Chemin Hsaio 蕭喆旻
Aware of the living moment

TAAC 's core commitment is to diversity, equality, and inclusion. By advancing them in the art world, we aim to promote a more just society. TAAC hopes that the outrage generated by BLM will help to lead to a more equitable society, truer to our ideals, and that TAAC's activity can aid in this effort. Life is difficult enough, we are longing for world tranquility. in this issue, we have young artist Chemin Hsiao, and don't forget to listen the music of Glory to Hong Kong and Taiwan band The Chairman's Sacrifice to Welcome the Gods.
C hemin Hsiao created a series of drawings in the pandemic period in which the face mask has become an essential element of our daily life. It is by turns melancholic, ironic, witty, and reflective. We would like you to appreciate these exquisite drawings.
Title: Black Rain , Year: 2020 Medium: Watercolor on Paper Dimensions: 11” x 12.75”
Have you had your hair cut?
image below Title: Barber Shop
Year: 2020 Medium: Watercolor on Paper Dimensions: 15” x 11”
C hemin Hsiao's drawings made during the recent pandemic bring in a light sadness of mind. "Koi Nobori" is the Japanese fish windsock traditionally used to wish success to children. Hsaioi has updated this banner to fit these quarantine times. Continuing in an even more hopeful vein is "Reborn" which features new growth and regeneration on the back of a tortoise, which may represent longevity and auspiciousness. "Black Rain" seems to comment on the Black Lives Matter movement and celebrate the fact that it is gaining greater weight. While "Barber Shop" is more lighthearted and reminiscent of the gentle mockery apparent in his Mask series. These whimsical drawings, such as "Wilson", seem to characterize the artist's personal response to the shade of this period of restraint, and Hsaio's discourse about the awareness of living. In his previous series, the artist faithfully captured images of subway passengers and the homeless to document his commute. Taking a different tack, his series of "Journey to the West" paintings caught the immigrant experience by populating fantastical scenes with characters from classical literature. As a young artist, he has shown diligence, endurance, and consistency.
Title: Koi Nobori
Year: 2020 Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions: 15” x 11”
Title: Repay
Year: 2020 Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions: 15” x 11”
Chemin Hsiao (蕭喆旻, Taiwanese American) is a visual artist based in Queens and Brooklyn
(Chashama Studio Space), New York. Hsiao received his BFA and MFA from the School of
Visual Arts. He was a recipient of New Work Grant (2017 & 2019) and ArtSite Public Art
Commissioning (2018) from Queens Council on the Arts.
Title: Wilson Year: 2020 Medium: Watercolor on Paper Dimensions: 11” x 15”

Since 2019, Hsiao has completed several commissioned public murals for the Queens
community including Jackson Heights (82nd Street Partnership), Elmhurst Sculpture Park
(RPGA Studio), Union Street in Flushing (Asian American Federation), and the SkyView
Center in Flushing (ShopCore Properties). He has taken part in artist residencies at the Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts in Canada, SU-CASA Residency in New York, and the Cuttyhunk Island Artist Residency in Massachusetts. He was selected as one of the ProjectArt resident artists in
Windsor Park Library (Queens), one of the printmaking scholarship recipients at Manhattan
Graphic Center, and a fellow at the ARTWorks, Inc. program supported by the Jerome
Foundation at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. He also participated in the 2016
Immigrant Artist Program at the New York Foundation for the Arts.
Artist Statement
I n my artwork, I want to capture personal emotions toward subjects or atmosphere,via the elusive connections from my memories and cultural background. I sit with plants, animals and the surroundings in time, moment by moment, and let myself be unconsciously revealed from the process of painting. Seeking for such a silent moment when one could totally emerge into mindful actions and forget oneself, I would like to hear my inner voice truthfully this way.

The paintings might be motivated by a pattern or shadow on the snow which reminds me of my first winter in New York City, or by a group of robins flying from branch to branch in the trees, or by something else that I observe. Such a visual stimulus during the creative process may propel me to take the picture in a completely different direction than I had originally planned. This organic process allows me to construct each image with time molding the possibilities for the final visuals.
The method of watercolor painting serves as instant emotion recorders for specific locations, events, people or emotional memories. Via woodblock or silkscreen printmaking techniques, I transform the watercolor painting images into editions of prints, and experiment with new compositions of the visual ideas.
Title: Island
Year: 2020
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions: 9” x 12”
Title: Piety
Year: 2020
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions: 11” x 15”
For the larger narrative paintings and public mural art via acrylic pigments, I collected
personal events/emotions in particular time frame in life, and wove them into an image
that explains to me the meaning of that specific period of my life, while simultaneously
responding to the nature of the commission.

The most recent painting series is a daily ritual and humble meditation to communicate the
feelings of comfort, sorrow, hope, or calmness during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The
painting practice helps keep me centered at the moment, and not stressed over how long
this crisis will last and all the possible outcomes.
Title: Angels
Year: 2020
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions: 11” x 15”
Title: Comfort
Year: 2020
Medium: Watercolor on Paper
Dimensions: 9” x 12”
‌
Title: Solitary Exercise
Year: 2020 Medium: Watercolor on Paper Dimensions: 11” x 15”
Chemin Hsiao has had a solo exhibition at Queens Botanical Garden, and group exhibitions at
the Walter Wickiser Gallery, New York Foundation for the Arts, Jamaica Center for Arts and
Learning, El Taller Art Center, New York Hall of Science, Abrons Arts Center, E. Tay Gallery,
Local Project Art Space, Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Taipei Cultural Center, Maggi
Peyton Gallery, Society of illustrator Gallery, Gallery Nucleus in the United States, and LiTEHAUS
Galerie and Direktorenhaus Gallery in Berlin, Germany.

In addition to his studio practice, Hsiao held painting and printmaking workshops at Queens
Botanical Garden. He also taught visual art classes to seniors in the SU-CASA artist in
residence program at Nan Shan Senior Center in Flushing, and to students from
kindergarten to high school at various public schools via the Visual Arts program at the
Queens Museum and Abrons Arts Center.
Title: Reborn
Year: 2020
Medium: Acrylic Pigment on Wooden Barricades
Dimensions: 8 ft x 8 ft
Reborn display at the Skyview Center, Flushing, NYC
More information: Chemin Hsaio
Portfolio website:
http://www.cheminart.com/
Full CV with press links:
http://www.cheminart.com/CV
Newsletter subscribe:
https://dm-mailinglist.com/subscribe?f=91b21cc3
Social Media:
- Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/cheminhsiaoart/
- Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/CheminHsiao
- Twitter:
https://twitter.com/cheminhsiao
TAAC -- Building bridges between communities, national and internationally through art and culture to deepen our senses of beauty, inspiration, and empathy.
current TAAC exhibition: Urban Reverence, New York  (paused due to coronavirus)
The phenomenon of migrants forming an international cross-cultural "urban tribe" is one of the urgent topics in the 21st century. Analyzed historically in the context of the planet and symbiosis, this involves the survival of human beings and maintenance of balance among various living things. The discourse thus moves to valuing human nature, preservation of multiple cultures, the environment, and the new multi-faceted unity. Potential political, economic, and cultural crises can only be averted by an emphasis on the diversity of life that promotes interactive relationships.

Curatorial team:
Chief Curator: Luchia Meihua Lee, Executive Director, TAAC
Co-curators: Jennifer Pliego, Director of Special Programs and Head of the House of Art, El Taller Latino Americano, NYC
Sarah Walko, Curator, Director of Education & Community Engagement, Visual Art Center of New Jersey
[ Image courtesy of artist
Dennis RedMoon Darkeem]
[ Image Courtesy of artist
Yen-Hua Lee]
[ Image Courtesy of artist
Diana Heise]
Music:
Glory to Hong Kong 
《願榮光歸香港》
https://youtu.be/oUIDL4SB60g
‘’Glory to Hong Kong’’
Music: Thomas dgx yhl
Lyrics: T, LIHKG brothers & sisters
Arrangement (Original version): T, BP, CLK
Arrangement (Chinese instrumental version): 5DN1L
Producers: a group of local filming and advertising producers of Hong Kong
Music director/ Conductor: 七劍浣春秋
Choir: A group of Hong Kong musicians
Filming: A group of Hong Kong filmmakers
"Garden of four elements " Works of Urban Tribes exhibition-Image courtesy of artist Reinhard Blank

Current exhibition “AusZeit” at Memmingen City Museum, Germany

The exhibition lasts until January 24, 2021 and can be seen at the following times: Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As in all museums in Memmingen, admission is free.

"Sacrifice to Welcome the Gods" 【 music by The Chairman Band 】

Music from a Taiwan temple festival to gain the blessing of the God. The video starts by listing each month's festival - for instance, May (the fifth month of the lunar calendar) contains the Duanwu (dragon festival) - followed by an introduction to the legend of Matsu (a sea goddess). Matsu's festival  is a major event in Taiwan, with the largest celebrations around her temples. The Chairman Band is a popular rock band in Taiwan; they have won several Golden Melody awards. Formed in 1997, The Chairman Band combines elements of traditional Taiwanese culture with Hokkien lyrics.
from Album: 祭
Licensed to YouTube by Rock Mobile Corporation (on behalf of 武藝音樂有限公司), and 2 Music Rights Societies
https://youtu.be/toQlDlv7DVI