Hsu Yu-Jen was born in 1951 in Tainan, Taiwan. He graduated in 1975 from the Department of Chinese Painting at the National Academy of Arts (now the National Taiwan University of Arts). From 1973 to 1975, he studied with Li Chun-Shan, a pioneer of modern art in Taiwan, whose ideas on creative freedom had a lasting influence on his artistic development. In 1979, Hsu held his first solo exhibition at the American Cultural Center in Taipei, then moved to the United States. Throughout the 1980s, he traveled frequently between Taiwan and the U.S., and returned to Taiwan in 1989 to pursue a practice that bridges Eastern tradition with contemporary expression.
Hsu’s practice spans ink painting, oil painting, mixed media, and calligraphy. Rooted in brush-and-ink mastery, his work embraces experimental concepts to redefine the language of contemporary ink art. From early on, he broke with tradition, using geometric structures to disrupt conventional compositions and develop a distinct visual voice. After returning to Taiwan, he launched his “Dense Oil” series, marked by thick, layered strokes that evoke a sense of suffocation—an intense response to urban life and inner resistance. In contrast, his ink works reveal a lasting emotional bond with nature and spiritual introspection. Between 1989 and 1996, he transitioned from traditional landscapes to his signature “fine broken-line” technique, defined by restraint and individuality.
Raised along the coast of Tainan, Hsu developed a deep connection to nature which continues to shape his art. Often drawing inspiration from travel, he transforms landscapes and life experiences into archetypal imagery. His work is rooted in Eastern philosophy, integrating the I Ching, geomancy, and the five elements into a personal artistic logic. His brushwork encompasses four major series: Thin-brush, Rough-brush, Aquarene, and Color Painting. The Thin-brush series employs interrupted fine lines to convey spatial rhythm; the Rough-brush features bold strokes and vertical formats with a modern edge; Aquarene captures Taiwan’s humid landscapes through saturated washes; and Color Painting merges oil and ink to express the richness and vitality of nature. Through these innovative techniques and striking compositions, Hsu infuses traditional ink with contemporary aesthetic and individual character.
Positioned within the broader trajectory of ink’s modernization, Hsu has established a singular and rigorous creative path that secures his place in both contemporary art and art history. In 2017, he participated in The Weight of Lightness, the first international group exhibition at M+ in Hong Kong to focus on ink art in a contemporary context. His work highlighted the tension and dialogue between tradition and experimentation. In 2024, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum presented HSU Yu-Jen: A Retrospective, a comprehensive survey of his five-decade career. The exhibition affirmed his ability to transform life experiences into a profound visual language, embodying the core spirit of “Eastern roots, contemporary expression.”
Hsu’s works have been exhibited in Cologne, San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, and are held in the collections of major art institutions across Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United States, and Australia.
