Dr. T.F. Chen

* ARTISTS RESIDES IN: New York City * YEARS IN THE BUSINESS: 50+ * PUBLISHED BY: Self-published * CONTACT: www.tfchen.org

" The arts can be an expression of what is sacred and alive within us, within human civilization. If you feed your soul with the arts and cultivate your character with their beauty, you will never be poor. This is a message out children need to hear."

Born in Japanese-occupied Taiwan in 1936, even the oppressed life of Dr. T.F. Chen couldn't suppress his drive toward the arts and bettering the global community through his visions of a peaceful future.

"I remember memorizing every page of the 50 art books that a local dentist had smuggled in from Japan," Chen says. "I made my friends among those creative minds who had left us all a legacy of their masterpieces. Although everyone in Taiwan was extremely poor materially at that rime, I felt the arts made me very rich."

At the young age of 14, Chen had made up his mind to become an artist--and that's precisely what he did. He earned a scholarship from the French government to study in Paris where he stayed for 12 years. He first attended l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts for seven years, and then received his M.A. in French literature and his Ph.D. in art history from the Sorbonne in Paris. This made him the first Chinese student to earn his Ph.D. in art history from the school.

During his studies, Chen came up with his famous "Five Dimensional Universal Culture" theory. At this time, he also pioneered "Neo-Iconography," a technique uniting global cultures by combining familiar icons in unfamiliar ways in his paintings. The concept tests both the artist and the viewer by placing global icons together in ways that conflict with normal time-and-space barriers and passes over cultural boundaries. Both parties must find different meanings of these well-known representations in new settings.

Chen challenges the world to explore free expression and peace through his work. "My beloved wife and I have dedicated our lives to promoting art and culture," Chen says. "We have always viewed the arts as a powerful vehicle toward enriching our individual souls, shaping our good character and advancing this global culture of peace."

In 1975, Chen moved to the United States to continue to expand and explore the horizons that art provided him. He used his gift as a tool to empower and encourage the public to promote peace and cultural awareness. He founded the T.F. Chen Cultural Center in New York City to aid in furthering his futuristic efforts.

In 2001, Chen was honored as the first artist to receive the Global Tolerance Award from the Friends of the United Nations. He has also been designated as a Cultural Ambassador for Tolerance and Peace.

Chen is also the initiator and organizer of the Art for Humanity World Tour, which seeks to advance art education and a global culture of peace. The tour travels around the world, featuring artwork and programs that speak a message of cultural harmony.

"The arts can be an expression of what is sacred and alive within us, within human civilization," Chen says. "If you feed your soul with the arts and cultivate your character with their beauty, you will never be poor. This is a message our children need to hear."

In more than 4,000 astounding works of brilliant colors, humor and fantasy, Chen has fascinated the public with his inspiring artwork. He has been noted as one of the top 20 most influential artists in the modern age, and he continues to dedicate his life and work to making pieces that mirror the human race's accomplishments and inspire harmony and progress in all of us.

AWARDS/ RECOGNITIONS:

Global Tolerance Award from the Friend of the United Nations, 2001; designated Cultural Ambassador for Tolerance and Peace

NOTABLE COLLECTORS:

Museum of Modern Art, Paris; The Smithsonian Institute; The White House; The Taipei Fine Arts Museum; The Presidential Palace, Taiwan

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