WHEN LIU GUOSONG started to give Chinese painting a modern twist more than 50 years ago, Taiwan's art traditionalists vilified him as a rebel and a traitor.
Today, with his 73 years etched in grey-white hair, wrinkled eyes and a gentle paunch, Liu looks more like a jolly grandfather than a rebel rouser. Yet his life and works, spanning a distinguished 50-year career, has been all about pushing boundaries. Liu, whose distinctive works are an abstract blend of eastern and western styles, is internationally lauded as the father of the modern Chinese art movement. A large-scale retrospective of his works will be showing at the Hong Kong Museum of Art until May 2.
The son of a soldier and a housewife, Liu had no early training in art. Japanese forces killed his father when he was one and, like many mainland Chinese during the second world war, Liu's family were constantly running for their lives.
Liu never stayed long enough in one place to receive formal education until he was in his teens. 'My deepest wish was a chance to study and help my family.' At 14, Liu was given a place at the Kuomintang-funded school for orphans of revolutionary soldiers. To pursue his dream of studying, he later left with his school to Taiwan.
His mother remained in communist China. The family lost touch for several years.
From the beginning, Liu loved art. He describes how he would spend hours browsing a Chinese painting shop after school. The owner finally asked him if he wanted to learn to paint and recommended an art teacher.