LAI AN-LIN / Anli Genu（1958- ）
A Tayal native from Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan.
Bachelor of Fine Art, Chinese Culture University
Master of Divinity, Yu-Shan Theological College and Seminary
Master of Fine Art, School of Visual Arts, New York City (SVA NYC)
AWARDS
| 1983 | The Dean’s Special Prize in Oil Painting, Fine Art Department CCU |
| 1984 | First Prize in Oil Painting, Qiu Yun Art Award, Fine Art Department CCU. |
| 1986 | Taiwan Province Art Exhibition, Selected Oil Painting Prize. |
| 2012 | Pulima Art Award, Merit Prize. |
| 2019 | Arts and Business Award, Ministry of Culture, Taiwan. |
Social Charity
| 2019 | Donated his own work, Gutux Niqan (constructed by paper, bamboo and oil painting) from 2016, to the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts. |
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
| 1958 | Born in Mei-Hua Tribe, Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County |
| 1988-1989 | On Study Tour to South America on cultural relics of Inca |
| 1989-1993 | Studied the Master program of Fine Art, SVA NYC, US |
| 1995-1997 | Served as an Adjunct Lecturer in National Hualien University of Education |
| 1995-1997 | Served as a jury member at Hualien Arts Exhibition |
| 1995-1997 | Served as an Adjunct Lecturer in YuShan Theological Seminary |
| 1995-1997 | Server as a judge at Hualien International Stone Sculpture Festival |
| 1997 | M. Div., Yu-Shan Theological College and Seminary |
| 1997 | The Cover Artist of the Year, Automatic Magazine, published by Tai-An Corp. |
| 1998-1999 | Head of the Wooden Sculpture jury, Provincial Native Tribe Competition of Skills |
| 1999- | Pastor of Sankuan Church, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan |
Exhibition
| 1991 | Artistry via Pepers Exhibition, Howard Salon, Taipei |
| 1991 | Geometry Series Solo Exhibition, Amerasia Bank Gallery, Flushing, New York, US RANGE, Visual Arts Gallery, New York City, US |
| 1992 | The Child Painter Series and Tree Paintings Series Solo Exhibition, Visual Arts Museum/SVA Gallery, New York City, US SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS・GRADUATE STUDIOS Selections from the MFA Special Projects, Visual Arts Gallery, New York City, US |
| 1993 | Spirit of Painting Series, Cai-tian Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan. |
| 1994 | New Vision Series Solo Exhibition, Hualien County Cultural Center, Hualien, Taiwan. |
| 1995 | Interpretation. LIANG, Liang Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan. |
| 1996 | Love. Life. Dignity. Solo Exhibition, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. |
| 1997 | Indigenous Culture Festival in Taipei, Beitou Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. |
| 1998 | Love. Life. Dignity. Solo Exhibition, Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Cultural Park, Pintung, Taiwan. |
| 1999 | From Canada to Taiwan: Contemporary Indigenous Art Group Exhibition, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. |
| 1999 | Miao Li International Mask Festival, Miao Li Municipal Cultural Center , Miaoli, Taiwan. |
| 2000 | Member of The Artisan Competition Jury Solo Exhibition, Indigenous Peoples Commission, Taipei City Government |
| 2001 | The Ocean, the Exchange and a Dialogue on Diversity Group Exhibition, Centre Culturel de Taïwan à Paris, Paris, France. |
| 2004 | The Beauty of Fabric Group Exhibition, Centre Culturel de Taïwan à Paris, Paris, France. |
| 2007 | Across Oceans and Time: Art in the Contemporary Pacific, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. |
| 2008 | 「The Great Journey in Pursuit of the Ancestral Realm, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. |
| 2008 | Second Vision, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan. |
| 2011 | Unique Vision: Highlights from the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts Collection, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan. |
| 2012 | Beyond the Boundary: Contemporary Indigenous Art in Taiwan, Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center, Nouméa, New Caledonia |
| 2016 | (IN)VISIBLE: The Spiritual World of Taiwan Through Contemporary Art, Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Vancouver, Canada. |
| 2016 | Heart Tree and Spiritual Rebirth: The Art World of Anli Ganu Solo Exhibition, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. |
| 2019 | Tattoos—Carved into the Body Group Exhibition, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts and Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac |
| 2020 | Hunters, Totems: Anli Ganu Solo Exhibition, Arts Center, NTHU |
Tree Painting Series
1992
Oil on canvas
172 x 122 cm (1 piece)
25 x 20 cm (10 pieces)
This is My Son, Whom I Love
Collection of Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.
Our Song
We are singing our song, yet our mouths are sealed; we used to have innocent and happy expressions, yet now grieve is carved on our faces. For no one else could sing this song, but us. Having lost our mother tongue, our lands, our identification and dignity… It is as if we have mouths, but cannot speak, songs, but cannot sing. Yet, we remain to shout out loud and sing along together to the Song of Heaven which belongs to us.
1993
Oil Painting 82×244cm
Seniors
1993
Oil Painting 41 × 56 cm
F-16 Leisa
1993
Oil Painting 26 × 30.5 cm
F-17
1993
Oil Painting 26 × 30.5 cm
Paradise
1996
Oil Painting
162 × 480 cm
2009
Oil and bamboo on canvas
304 × 227 cm
My Cross
Actually I did not paint any pictures of the cross in My Cross—does it suggest that everyone should have their interpretation of what their own cross is? While this work could be rearranged by setting the several pictures closely without leaving any interstitial space—then the cross disappears, and all we could see is ourselves. For I had tried to interpret the my inner cross by my own culture, background, language and knowledge. It was only until later when I discovered: the cross of Jesus Christ can only take its place in my heart when I no longer focus on myself. During their life’s pursuit, many has gotten used to oppressing others and building up a superior position by abuse and hatred, they thus gradually get lost in their ego and become bogged down—in the trap of self-centeredness. While the focus on oneself grows bigger, simultaneously the cross declines in one’s heart and may even disappear. As for me, only love and sacrifice can bring the greatest satisfaction of my heart.
Collection of Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.
Ancestral Spirits No.1
2015
Oil on canvas
122 × 182 cm
Ancestral Spirits No.3
2016
Oil on canvas
122 × 182 cm
Through the Rainbow Bridge Together
“We will go through the rainbow bridge together!”—This is the bravest line in the film Seediq Bale, spoken by Mona Rudo. The Seediq warriors’ resistance against Japanese aggression—their inner recognition through a bleeding, painful way—that they see the hope to live on through their crimson dignity and hence choose a path through “the rainbow bridge”, which leads back to the place where the ancestral spirits rest. With 102 jigsaw puzzles, Anli has pieced together a rainbow bridge made with the ancestors’ wisdom and the totems of life as he invites us to come along…
And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. (Isaiah 35:8)
2016
Multimedia and installation
2006-2009
Multimedia－Oil and iron and wood on canvas
612×200cm
The Huntsman’s Symphony
The Huntsman’s Symphony narrates the following scenes: “At the break of dawn, the huntsmen set out with their guns and hounds; all of a sudden, they detect a beast, thus the huntsmen chases after their prey closely as the barking sound of the wounds echoes in the air. As they catch up to the prey, one of the huntsmen holds his breath and gives it a fatal strike. Finally all of the tribe set up a fire for their success, they sing, dance and share the meat—together it’s a scene of wholesome life and satisfaction.”
This work portrays the joy of living and a godly attitude in the Atayal people, for singing and dancing are expressions of praise to God. The dance moves represented in the painting are actually the movements of a huntsman on his hunt, and this correlation signifies: as indigenous people go on hunts, dance and sing, simultaneously they express their love to the earth, and their reverence for God. In the point of view of the indigenous people, the the model of living which their fathers passed down, is “a perfectly interwoven combination of human’s living, and the land which nurtures and provides for lives.”
Video
