Liu Yong (painter)

Liu Yong (born February, 1949) is a Taiwanese educator, novelist, painter, and philanthropist. He founded the Shui Yun Zhai Cultural Enterprise and has built over 40 schools in rural China.

He has written over 100 books that range from non-fiction essays to novels. Liu is a best-selling author in mainland China and Taiwan., and his books have been translated into English, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai. Liu has toured mainland China, Taiwan Province, Malaysia, and Singapore to speak on educational topics. A chapter from one of Liu's many motivational books for adolescents is included as a potential reading-aloud test topic on the Putonghua Proficiency Test.

Liu has held over 30 solo exhibitions, and his paintings have been collected by museums across Asia and Europe. Sotheby’s, an auction house which regularly auctions his works, describes his unique style as the combination of utilizing ancient techniques, developing a contemporary manner, and contemplating philosophical thoughts. He usually uses fine lines and delicate brushstrokes to depict landscapes, birds, and flowers.

Early life and career
Liu Yong was born and raised in Taipei. His father died when he was nine years old. He graduated from Cheng Kung Senior High School, obtained a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from National Taiwan Normal University, obtained a Master's degree in East Asian Studies from St. John's University (Jamaica, NY), and pursued a Doctorate degree in Art Education from Columbia University.

Liu won the first place in the fine arts department exhibition at National Taiwan Normal University, and became an art teacher at Cheng Kung Senior High School upon graduation in 1972. He was invited to participate in the Asia Contemporary Art Exhibition at age 23 and the National Art Exhibition at age 25.

From November 30, 1971 to April 5, 1974, Liu hosted the prime-time China Television quiz show "Seconds Count Down". From 1973 to 1977, he worked as a reporter and producer for China Television in Taipei. In 1978, he represented China Television in the U.S. and became the artist-in-residence at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History in Virginia. In 1980, he became the artist-in-residence at St. John's University in New York. In 1991, Taiwan’s public television station commissioned Liu to produce the documentary series, “The Spirit of Chinese Culture.” At the same time, he founded Shui Yun Zhai Cultural Enterprises in Taipei, which he continues to manage, in addition to working as a professional writer and artist.

Artistic style
Liu was an apprentice of Huang Jun-Bi and Lin Yushan, artists of landscape, bird, and flower paintings. He imitated classical masterpieces in the National Palace Museum. His foundation, combined with education in Western painting from studying in the U.S., clear sketching technique, and background in literature led to the development of his style.

Liu’s landscape paintings have been described as “Dreamscape” by American media for their three-dimensional quality. The style merges his self-invented technique of spraying ink onto wrinkled paper collages, the boneless strokes of bird and flower painting, texture strokes inspired by old Chinese masters, and sometimes his own form of Pointillism inspired by Impressionism.

Liu’s bird and flower paintings present the subjects with scientific accuracy. Liu hopes that viewers can “live, play, and listen” in his paintings because every work has a story, just like in literature. Liu’s painting and writing are very much interconnected, and critics often praise his art for embodying the essence of poetry.

Liu has become one of the few living Chinese painters to be included in Sotheby's and Christie's auctions in Hong Kong, Beijing, and New York. Numerous books have been published about his artwork, theory, and techniques. Notably, People's Fine Arts Publishing House published a book on Liu Yong in their prestigious “Chinese Contemporary Famous Artists” series.

Selected solo exhibitions

 * 2019: Baoku Jiangxin Art Center, Shanghai, China
 * 2018: Liaoning Provincial Museum, Shenyang, China
 * 2017: Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
 * 2015: Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, Beijing, China
 * 2015: Silicon Valley Asian Art Center, Santa Clara, CA
 * 2011: Gallery at National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 2010: Xi Zhi Tang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1990: Taipei Arts Center, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1989: Xin Sheng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1982: Long-Men Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1982: Today Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1981: Chung-Cheng Art Gallery at St. John’s University, Queens, NY
 * 1980: Print Gallery, Blacksburg, VA
 * 1979: Washington and Lee University Gallery, Lexington, VA
 * 1978: Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, Danville, VA
 * 1978: Rechenbach’s Gallery, Knoxville, TN
 * 1978: People’s Market Art Gallery, Greenville, SC
 * 1978: Mall Art Gallery, Norfolk, VA
 * 1978: Quayside Gallery, Norfolk, VA
 * 1977: National Taiwan Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

Selected group exhibitions

 * 2021: Commemorating Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, Gongwang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
 * 2021: When Literature Meets Aesthetics, Chang Ge Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 2021: Welcoming Spring, Chang Ge Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 2019: Cross-Strait Art Exhibition, National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 2016: Chinese Contemporary Famous Artists, Silicon Valley Asian Art Center, Santa Clara, CA
 * 2016: 100 Years of Chinese Art, Shandong Art Museum, Jinan, China
 * 2014: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), International Conference Center, Beijing, China
 * 2013: The Pacific—Innovation of Chinese Ink Paintings in America, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
 * 2013: Beautiful Taiwan—Classic Works of Taiwan’s Contemporary Artists, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
 * 2013: Beautiful Taiwan—Classic Works of Taiwan’s Contemporary Artists, China Art Museum, Shanghai, China
 * 2011: 100 Years 100 Paintings—Taiwanese Contemporary Artists Exhibition, General Association of Chinese Culture, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 2009: Open Flexibility—Innovative Contemporary Ink Art, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 2007: The Third Chengdu Biennale: New Trend of Contemporary Ink Painting—Ink Works from Taiwan, Chengdu Contemporary Art Museum, Chengdu, China
 * 1993: Chinese Modern Colour-and-Ink Painting Exhibition, Russian Museum of Ethnography, St. Petersburg, Russia
 * 1993: Great Contemporary Art Exhibition, Gallery at National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1986: 21st Annual Sumi-e Society of America Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
 * 1984: Overseas Chinese Artists, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
 * 1978: Chinese Paintings, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne, Germany
 * 1977: Chinese Modern Art Exhibition, Museum of Science and Industry, Los Angeles, CA

Selected public and private collections

 * Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
 * Knoxville City Hall, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
 * Liaoning Provincial Museum, Shenyang, China
 * Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne, Germany
 * National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan ROC
 * National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan ROC
 * Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Taipei), Taipei, Taiwan ROC
 * Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, USA
 * Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
 * Stanley Ho Family Collection
 * Liu Yiqian, China

TV shows

 * China Television quiz show "Seconds Count Down" (Show time: November 30, 1971 ~ April 5, 1974)
 * China Television politics show "Current Event Forum" (1976), received the Golden Bell Award of TV
 * China Television cultural show "Window of Music" (1976), won Best Music Program at the International Film and Television Festival in New York
 * Phoenix Television talk show "Speaking of the World from the Heart" (2008)
 * Taiwan Public Television educational show "Chinese Characters Are Fun" (2015)