Iutian TSAI

Born in Taoyuan, Taiwan in 1968, Tsai Iutian graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University under the tutelage of Chiang Hsun.

While working at the National Tsing Hua University Art Center, during the curatorial period, he explored the space and time context positioning of artistic creations. Tsai also served as a community planner engaged in overall community building, and experienced the subtle relationship of interaction between humans and the environment, which prompted him to work on public art projects.

His famous works in Taiwan includes public art in front of the Administration Building at National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center in Hsinchu City, smart cloud public art in New Tech Lights Area at 2016 Taiwan Lantern Festival, and land art in Shitan Section of 2019 Taiwan Romantic Route 3 Art Festival held by Hakka Affairs Council, etc.

Furthermore, he once visited a Vipassana Meditation Center in India and a Manjughosha Buddhist Camp in London for meditation, exploring the mystery of internal and external energetic balance. Inspired by mentor Chiang Hsun’s literary writing, Tsai created a large-scale sculpture titled “Flow with the Spirit of Water.”

The public art became the first in Taiwan to garner the Platinum A' Design Award in the Arts, Crafts and Ready-Made Design Category in 2020. Touted as the “Oscars of the Design Circle”, the prestigious A' Design Award is presented only to the top 1% of artistic talents. In addition to being listed in the world design rankings, the information about the honor will be translated to 109 languages and promoted to 195 countries to let the whole world see the glory of Taiwan. The jury gave rave reviews to Flow with the Spirit of Water, stating that the design has reached a level of exemplary perfection.

Tsai states that the confused thoughts of the crowds and the visible and invisible chaotic energy in the space may cause people to feel irritable. However, his “Flow Art Sculpture” has a transformative function. By guiding, grooming, purifying the negative energy and strengthening the positive energy “chi” of a space, his sculptures can let people focus on active, pleasant and peaceful outcomes. With a subtle shift in their environment, the viewer is guided to an awareness of the balance between their inner and external energy, and allowed to rest there and to settle in.

​In early 2022, the artist was recommended by Professor Chiang Hsun to participate in a one-month residency project in Chishang organized by Taiwan Good Foundation. While the artist's previous works mainly focused on large-scale stainless steel public art, this time Iutian Tsai immersed himself in the local customs and experiences with simple ink tools.

Living alone in an old farmhouse located at the end of a small path next to the Longziwei rice paddies, Tsai is surrounded by the energies of the earth, clouds, wind, and sun, enveloped in a peaceful and vast energy field between heaven and earth, mountains and water. Facing the mountains and vast fields of the valley, the rice paddies reflect the colors of the sky and clouds, and while being awed by nature, Tsai ponders how to see through the superficial and express the essence of one's feelings, rather than simply reproducing what is seen.

People living in urban environments are often disconnected from nature, lack sensitivity to seasonal changes, and experience feelings that are often one-sided and disjointed. "Flow with the Mindfulness of Living" means experiencing the pulse of life's vigor and energy in nature, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in a state of mind for rediscovering life's passion and original intent.

During the residency, the artist found inspiration and materials from everything around him. For example, a leaking roof was not just the trace of water flow to him, but also contained the passing of time, the transformation of space, and the flow of things. He used clear spring water mixed with pine smoke to create an ink of natural beauty, with a creative process that involved minimal "control." By allowing the "uncontrollable" water and ink to flow freely and imbue the fibers of the paper, the water, ink, paper, and brush interacted gently to create a sense of forgetting oneself in a state of mindfulness during the creative process.