New Trend of Minimal Art---Paintings of Chang Chih-cheng

Chang Chih-cheng is in the efforts to find his own color, which is quite different from the natural color in the pursuit of lens. Compared with shape and image of the object, he prefers the color first extracted from the works. He has got rid of the past painting habits, begun to use spiritual, physical approach to break through conventional perspectives and freely exerted his artificial feeling. You can feel the “temperament” revealed in the surface of works no matter it is new modeling analysis of “Rock Singer” or the visual information obtained in figure projection of “John- Artist Portrait” and “Artist Portrait”. These feelings are already out of the significance usually conveyed in the works and hidden in its physical property.

His works are no longer simple reproduction but reflection of graphic and inner world through bright primitive colors, abstract geometric graphics and visual effects. From the essence of works, it does not seem to show form and structure but new form contained inside to provide the audience with a different visual enjoyment.

Since the 1970s, "monochrome" has become a mainstream and is called the art "closest to the soul" for abstractionists. The monochrome painting has introduced color sense of material and provided a new meaning for visual modeling from the perspective of physical property. In addition, the audience can feel the human feeling revealed through colors in his works and achieve the ultimate of shape and color. The expression force of minimal art is incomparable by hard edge painting.

The concept of minimal art can be traced back to late 1960s, when plastic arts in pursuit of monochrome rose quietly in the art circle of United States. Nevertheless, these faces that fill up publications, perhaps we are familiar or perhaps not, seem to have become part of our life. Attractive and sexy models from fashion magazines become idols to young girls; pop stars become the favorite of teenagers. These faces seem to carry each of its own social meanings. To the eyes of spectators, each face becomes a unique icon. In Zhang Zhicheng’s artworks, the face is most emphasized as it is the most direct outlet of human emotions, observations and comments. In Zhang’s works, very face has its own emotional response. He moves away from realist portrayal to give each face its unique color. He uses color as a way to present emotional response and characters.