Ah Leon (Chen Ching-Liang)

Ah Leon (Chen Ching-Liang) was born in 1953 in Pintung, Taiwan. He graduated from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts in 1976, and from 1978 to 1982, sought the apprenticeship of famous ceramic artist Li Jhao-Ching from Miaoli, Taiwan. In 1982, Ah Leon participated in an artist-in-residency at the State of University of New York, USA. Since 1985, the artist has exhibited extensively in Asia, Europe and America, including the National Ceramics Museum in Denmark, the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona, the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Los Angeles, and the National Palace Museum in Taipei. His works are collected by renowned international museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., the World Ceramic Exposition in Korea, and the Taiwan Museum of Art in Taichung.

Ah Leon’s works have been described as a trompe l’oeil, or a deception of the eyes. In the development of western contemporary ceramic art, Taiwanese artist Ah Leon’s fool-the-eye realism has been described as ‘trompe l’oeil’ as it emphasizes the mimicking of the natural world via manipulation of clay. Ah Leon’s conceptual context in contemporary ceramic has been developed since 1987. His ‘super objects’ not only demonstrate the sculptural conception of hyperrealism, but also the artful craftmanship that always brings to the viewers an extraordinary visual and sensory experience.

Centered in Ah Leon’s life as the motif of the works, together with the aesthetics, skillful execution and spirituality, the exhibition aims to amaze the audience by the exquisiteness of his artistic practice and helps them to visualize the artist’s passion for ceramic art with the beauty of his art that he brings to life.

The artworks of Ah Leon capture the spirit of Chinese culture. No matter where the works are displayed, a sense of life and tradition of his hometown can be observed.

1953

Born in Pingtung, Taiwan

1976

Graduated from Taiwan National Academy of Arts, Banqiao, Taiwan

1985

Solo Exhibition, Spring Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1986

Solo Exhibition, Kaohsiung Cultural Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Solo Exhibition, Taichung Cultural Center, Taichung, Taiwan

1988

Participated in artist-in-residency, State of University of New York, New York, USA

1991

Solo Exhibition, National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Solo Exhibition, Chung-Mein Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

1992

Solo Exhibition, Garth Clark Gallery, New York, USA1993

Solo Exhibition, Garth Clark Gallery, Los Angeles, USA

1995

Solo Exhibition, Garth Clark Gallery, New York, USA

1996

“Bridge” Solo Exhibition, Taipei City Hall, Taipei, Taiwan

Solo Exhibition, National Ceramics Museum, Middelfart, Denmark
Solo Exhibition, Format Gallery Oslo, Norway
Solo Exhibition,  Jeroen Bechtold Ceramics Art, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1997

“Bridge: Illusion in Clay” Solo Exhibition, The Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, USA

“Bridge: Illusion in Clay” Solo Exhibition, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian  Institution, Washington D.C., USA

1998

“Bridge: Illusion in Clay” Solo Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, USA

“Bridge: The ‘T’ shaped Beams” and “Yixing Style Teapot” Collection, Arthur M. Sackler    Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA           

1999

Solo Exhibition, Chin Show Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
Solo Exhibition, Garth Clark Gallery, New York, USA

“Contemporary Ceramics” Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

2000

Solo Exhibition, Gin-Tao Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

2001

Solo Exhibition, Northern Illinois University Art Museum, Chicago Gallery, Chicago, USA
Solo Exhibition, Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, USA

“The Great Achievements of Contemporary Ceramic Arts: 38 invited ceramic masters”, World Ceramic Exposition, Korea “Tofu installation” Collection, Korean National Ceramic Museum, Korea

2002

Solo Exhibition, Soka Art, Tainan, Taiwan

2003

Solo Exhibition, Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, New York, USA

“The Great Achievements of Contemporary Ceramic Arts” 60 invited ceramic masters in the World Ceramic Exposition, Korea

2004

Solo Exhibition, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, USA

2009

“Memories of Elementary School” Solo Exhibition, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, USA

2010

“UN · Earth” A Cross-Cultural Ceramics Showcase, iPreciation, Hong Kong
“Memories of Elementary School” Solo Exhibition, American Museum of Ceramic Art, Los Angeles, USA2011 | “Memories of Elementary School” Solo Exhibition, Everson Museum of Art, New York, USA