Taiwan Today

For more than three decades, Shih Li-jen (施力仁) has enjoyed a successful career as an art agent and curator. After establishing a gallery in central Taiwan’s Taichung City in 1982, he developed a reputation for his superb promotional skills and keen eye for artistic excellence. As the years passed, however, he began to feel somewhat unfulfilled by his work. The thrill he had once gotten from exhibiting artworks was being replaced by a desire to explore his own creative potential. Shih initially tried to suppress this longing, but it continued to occupy his thoughts for many years until eventually, when he was in his mid-40s, he resolved to try and forge a second career as a professional artist. “I decided I had to follow my calling and live a life that truly reflected my desires, priorities and values,” he recalls. “I realized I’d have to work extremely hard to make up for my late start, but I also knew it was going to be a wonderful adventure filled with doubts, risks, trials and rewards.”

In the 15 years since, Shih has experienced a remarkable rise to prominence, primarily due to his constantly evolving yet consistently striking interpretations of a single creature—the rhinoceros. His imposing rhino sculptures, which are intended to highlight the importance of wildlife conservation, have proven popular with all types of organizations from corporations and nonprofit groups to local governments, and today many of his pieces are on permanent display in downtown areas and tourist attractions in Taiwan and mainland China. Looking back now, the agent-turned-artist feels extremely grateful to have had the chance to share his artistic vision and message about animal welfare.

Born in Taichung in 1955, Shih showed an interest in drawing and modeling with clay from an early age. Though he opted against studying fine arts in college, he became a prominent figure in the local art scene after establishing the Modern Art Gallery, which over the past 30 years or so has held countless exhibitions of works by domestic and international artists. Meanwhile, as an agent Shih has represented a multitude of American, Asian and European artists across a variety of disciplines including ceramics, painting and sculpture.

Through his profession, Shih has worked closely with many acclaimed figures in the art world and visited museums across the globe. These experiences have given him an intimate knowledge of the international art scene as well as invaluable insights into the creative process. “The many years I spent promoting and selling artworks before becoming an artist broadened my knowledge of the visual arts and sharpened my aesthetic sensibilities, which undoubtedly aided my creative development,” he says.

After deciding to pursue a career as a professional artist, Shih experimented with different materials and forms of expression before settling on producing sculptures made of bronze, iron and stainless steel. He was particularly drawn to the idea of creating large pieces that could be used to enliven urban environments. In terms of subject matter, Shih was inspired by his lifelong passion for nature and wildlife, and planned to depict birds, horses, leopards and rhinos. In order to produce realistic and expressive representations, he carefully studied the characteristics of these creatures as well as their evolutionary histories and symbolic meanings in various cultures. It was during this period of intense research that he became increasingly fascinated by the rhinoceros.

The evolutionary origins of rhinos stretch back approximately 50 million years, making them one of the oldest groups of mammals. In ancient China, they were revered as sacred creatures and were believed to be able to ward off evil spirits. For these reasons, the animals were frequently featured in works of literature and depicted on handicrafts and utensils. However, as a result of the destruction of their habitats and the poaching of their horns, which are used in some cultures to create ornaments or traditional medicines, rhino populations have plummeted dramatically in recent decades, and three of the five species of rhinoceros are now classified as critically endangered. Learning about the plight of the rhino had a powerful effect on Shih, and the animals became the driving force behind his artistic creations. “My goal in creating rhino sculptures is to inspire people to help save these creatures,” he says. “I believe in the power of art to change attitudes, opinions and ultimately actions.”

Shih has sought to develop a unique visual language to convey this message about conservation, and therefore has devoted a considerable amount of time to exploring new design concepts and artistic techniques. He has also strived to create very large works, which require complex structural configurations and production methods. For example, King Kong Rhino, a 2014 sculpture made of bronze, is 4.58 meters tall and weighs about 5 metric tons.

Huang Hai-yun (黃海雲), a professor in the Department of Fine Arts at Tunghai University in Taichung, says that although Shih did not receive a formal education in art, his natural talent and unwavering dedication have allowed him to create refined pieces. “His sculptures are admired for their innovative designs and powerful message,” he says. “Plus, they’re easily accessible to the general public.” For instance, Shih’s artwork Rhino Family, which consists of three statues depicting a male, a female and their calf, clearly communicates the importance of family bonds, Huang says.

Over the years, the sculptor’s work has undergone a stylistic transformation from naturalism to modernism. While he initially focused on creating accurate depictions of rhinos, Shih’s more recent pieces are characterized by his use of geometric patterns and external symbols of industrial construction techniques, such as riveting and metal plating. The sculptures in the King Kong Rhino series are imbued with modernity and spirituality, and mark a great leap forward in his artistic development, Huang says. “The horn of Shih’s bronze King Kong Rhino sculpture is engraved with a thumbprint to symbolize the triumph of the human spirit,” the professor opines. “Meanwhile, its tail is shaped like a torch, which is pointing upward to represent triumph over adversity.”

The artist’s use of modernist aesthetics can also be seen in his 2012 piece Harley King Kong. The bronze rhino statue is intended to evoke a large Harley-Davidson motorcycle and convey a sense of movement and power. In addition, Shih has created several busts of the rhinoceros from his King Kong Rhino series.

Joseph Wang (王哲雄), former director of the Department of Fine Arts at National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in Taipei City, believes that Shih’s lack of formal training actually works to his advantage as he is unburdened by preconceived notions about what modern art should look like. “Contemporary art is distinguished by the absence of a uniform organizing principle or ideology. Its primary value lies in its originality,” he says. “Shih imposes his personal style on the medium. His animal sculptures are unique because they possess a refreshing innocence.”

The retired NTNU professor believes that Shih’s use of modern materials like stainless steel conveys the advance of industrial civilization. Some of his pieces also serve practical functions, such as his 2014 work Treasure Kits, which consists of two rhino-shaped wine bottle holders. Wang notes that the artist deserves praise for achieving a high level of proficiency in challenging sculptural techniques. “Shih has the artistic ability to produce lifelike sculptures in a variety of different forms,” he says. “I expect him to continue creating innovative metal artworks that appeal to audiences around the globe.”

Shih says that it gives him an enormous sense of joy to see his works installed in public spaces as this helps raise awareness of the plight of the rhino. “The extinction of rhinos or other endangered species would be a great loss to not only the natural world, but also art, culture and science,” he says. “With each species that disappears, another world is lost to human understanding.”

The sculptor’s artworks have attracted the interest of WildAid, a US-based environmental organization that works to end illegal poaching by reducing demand for commodities such as rhino horns through public awareness campaigns. Shih now serves as a celebrity ambassador for the nongovernmental group and helps spread its message—when the buying stops, the killing can too.

Shih’s ultimate ambition is to establish a rhino-themed museum that collects and exhibits paintings, sculptures and mixed media artworks concerning the animal. He also hopes to build an ecological park around the museum that would allow the public to experience the natural habitats of certain species of rhino. “My goal in creating public artworks is to change people’s perspectives about animal welfare and wildlife conservation,” he says. “Meanwhile, I find the creative process incredibly invigorating. In fact, it adds meaning to my life.”

Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw