In the Winds of Time — Lu Hsien-Ming Solo Exhibition

Text／Lo TSAO

O you shaggy‑headed banyan tree standing on the bank of the pond…
He longed to be the wind and blow through your rustling branches…
— Rabindranath Tagore, "The Banyan Tree", from The Crescent Moon 1913

Lu Hsien-Ming’s creative journey of over forty years revolves around two underlying themes—absence and the act of gazing—which quietly shape his distinctive artistic language. His work evolves from the cold, rigid geometric forms and the absence of human figures in the Bridge Period, to the Figures Period where oversized people are compressed into tight backgrounds, then to the Urban Theater Period marked by the use of technological materials and mirror-like illusions, and finally to timeless portraits of old trees. Throughout these phases, Lu continuously explores the relationship between space, vision, and the body, reflecting on questions of life and existence through varied materials and perspectives.

Among Lu’s works, the banyan tree is a subtle yet persistent presence. Though it may not always be the main focus, it consistently appears in his view. Since his university days, the banyan tree has often appeared in his camera’s viewfinder and in early paintings, quietly settling into the corners of his compositions. This natural but unforced attention, developed over years of observation, has become a silent spiritual symbol in his life. For Lu, the banyan is more than just a tree; it carries a deeper meaning tied to faith and spirit.

This exhibition, In the Winds of Time, brings this quiet thread to the forefront. The centerpiece is a large new painting titled The Vastness of Heaven and Earth, Years Falling by Themselves, depicting an ancient banyan tree with wide-reaching branches and twisting roots. It symbolizes the twists, tensions, and cycles of life. New buds on the branches hint at the ongoing cycle of renewal. The old tree stands alone in empty space—without background or support—but steady and solid like a monument, carrying the weight of protection and memory. It calls to mind the banyan trees found near small shrines to the earth gods in Taiwanese villages, places where people, gods, land, and memories live together. Here, the banyan and the earth god merge into a symbol that is both a physical landmark and a center of emotion and belief. From afar, this tree is not just a plant full of leaves; it holds an invisible community, quietly affirming its lasting presence.

On the opposite wall, Sun and Moon Ablaze, Wishing to Follow Fate is made up of fifty smaller works. This piece blends abstraction and imagery, breaking the banyan tree down into impressions and moods, representing the process of breaking apart, rebuilding, and transforming artistic expression. This collection no longer focuses on the banyan’s physical form, but reveals its spirit and energy. Additionally, Urban Suite presents the banyan as a symbol of local urban memory and as a place where trees and people meet in silent exchange.

This exhibition not only gathers almost eight years of Lu’s work but may also be the final chapter of his Old Trees Series. As the artist says, the form and meaning of the banyan have reached their peak; to paint it again would be repetition, not growth. At this moment, the banyan has gone beyond being just a tree—it has become Lu’s spiritual mountain.