Mixed media on paper

59 x 75 cm.23 1/4 x 29 1/2 in.

Signed ’Lin’ in English and dated ’2008’ on lower center.

LITERATURE Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Art Publishing，Kaohsiung Taiwan，One is Everything. Homeage to the Master：50 Years of Work by Richard Lin，2010，p.223.

EXHIBITED Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Art，Kaohsiung Taiwan，One is everything. Homeage to the Master：50 Years of Work by Richard Lin，15 May - 26 Sep. 2010.

Richard Lin（LIN SHOW-YU）1933-2011

“What is in front of us？ No letters can express the meaning of words. There is no difference in words said as it is what it is. One is everything.”

—— Richard Lin

Richard Lin is the descendent of Taiwan Wufeng Family Lin. He has been enlightened by Chinese philosophy such as Laozi and Zhuangzi since childhood. Such Chinese philosophy has taken root in his life and affected his creations in the future tremendously. He went to study overseas in London in 1954 and received training in Western architecture. He also chose cold abstract as orientation of art development. Lin’s art mainly followed the concept of “few is more” in modernism. His cultural attainment in youth became key to Lin’s development of new concept from the practical performance of architecture and design items. He then thereby becomes a cross-time and interdisciplinary master of modernism.

Lin escaped from the Taiwan Martial Law period while living in England，between 1950 and 1970. He was able to immerse in western philosophy，away from politics，breathing air of freedom，so that his works preserved the highly simplistic and solitude perception. From 1960 to 80s，Lin mostly focused on the immersion of study on geometric structure，which helped him discipline a precise and simple structure without flaws. His ability to control “white color” was highly skillful and compatible to Kasimier Severinovich Malevich. In 1984 he published sealing declaration “Painting is died” and expanded his ideas to 3D sculpture and installation. In 2000 his works on paper were produced with his large installation but integrated with more personal life traces，presenting Lin’s carefreeness and joy.

The two works by Lin Show Yu “Untitled I” and “Untitled II” were painted in 2008 and 2009 respectively，when the works of the artist already developed to a new stage. “Untitled I” was added with some ready-made material as collage while the use of diamond structure at the bottom and right part of the painting used the silver foil taken from the cigarettes Lin Show Yu uses to smoke. We can observe details from the significant folding marks on the silver blocks that the creation of the artist during this time was carried out with more improvisation and free attitude，where “life is art.” His inspiration and improvising blending of daily items made this work more valuable. “Untitled II” features the 60s style but seems to be the partial magnification and expansion of his early stage，which is overlapped with vertical lines apart from the horizontal lines，presenting cross structure on the painting. Lin Show Yu simplifies all words into minimum and only leaves the expression of colors and lines. The simple four strokes demonstrate his skills formed over 10 years，while the location of signature also becomes the key structure for balancing the image，prsenting an intuitive and pure aesthetics derived from minimal structure and organization.

Lin’s works are widely collected by more than 10 art museums，private and public departments. The National Palace of Museum event listed his work as the first piece of modern art collection，setting an example for the public to interpret minimum art. He became the first Taiwanese artist invited to participated in Kassel Documenta on behalf of England in 60s. He later became the economic artist for Marlborough New London Gallery. Lin’s works detached from the limitation of time，space，form and colors in traditional art but restructured colors and lines through logistic thinking，using the simplest look to portray the unique art essence，which deliberately designed and planned the manifestation structure to contain hundred view from precision and simplicity. One is everything.

Price estimate:
HKD：100,000 - 200,000
USD：12,900 - 25,800

Auction Result:
HKD : 342,200