Poren Huang

Early life and family

Poren Huang was born into a family of woodcarvers in Dajia District, Taichung. Both his grandfather and father were engaged in the woodcarving business. During its heyday between 1960 and 1980, more than 100 woodcarvers were restlessly working at the Huang's woodcarving factory. They even had to sleep at the factory's dormitory at night. The scale of the woodcarving factory was very big; the products were exported to various countries. The land where the factory situated is very big and stored a lot of woodcrafts. A single piece of unprocessed high-end wood costs more than US$30,000 at that time. However, since the security system was not install during that time, the "Taiwan Dogs" were used to guard the factory and home in order to prevent the woods from getting stolen. The Huang's Taiwan Dogs have existed continuously for generation, hence Poren Huang grew up in an environment surrounded by sculptures and Taiwan Dogs.

Poren Huang has an innate sense of delicacy and fancifulness. In today's society, he has his own distinct thoughts toward human nature and generational changes. He wants to transmit his thoughts through new art creations instead of duplicating craft (such as 80,000 pieces of the same Guan Gong sculptures). However, his father threatened to "renounce" him if he became an artist. He wanted him to continue producing wood sculptures, so that he could at least have a steady income. His father had no choice but to use the threatening tone because there were quite a few woodcarvers who had left the woodcarving factory in the hope of becoming romantic artists. However, they ended up suffering from the strain of poverty. Moreover, Poren Huang is the only male child in the family, as he has several sisters, but his father already advanced in age. Thus, his father very worried that his son would be starved to death if pursued artistic works, he had no choice but to threaten him.

Through "The Dog's Notes", Poren Huang expresses that he will never abandon either his family or his creative artworks.

Since graduating from the sculpting group of Fu-Hsin Trade & Arts School in 1989, he did not run away from home like other romantic artists. Instead, he designated a small area at the factory for himself. He used wood, metal, rocks, and other cheap sculpting materials, and he strived to participate in sculpting competitions in various places. Throughout the years, he has received numerous awards. He has also attracted numerous visits from the media. His father then became aware of the matter, but he could not help in worrying his son.

Starting 2005, Poren Huang created "The Dog's Notes" to express his care and loyalty toward his family. Although the elders were not being understanding, he has tried really hard to express himself. While using humorous ways to convey his ideas, he has also demonstrated his determination for guarding the freedom of creative artworks. Like the Taiwan Dogs, he is loyal, pure, and courageous; he manifests the positive attitude as a whole. This is exactly the inspiration obtained from the Taiwan Dogs in his home. In 2007, Poren Huang's father passed away. He accompanied his father through the last days of his life in the hospital and created the sculpture "Every Day is a New Start". He hopes that people can cherish every present moments and manifests golden-like positive radiance which shines eternally everyday in life.

Poren Huang's works became popular globally and continued to manifest positive attitudes which influence and touch a lot of people. Every sculptures are highly meaningful and have long-term mission, which is for the betterment of people in this 21st century, especially in the mind!

Art characteristics

Poren Huang's sculpture works concern Taiwanese aboriginals and Taiwan Dog. Because of his great admiration for aboriginals' innocence and perseverance, the sculptor's early works, created from iron or wood, express their unique culture and difficult life vividly. With regard to "The Dog's Notes" series, those Taiwan dogs raised by Poren Huang's family are a rich source of inspiration for him. It is taken for granted that dogs are the most trustworthy animal to human beings; however, dogs can also be a symbol of the dark sides to human character, as being snobbish or fawning. Some of Poren Huang's bronze dogs even resemble the appearance of a man.

Strict Creating Attitude

One mold can reproduce 1–2 bronze sculptures. Most artists use the same mold to reproduce all versions of bronze sculptures, whether there are 20 or 30 versions. Molds can only be used for a certain period of time; most artists use molds continuously, considering replacement only after severe deformation because the bronze sculpture produced will be rather different than the original. Although most people cannot find differences with the naked eye, the artist can definitely spot them. Some sculptures have up 99, 200 or more versions, where the same mold is used; however, Poren Huang insists that a mold can only be used twice, at most.

Therefore, if a bronze sculpture has 20 versions, he would have to make the mold 10 times. While this requires a lot of time and work, Poren Huang insists on this. His demands towards the completeness of his works are very high, not allowing even 0.01% of error. Since any slight difference can change the entire feeling, so each version of the sculpture are in line with what he wants, maintaining the best artistic quality.

Poren Huang is an extremely picky artist; if he is not satisfied with the artwork reproduced (if there are too many differences from that of the original) by the copper factory, He will ask the copper factory to reproduce another, absorbing all additional costs. Very few sculptors do this, even if they are not satisfied, they will not return the end product. This is why sometimes it takes Poren Huang more than four months to produce a sculpture. He also insists on not hiring assistants, so he only sleeps four hours a day, resting only on Chinese New Years. Apart from that, he is always working, making sure the proportion of the lines and blocks of every piece are what he desires.

When comparing same size bronze sculptures of different artist, Poren Huang's work is relatively heavier because he uses maximum thickness, so when picked up there is a particularly heavy feeling (for handmade pieces the flow of melting copper are controlled by the artist, resulting in different weights of each piece). He gives each piece the highest artistic quality, wishing his artwork can last thousands of years. As a result, his works come at a great cost.　The artwork is not only a symbol of expensive decorative taste for the home, but also a sacred domain for the soul. Everybody works hard his/her entire life to make him/herself better. Let us be content easily, like dogs. Let us be pure, confident, humorous, and joyful, so that our lives will shine positive light every day.

Exhibitions

Poren Huang’s sculptures have become incorporated into textbooks, and hence his works have become collections in galleries across Taiwan. In addition, his works have also gained increasing popular with private collectors, especially in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Singapore, Seoul and Tokyo, and is gradually including the Middle East, Europe and the US. Poren Huang encourages his collectors to play with and touch his works, and through the constant contact, feel the profound heritage within the creations. One collector initially thought of The Dog's Notes as rugged, but through constant handling and awareness, realized that The Dog's Notes is in fact extremely refined. Each faintly discernible line and block manifests a different pose, and the more interaction with the works, the more feelings are discovered. The artistic unity of the heart and mind with the works happens only through precise manipulation with the fingers, which is a type of art therapy. In addition to appreciating each piece of work in The Dog's Notes with the naked eyes, the most important is the passion arising from the interaction of mind and body as a result of touching. Each staggered arrangement of explicit and implicit lines reveals unlimited artistic character while narrowing the distance between the viewer and work until the two becomes one. The indubitable intimacy, quiet and reliable sense of security, and inspiration to deeper meaning make The Dog's Notes an artistic feast. The artist has not only become the Creator, creating the true meaning of freedom and creating a personal world view, but has also become the observer endowed with a limited life that offers infinite possibilities!

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Collections

Since 1999, Poren Huang has been participating in art fairs around Asia. In addition, he has put up more than 20 individual exhibitions in the galleries of 798 Art Zone|Beijing 798 Art Zone, Hong Kong, Taipei and other areas. In 2003, Poren Huang was invited to display his iron sculptures in the Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum|Miaoli Wood Sculpture Museum in Taiwan, becoming the Museum's first exception to non-wood creations. In the Art Taipei 2006 art fair, his work, "Happy Time(2006)", was immediately acquired by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, which again acquired another of his work, Wise Man, during the Art Taipei 2008. In 2014, Poren Huang's exhibition in the Powen Gallery was greatly received, and his work, "The Loved One(2009)", was immediately published on the cover of ARTCO Magazine, the most important art magazine in the Chinese academia. While in 2015, few sculptures of Poren Huang are confirmed to be showcasing in Tao Zhu Yin Yuan Tower, Taipei Taiwan (also known as the Agora Garden Tower, which being announced by CNN in the list of city landmarks they look forward to in 2016 ) after completion of project during 2016.

Publications

2017 "POREN HUANG'S PHILOSOPHY ON ART AND INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK" by Clément Rechaussat, Artco no.292, p52-p59, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2016 "Marching Forward Alongside Eagle With Head Held High" by Chang Li-Hao, Artco no.290, p106-p109, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2016 "THE DOG'S NOTES BY POREN HUANG", Featured Article by NICOLAS SIMONEAU, KALTBLUT Magazine, ART Section, Published by Marcel Schlutt and Nicolas Simoneau, Berlin.

2016 "Look at those dogs! On Poren Huang's Spiritual Metonymy", Featured Article by Wu,Shuann, Artco no.287, p68-p71, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2016 "Spielzeug und Vorbild: Die Hundeskulpturen des taiwanesischen Künstlers Poren Huang", The Coverage by Susanne Braun for the exhibition in Berlin.

2016 "Bright Star overseas-Poren Huang and Powen Gallery", Art. Investment no.99, p94-p97, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2015 "Dog Philosophy—Life Revelation of Poren Huang by Chen Fanling, Art. Investment no.89, p196-p197, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2015 "Poren Huang—Iron Wood Forest and The Dog's Notes" By Powen Lee, Artco no.269, p156-p157, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2015 "Return to Innocence-Poren Huang's "The Dog's Notes" by Max Chaplin, Artco no.268, p82-p89, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2015 "The Loved One" on the cover of Artco Magazine, Published by Art & Collection Group, Taipei, Taiwan.

2014 "The Dog's Notes" by Poren Huang, Published by Powen Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan.

2011 "Exploring the relationship between dogs and human" by Fu-Chen Tsai, Published by Merit Times Co., Ltd.

2009 "Poren Huang Transforms the traditional wood sculpture into Modern Art" by Chen-yin Hsu. Published by Commercial Times.

2006 "The Dog's Notes", Published by Taiwan News, Taipei, Taiwan.

2006 "Poren Huang's Sculptures expresses the spirit of The Formosan Dogs ", A6, Published By Min Sheng Daily, Taipei, Taiwan.

2005 "Huang Po-Ren Sculpture: Iron. Wood. Forest; The Dog’s Notes" by Poren Huang, Published by Taichung County Cultural Center, Taichung, Taiwan.

2005 “The Dog’s Notes: vivid Bronze Dogs” by Ming-Hui Chang, Published by United Daily News, Taipei, Taiwan.

2003 “Flying Over The Jurassic Period” by Jin-Lung Chen, Published by Taiwan Daily, Taipei Taiwan.