News

2008.0115

DFA Introduced a Catalog of Paintings by Its Alumni

By Sabrina Lin Campus Reporter National Taiwan Normal University’s (NTNU) Department of Fine Arts (DFA) published a catalog of students’ masterpieces between 1950 and 1995 under the sponsorship of the Cabinet’s Council of Cultural Affairs (CCA) and the catalog was introduced to the public today. "These paintings are important in Taiwan’s arts history.  We shall continue to spend more budgets restoring more historical relic items or papers in the future,” said Gou Yih-shun (郭義雄), president for NTNU. DFA said that approximately 60 years ago, then director Huang Chun-pi (黃君璧) requested DFA students to at least leave behind a masterpiece for NTNU before she or he would graduate.  As a result, a total of 2,503 paintings were collected between 1950 and 1995 but many of these paintings were fading or damaged due to poor preservation equipment and skills in early years. About 18 months ago, under the support by the president, DFA began to fix and restore these paintings with a budget of NT$5 million (US$156,250). DFA alumnus and engraving master Liao Hsiu-ping (廖修平) said that these paintings within the period of 45 years could be regarded as the demonstration of Taiwan’s arts history.  He urged NTNU to establish a museum where these masterpieces can be permanently displayed. "I believe that my fellow alumni would be more than happy to donate or sponsor for necessary cost of the museum,” he said. Liao’s remarks were echoed by Gou.  The president said that an arts museum has been planned to be established next to current DFA building and the museum can be completed within four years, if the budget problem is solved. In the meantime, CCA Vice Chairman Hung Ching-feng (洪慶峰) said that the CCA would always endorse for NTNU’s determination to preserve and restore historical items and will continue to help NTNU on the arts museum project as well.