Tsai Chih Chung’s Eastern Philosophy
SAT: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
SUNDAY: CLOSED
Tsai Chih Chung is a world-renowned cartoonist born in Taiwan, best-known for his Chinese philosophy cartoon series. Conveying abstract ideas in an accessible cartoon format, Tsai mobilizes Eastern Asian cultural heritages and introduces Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian philosophies to the world. Tsai has created over 100 cartoon works, which have been translated and published in dozens of languages, selling over 50 million copies all over the world. In 1999, Tsai Chih Chung was awarded the Prince Claus Awards in recognition of his contribution to introducing Chinese philosophies to an unprecedented wide public. Since the 1990’s, Tsai has been incorporating ink art with his cartoon style, bringing new vitality to both visual art formats.
Supreme Shanti translates from a Chinese character-engraved stamp that Tsai frequently uses in his art: Shanti is a Sanskrit word meaning “peace”; Supreme Shanti derives from the Flower Garland Sutra, one of the most influential Mahayana Sutras of East Asian Buddhism. Through meditation, one can achieve an inner state of absolute mental tranquillity, thus Supreme Shanti. In 2020, Tsai Chih Chung officially devoted himself to Buddhism at Shaolin Monastery in China, adding a new page to his legendary life as a cartoonist, artist, and cultural icon.
This exhibition features 30 pieces of small-scale ink art that Tsai created in 2021, marking Tsai Chih Chung’s first art exhibition in North America.
Curator: Yubing Guo
Producer: Dazong Pan
無上清涼：蔡志忠的東方哲學
蔡志忠是出生于台湾的世界知名漫画家，以其中国哲学系列漫画而闻名。蔡志忠以通俗易懂的漫画表达抽象的思想，立足于东亚文化传统，将佛家、道家和儒家的哲学思想以视觉形式介绍给世界。蔡志忠已有 100 多部漫画作品，翻译成几十种语言出版，在世界各地的销量超过 5000 万册。1999 年，蔡志忠被授予荷兰克劳斯王子奖，以表彰他将中国哲学介绍给广大观众这一前所未有的贡献。九十年代开始，蔡志忠将水墨艺术与他独特的漫画风格相结合，为这两种视觉艺术形式注入了崭新的活力。
“无上清凉”是蔡志忠在画作中常使用到的钤印。在佛家思想中，清凉意指“平和”；“无上清凉”源自《华严经》，东亚佛教中最有影响力的大乘经文之一。通过冥想与修行，离诸热恼，达到平和悦乐的内在境界，是为“无上清凉”。2020 年，蔡志忠在嵩山少林寺皈依，为他作为漫画家、艺术家和文化传承人的传奇人生添上崭新一页。
本次展览展出蔡志忠在 2021 年创作的 30 件水墨艺术作品，标志着蔡志忠在北美的首次艺术展览。
策展人：国瑜冰
出品人：潘大宗