The Exhibition of Gongbi paintings by Chiu Su-mei (邱素美) and her students is on view at the Keelung Museum of Art from September 9 to 27, 2025. Under the guidance of renowned Gongbi painter Chiu Su-mei, the exhibition brings together about 200 exquisite works created by Chiu and 27 of her students. Showcasing the meticulous brushwork and refined color palette that define this traditional Chinese painting style, the exhibition offers a vivid demonstration of both technical mastery and aesthetic elegance. Together, these works create a visual feast that seamlessly weaves classical artistry with contemporary creativity, inviting viewers to experience the enduring beauty and vitality of Gongbi painting.
Highlights of the Gongbi exhibition
The exhibition’s design creates a dynamic and immersive experience, with a focus on blending individual masterpieces with collaborative works. The thoughtful arrangement of both large and small paintings creates a layered effect that guides visitors through the space.
At the heart of the exhibition is the centerpiece: “A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix (百鳥朝凰).” This grand, collaborative series, created by Chiu Su-mei and her students, captures the energy and grace of birds in flight. Chiu’s powerful painting of the phoenix stands at the center of a main wall, surrounded by her students’ diverse works.
The surrounding pieces — depicting everything from the vibrant Yellow Tit and elegant Red-crowned Crane to the whimsical Call Duck and Ring-necked Pheasant — symbolize the students’ passion and unity. The theme: “The Phoenix Chooses a Worthy Tree to Perch On (鳳凰擇木而棲),” highlights Chiu’s dedication to both her craft and her students. The series, painted on gilded panels, reflects light differently throughout the day, creating a beautiful golden glow that wishes the audience peace and good fortune.
Another striking feature is the “Flying Kites” series, displayed on translucent gauze scrolls. These scrolls, featuring calligraphy of soaring kites, are suspended at various heights in front of floor-to-ceiling windows. As they gently sway, they create a stunning dialogue with the view of Keelung Harbor’s Kite Plaza, blurring the line between the art and the natural world. This clever display evokes the feeling of eagles gliding through the air, drawing viewers into a truly immersive experience.
The meaning behind the Gongbi exhibition
Chiu Su-mei’s exhibitions are more than artistic showcases; they serve as vital platforms for cultural preservation. In an era when Taiwan’s art scene is influenced by global currents and market pressures, her unwavering dedication to Gongbi painting ensures the endurance of this centuries-old tradition. By situating her practice within both history and the present, Chiu demonstrates how Gongbi can continue to thrive — not as a static relic, but as a living art form that resonates with contemporary audiences.
This exhibition not only presents Chiu’s delicate and soulful works but also highlights the distinctive creations of her students. By exhibiting these works side by side, Chiu emphasizes the continuity and renewal of tradition, fostering an intergenerational dialogue that nurtures new talent while reinforcing Gongbi’s relevance as a cultural heritage. In this way, the exhibition reflects both the preservation of an ancient practice and its evolution in contemporary Taiwan, inspiring younger artists to carry the art form forward with fresh vision and vitality.
About Chiu Su-mei
Chiu Su-mei is a distinguished Taiwanese artist renowned for her mastery of Gongbi (工筆), a meticulous and highly realistic brush technique in traditional Chinese painting. For more than three decades, she has devoted herself to the art of Gongbi painting and currently serves as Honorary Chairwoman of the Gongbi Painting Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Chiu is especially celebrated for her Huaniao Hua (花鳥畫), or ‘flower-and-bird paintings,’ in which she draws profound inspiration from the refined minimalism of Song Dynasty (960–1279) Gongbi works. To deepen her understanding of their artistry, she has studied and closely imitated numerous Song paintings, allowing her to absorb their techniques and infuse them into her own creative practice.
Chiu’s artistic practice is rooted in both a reverence for ancient techniques and an intimate dialogue with nature. She frequently ventures outdoors with a sketchbook in hand, carefully observing plants and animals in their natural surroundings to capture not only their appearance but also their vitality and spirit. For Chiu, true artistic resonance arises from this direct encounter with the living world. Back in the studio, these observations are transformed through the disciplined language of Gongbi: fine, deliberate outlines built up with multiple washes of ink and color. The result is a body of work distinguished by its exquisite precision and vitality — petals that seem to breathe, feathers that appear to ripple in the air, and compositions that embody both technical mastery and poetic sensitivity.
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