhibition
At age 20, Stephen Peng held his first amateur art exhibition; 40 years later, he has chosen Singapore as the first stop for his traveling exhibition in Asia. The reason he has selected Singapore, an unfamiliar land, to begin his exhibition, is his aspiration to let his art be examined by viewers from different backgrounds. Will the gazes in a foreign land be fastidious about his strong, impactful colors, or will they be convinced by his art, which surpasses techniques and art concepts? The answer is yet unknown. However, in response to such a challenge, Stephen has especially named the debut of his artworks “Beginning of Time,” while the other half of the exhibition is called “Life in Color,” signifying Stephen’s rich experience and colorful life journey.
Born in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Stephen comes from a working-class family; his father was a bus driver, and his mother was a tailor. The family had a low income and the work was heavy. As the first child, Stephen realized at age nine that he had to help ease the financial burden on his family and helped with the chores at home. Art education seemed to be impossible considering his upbringing. Yet, Stephen’s father loved painting, which planted a seed for Stephen’s art journey in the future. Meanwhile, his mother’s ingenious tailoring skills also laid a foundation for
his work in the fashion world.
Most people remember their youthful adventures during school days and Stephen is no exception. When he was a student, Stephen was not afraid of trying new things and taking on challenges. This personal trait forecast his later endeavor to venture into the European market all by himself, his adventure in the Amazon rainforest, and his solo road trip across Europe. After leaving his hometown from Taipei to Taichung for studying, Stephen worked at a restaurant in the U.S. officer club. The job not only allowed him to cover his living expenses, but also made him fluent in English. In the midst of commercial globalization, Stephen’s language proficiency and open-mindedness meant that he was able to adapt to both Asian and Western societies, and also later on opened the door to international markets for his business. Stephen’s works resemble his character:
they have the most direct and richest colors, and by combining the Asian and Western cultures, they create balanced and harmonious scenes.
Stephen is an entrepreneur who places importance on life and art. He knows that the smartest way to be successful is to follow your dreams, make good use of your talent, and turn your hobby into a business. Apart from talent and potential, a person must work hard to achieve something. Stephen said that “in terms of entrepreneurship and art, persistence has always been the source of my strength. I believe everyone should have ambitions and perseverance; apart from never giving up, you must strive toward your goals while learning from your mistakes. In this way, you will be able to reach where you want to be.”
After a few rounds of interviews, many have criticized him for making interesting and artistic elements in life money-making tools. He has been portrayed as a successful businessperson focused on turning needs into designs that satisfy the public. Nonetheless, it appears that as an artist, he simply wants to make connections between details in life and his works. “Painting, designing, photography, and cooking, these are my long-term hobbies. These hobbies are like my best friends, and they make my life more pleasant and enriched.”
After he passed on his business to the next generation, he began to look back on his colorful life. Over the years, he has combined photography and travelling, a passion of his, and painted a number of artworks based on his life stories. He feels that “As I have grown older, painting has brought me peace and joy. I like to paint because it is a direct way of expressing yourself. Instead of saying you’re painting something, it is more like the painting itself is helping you visualize your inner world
that is unknown to others.”
Stephen’s works are colorful and the composition is bold. Sometimes they are strong, and at other times, they are reserved. These characteristics show Stephen’s full understanding of colors and his fearlessness. His inspiration comes from the most usual experience and feelings in daily life. When standing in front of one of his works, the viewer is mostly touched deeply or
remembers something in their past.
Stephen is a pure artist. Completely genuine, his works do not require fancy ‘language’ to express his true inner feeling and are often able to soothe the soul. In addition, his works differ from others: Stephen is good at large-scale artworks and most of his works are no smaller than 2 m x 1.6 m. The expansiveness and openness in his art are exactly like his personality.
Founder Jenny Zhu of Gallery Nawei, the organizer of this exhibition, said that they had put much effort in preparing for the event and choosing the location. According to her, the final decision to hold the exhibition at ION, Singapore’s famous landmark, was made because its iconic position in the fashion and art scenes can highlight Stephen’s reputation in fashion design. Furthermore, the location also indicates Stephen Peng’s fresh start as an artist with his understanding and interpretation of life.
